What i think will happen with modding M2TW

**Throumbaris** · 12-04-2006, 19:36

Read my post above, each unit doesnt have all those variations, in fact england has basically one unit with 2-3 different types of helmets for example feudal knights and a different torso for billmen. Modding will not take longer.

**Thorn Is** · 12-04-2006, 20:14

Originally Posted by Caliban

Hi everyone,

The model exporter is most definatley the key to creating true total conversions and it is something we are looking into.
The main issue with releasing the model exporter is that it utilizes 3rd party technology (a format we purchsed) that we arn't allowed to re-distribute. This doesn't mean we are holding it back. It just means that it may take longer than we would like before we develop a solution.

Caliban

so its more a legal issue then anything
its ok with me
ive decided to use the time to start going over different ideas and doing all my planning

that and my portugese army is bogged down fighing the English in France, my navy depleated from a fruitless war against the moors and now im surrounded by 3 stacks of english

**SigniferOne** · 12-04-2006, 23:28

If Granny is indeed the format that CA had chosen, then this is potentially very good news. Here's a blurb from the Granny 3d website FAQ:

How did you make the animations of the Swingin' Soldier pointing and saluting blend in without affecting the rest of the animation?

When you export a file with the Granny exporters, you can mark which bones you do and do not want included in the animation. However, you can also apply a thing called a track mask during playback which will mask out parts of an existing animation that you do not want applied. Either way will work.

(Emphasis mine)

Those of you who know about animations will be completely floored by this idea. You could make a walking animation that only applies to legs, and then fighting or resting or cheering or tired or happy animations for the torso and arms, and combine those two sets (leg anims, and torso+arm anims) together for some very impressive results! Only SIX animations have to be done. Previously (now) you have to create TEN, and every time you will make changes to walking animation, you have to change it in ALL of the files. I truly hope CA used Granny, and that the legal issues can be resolved, so that we can get our greedy hands on this goodness now :P

**Re Berengario I** · 12-04-2006, 23:40

Originally Posted by SigniferOne

If Granny is indeed the format that CA had chosen, then this is potentially very good news.

granny2.dll is in the root dir of the game

Still, not to cool down the expectations but to be realistic, every game which used granny animation libraries till now had some huge problems in modding models because of the copyright issues (i pointed out NWN2, another love of mine, because we're stuck there with just placeable meshes modding, same situation).

**Lusted** · 12-04-2006, 23:50

Ah, the joys of knowing stuff the rest of the community ill not find out about til later(at least what i know relates to the models, and CA having to deal with 3rd party things, might be realted to this granny thing.).

**SigniferOne** · 12-04-2006, 23:57

Lusted, you earned some good will before, don't waste it! :P

**Lusted** · 12-05-2006, 00:01

Well i think im allowed to loosely quote what CA said in the forum where the study is being conducted(im guessing you read the thread i posted at TWC), so i might be able to tell you, im not sure as this was rather big/good info.

**SigniferOne** · 12-05-2006, 00:04

I was referring to this comment

"Ah, the joys of knowing stuff the rest of the community ill not find out about til later" :P

Painful taunting! No pressure to release anything new that CA isn't prepared to yet, though. But if you have some news about models/animations, and it's open knowledge, then by all means :)

**Lusted** · 12-05-2006, 00:05

Its not open knowledge yet, its related to the study i mention in this post:

http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=71708

And as part of that i've seen some very informative posts by CA, with one bit of info in particular having me jumping for joy and wanting to hug them.

**Caliban** · 12-05-2006, 00:45

Originally Posted by Re Berengario I

granny2.dll is in the root dir of the game

Granny has been used as an intermediate mesh format from 3dsmax. Basically models are exported from 3dsmax7 into the granny (mesh) format and then built to the .mesh format which the game engine uses to render.
The .CAS format is still being used for animation with units and siege weapons. The .CAS model format is also still being utilized for the strategy map models.

**SigniferOne** · 12-05-2006, 01:19

Originally Posted by Caliban

The .CAS format is still being used for animation with units and siege weapons. The .CAS model format is also still being utilized for the strategy map models.

Then what's the problem with releasing the tools to edit CAS files?

**alpaca** · 12-05-2006, 19:44

So that means that the animations are still done using CAS files like in RTW?
And yes, Lusted, shame on you for boasting with your participation in that research project :P

**Lusted** · 12-05-2006, 22:12

And yes, Lusted, shame on you for boasting with your participation in that research project :P

What? I can't help it, im surprised your not boasting about it as well.

**Bongaroo** · 12-07-2006, 22:54

CA and Sega are probably being greedy. I would think they are threatened by such a good modding community that they are worried a good mod will be better than any expansions they can make or something silly like that. One of my favorite games of all time was Bungie's Myth II. Had a huge modding community and thrived on internet play, man I miss that game. CA will be missing out if they limit how much can be modded.