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Offline Elu
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#1
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Recently, I decided to try modding for Heroes 5. I found out how to extract animations, models, and skeletons. I can import the skeleton into 3DS MAX and animate it, but only after a long and tedious process of adding Inverse Kinematics and other things that I haven't fully figured out yet. Is it possible to modify existing animations? They are in the .ma format, but they won't import into Maya 2009 or Maya 6.0. An error occurs, stating that the file cannot be read - Syntax error. For example, I want to change the idle00 animation for the Hellhound – I need to make it so that it doesn't stomp its front hoof. I extracted the animation, but again, it won't import anywhere. I don't really want to re-animate everything through the skeleton animation (which I haven't fully figured out yet), especially since it requires a lot of preparatory work. I may have searched poorly, but I haven't found any good guides on animation. Maybe someone can help me with this?
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Offline zahar0z
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#2
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Hello. We're all gathering information bit by bit here; after all, the game is already 15 years old. To start, tell us how you extracted the animations from the game? Were you able to open them in any program?
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Offline Elu
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#3
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zahar0z
Hello. We're all piecing together information bit by bit; after all, the game is already 15 years old. To start, tell me how you extracted the animation from the game? Were you able to open it anywhere?
In the initial message, I wrote that the animation doesn't open anywhere. The animation format is .ma, and the program that packages these animations is called Alias Maya. But, for some reason, the animation doesn't open in it. Perhaps I need a newer version.

1. Finding the animation is simple. First, we need to find the animation configuration files. This can be done in two ways: through the map editor or manually. You need to go to the _(AnimSet) folder in data.pak and search there. Of course, all the creatures will be in Creatures. You can easily understand everything if you have basic English knowledge. Accordingly, the heroes are in Heroes.

2. These configuration files contain the paths to the configuration files of the individual animations. Individual animations are located in _(BasicSkelAnim) in the same data.pak. For example, all the animation configuration files for Nightmares are in the _(BasicSkelAnim)\Creatures\Inferno\NightmareBurn folder.

3. We open the animation configuration file for the idle animation, i.e., idle00. Personally, I use Notepad++ to edit configuration files and the like – it's a very convenient tool, and it's also free. So, we open the animation configuration file and see a line like this:
< uid >4C97293E-55FF-4E77-990E-26A9AA481E94< /uid >

I had to put spaces between < and uid, otherwise they don't appear in the message.

This ID between uid and /uid is what we need, as this is the animation file. We find it by searching in data.pak and copy it somewhere. Then, we add the format, in this case, .ma. That's basically how we exported the animation, and then... I don't know what to do next.

Actually, I'm not entirely sure if this is what's needed. But for now, I haven't been able to find anything else.
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Offline footman
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#4
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Elu
In my initial post, I mentioned that the animation files wouldn't open anywhere. The animation format is .ma, and the program that packages these animations is called Alias Maya. However, for some reason, the animation doesn't open in it. Perhaps I need a newer version.

1. Finding the animations is straightforward. First, we need to locate the animation configuration files. This can be done in two ways: through the map editor or manually. You need to go to the _(AnimSet) folder in data.pak and search there. Obviously, all creatures will be in the Creatures folder. It's easy to understand everything if you have basic English knowledge. Accordingly, heroes are located in the Heroes folder.

2. These configuration files contain the paths to the configuration files of the individual animations. Individual animations are located in _(BasicSkelAnim) in the same data.pak. For example, all animation configurations for Nightmares are located in the _(BasicSkelAnim)\Creatures\Inferno\NightmareBurn folder.

3. We open the animation configuration file for the idle animation, i.e., idle00. Personally, I use Notepad++ to edit configuration files and other things – it's a very convenient tool, and it's also free. So, we open the animation configuration file and see a line like this:
< uid >4C97293E-55FF-4E77-990E-26A9AA481E94< /uid >

I had to add spaces between < and uid, otherwise they don't appear in the message.

This ID between uid and /uid is what we need, as it is the animation file. We find it by searching in data.pak and copy it somewhere. Then, we add the format, in this case, .ma. That's basically how we export the animation, and then I have no idea what to do next.

Actually, I'm not entirely sure if this is what's needed. But so far, I haven't been able to find anything else.
The animation format is gr2, while ma and mb are the source files, which are not available.
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Offline zahar0z
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#5
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4C97293E-55FF-4E77-990E-26A9AA481E94

This isn't a Maya animation; it's a .gr2 animation format that was exported from Maya.
You can view it in the Granny Viewer program.
You can export this type of animation from Maya 6.0 using a plugin for exporting .gr2 files.
However, no one currently knows how to open this type of animation for editing. (A long time ago, I did this using plugins for 3ds Max, but I've since lost them. However, in theory, it is possible).

Added 2 minutes later
Perhaps you can find working plugins for opening .GR2 animations in the files that the source collected.
https://yadi.sk/d/cGm__9Au3YBcz8
There are many plugins for different versions of Max and Maya, but I don't have time to check if they work yet.
Группа в вк посвящённая моим модам

Страничка моего последнего мода на ModDB

Моя страничка на Artstation,
где можно посмотреть и повертеть внутри браузера мои 3d модели.
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Offline Elu
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#6
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footman
The animation format is gr2, but ma and mb are the source files, which are unavailable.
Hmm, that seems a bit strange... gr2 contains both the skeleton and the animations. The problem is that the animations don't play in 3ds Max. I just checked this with one animation, renamed the file format from ma to gr2, and it was imported into Max. The problem is that I don't see how to edit it. The animation doesn't play, as far as I can tell, although the skeleton's position corresponds to the beginning of the animation.

In any case, mb files do exist, and I was able to export the models without any particular problems, even open them.
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Offline zahar0z
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#7
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Where did you get the Maya files, and what tools did you use to import the GR2 files, etc.? If you provide more details, it might be helpful, and we might be able to figure out the problem.
Группа в вк посвящённая моим модам

Страничка моего последнего мода на ModDB

Моя страничка на Artstation,
где можно посмотреть и повертеть внутри браузера мои 3d модели.
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Offline Elu
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#8
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zahar0z
Where did you get the Maya files, and what did you use to import the .gr2 files, etc.? If you provide more details, it might be helpful, and we might be able to figure out the problem.
I just checked – .mb still doesn't work, even though it seemed to work before? That's strange... In any case, I was able to convert .mb to .obj using Archangel and then import it into 3DS MAX. There's not much point in doing this, except that it's unclear how to put everything back later.

.gr2 I obtained using a similar method as in one of my previous posts. I imported it into 3DS MAX using an import plugin. But then you need to create a rig because the skeleton is empty, and it's practically impossible to animate it because of that.

I'm a novice in all of this and don't know much.
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Offline psatkha
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#9
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Elu
I'm a newbie in all of this, I don't know much.

That's why it's necessary to carefully read the messages of two respected comrades, zahar0z and footman! :smile25:
С уважением, Psatkha (Псатха)

---------------------------------------------

Неудачное планирование ведёт к неудаче ...

NCF - мод, добавляющий дополнительных существ в HeroesV 3.1
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Offline zahar0z
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#10
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Elu

I'm new to all of this, I don't know much.
To be honest, you've already figured out a lot for a beginner. Good luck,
and continued success. Keep us updated, you might find something that we don't know.

Added 7 minutes later
I'll try to write something constructive about your task later, but unfortunately, I don't have time right now.
Группа в вк посвящённая моим модам

Страничка моего последнего мода на ModDB

Моя страничка на Artstation,
где можно посмотреть и повертеть внутри браузера мои 3d модели.
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Offline Elu
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#11
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zahar0z
To be honest, you've already figured out quite a lot for a beginner. Good luck, and I wish you further success. Keep us updated; you might find something that we don't know.

Added 7 minutes later
I'll try to write something constructive about your task later; unfortunately, I don't have time right now.
I tried to create a new animation and add it. I followed the guide of a great guy, Esto100nec - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDgiUL8kdbg

I learned two things:
1. Don't try to put the animation into data.pak. The game stops launching, and only reloading the entire data.pak fixes it. Deleting the file that was put there doesn't help.
2. Adding new animations doesn't work, apparently. I wrote everything correctly in the configs, but the animation didn't work. It seems that only replacing animations works. I might be wrong, as Esto100nec didn't show how to import animations back into the game. I asked him about importing, and I'm waiting for his answer.
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Offline zahar0z
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#12
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To be honest, I didn't read this guide from the source (or rather, I did, but only the part about installing GR2 plugins for Maya 6.0).
Regarding animation editing, it's presumably done like this: We take a file with a long alphanumeric name (which we find through the XDB file), rename this alphanumeric file to .gr2, open it with something that can open it, edit it, export it to FBX, import it into Maya 2009, and export it through the MA format to Maya 6.0 (before importing into 6.0, change the version from 2009 to 6.0 using a text editor in the file). Export from Maya 6.0 using the GR2 plugin as a GR2 file (there should be specific settings there).
Then, import the GR file into the game. It needs to be placed in the bin/animations folder. I think you can name it the same as the original alphanumeric file. Importantly, don't edit the original data file; instead, create a new archive there, put your mod's files in it, and change the extension to PAK. Unfortunately, I can only write it in this much detail for now. Soon (within the first half of next week), my guide on importing models and animations will be ready. In addition, I will tell you how to conveniently modify the main game files; I think it will be useful to you (it's in a topic on this forum).
For now, it might be worth starting with creating some simpler mod, for example, changing a texture or adding a new hero, just to understand how modifications and in-game files work. You can figure this out by taking someone else's simple, ready-made mod and seeing how it's done.
Группа в вк посвящённая моим модам

Страничка моего последнего мода на ModDB

Моя страничка на Artstation,
где можно посмотреть и повертеть внутри браузера мои 3d модели.
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Offline Elu
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#13
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zahar0z
To be honest, I didn't follow this guide from the beginning (or rather, I did, but only the part about installing GR2 plugins for Maya 6.0).
Regarding animation editing, the process is presumably as follows: We take a file with a long alphanumeric name (which we find through the XDB file), rename this alphanumeric file to .gr2, open it with a program that can open it, edit it, export it to FBX, import it into Maya 2009, and export it through the MA format to Maya 6.0 (before importing into 6.0, we change the version from 2009 to 6.0 in the file using a text editor). Then, we export from Maya 6.0 using a plugin for GR2 files as GR2. (There should be specific settings for this).
After that, we import the GR file into the game. It needs to be placed in the bin/animations folder. I think you can name it the same as the original alphanumeric file. Importantly, don't edit the original data file; instead, create a new archive in the same location, place your mod's files in it, and change the extension to PAK. Unfortunately, I can only provide this much detail for now. Soon (within the first half of next week), my guide on importing models and animations will be ready. In addition, I will explain how to conveniently modify the main game files; I think it will be useful to you (it's located in a topic on this forum).
For now, it might be worth starting with creating a simpler mod, for example, changing a texture or adding a new hero, just to understand how modifications and in-game files work. You can figure this out by taking a simple, ready-made mod from someone else and seeing how it's done.

The video describes exactly this method. The problem is that the existing animation simply doesn't play, even with the correct export. It has an initial pose (the first frame of the animation), but the rest of the animation is missing.

I put the new animation in bin/animations, but I tried to create my own name without replacing the existing animation. Later, I'll see if it works with replacement, as there are many animations in the game that are simply not used, for example, the death animation for the Human hero. I think it should be possible to replace such animations without problems, but this needs to be tested.

I've already created a new hero, which is why I need a new animation. The new hero has the Nightmare model, with a different texture, of course, and I want to slightly edit the idle animation and create a new animation for casting spells. I've already figured out the textures and everything else; only the animations remain. I've put all the necessary files in the correct folders as indicated in the configs, then created an H5U archive and put it in UserMODs. Everything works perfectly. Again, except for the animations, as I had to (hopefully temporarily) use the standard Nightmare animations for the hero. They work in principle, but I need new animations that would look better.

EDIT: Replacing animations doesn't work. I asked Esto100nec, and he says that the import method has been lost.
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Offline footman
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#14
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To ensure your animation plays correctly, make sure the last letter of the animation's name matches the last letter in the corresponding XDB file.
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Offline Elu
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footman
In order for your animation to play, you need to ensure that the last letter in the file name matches the last letter of the animation file itself, as well as in the xdb file.
Sorry, but I didn't understand. What exactly needs to be changed? Or understood... Could you please explain in more detail?
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