Re: A start on the .MESH file format
@ KE
Thanks for your kind words...
I guess GubZol has helped me leaps and bounds in getting this tutorial together.
I can take what's here and polish it up to put under the tutorial section.
Below is my last project, This is a "kit bashed" model and textures with parts drawn form several existing popular mods of RTW, of which many will recognize. This unit represents a later era unit in my mod I am making...
https://img119.imageshack.us/img119/...g101uu7.th.jpg
For anyone who cares or worries... these pieces are not my original work, but parts pieced together from various models and M2TW models and textures... a chimera of sorts...:inquisitive:
AT
Re: A start on the .MESH file format
Nice tutorial AT!
I have a question for you (or anybody else who knows):
How do I assign multiple textures to the part of the model?
i.e 4 different armour textures for 1 body model, like they show up in game as having?
thanks
Mega
Re: A start on the .MESH file format
@Megalos
you duplicate the body model several times. for instance:
In milkshape you have a body model called "Body 1", you select it and duplicate it 2 times so you have a "Body 02" and a "Body 03". The mesh is the same, but for each new body you move the UV map to a different texture.
then in the comment for Body 1 you write:
Body
Body 1
0
for body 02 you write:
Body
Body 02
0
for body 03 you write:
Body
Body 03
0
The game will now choose between 1 of the 3 body models in game, and therefore also 1 of 3 different textures.
i hope that answered your question
Re: A start on the .MESH file format
Maybe, it is strange for you but I don't know, just think that the different of the 4 mesh file of a unit is the elaboration (or detail) of the models (by the number of polygons, vertices), isn't?
Furthermore, where can I manage weapons to be primary or secondary?
Re: A start on the .MESH file format
Quote:
Originally Posted by Alletun
@Megalos
you duplicate the body model several times. for instance:
In milkshape you have a body model called "Body 1", you select it and duplicate it 2 times so you have a "Body 02" and a "Body 03". The mesh is the same, but for each new body you move the UV map to a different texture.
then in the comment for Body 1 you write:
Body
Body 1
0
for body 02 you write:
Body
Body 02
0
for body 03 you write:
Body
Body 03
0
The game will now choose between 1 of the 3 body models in game, and therefore also 1 of 3 different textures.
i hope that answered your question
Thankyou, that has cleared it up some-what!
Mega
Re: A start on the .MESH file format
Hello!
Somebody would be able to tell it to me yet that they are us the alpha may be the trouble with my channel?
I created a Viking helmet from Latikon helmet, but vainly draw the alpha channel, is not willing to cover the surplus... Im Milkshape works, but does not work in the game.
Re: A start on the .MESH file format
@r-marci
For primary and secondary weaponry.
Go to Group button
Comments button.
In the Comments window, you will want to type the following for a primary weapon (like a pike for the pikeman) and for a secondary a sword or axe...
primaryweapon0 EDIT: primaryactive
pike_01
0
Note: a / may be used in place of a 0, I have not seen any difference ... yet...
Secondary weapons will be as such:
secondaryweapon0 EDIT: secondaryactive
sword_01
0
Now let's get more advanced, if you have upgrades for weapons, where the actual weapon model and/or texture change for a more finely crafted weapon just add a 1 after the primary and secondary like so...
primaryweapon1 EDIT: primaryactive
pike_01
0
secondaryweapon1 EDIT: secondaryactive
sword_01
0
@Gubzol
Forgive me, but I am having a hard time following you. I think you are having an issue getting the Latinkon helmet you added to a viking model mapped right on its texture??? Am I headed down the right direction? let me know. Also, you can post a pic of it, maybe we all can see what the issue is and help you out that way? Just trying to help
AT
Re: A start on the .MESH file format
Andromachus
Thanks very much! It's a great help!
But the Comments of the weapons of an original M2TW-Model (Byzantine Cavalry) have the following:
primaryactive0
cav composite bow_49
0
Or:
secondaryactive0
sword secondary_3
0
Is there any difference between primaryactive/secondaryactive and primaryweapon/secondaryweapon?
Re: A start on the .MESH file format
@r-marci
Oops...
My fault, yes you are right...
primaryactive0 or 1
secondaryactive0 or 1
Sorry about that!!!
EDIT:
A note on weapon quality, you would most likely have upgrades (ug) up to ug3, I would assume, as you can have ug's in armor up to three. Unlike armor, the weapons would be free from quality increase requirements noted in battlemodel.modeldb and the export_descr_unit. Though I have not tried this... Thus, if you wished as an example, pike_militia could carry around fine rapiers for their ug3 sword? The possibilities for units could be endless.
AT
Re: A start on the .MESH file format
Quote:
Originally Posted by Andromachus Theodoulos
@Gubzol
Forgive me, but I am having a hard time following you. I think you are having an issue getting the Latinkon helmet you added to a viking model mapped right on its texture??? Am I headed down the right direction? let me know. Also, you can post a pic of it, maybe we all can see what the issue is and help you out that way? Just trying to help
AT
I say thank you for it, but I solved it some other way already.
But that the alpha channel measured was out of order on the previous, I do not know it.
Re: A start on the .MESH file format
Hi,
I used Milkshape and GrumpyOldman's converter to mod a unit. I removed all the hats, shield and secondary weapon and inserted another weapon, a lance following Zxiang's tutorial. I edited modeldb, too:
hungarian_nobles 1 4 60 unit_models/_Units/LB_Plain_Fancy/hungarian_nobles_lod0.mesh 121 60 unit_models/_Units/LB_Plain_Fancy/hungarian_nobles_lod1.mesh 900 60 unit_models/_Units/LB_Plain_Fancy/hungarian_nobles_lod2.mesh 2500 60 unit_models/_Units/LB_Plain_Fancy/hungarian_nobles_lod3.mesh 6400 1 7 hungary 73 unit_models/_Units/LB_Plain_Fancy/textures/LB_plain_fancy_hungary.texture 72 unit_models/_Units/LB_Plain_Fancy/textures/LB_plain_fancy_normal.texture 48 unit_sprites/hungary_Hungarian_Nobles_sprite.spr 1 7 hungary 60 unit_models/AttachmentSets/Final Slavic_hungary_diff.texture 60 unit_models/AttachmentSets/Final Slavic_hungary_norm.texture 0 1 5 Horse 11 MTW2_HR_Bow 18 MTW2_HR_Non_Shield 1 19 MTW2_HR_Bow_Primary 1 18 MTW2_Spear_Primary
But the unit is very strange, legs and the new weapon are invisible and arms are in Jesus position. Animations don't work. Other things are ok.
Milkshape shows the unit to be ok.
What may be the problem?
Is KnightErrant's converter better? I downloaded it but where can I find a description to it. I don't know python.
Re: A start on the .MESH file format
here's some things that you can check:
1) all groups in milkshape should have a comment. eg:
Arms
Arms01
0
2) all faces must be assigned to a bone. go to the joints tab and click "Draw vertices with bone color". if there's any gray faces you must assign them to a bone.
Re: A start on the .MESH file format
I think the problem should be something else. I didn't modified the body, arms, heads and legs.
I made the process again with another unit and made ONLY a weapon change. Result is the same. Invisible legs, and arms are horizontal.
I could understand everything but invisible legs???
Maybe it cannot handle spears as secondary weapons?
EDIT: I did you said. Now the whole unit is invisible. :-(
I have milkshape 1.8.1b.
I wasn't able to merge with GrumpyOldman's converter because it crashed at every try.
I used this comment:
Axe
Axe01
0
Re: A start on the .MESH file format
For a weapon, the lines must be:
primaryactive0
whatever you called your weapon
0
You can't call the group 'axe' and have it work correctly as a weapon. Secondary weapons should be
Secondaryactive0
whatever you called your weapon
0
The secondary/primary bit are used to identify the primary and seconday weapons.
Re: A start on the .MESH file format
Quote:
Originally Posted by Csatadi
I think the problem should be something else. I didn't modified the body, arms, heads and legs.
I made the process again with another unit and made ONLY a weapon change. Result is the same. Invisible legs, and arms are horizontal.
I could understand everything but invisible legs???
Maybe it cannot handle spears as secondary weapons?
EDIT: I did you said. Now the whole unit is invisible. :-(
I have milkshape 1.8.1b.
I wasn't able to merge with GrumpyOldman's converter because it crashed at every try.
I used this comment:
Axe
Axe01
0
Helló Csatádi!
I believe it I can help a compatriot of mine!
Whole I am successful well recently im Milkshape and im GrumpiOldMan's converter...
I help with pleasure in Hungarian if you believe it...
Re: A start on the .MESH file format
Thanks, it seems the converter works bad on my comp.
For example Milkshape crashes when I want to open a merged ms3d file.
Re: A start on the .MESH file format
I've got a problem -- the units are invisible when loaded in the game.
I've been going through many pages of this thread trying a solution to this, but after page 14 I stopped to write this.
Has anyone had experience with invisible models inside the game?
Here is the screenshot:
http://img27.picoodle.com/img/img27/...nm_0f9c0aa.jpg
All the groups seem like they're properly assigned in Milkshape. I only have 4 groups specified, Head, Body, primaryactive0, and shield0. From what GOM said you only need 3 groups anyway, body, weapon, and shield, so I am good to go. Yet when loading up, the guy is entirely invisible in-game.
Any suggestions?
Re: A start on the .MESH file format
Hi S1
Quote:
Originally Posted by SigniferOne
I've got a problem -- the units are invisible when loaded in the game.
I've been going through many pages of this thread trying a solution to this, but after page 14 I stopped to write this.
Has anyone had experience with invisible models inside the game?
All the groups seem like they're properly assigned in Milkshape. I only have 4 groups specified, Head, Body, primaryactive0, and shield0. From what GOM said you only need 3 groups anyway, body, weapon, and shield, so I am good to go. Yet when loading up, the guy is entirely invisible in-game.
Any suggestions?
There are quite a few reasons for invisibility, have a look at:-
https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?t=83291
http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...ight=invisible
http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...ight=invisible
http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...ight=invisible
Cheers
GrumpyOldMan
Re: A start on the .MESH file format
GOM, indeed after a lot of figuring out I realized that the joints weren't given 100% weight as you specified they must. But I was using the latest milkshape and latest version of your tool. Anyhow it's all sorted out now, really glad you're still around and visiting our forums.
Re: A start on the .MESH file format
Any possibility of having a tutorial about how to export .cas models (from a RTW mod) to .mesh models? :help:
I've requested the same in this nice tutorial:
https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?t=90169
I've been trying to export one model from my own mod, but the game doesn't charge and tells me that an unexpected error occurred. :oops:
My general doubts:
- What to do with tga.dds textures. Is it necessary to resize them?
- What happens with lods. Can only one model be used as 4 lods? Is it necessary to change the name?
- What happens with cloaks? Most of the models in my mod have it. :inquisitive:
Again: :help:
Re: A start on the .MESH file format
What's one to do with this again?
https://img265.imageshack.us/img265/...blemku0.th.jpg
Why are all the triangles pointing to some center point at the bottom? This isn't my first conversion from CAS to M2TW, and all the rest went without a hitch, but this one seems completely screwed up.
Re: A start on the .MESH file format
Have you checked the comments, bone assignments etc.?
If your comments turn out to be ok, then try to assign all the faces to the pelvis bone, test that (the model should be in base pose) and then re-assign the faces to their bones.