Hi guys, since the 3rd party tools can not support the ribbon now. It's not so easy to get a well animation of soft naterials like hair and cloak. I found a very useful script for 3dsmax which can simulate these motions. You can get it here. The script was submitted by sichung Yuan, great thanks for his work. The version requirement is 3ds Max9 and 2010, but "springmagic_0.8.mse" also works well in 3dsmax 2012.
What you need to do is just run the script, and select the parient bones which you want to simulate. Press the "Bone" button and wait a minute... The spring level is also very easy to adjust from 0 (softer) to 1 (harder).
I hope you like this tools, here are some examples I made:
PS: The origin model was created in 3dsmax and exported by m3 plugin for 3dsmax, the m3a animations were exported by m3addon. Great thanks for Leruster, NiNtoxicated01 and printIn.
Thanks for your suggestion, in fact some other motions are even weirder...
The origin model comes from Hatsune Miku:Project Diva Dreamy Theater (A PS3 game), so that's not a complete original work. According to the copyright, it's a bad idea to use it in BNet so I use this model to learn and test some new technologies which I am not skilled. So maybe it's the reason why you found some mistakes. Fortunately, the animations in the game are stored in independent m3a files and animations in the 3dsmax are stored in .bip/.bvh motion files , so technically they are easy to fix or replace.
Here are some other models you may be interesting. ^_^
It's not a mistake, just an issue that happens with some models by unknown reason. You can notice, that it looks like the the light source is connected to the dancing model and rotating with it, so she's like a moon, has a dark side and a bright side.
To fix it, try to import the model with "import mesh normals" box unchecked. And export again.
If it won't fix, do the following: create a bone, select meshes, click animation->constraints->orientation constraint and pick the bone. Then go to motion tab->rotation. And remove orientation constraint and the Euler XYZ. Do it for every mesh. Then remove that temporaly bone. It will fix the issue.
Sorry I just missunderstood your means, the Chinese version used another translation. I checked my model but I didn't find the orientation issue. I forgot to mention that the some parts of the character's dress is semitransparent, so maybe the textures for these parts cause the problem. Unfortunately I don't good at textures and maps, so I upload the model in the attachment, maybe you can help me. (Reimporting and exporting the model will change the Ainmation ID and the m3a files maybe lose efficacy. PrintIn's tools can fix it (also in the attachment, please use the .bat file to fix it if needed.))
Besides, is there some one can tell me how to make multi UV channels work together in Starcraft2? It seems the warpin animation use such a method.
Thanks for attention and your wonderful tools! Without your work there would no any my models here...
Did you mean resetting the x-form?. I met such problem before, it happened on my friend's model (Tommy, you may know him.). This time it seems not the same, but I am not sure.
These two models are tests for physcial behavior. The first one used Particle Flow, so the cursor escapes were controled by wind in 3dsmax. The second one used MassFX base on PhysX. Since the SC2 can not recognise them, I baked the animations before export to m3. The two model just tested a solution to simulate the Physical behavior, but for now they are still low technology....
Here is another model that hundreds of 0 and 1 conposed a human's shape, and then spread and disappeared. Used the simple way like the first gif.
Ok, importing with unchecked "import vertex normals" box fixes it. So, now light source location isn't related to the model's angle.
But I must say that this particular model isn't good for practical modding needs. It's high poly model, it has 30K polygons. When 1-3K is normal for sc2 models. Normal maps usually keep high poly model's details to make low poly one look detailed.
And yes, you can ask any questions you have, we are always glad to share experience and help each other.
That looks good when you want to achieve VERY specific effect. If I were you, I wouldn't go that way though. From what I see you just have a bunch of models meaning that they have a bunch of bones. That may be the way to do it but did you test it with some more instances of the same model? Say 20-30? I mean, what's the performance of that kind of effect?
It's better to do such things on sc2 particles I guess :)
I'd have to check how far can you go with the ribbons for simulating the cloth.
As for the x-form, go to TOOLS panel (the one with the hammer on the right hand side of max's UI) and choose Reset X-Form. You always do that before skinning the model. That way you'll avoid the lightning bugs that Zolden pointed out.
@Zolden: Go
Thanks for your suggestion. Now I know your method, maybe I still need to fix the smooth.
Some of the models in standard 1v1 game also have a very high vertexs (such as ThorCE.m3 which has over 18000 vertexs). I believe that the game engine can handle such high poly models. Since producing numbers of Thor will not crash the game, so it seems using some high poly models as the story characters and hero units still an acceptable choice. For now the polygons of my most models are between 10000 to 20000.I know it's still too complex and not a good option for basic units like zergling or marine, but for story and hero confrontation maps, high detailed models are worth.
The current project of our team is a story map about time travel, so most of the characters are unique, high polygons maybe not a big trouble.
For now I can not get any carven software like zbrush and mudbox, so it hard for me to create a well normal map...%>_<%
And there is another question:
I am not sure which animations should be added or removed, so I use m3a to manage them, do you have some methods to share the animations between different characters? All my biped models use the same standard skeletons with same names, but there are some different bones on hair and cloth. I ask this because I heard that blz have such technology.
Well, I don't use that way frequently either. I only use it when some guys need special effects which need to be accurately controlled, such as a scene that "beautiful petals dance in the air and one of the petal just land in our character's hand" (Oh my god!!)...So I found this way to complete such impossible missions... I know it's not a good option for most situation.
I checked some models month ago. It seems many companies used the bones to simulate the hair and cloth, such as "Alice: Madness Returns" .
Blz also use them to control Zeratul's veil... So maybe 150 bones per model still acceptable. (But there is a bug, if a single mesh is skined by over 89 bones, the SC2 will crash.)
I look forward to ribbons an PhysX, it maybe a much better way to solve this problem.
Well, if the model is segmented to several parts, everything is ok. Basicly, most time a mesh doesn't need so many bones, so the "bug" does not hinder anyone. Maybe it's something like upper limit. (Even weird, if you change the skin modifier to rigid type, SC2 will be normal...)
When it happens, the SC2 will ask you to upgrade driver for your video card, and it won't work.
Hi guys, since the 3rd party tools can not support the ribbon now. It's not so easy to get a well animation of soft naterials like hair and cloak. I found a very useful script for 3dsmax which can simulate these motions. You can get it here. The script was submitted by sichung Yuan, great thanks for his work. The version requirement is 3ds Max9 and 2010, but "springmagic_0.8.mse" also works well in 3dsmax 2012.
What you need to do is just run the script, and select the parient bones which you want to simulate. Press the "Bone" button and wait a minute... The spring level is also very easy to adjust from 0 (softer) to 1 (harder).
I hope you like this tools, here are some examples I made:
PS: The origin model was created in 3dsmax and exported by m3 plugin for 3dsmax, the m3a animations were exported by m3addon. Great thanks for Leruster, NiNtoxicated01 and printIn.
Wow, looks great, thanks!
(But your model has orientation issue. Do you want to fix it?)
This is very awesome! I can't wait to put this to use. I've got so many characters with capes and cloaks, this will make them easier to animate!
That's actually pretty neat :)
@Zolden: Go
Thanks for your suggestion, in fact some other motions are even weirder...
The origin model comes from Hatsune Miku:Project Diva Dreamy Theater (A PS3 game), so that's not a complete original work. According to the copyright, it's a bad idea to use it in BNet so I use this model to learn and test some new technologies which I am not skilled. So maybe it's the reason why you found some mistakes. Fortunately, the animations in the game are stored in independent m3a files and animations in the 3dsmax are stored in .bip/.bvh motion files , so technically they are easy to fix or replace.
Here are some other models you may be interesting. ^_^
@Delphinium1987: Go
I like how in the first gif the cursor escapes ;)
@Delphinium1987: Go
It's not a mistake, just an issue that happens with some models by unknown reason. You can notice, that it looks like the the light source is connected to the dancing model and rotating with it, so she's like a moon, has a dark side and a bright side.
To fix it, try to import the model with "import mesh normals" box unchecked. And export again.
If it won't fix, do the following: create a bone, select meshes, click animation->constraints->orientation constraint and pick the bone. Then go to motion tab->rotation. And remove orientation constraint and the Euler XYZ. Do it for every mesh. Then remove that temporaly bone. It will fix the issue.
@Zolden: Go
Isn't that issue caused by not resetting the object's orientation before skinning it? :)
@Leruster: Go
Maybe. What do you mean under "resetting object's orientation"?
@Zolden: Go
Sorry I just missunderstood your means, the Chinese version used another translation. I checked my model but I didn't find the orientation issue. I forgot to mention that the some parts of the character's dress is semitransparent, so maybe the textures for these parts cause the problem. Unfortunately I don't good at textures and maps, so I upload the model in the attachment, maybe you can help me. (Reimporting and exporting the model will change the Ainmation ID and the m3a files maybe lose efficacy. PrintIn's tools can fix it (also in the attachment, please use the .bat file to fix it if needed.))
Besides, is there some one can tell me how to make multi UV channels work together in Starcraft2? It seems the warpin animation use such a method.
@Leruster: Go
Thanks for attention and your wonderful tools! Without your work there would no any my models here...
Did you mean resetting the x-form?. I met such problem before, it happened on my friend's model (Tommy, you may know him.). This time it seems not the same, but I am not sure.
These two models are tests for physcial behavior. The first one used Particle Flow, so the cursor escapes were controled by wind in 3dsmax. The second one used MassFX base on PhysX. Since the SC2 can not recognise them, I baked the animations before export to m3. The two model just tested a solution to simulate the Physical behavior, but for now they are still low technology....
Here is another model that hundreds of 0 and 1 conposed a human's shape, and then spread and disappeared. Used the simple way like the first gif.
@Delphinium1987: Go
Ok, importing with unchecked "import vertex normals" box fixes it. So, now light source location isn't related to the model's angle.
But I must say that this particular model isn't good for practical modding needs. It's high poly model, it has 30K polygons. When 1-3K is normal for sc2 models. Normal maps usually keep high poly model's details to make low poly one look detailed.
And yes, you can ask any questions you have, we are always glad to share experience and help each other.
@Delphinium1987: Go
That looks good when you want to achieve VERY specific effect. If I were you, I wouldn't go that way though. From what I see you just have a bunch of models meaning that they have a bunch of bones. That may be the way to do it but did you test it with some more instances of the same model? Say 20-30? I mean, what's the performance of that kind of effect?
It's better to do such things on sc2 particles I guess :)
I'd have to check how far can you go with the ribbons for simulating the cloth.
As for the x-form, go to TOOLS panel (the one with the hammer on the right hand side of max's UI) and choose Reset X-Form. You always do that before skinning the model. That way you'll avoid the lightning bugs that Zolden pointed out.
@Zolden: Go Thanks for your suggestion. Now I know your method, maybe I still need to fix the smooth.
Some of the models in standard 1v1 game also have a very high vertexs (such as ThorCE.m3 which has over 18000 vertexs). I believe that the game engine can handle such high poly models. Since producing numbers of Thor will not crash the game, so it seems using some high poly models as the story characters and hero units still an acceptable choice. For now the polygons of my most models are between 10000 to 20000.I know it's still too complex and not a good option for basic units like zergling or marine, but for story and hero confrontation maps, high detailed models are worth.
The current project of our team is a story map about time travel, so most of the characters are unique, high polygons maybe not a big trouble.
For now I can not get any carven software like zbrush and mudbox, so it hard for me to create a well normal map...%>_<%
And there is another question:
I am not sure which animations should be added or removed, so I use m3a to manage them, do you have some methods to share the animations between different characters? All my biped models use the same standard skeletons with same names, but there are some different bones on hair and cloth. I ask this because I heard that blz have such technology.
@Leruster: Go
Well, I don't use that way frequently either. I only use it when some guys need special effects which need to be accurately controlled, such as a scene that "beautiful petals dance in the air and one of the petal just land in our character's hand" (Oh my god!!)...So I found this way to complete such impossible missions... I know it's not a good option for most situation.
I checked some models month ago. It seems many companies used the bones to simulate the hair and cloth, such as "Alice: Madness Returns" . Blz also use them to control Zeratul's veil... So maybe 150 bones per model still acceptable. (But there is a bug, if a single mesh is skined by over 89 bones, the SC2 will crash.)
I look forward to ribbons an PhysX, it maybe a much better way to solve this problem.
@Delphinium1987: Go
89 bones? Isn't that a bit of an overkill? :D
@Leruster: Go
Well, if the model is segmented to several parts, everything is ok. Basicly, most time a mesh doesn't need so many bones, so the "bug" does not hinder anyone. Maybe it's something like upper limit. (Even weird, if you change the skin modifier to rigid type, SC2 will be normal...) When it happens, the SC2 will ask you to upgrade driver for your video card, and it won't work.
@Delphinium1987: Go
No I mean 89 bones is a lot, especially for a dress, for a game model ;)