I'm planning to make a comic book of kotor and I was wondering if there was any toturial to create poses with gmax or any other 3d program, to make pictures like Kha's avatar (http://www.lucasforums.com/member.php?u=129619).
I handle Milkshape3d for the Sims 2, so I have a bit of experience with this stuff. what I'd really like to know is how to import both the head file with the body file and weld them together with their proper animations, and then how to import several characters in the same file to make them interact with each other (like Revan and Carth in Kha's avatar)
I appreciate any help :)

Well if you could possibly get your hands on 3Ds Max, you could use the render function, which gives prettier pictures.

Then what G-Max can show you in its work space.


IIRC, if you first import the body you want to use and then import the head, the head should "jump" to the correct place on top of the body.

Not sure I would have to do an experiment with that myself.

Anyway list of tools you'll need:

G-Max or 3Ds Max.
NWmax to import/export models.

KotorTool to extract the models and their textures.
MDLops to compile the models to the import format.

Most info about the 3D can be found here: http://www.lucasforums.com/forumdisplay.php?f=595)

And I'll promote the SEARCH function( above at the right corner of the screen) to look for threads about importing and such.

You'll be delighted what SEARCH can do for you ;)

You don't need to buy 3dsmax, there are plug-ins like Rendersuite for gMax that work pretty well, but yea the rendering in 3dsmax is pretty good as well, just if you don't have it, it isn't necessary to buy it.

IIRC, if you first import the body you want to use and then import the head, the head should "jump" to the correct place on top of the body.
That's the main problem I've had, that it doesn't "jump" as it should, it remains on the feet and the head's textures are not imported either... anyway, I'll keep searching. The thing is that most of the tutorials are about modelling itself and I haven't found anything about this by now

You don't need to buy 3dsmax, there are plug-ins like Rendersuite for gMax that work pretty well
I'll try it, hope it works ;)

Thank you both!
If someone has some experience doing this stuff and gives me a few tips I'll be very grateful :)

That's the main problem I've had, that it doesn't "jump" as it should, it remains on the feet and the head's textures are not imported either... anyway, I'll keep searching.

About the textures, if you use the extract function from KotorTool( first dump the whole content of your MDLops into the folder KT) it should get the textures aswell.

Its easy to use, just double click on the mdl file you want.
Another box should come up where you can set the extract path, location where it will end up.

It creates a small folder just for the model files, already compiled to ascii for you plus the texture :)

Hi Earendil77,

To make that picture I've used 3D Max, not Gmax, mainly because I've had some problems to change the bone structure position in Gmax when doing a high heel model.

I guess you could use any 3D program as long you can import the models inside it, I don't know if you will be able to import its bone structure and bone info, so you would have to redo all those to pose the models.

In 3D Max when importing more than one body/head model with theirs bones I had to rename/reassign the bones to the model, since they have the same names and screwed the models. And I wasn't able to import any animation either, since it is in a different file.

And no, the head will not jump... it is the game engine that places the objects in its correct position... you need to place the head in its correct position and link its base with the body. We can go into details if you need...

If I had to do it again, I would have exported the model mesh and texture to a 3D program that I am familiar with, remodel some parts to make them more smooth, and remake the bone structure... but it is just me.

Kha

If I had to do it again, I would have exported the model mesh and texture to a 3D program that I am familiar with, remodel some parts to make them more smooth, and remake the bone structure...
well, I guess I'll have to keep doing it the old way... as I said I handle Milkshape3D quite good and I've been making this kind of poses using skeletons from the Sims 2. The main problem is that with this program is impossible to import two skeletons in the same file. I also thought that if I did it with Gmax or 3Dmax I wouldn't have to be assigning all the bones because it would keep the original ones.
but anyway... thanks for all the answers, you've been very helpful. I think I'll keep doing it with my 3D program :)

And no, the head will not jump... it is the game engine that places the objects in its correct position... you need to place the head in its correct position and link its base with the body. We can go into details if you need...
Kha

I did a little test this afternoon and indeed, only the teeth and eyes seem to pop to the right location.

I've tried to use the align tool to get the head on the good spot, but the thing kept plungin down to its orginale place.

I delinked it, but then it deforms when I use the headbone or any bones asigned to the face :lol:

Could you possibly just lign out the steps you used to get it done :)

Don't need to be overly detailed I'm used to using Max, though I haven't done the bone/ mesh and envollopping stuff.

Read about it, somewhat understand the point of it.

Thanks for the enlightment Kha.

well, I guess I'll have to keep doing it the old way...
I only use Max when there is no way to use Blender, so I have only a small knowledge on how it works... maybe it could be done easier, don't know.

Could you possibly just lign out the steps you used to get it done :)
Hi Quanon,
When you import a body and its head model you will have all those cubes (helpers) from both models with the same name and since the bones are linked into these helpers they will be in the wrong position. So first you need to see in each cube the root bone of the skeleton is connected and change its name before importing another model file.

When you get the head and body imported and the bones in the correct place, you get the Aurora Base of the head and place it in the right position, the bone and models related to the head should follow, then you could link it to the headhook cube (helper) of the body model, this headhook tells the game where to place the head...

Hope it gets you started.
Kha