Posts from Guide on adding a new model, animation, and creature to HoMMV

Hmm, in your model, it's written like this:

   
       
       
       
       
   
   
   
   
    1


It's missing the surcoat and horsehair, so it's likely that one or two more materials are missing (don't worry, you can overwrite these again). It should look something like this:

 

   
       
       
       
       
       
   
   
   
   
    1

Added 4 minutes ago
You can find the exact number of materials in the geometry. Let's look at my example; this is the geometry for the same knight from the Footman mod.

           
            EB795106-0F65-40B9-966B-F815712388B8
           
            Global
           
                1.47361
                3.23581
                5.22057
           
           
                -0.0472489
                -0.317651
                2.61028
           
           
                -0.63961
                -0.701903
                5.13794
           
           
                0
                0
                0
                0
           
           
            2
           
                2 - 2 materials for the horse
                2 - 2 materials for the knight
           
           
                Horse_meshShape
                Knight_meshShape
           
           
           

           
                2 - 2 materials for the horse
                2 - 2 materials for the rider
           
           
                Horse_meshShape
                Knight_meshShape
           

That's where the catch is! In my case, there are actually 4. But the meaning is clear, and the essence is captured. Thank you!

This is a very long topic, and I'm not sure if the question of adding hero models from Heroes of Might and Magic VII has been raised here before.

The problem is that the rider and horse models in Heroes of Might and Magic VII are separate. This means that the guide requires an extension.

Here's how I do it:

After exporting all the rider and mount animations separately in FBX format, for each mount animation, I add the prefix "MOUNT_" to each bone so that the skeletons don't merge and the animation doesn't go haywire. Then, I import the corresponding animation of the rider into the horse animation file. The animations are done. Now, let's move on to the model. There are no surprises here either; we assign a prefix to the horse's bones and import the rider. We rotate it 90 degrees according to the guide and then proceed according to the main plan.

I'm attaching the result.

This topic may not be new, and everyone may already know it, but it won't hurt to share it again so that newbies like me can understand what and how to do, instead of banging their heads against the wall).

The problem is that texture transparency doesn't work after loading with Archangel 0.5. In the map editor, statics have a ScalePercent parameter that allows you to change the size of objects. It works incorrectly with objects rotated by 90 and 270 degrees. To fix this, I had the idea to load new geometry for the static (my object is the Antimagic Wall - a dark brick garrison wall), identical in parameters, but rotated by 90 degrees. Using Archangel, I obtained the geometry in .obj format, imported it into a 3D editor, rotated it by 90 degrees, exported it back, opened it in Archangel, and created new geometry. And then the problem arose: this geometry only displays textures with AlphaMode equal to AM_OPAQUE, which does not support transparency, which spoils the appearance of the object. To make sure that it is Archangel, and not the 3D editor, that is causing this error, I converted the standard geometry to .obj and back. I also tried using .smd - it doesn't help. Is there a way to load geometries through Archangel while preserving transparency, or is there a way to fix the scaling bug in the map editor?

I mean, is it possible to solve this simply, using Archangel, without installing all the programs listed in the manual?

I didn't understand, but there's another method: Create an object for the map. In the object, create a new effect instead of a new model. In the effect, create a ModelInstance file. In this file, select the wall model in the "model" line. Then, find the scale line – it has a value of 1; change it to 2 – the object is ready; it's large and rotates.

I fully support Zobra's suggestion. Someone clearly messed up the trigonometry in the Scale parameter, and that's what we're seeing.

Dolgy, I continue to admire your discoveries, which are worthy of Ironforge. I've sent you a private message.

I didn't understand anything, but there's another method:

Create an object for the map.
In the object, create not a new model, but a new effect.
In the effect, create a ModelInstance file.
In this file, select the wall model in the 'model' line.
Next, you need to find the scale line - it indicates 1, change it to 2 - that's it, the object is ready, it's large and rotates.

I knew that scaling effects works well, but I didn't know that you could add static models to the effect. The method looks interesting. I'll try it, thank you.

Does anyone know about the scale ratio? Let me explain. I open two files in 3D Max at the same time for clarity: the first file is a model with a skeleton, a static one, converted through Archangel, and the second file is any animation of this model, obtained from the GR2 file through Noesis... So, it turns out that the static skeleton is 10/100, or even more, times larger than the animated skeleton... What is the exact ratio? I understand that the files were obtained through different programs - Archangel and Noesis - and therefore they convert them differently... But how can I determine this ratio? Is there a way to do it?

Added 37 minutes later
Hmm, if anyone needs it, I've empirically determined that you need to scale by entering the number 25400 in the SCALE field as a percentage. It looks accurate, but I can't guarantee 100% accuracy.

Added 14 hours 15 minutes later
Is there a limit on bone weighting in Heroes 5? I mean, how many bones can influence a model's vertex? Or is it not important here?

I haven't gotten around to the animations yet. But the models themselves are scaled to 1/10 and 1/100 of the real world. Moreover, the scale of the models is different on the global map and in the arena. I can't answer about the weight distribution. If you figure it out, I hope you'll write about it here. It's an important question.

With your permission, may I use the file storage? The file relates to Heroes 5; there are some technical issues, and I would like to ask for help on a specialized 3D website. I will attach the file here and provide a link so that someone might take a look.

I usually adapt old posts from large threads for such purposes.

Let's continue here. I might have sounded a bit harsh, but it's just because I'm disappointed that the model won't be able to be part of the game... Psatha, I'm not a 3D expert at all, so I can't say anything about its versatility, but I made a very simple model and essentially added a very simple skeleton. What's not supposed to work there? I baked the animation as I was explained before, to get rid of the rigging helpers, and only the bones remained... When I was modding Attila: Total War, I tried to import new models (just for testing) - it worked... normal export, without errors... But here, as it's written in the manual, it's from one program to another, from another to a third... and you want to say that there can't be any distortions at these stages? It seems strange to me, honestly... Maybe there are some specific pitfalls for this particular game. Added after 4 minutes "Since the game uses animation in Granny format, it is indirectly linked to the skeleton... and in some cases, the skeleton file (which is also in Granny format) can be changed." But this is even less clear to me - if you change the skeleton, how will the animation work? Animation is essentially a skeleton that has movements and bone rotations... therefore, it's obvious that they should be the same

Continuing the discussion about “Zloboglaz” from the topic RTF - a global modification that replaces all cities in the game
Pavlinho - Ideally, you should create a **T** pose for the skeleton and then apply animations one by one, saving them in the "Animation Manager" plugin of "ActorX." Then, generate and save an "Output Package" in PSA format.
For example, this is the sequence:
1) Create a skeleton (in the correct scale) in a **T** pose with its Mesh attached. Optionally: a) Save the initial pose (select all bones and "helpers," if any -> Animation [Alt+A] -> Poses -> Set as Skin Pose). b) You can also save the PSX file using the "ActorX" plugin (it seems like you managed to do this correctly.)
2) Save the scene with the skeleton in 3dsMax (*.max) format.
3) Create animations and save them as separate files in 3dsMax (*.xaf) format: -> Animation [Alt+A] -> Tools (Animation Set) -> Save Animation Clip....
4) Clear the scene.
5) Load the saved scene with the skeleton.
6) Load the first animation from the *.xaf file, check if it works; if everything is good, save the animation in the "ActorX" plugin, filling in the animation name in the "Animation sequence name" field, click the "Digest animation" button, and the plugin calculates the length and number of frames for the animation (you missed this step, and all your animations have a length of 100 frames) and saves it in the "Animation Manager."
7) Return to the starting frame of the animation and delete the current animation -> Animation [Alt+A] -> Tools (Animation Set) -> Delete Animation. (For example, in the Move animation, the bone that was moved had changed coordinates and did not correspond to its normal position as in other animations.)
8) Repeat steps 6 with the next animation and go back to step 7, etc.
9) In the end, go to the "Animation Manager," generate, and save the "Output Package" in PSA format.
Here's what I managed to do quickly - Attachment 70166

Yeah, I basically did that, except for resetting the scene and the first point... and regarding the first point – how do you save the T-pose? Is this done in 3ds Max? And what is it for?

Added after 36 seconds
And most importantly, how did one of the animations turn out? If I did them all the same way, why did only one work?

Added after 8 minutes
fktifzobr@mail.ru Maybe you could try Vova's files, which he attached here...

Added after 1 minute
Oh, Vova, I saw about the 100 frames. Here's the thing: in my 3ds Max files, the length is set to match the animation's duration, but after exporting to FBX, it automatically sets it to 100 frames. And here's the question: personally, I don't know if it's necessary to set the length in the file and then use ActorX, or if it does it automatically...

Added after 3 minutes
Regarding the MOV animation – which specific bone? I didn't touch the basic bones from the game at all; I created the animation relative to them... (unless I accidentally clicked on something with the mouse without noticing).