Whats up..

Decided to try my hand at modeling, nothing too hard, pretty easy job I thought, I was just editing an existing model.. Its a mask, if it matters..

So, I use gmax, mdlops, nwnmax, I dont know the versions...

Anyways, I converted it with mdlops, got it into gmax geometry data only, did the edit, then I was following a tutorial I was reading instructions, it said to select all the items, the model NGon, base thing, and the model, so I did, I then used fast linker like it said, then I went over to export, exported just the geometry, it worked...

As far as I know thats all I had to do, everything went well it seemed, but when I put it in-game, its invisible., so is there another step I am missing, did I do one wrong..

I have tried doing everyway I can think of, but it wont work...

One thing I noticed that seems off, is the original model was 19k its now 46k or so... that dont seem right.. considering I deleted not added to the model..

Any help is appreciated..

when you export a model out of gmax, it is in ascii.mdl form, it is named "i_mask_001.mdl" or something after you export from gmax, but it should proably be named "i_mask_001-ascii.mdl". So in short, what you'll need to do is open MDLops, hit select file and select your new ascii.mdl file and hit Read and Write, this should create two files "i_mask_001-k2-bin.mdl" and "i_mask_001-k2-bin.mdx" or something similar, rename them to be just "i_mask_001.mdl" or whatever the name was, I haven't messed with masks yet :p, anyway, those files should work.

I'll figure it out.......

Make sure you actually linked your model to the aurora base.

Make sure you actually linked your model to the aurora base.


Turns out the tutorial lied to me.. It said to select all objects, I needed to just select the aurora base nothing else, fast link, then export, then it worked fine.. :)


Now I just need to figure out how to merge two objects so I can have one UV map, get the size right and its done.. Right now I have 2 .tga's one for each object in the same model, that cant be good... :) It looks good in the editor, when I import it to the game, its crap.. :)

So how do I merge objects, do I have to make vetices, and weld them together, or what.., I have tried grouping, but that didnt work, im getting stumped, so how do I go about this??

I was just doing the model for me, but its turned out so good, I think I am gonna post it.. Its excellent for my first model.. least I think..

Well you don't need to have only one object - a model will work fine with two objects (and two textures). However as I learned myself, the game does not do any smoothing groups. If you've got pieces of the model separated from each other in the UV map, you need to break the vertices as well.

If you really do want to merge objects, select the object and choose "attach" and click the object you want to attach it to. No vertex welding is necessary.

With the Editable Mesh activated select one object, then activate the Attach button and select the other object, they will be one object and each one will be a different element, them with element selected, select all of them and in the Polygon Properties select the same Set ID for both. If you don't want to merge them you can set the same material for both using the material editor.

1.Now I just need to figure out how to merge two objects so I can have one UV map, get the size right and its done.. 2.Right now I have 2 .tga's one for each object in the same model, that cant be good... :)3. It looks good in the editor, when I import it to the game, its crap.. :)1.To "merge" to separate meshes/model together, select your "primary mesh" and click the attach button and then click on the other mesh you want to attach to the primary, you will have to redo your UVmap though.

2. As long as the model isn't a lightsaber, I'm pretty sure it is fine to have multiple meshes and multiple textures, I did it for a gun model, just make sure they are linked.

3. I haven't seen an in-game screenie of it, but I would guess it is because your UVmap got warped and vertices got welded together during the MDLops conversion. To fix this, you will need to detach certain polys, I usually detach polys that I want to have detail in the texture.

Whoa, lots of answers that time, I can dig it.. :) Alright, thank you all, I am sure I can get one of those ways to work, if not, I'll be back.. hehe..

Later..

Well I got it in game, but I am having trouble with getting it lined up with the characters heads, and with using these stupid alpha channels,.. I will get it though, eventually, some tips on lining stuff up, and on alpha channels would be nice..

Anyways, now for the debut of my newest mod, though its completely a WIP..

I give you The Mask Of The Sith Lord..........


http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e323/SmokeESF/SithLordMask.jpg)


Note that its floating about 2 feet above the npc's head its supposed to be on.. lol... And is using a flat red texture for the moment..

Here is the WIP texture, it still has some UV Map lines showing, and the colors need some adjustment, but its getting there, then theres the whole alpha layer problem.. :)

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e323/SmokeESF/Image1.jpg)

When its done, it will look, alot darker of a red, more fiery have a nice shine to it, I had a better version, but there was a mishap.. So yeah,...

Its kinda rough, but if you zoom in, and look at the shading work, its awesome I think, check it out.... At least to be my first model, and texture that is..

Anyways, im outta here...

The key to lining up masks is just trial and error. With my Malak mask I must have recompiled it about 10 times before I got it lined up in a manner I found satisfactory. If you want a little help you can import another mask and line it up that way. Think of it this way, though: once you get it lined up, you'll never have to do it again, because you can just use your first mask as a positioning reference ;).

yeah, I suppose so, but the problem for me is, I move it like 2 pixels upward, and it jumps a whole 2 feel, then I it move like 5 inches, and it barely moves, its playing with my emotions.. But yeah, I will get it, then victory will be mine... ha...

So did you like the model, and texture, it is my first time trying to really make something cool.. Its gonna be a nice sith mask addition I think, I would really love to add a hood to it, but hoods are hard,..

And yes, there is some freak in me.. wink, wink, lol.... sorry,. I couldnt resist.. :(

Peace..

As far as positioning it right, I haven't played with a mask yet, though I do have an idea for one ;), but positioning most anything is trial and error and as Inyri said, import another mask into [g]max it is really the easiet way to get it near the general location and then from there you can make minor adjustments.

Also as far as adding a hood to anything in the game, unless you use one of the existing hoods, or even at that, we can't add any type of dangly mesh, so it would be darn near inmpossible to get it to act like fabric, I'll never say something is completely impossible because I always seem to get proved wrong :rolleyes:

Anyway I think it looks pretty neat, reminds me of a Minotaur or something bull like with the horns in the front. Every model just gets better and better, so just keep going at it.

Yeah, I have had around 400+ trials it feels like, and around 500 errors, hehe..

Well I am glad you think its cool, at least, I would hate to be the only one lol, but any who I have been up for over 24hrs now, I gotta sleep, I have to get my saber mod finished and released by tomorrow, plus I told shem I would do some mods for him...

Point being I have a lot of stuff to do, so I would love to hang around learn some more, and do some more modding but i gotta roll, well thanks mav, and thank you too Inyri, I doubt I would have gotten this model anywhere near where it is without your help...

ZZzz.zzz.zz.

huh... Oh, yeah nite nite all... :)

edit..

oh, yeah, thanks Kha, I almost forgot about you helping me, srry.. I appreciate ti....

Btw, how goes the Dark Jedi Hood mod.. ??

One way to position the mask is import a head to the same file you are working, and move the Aurora base mesh of the head to align it's hood hook with the Aurora base mesh of the mask, it is much easier.

The Dark Jedi Hood is here, if you want something changed let me know, as it was your request:
http://www.lucasforums.com/showthread.php?t=169727)

One way to position the mask is import a head to the same file you are working, and move the Aurora base mesh of the head to align it's hood hook with the Aurora base mesh of the mask, it is much easier.

The Dark Jedi Hood is here, if you want something changed let me know, as it was your request:
http://www.lucasforums.com/showthread.php?t=169727)

Thats pretty good, the 2 "hood" version I like that, open neck, and closed, they both look good, I especially liked them on revans star forge robes? In your pics.

I like how you did the masked version too, the chest version will be good for covering up the horrid stock robe collars, I need to install svosh' collar fix...

Well excellent work....

Ok, I got the model into place now, but it absolutely refuses to stay at scale,..

Here is what I am doing, I import the model, then the comparison head, and mask, I get it positioned, and to the correct size, then remove all the extra data...

Then I select the aurora base, run fast linker, and then export... Then as soon as I bring it back into the modeler, or the game, its back to the original size it was before I changed it....

So is size being stored in the original .mdx/mdl files possibly.. And overriding my changes.. Can I stop this, somehow.. ??

I know mdlops retrieves data from them upon recompiling the binary models..

Or maybe I am just doing it wrong,.. But it exports, and shows up in game, so I dont see how..

Anyone???

not sure if this is causing your problem, but did you select everything and hit "resetxform" in the mesh tools of the NWMax side bar?

not sure if this is causing your problem, but did you select everything and hit "resetxform" in the mesh tools of the NWMax side bar?


Umm no, should I? I dont' even know what that is..
or what it does.. Can you explain.. ?

Though I found a way around it,.. I used the NWNMax Scale Wizard... But I may have over did it.. lol...

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e323/SmokeESF/Whoops.jpg)

Xform is short for transform. You need to always make sure you reset your xforms (while an object is unlinked) before you export it. Otherwise it has a tendency to either be a funky size, or get all malformed or misplaced. I usually forget and get some rather large (or small) models ;).

LOL. And here I tought you wanted regular mask, not one of Dark Helmet...(Spaceballs - win.)

Xform is short for transform. You need to always make sure you reset your xforms (while an object is unlinked) before you export it. Otherwise it has a tendency to either be a funky size, or get all malformed or misplaced. I usually forget and get some rather large (or small) models ;).Oh yea, I remember the time I made a pistol for HK and it turned into a bazooka :xp:

Alright, next time its giving me trouble I will have to try it that way, though the scale wizard worked great, not only did it get the size, and position right, but it also got rid of those stupid sanity check errors I kept getting.. :)

Now I just need to get some textures made for this thing, I have some done, but even bright yellow, and white show up too dark at least if you're not near a light source, Im going to have to figure out this alpha channel thing works in paint shop..

The cool thing is, I have made a second version now, I cant release it because I used someone else;s work with my mine, but anyway I merged a hood onto my mask and cut the horns off, it kinda looks like revans hood and mask..

Now I just need to make some cool robes, and I will have my sith outfit done.. but I bet thats hard especially if I use a flowing cape version..

Anyways, thanks for all your help, I might be back bugging you guys about textures if I cant get them to work right sometime soon.. :)

@Don Kain,

hehe, yeah, Dark Helmet, that movie cracks me up.. I might do that for fun now that you mention it, download the vader helmet mod, and scale it up, make some in game screenies.. ha. Well may the schwartz be with you.. hehe..

Alright, next time its giving me trouble I will have to try it that way, though the scale wizard worked great, not only did it get the size, and position right, but it also got rid of those stupid sanity check errors I kept getting.. :)Those stupid sanity check errors are usually caused by not hitting the resetxform button, lol

Those stupid sanity check errors are usually caused by not hitting the resetxform button, lol

Well that explains it... Its like the exile said, if there's something wrong its probably my fault.. ;) Or something to that effect...

Anyways, I have finished the model, I got it textured, even added a shader to it, I might change the texture around a bit, but I like it, its pretty cool..

btw, it looks excellent on mira, but she was dressed in a manner not sutable for the forums.. So I used the exile instead...

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e323/SmokeESF/SithLordMask-1.jpg)

model looks good, :thumbsup:

Appreciate it mav, I probably will do a couple few alternate skins for it, then put it up for download..

Though I dont know for sure yet, I kinda like the idea of my character having his own custom items,.. Hmm..

Well I'm gonna go make another one, that was pretty cool seeing my model in game, looking all spiffy.. :)

Thanks for all your help you guys/gals..

Peace..