Help Needed - Mob Modeling

[Windcatcher]

Some of us on IRC are preparing to hold a closed beta of the client we're developing, but we need help with mob models. To be legal we have to do completely without any SOE models, and that means we need replacements. So, if anyone is inclined, here's a chance where you can really help the community.

We're asking if people can devote their time and talent to donate some 3D models to the project. Just about anything can do, but our highest priorities are skeletons, roaming animals (anything you like), and any monster types you're inclined to make. We're also short on female player models, but in the grand scheme of things we don't need them right away. You don't have to worry about rigging to skeletons or animation -- our only method of importing them is through Anim8or, so unless you're using that to build your models any rigging work will be lost. Anim8or can import only certain common model types, like .3ds (which would be best).

If anyone wants to help it would be appreciated, as long as you understand that your work is for the good of the community and has to be freely usable. For poly count I'll just pull a number out of the air as I'm not a 3D expert: 1000-1500 polys would be a good ballpark, but use your own discretion. Whatever we use has to be scalable so players can go on raids, so we can't be making their graphics cards melt :P

Wind

[GeorgeS]

Wind, count me in. I am good at NPC modeling and texturing. I've completed my quest editor, and have time for modeling. I use Truespace 7.1, and with next month's 7.5 update, it will be even better. 3DS is fine. All I make is free anyway as you know...


I'm rarely on IRC, but let me know details...
GeorgeS

[Windcatcher]

We have a test server running and are preparing to port some existing db work over to it for some existing OpenZone zones, but we don't have models for a lot of creatures. I have a full set of humanoid animations and it's not all that hard to rig up a model in Anim8or, but I'm a pretty poor modeler and worse texturer :P Basically we need people to tackle the artistry part and the idea is that I would try to rig what I can in Anim8or. I've also started on a series of tutorials for the next version of OpenZone that will explain how to make creature models, but it's a pretty involved process and documenting it all in the form of tutorials will take a little while. In the end, though, the central problem is that we need people who are good modelers and artists and who are willing to make models.

Since we have to import work into Anim8or the scale isn't all that important as we can rescale as we need to. For humanoid models, it would be best if they were in standard modeling form...I don't know what it's called, but basically where their arms and legs are splayed apart. That way I can rig them to my existing humanoid figure without too much fuss and the 70 or so animations I've already made should work. For non-humanoid models, I'll just have to rig them one at a time.

If you want to try your hand at rigging in Anim8or (painful though it can be), then the only rules of thumb I can think of are that the model face outward along the Z axis and that Y be up (and therefore X points to the mob's left). Because of the way Anim8or handles bone thicknesses, OpenZone does a 1/10 conversion when exporting creatures, so if you want a creature to be 5 units tall ingame then it should be 50 units tall in Anim8or. There are specific naming conventions that bones, objects, and animations need to have, all of which are documented in OpenZone 7.6, but that's not a big deal as I can rename as I need to after you submit something.

I'm not a modeling expert by any means, so if you really wanted me to answer some other question feel free to ask. I'll drop onto IRC tonight as well to see if I can help clear up what we need.

OpenZone 7.6 has all of the models I've made to date, which should give you an idea of the general orientation that I would need to fit a humanoid model to, as well as proper naming conventions. For a non-humanoid model, I have no existing template, so it's all new territory.

[GeorgeS]

I started modeling last sunday, and progress will be incremental of course, so a little at a time. The froglok model was done sunday and the head is giving me some difficulty. I will let you know via PM where you can download the work. Once the frog's textured then it's off to other ones like the bat, snake, spider, and then a few humanoid ones. I'm looking at my model repository now and looking for stuff that will work. I'll also keep the poly count under 1000 tris.

II bought another 20" display (for dual display) sunday so I have these side by side so modeling one one panel and references on another are possible. Looks like I had to go this way so I have more pro-end tools to work with. I'll show some screen captures this week

GeorgeS

[Windcatcher]

WOW! I hope you didn't think you had to spend money on this, though those sound like great toys to have anyway -- I hope the wife/gf understood (grin). I cant wait to see what you come up with.

I've written four new OpenZone tutorials for mob modeling with Anim8or, but when I finished them I realized that the process was way too tedious for my liking (I usually take some shortcuts like modifying the .AN8 files directly, but they won't do for a tutorial). I've decided to make some enhancements to my software to try to make things easier:

1. Expand OpenZone's .AN8 import ability so it can handle grouped objects (partially done, can load groups as long as they aren't rotated)

2. Expand the client so it will also look for objects and creatures in separate .XWF files in the zone's .XWA archive (done; if the .XWA contains objects.xwf and/or creatures.xwf, it will load them as well).

3. Add force-loading capability to the client when dealing with .XWA files (done, but untested; requires an upgrade to OpenZone first).

4. Change OpenZone's export to .XWA so it puts objects in objects.xwf and creatures in creatures.xwf rather than putting everything in a single .xwf file.

5. Add .AN8 export capability to OpenZone. This is good to have in general but part of it is also necessary for step #6.

6. Add tools to OpenZone that tackle some of the more tedious parts of mob modeling, such as copying a model, removing all variants, copying an object to make a variant, etc. These need step #5 above since they'll involve modifying Anim8or files.

7. Rework the tutorials to use the new OpenZone features.

This will probably take a few weeks, but the results will be worth it. I can use whatever you make without all this, but these changes will make it easier for everyone else to take all of the needed steps to make mob models usable. If you want to see the models I've already made, they come with OpenZone 7.6 in the /library/creatures folder (.AN8 files are Anim8or files).

[GeorgeS]

No worries, after I sold the 98 LS1 vette, I had a few bucks to spare. Selling it made her happy and I could buy all sorts of stuff - that made me happy. I actually found her using the pc more now!

I also bought a touchtablet 2 years ago, but found it a bit clumsy for details. I am still learning the art of texturing (if there's such a thing).



When I get a prototype model ready, you can then let me know what changes need to be made. I understand humanoid models - 2 arms and 2 legs spread apart is standard. Whether you need them triangulated or not is simple for me. I can triangulate as the last step. Non humanoid models are one of many that I am working on. snakes, and bats for example, latter have wings which flap and snakes wiggle around. I guess the animation should be easy for those.



GeorgeS