Note: LucasForums Archive Project
The content here was reconstructed by scraping the Wayback Machine in an effort to restore some of what was lost when LF went down. The LucasForums Archive Project claims no ownership over the content or assets that were archived on archive.org.

This project is meant for research purposes only.

A-Z of Modeling a new Lightsaber

Page: 2 of 5
 J3d1W4rr10r
07-30-2005, 6:26 AM
#51
Checking node w_Lghtsbr_003
Checking node ignore_NGon02
Checking node Dummy10
Checking node NGon01
###### Vertices in NGon01 need to be welded

I have tried every way I know to weld it, and still get this with every model i try to put in. I've followed T7's tut to the T, but it has no mention of welding or the error in question, if anyone could help i would be greatful.
 Fuu
08-28-2005, 3:10 AM
#52
Edit: UbErNoOb question removed.............downloading tuts.......

@T7 thanks so much for this tut, and the screenies included, its been nice to check what I'm doing against the screenies. I have a ways to go before I'm able to do this tut but I'm learning so much! Thanks again.
 T7nowhere
08-28-2005, 3:20 AM
#53
There is a link in my post 3 posts up that will take you to where you can DL the Gmax Tutorials, I strongly recomend that you take an hour to go through at least one beginner tut, before taking on bulding a lightsaber.
 oldflash
09-02-2005, 6:24 AM
#54
I have done all steps until export part when one question float around old hilt geom.
What I need to do with this one? delete'it or live'it where he is?
Almost forgot: “Set Environ” button bring some additional dialog window?

thanks
 T7nowhere
09-02-2005, 7:17 AM
#55
Just leave it, unlinking the old hilt will prevent it from being exported with the new one.
 oldflash
09-02-2005, 7:32 AM
#56
Thanks for fast answer.
In that case, (after exporting and recompile) if I extract ascii model from new one I will have only one hilt. Right?

Thanks again for all support
 oldflash
09-02-2005, 6:49 PM
#57
You deserve bazillions of thanks plus a coffee cup for your nicest tutorial that I have followed and especially thanks for the help you offer to modelling beginners, such as myself

http://img111.imageshack.us/my.php?image=xx9hd.jpg)
http://img295.imageshack.us/my.php?image=yy5tx.jpg)
 ChAiNz.2da
09-02-2005, 7:01 PM
#58
You deserve bazillions of thanks plus a coffee cup for your nicest tutorial that I have followed and especially thanks for the help you offer to modelling beginners, such as myself

http://img111.imageshack.us/my.php?image=xx9hd.jpg)
http://img295.imageshack.us/my.php?image=yy5tx.jpg)
Agreed.
T7 has done his fair share of reducing alot of my headaches as well :D

BTW, great looking saber you got there oldflash! Are you posting it to "tease" us... ;) or do you think you might be releasing it in the future? .. hehehe..
 oldflash
09-02-2005, 7:10 PM
#59
it will be a complete saber pack: replacement for all 28 lightsabers on tsl (each saber with own model and texture)
this one was more a test
I hope to finish this in max 3 days
and post it on pcgm
 JediMaster Fleg
09-05-2005, 11:31 PM
#60
I was wondering where the old lightsaber is supposed to be found found and how to import it
 J3d1W4rr10r
09-05-2005, 11:46 PM
#61
You have to get Kotor Tool to get the files, after you get it it will ask for your kotor I or TSL directory (or both) Then you will be able to search through all the files, check the stickies they always clear up my questions ;)
 T7nowhere
09-06-2005, 3:03 AM
#62
You deserve bazillions of thanks plus a coffee cup for your nicest tutorial that I have followed and especially thanks for the help you offer to modelling beginners, such as myself

http://img111.imageshack.us/my.php?image=xx9hd.jpg)
http://img295.imageshack.us/my.php?image=yy5tx.jpg)

Your welcome, I'm really glad my tutorial helped someone :D

btw, that hilt looks great. :thumbsup:
 oldflash
09-06-2005, 3:34 AM
#63
thanks T7
thank for your tutorial I manage to do this: http://www.geocities.com/oldflash/preview)
about 3h for each model: 1h modeling and mapping, 2h exporting and ingame testing
 JediMaster Fleg
09-06-2005, 11:46 AM
#64
i found the old saber but how do i get it into gmax
 J3d1W4rr10r
09-06-2005, 12:11 PM
#65
Your posting in the A-Z lightsaber thread, didn't you read the tut? Look for the part on MDLops, It has all that info inside, follow it line for line its pretty simple after the first run through.
 oldflash
09-08-2005, 4:04 AM
#66
If anyone have doubts about this tutorial sould look at this: http://www.pcgamemods.com/15990/)
All lightsaber was make-it by folowing T7nowhere's tutorial
Thanks again T7nowhere
 T7nowhere
09-08-2005, 10:21 AM
#67
Also don't foget the other modeling tutorials in the skinning and modeling forum.
 oldflash
09-08-2005, 2:28 PM
#68
I wasn't forget.
Tis is the great place for someone who want to learn somethink about making games and moding.

Should be called "Holowan Academy"
 BlazeHoliday
10-17-2005, 6:48 AM
#69
if it wouldn't be to much to ask, i'd liek to see you continue with some explanations for your pictures labeled 1-13 I know that is a bit to ask, but some things i see you do in those pictures i dont' quite understand... pluse t, i've been meaning to ask yout this... who or what is that in your avatar?!
 JediKnight707
11-02-2005, 3:26 AM
#70
I was doing pretty good until this part: 'You can adjust the height of the first extrude by selecting the top poly and then using the Select and Move tool'

Thats when I got confused. Sorry if this has already been asked before, but I couldn't find the top poly. The poly's that I clicked all made them go in and out.
 oldflash
11-02-2005, 4:11 AM
#71
@Jedi_Knight_707: Have a look here: http://q-net.netfirms.com/les/11.html)
 Fuu
11-04-2005, 1:31 AM
#72
I managed to build one, thanx T7 :) I ended up scratching it < right after finally finishing it >because it had a huge poly count <= major mapping pain grrh>. After starting a simpler version of my original model, I've encountered a problem with the extrude function. Im trying to do a .5cm extrude on all of the selected faces, but when I type .5 in the box and <hit> enter it moves the entire element(?) off to the side.
Like this (http://img394.imageshack.us/my.php?image=whaaaaaa6ol.jpg)
Why is it doing this? Is there something I can do to return the function to normal? *note in the image the extrude button is highlighted. my problem occured before and during this "extrude button activation/highlighting". Iv'e tried restarting nwnmax and remaking the model a few times, it always wigs out right at this point. :headbump

I didnt have this problem building my first model........ please help.

F

EDIT: I forgot to include my image....drrrr

EDIT AGAIN: also i've trired doing it with the editmesh stack open <and the poly section highlighted>, with the stack closed, nothing works arrgh


@ Achilles does this answer your question?
 Achilles
11-04-2005, 1:40 AM
#73
I know this is proabably a dumb qustion but here it goes: Are you selecting specific polys to extrude?
 T7nowhere
11-04-2005, 2:13 AM
#74
Im trying to do a .5cm extrude on all of the selected faces, but when I type .5 in the box and <hit> enter it moves the entire element(?) off to the side.

Why is it doing this? Is there something I can do to return the function to normal? *note in the image the extrude button is highlighted.

If you select all the polys around the ngon it will do that, what you have to do is select half of the polys around so that none of the sides are touching, extrude, then deselect and do the same to the other half of polys.
 Fuu
11-04-2005, 2:18 AM
#75
ooooo thanks! didnt see this before my edit. <trying it out now........>

F
 Buzz1978
11-05-2005, 5:15 AM
#76
Can somebody please help me with this sanity check error:

"Checking node LghtSbr09
###### Vertices in LghtSbr09 need to be welded
Weld: Vert#:30 [0.58998 16.2553 0.368006] and Vert#:31 [0.866052 16.2553 -0.110166]
Weld: Vert#:32 [0.770173 16.2553 -0.653924] and Vert#:33 [0.347205 16.2553 -1.00884]
Weld: Vert#:34 [-0.204941 16.2553 -1.00884] and Vert#:35 [-0.627908 16.2553 -0.653923]
Weld: Vert#:36 [-0.723787 16.2553 -0.110166] and Vert#:37 [-0.447714 16.2553 0.368006]
Weld: Vert#:39 [0.58998 15.1953 0.368005] and Vert#:40 [0.866052 15.1953 -0.110168]
Weld: Vert#:41 [0.770173 15.1953 -0.653925] and Vert#:42 [0.347205 15.1953 -1.00884]
Weld: Vert#:43 [-0.204941 15.1953 -1.00884] and Vert#:44 [-0.627909 15.1953 -0.653924]
Weld: Vert#:45 [-0.723787 15.1953 -0.110167] and Vert#:46 [-0.447714 15.1953 0.368005]
Weld Check failed."

TIA
 oldflash
11-05-2005, 5:20 AM
#77
Have you reset xform?
 Buzz1978
11-05-2005, 7:06 AM
#78
Have you reset xform?

xform resetting accomplished, yup. And the criticized vertices shall not be welded together anyway.
 J3d1W4rr10r
11-05-2005, 7:31 AM
#79
xform resetting accomplished, yup. And the criticized vertices shall not be welded together anyway.

I asked this before too and nobody said anything so I assume its normal, I released my hilt pack with all my sabers doing this and I haven't seen no ill effects from it so its possible you don't even have to worry about it. ;)
 Buzz1978
11-05-2005, 10:42 AM
#80
I asked this before too and nobody said anything so I assume its normal, I released my hilt pack with all my sabers doing this and I haven't seen no ill effects from it so its possible you don't even have to worry about it. ;)

The problem was, the damn thing just didn't want to export anything and I assumed the sanity error would be the cause... I tried it again now (and again and again...) and it somehow worked. (Must be magic or kismet.) The blade came right out of the elbow first, but now it looks fine, unless you count my problems with the skin... ;)
 J3d1W4rr10r
11-05-2005, 11:13 AM
#81
The problem was, the damn thing just didn't want to export anything and I assumed the sanity error would be the cause... I tried it again now (and again and again...) and it somehow worked. (Must be magic or kismet.) The blade came right out of the elbow first, but now it looks fine, unless you count my problems with the skin... ;)

Keep pluggin away man, I didn't get mine right the first run through I think it took me like 7-8 tries to finally understand the whole process. Then it was a piece of cake, I think I ended up modeling about 30 sabers in a little over 2 months because of how easy it was once I got going. T7 did an excellent job on this tut, it may not make a ton of sense right away (what modding does? lol) but the more I went through it the better and easier it got.
 T7nowhere
11-05-2005, 12:59 PM
#82
Can somebody please help me with this sanity check error:

"Checking node LghtSbr09
###### Vertices in LghtSbr09 need to be welded
Weld: Vert#:30 [0.58998 16.2553 0.368006] and Vert#:31 [0.866052 16.2553 -0.110166]
Weld: Vert#:32 [0.770173 16.2553 -0.653924] and Vert#:33 [0.347205 16.2553 -1.00884]
Weld: Vert#:34 [-0.204941 16.2553 -1.00884] and Vert#:35 [-0.627908 16.2553 -0.653923]
Weld: Vert#:36 [-0.723787 16.2553 -0.110166] and Vert#:37 [-0.447714 16.2553 0.368006]
Weld: Vert#:39 [0.58998 15.1953 0.368005] and Vert#:40 [0.866052 15.1953 -0.110168]
Weld: Vert#:41 [0.770173 15.1953 -0.653925] and Vert#:42 [0.347205 15.1953 -1.00884]
Weld: Vert#:43 [-0.204941 15.1953 -1.00884] and Vert#:44 [-0.627909 15.1953 -0.653924]
Weld: Vert#:45 [-0.723787 15.1953 -0.110167] and Vert#:46 [-0.447714 15.1953 0.368005]
Weld Check failed."

TIA

Before you export the model just turn off the weld to nearest vertice in the sanity check rollout. That sanity check was adding to the latest version of nwmax. For obvious reasons it is impossible to weld all vertices for a KotOR/TSL model.
 Fuu
11-05-2005, 6:08 PM
#83
If you select all the polys around the ngon it will do that, what you have to do is select half of the polys around so that none of the sides are touching, extrude, then deselect and do the same to the other half of polys.

I found another solution after playing with it some more <I tried what you suggested but I always ended up with a notch between the two sections>. Apparently when everything around the ngon is selected you can still extrude it normally if you change the normal from group to local.

Thanks

F
 Buzz1978
11-07-2005, 7:17 AM
#84
Keep pluggin away man [...]

That's what I'm doing. :) I now finally understood what this alpha channel stuff is about and why my hilt wasn't shining. But there's one small aestethically problem left: I mapped the hilt so the border of the map is at the back and right there is now a grey blurry line showing. This is only the case in TSL - in GMax it looks right. If I try to remap the polys where the line is showing, I get two grey lines at the left/right of the remapped polys...

Any ideas?
 J3d1W4rr10r
11-07-2005, 11:31 AM
#85
That's what I'm doing. :) I now finally understood what this alpha channel stuff is about and why my hilt wasn't shining. But there's one small aestethically problem left: I mapped the hilt so the border of the map is at the back and right there is now a grey blurry line showing. This is only the case in TSL - in GMax it looks right. If I try to remap the polys where the line is showing, I get two grey lines at the left/right of the remapped polys...

Any ideas?

When your mapping are you making sure you detach to element? That was one thing that I kept doing wrong in the very beginning, just a hunch if not we'll try something else..lol
 Fuu
11-07-2005, 3:25 PM
#86
The funny thing is I encountered the same issue as Buzz < the model not refrencing the texture> i fixed it in gmax, but I was wondering.... what would I have searched for <hex editing> in the 006.mdl to set the appropriate filename <hilt texture file name>? I was confused on this because it seems this model didnt have its own skin in the firstplace......? When I originally used the Malak saber I just reskinned the blade .tga and to my memory I could not find a hilt texture for the original malak saber.

That said:
I've got my new model finished and in game, I just have to edit the .uti some and fix my texture haha I shaded the alpha in the wrong places and my grips ended up being transparent. <Weird! you could see her hand through the middle!>

EDIT: Now I know this is caused by foretting your .txi.....wheee


I do have a small problem though.... my model's icon isin't working....the original model I replaced was lightsaber 006 <malak's> what do I search for <in the text find, hex edit app> to tell my model to use my icon?

Oh and BTW I actually plan to release this one once its finished. Yay!

Fuu
 T7nowhere
11-07-2005, 4:30 PM
#87
@Buzz1978

When your mapping your model you must also detatch to element the same poly groups that you set up in the UV editor.

If you do not do this, the poly groups that were made in the UVW editor will stitch back together when you compile the model and this will cause portions of the UV map of the copiled model to change and the texture will distort.

So the way that you lay out and isolate your poly groups in the UV editor must be reflected on the actuall model.

@Fuu

Malaks model is really a modified version of the short lightsaber hilt so it uses w_ShortSbr_001 for the hilt texture.


I've got my new model finished and in game, I just have to edit the .uti some and fix my texture haha I shaded the alpha in the wrong places and my grips and up being transparent. <Weird! you could see her hand through the middle!>

If you add an Alpha channel to the hilt texture to make it shiny don't forget to create a .txi with the shader info, or the area's that you used the alpha on will be transparent.

I do have a small problem though.... my model's icon isin't working....the original model I replaced was lightsaber 006 <malak's> what do I search for <in the text find, hex edit app> to tell my model to use my icon?

The icons are not referenced in the model, the baseitem.2da takes care of the gui elements. If your ever in doubt or can't find the icon for a model check column "itemclass" in baseitems.2da for the model and add an "i" to the front of the word, SO for a lightsaber it would be iw_lghtsbr_xxx( _xxx is the model variation OR Number that you gave your model)
 Fuu
11-08-2005, 3:31 AM
#88
I've re-named the icon .tga to iw_Lghtsbr_079.tga but unfortunately it still isint working. I've even tried renaming it with a lower case L, but still I'm getting bupkis. What am I doing wrong? I checked the baseitems.2da to be sure and iw_Lghtsbr is the correct prefix.....

</frustration> So close yet so far. Well at least I've already completed the tut <finally> so thanks for all the help T7.

Fuu
 Buzz1978
11-08-2005, 12:59 PM
#89
When your mapping are you making sure you detach to element? That was one thing that I kept doing wrong in the very beginning, just a hunch if not we'll try something else..lol

When your mapping your model you must also detatch to element the same poly groups that you set up in the UV editor.

If you do not do this, the poly groups that were made in the UVW editor will stitch back together when you compile the model and this will cause portions of the UV map of the copiled model to change and the texture will distort.

I really thought, I'd have all the poly groups detached... Ok, obviously I did not. After mapping it all over again (once more) it looks like it's supposed at last. Thanks again.
 T7nowhere
11-08-2005, 1:55 PM
#90
I've re-named the icon .tga to iw_Lghtsbr_079.tga but unfortunately it still isint working. I've even tried renaming it with a lower case L, but still I'm getting bupkis. What am I doing wrong? I checked the baseitems.2da to be sure and iw_Lghtsbr is the correct prefix.....

</frustration> So close yet so far. Well at least I've already completed the tut <finally> so thanks for all the help T7.

Fuu

Strange, As long as your model is named w_lghtsbr_079 and the model var in the uti is 79 it should work.
 LoneFerret
11-12-2005, 10:41 AM
#91
Hey there,
Good tut, but I still got some problems. Read the darn thing at least 20 times
and I good thru a few problems on my own. What I would like to have is some more explinations on certain aspects.
Exporting form gmax->.mdl:
Where? from the nwmax panel or mdl base parameters?
With the export button in the nwmax panel I get Weld problems. Basically
it tells me that my hilt is not welded, according to the sanity file.
With the export option from the mdl base parameters I don't seem to get my hilt when I use mdlops.(but at least it exports) In item 12 of part 3 from T7's
tutorial, I don't seem to get "lhandle01 to be replaced by Myhilt"...

I've done a few of the tutorials from gmax.. the mace, part of the face(didn't finish it tho...) did some animations, and the one for svosh that helped also....
Starting the get the hang of gmax after so many tries now. :)

Detaching & mapping:
Well, I detached everthing from element in the same order(group of polys) that I did the mapping. This is right...right? Put some nice colors in photoshop
for testing...(at least I know photoshop LOL no frustrations there ROFL).

So do any of you (like Paul senior would say) "idears"? ;)

Thanks for the help..

LoneFerret
 T7nowhere
11-12-2005, 3:09 PM
#92
Exporting form gmax->.mdl:
Where? from the nwmax panel or mdl base parameters?
You need to click on the items aurora base and then the export button will be on the right in the modify panel.

With the export button in the nwmax panel I get Weld problems. Basically it tells me that my hilt is not welded, according to the sanity file. You can click past that sanity error as it has nothing to do with KotOR/TSL models, however I would advise just turning it off in the "Active Sanity checks" rollout. Simply uncheck "weld to nearest cm".

With the export option from the mdl base parameters I don't seem to get my hilt when I use mdlops.
Make sure your model is linked to the animation dummy and that the old hilt is unlinked.


Detaching & mapping:
Well, I detached everthing from element in the same order(group of polys) that I did the mapping. This is right...right?
Yes.
 LoneFerret
11-12-2005, 3:41 PM
#93
Thx... well... I checked out what you said, and I'm pretty sure everything
checks out
Here (http://img453.imageshack.us/img453/9838/whatleft0kp.jpg)

I'm sure it's a stupid thing that I keep forgetting, I just hope I don't annoy
anyone here... but.. :eyeraise:
I just can't seem to see what I'm doing wrong.. :(

On vacation right now, so let's just say I've been spending LOTS of time on
this these past few days....

Any other suggestions? Need anymore info from my part? Bon dieu aider moi quelqu'un! lol

LoneFerret
 Fuu
11-12-2005, 3:44 PM
#94
Exporting form gmax->.mdl:
Where? from the nwmax panel or mdl base parameters?

I exported from the MDL base parameters and mine came out fine.

With the export button in the nwmax panel I get Weld problems. Basically
it tells me that my hilt is not welded, according to the sanity file.

Ignore this sanity check.... I think it was T7<?> that said "its impossible to weld all the faces on a lightsaber".

<snip>

Detaching & mapping:
Well, I detached everthing from element in the same order(group of polys) that I did the mapping. This is right...right? Put some nice colors in photoshop
for testing...(at least I know photoshop LOL no frustrations there ROFL).

Sounds like youre doing it right........

I had some trouble UVMapping initially, if you'd like to see the feedback that I got you can find it in:
http://www.lucasforums.com/showthread.php?p=1888766#post1888766)



EDIT: Fixed that link :)

Hope this helped you.
Fuu
 LoneFerret
11-12-2005, 3:50 PM
#95
Thx Fuu :D

EDIT:
I am getting frustrated here... :(
I even imported a saber, and changed the name and exporting it back, and still
the same problem. Using mdlops, it doesnt give the option to replace the hilt
mesh... AHG... the feeling of being beaten by an inaminate object.. darn it!

LoneFerret
 LoneFerret
11-15-2005, 4:39 PM
#96
hehe
Finally got iT! :grnbounc:
Don't know what I did differently really... thx for the help... hmf
Anyways my colors suck, but at least the game doesn't crash... :)


LoneFerret
 LoneFerret
11-16-2005, 10:33 AM
#97
Hello again, I'm not trying to bump this on top, but I finally fugured out
why I could never select my hilt in the replacer in mdlops.
It's actually pretty simple, but if it happened to me it could happen to
other people...I just seem to get the weird ploblems :)
The window from mdlops that shows which mesh you wish to replace the old
hilt by the new one was never appearing. Then I checked my taskbar... It was
appearing on another screen, just not the ones that were active on my computer.
I remembered that the only time I got this to work, was when I had only one
active screen. When I have 2 active, it seems to want to go to... let's just
say not 1 or 2... hehehe If only I had plugged in my third screen, I would've
saved myself lots of frustrations... LOL
Anyway. check those screen people... :laugh6:

A big thanx to T7 for the Tut and svosh for the UV mapping Tut somewhere
else on this board... There are so many, I get lost fast in here... :)

Now I'm off to make nice looking hilts, with bad color coordination!


LoneFerret
____________________________________
'Don't move! Or I'll fill you full of... little yellow bolts of light'
John Crichton|: Farscape
 Captain_H
11-16-2005, 7:42 PM
#98
I don't know if anyone has described this problem, but here goes. I have made the model, did the uvmapping, exported the model, and converted it but when I get it in game the model shows up without a texture. Any ideas as to why?

Note: The .tga 32 bit texture is also in the orveride folder with the models.
 T7nowhere
11-16-2005, 7:50 PM
#99
^^^
Did you apply the texture to the model in the material editor. Assuming you did is the texture a perfect square (ie, the dimensions 256x256, 512x512, ect)
 LoneFerret
11-17-2005, 1:27 PM
#100
WooHoo... D'oh!

Here's my first try.. not great, but at least it's not too bad ( I think ) for a
newbie... :D
The colors are not as bright I would've liked it, but that will come in time.
Wanted to know what otherpeople thought...?
http://img463.imageshack.us/img463/4785/bla5sg.jpg)
It's a first serious try... trying my hand at nice colors :D But I ain't worth
crap in that department, so the model is not very complicated to be able to
juste apply straight foward colors...

LoneFerret
________________________________________
'On my planet we don't marry people we don't love unless they're critically ill billionaires.'
John Crichton
Page: 2 of 5