Models Post

[Charmy]

Hi I am making a new thread from my one on the vote for the best avatar post, i asked about adding models to eq, after doing a little looking around i found a REALLY good s3d viewer. Eq inside is good, but this one is amazing, it actually shows you the models in 3d. the guy who wrote is is named kaiyodo, i dunno if any of you have this, but i really liked it, so you can get it here it hasn't been updated since 03, so if there is a better one out there i woudl love to see it =).

Anyway any info you have on the correct format of models in the s3d files, or how to create them, please post here, i will be posting anything i find on the subject here as well, thanks much


EDIT: Just wanted to add, using this program and loading the gequip.s3d files will give you ofcourse all the weapon/equip models, if you look at the numbers following IT (i.e. IT169) and use this in your database/item editor as the model number =D you get that model! (i have an amazing skill for stating the obvious). anyway using the export button you can export it to be able and open using maya or 3dstuido max, now the question is how to save them again and make them actually load into eq......

EDIT: After doing some more research i found out Kayiodo worked on the eqemu project a while back, was wondering if he is still around.

[Mongrel]

My zone viewer is also able to view character models. After reading about the global models stuff I decided to write a tool that allows the modification of those global files, but I failed.

I can decode (easy) and encode (hard) the model files. Reading one into memory and then writing it back to HD works fine, which means that I'm doing the name hash and fragment reference part correctly (this is the hard part about WLD files, Windcatcher knows what I'm talking about). EQ then loads the global char file just fine.

However ADDING a model to a global file simply doesn't work. I can view the models with Kaiyodos viewer and with mine. EQ, however, skips loading the file all together, which is why I'm thinking that you cannot modify the global models.
They seem to be hardcoded into the client.

Creating a new model with MAX or somesuch should be possible and it should be possible to create a new _chr.s3d to add to the <zone>.txt files.

There's a little catch though: Noone so far has figured out how the bones work (character models appear "crushed" in the viewer), so your chances of actually making a new model are pretty slim.

Hmm, does all of this make sense?

I'm not going to use the usual excuse that "it's late and I'm drunk" (yeah, right!), because I'm not.
Instead, I'm gonna say that english isn't my first language, so if you don't understand me ... *shrug* :P

[Derision]

Originally Posted by Mongrel

Instead, I'm gonna say that english isn't my first language, so if you don't understand me ... *shrug* :P

Not to sound patronizing, but that made perfect sense and your english is perfect, no-one would know it isn't your first language if you didn't tell us.

[Jezebell]

Originally Posted by Derision

Not to sound patronizing, but that made perfect sense and your english is perfect, no-one would know it isn't your first language if you didn't tell us.

I completely agree, your spelling and grammar were excellent.

[Charmy]

Made Perfect sense, atleast what my small mind could comprehend of it. only part i didn't understand was

I can decode (easy) and encode (hard) the model files. Reading one into memory and then writing it back to HD works fine, which means that I'm doing the name hash and fragment reference part correctly (this is the hard part about WLD files, Windcatcher knows what I'm talking about). EQ then loads the global char file just fine.

and if anyone wants to paraphrase this in lamens terms, or maybe i am just to stupid, either way.. i understand what you mean about the skeletons, something i can honestly say i won't begin to understand, i have created skeletons in maya before, and i understand how they work, but i can't even begin to imagine what is done in eq to make them work, or why they come out smashed in the viewer.(i thought it was the scale down picture option, but i found out that, that isn't it =P)

I really just wanted to try to add items (which don't have skeletons! yay) my question i suppose would be, is it possible to create this new s3d.. and if so, would the eqclient be willing to load them since they aren't hard coded in? thanks for the up thus far =).

[KhaN]

Creating the S3D isnt the real problem, because S3D files are only a container, like an AVI. Models (Creatures/Items/Zones) in EQ are WLD for mesh and BMP/TGA/DDS for textures.

So if you want to add your custom item/creature, best is mongrel solution, create your XXX.S3D files and add your files in. Textures isnt the really a problem, real problem is mesh (WLD), i remember Windcatcher made a WLD Doc Reference, link is somewhere on EQEmu forum.

Best thing would be to make a max plugin to create mesh as WLD, anyone ? :p

[Charmy]

A plugin would be aswome, someone shoot me for linknig to the HQ site, but i dunno if this would help, i admit i know.. err nothing about creating plugins for 3dstudio max, but this post kinda explians the outline of s3d files... it helps? i dunno but perhaps =)


http://www.hackersquest.org/boards/viewtopic.php?t=3899

<waits for the gun shot>

[Shadow-Wolf]

actualy khan, wld files are containers also, there is i believe 1 wld file in an s3d wich contains multiple mesh files.

[mangoo]

Originally Posted by Mongrel

My zone viewer is also able to view character models. After reading about the global models stuff I decided to write a tool that allows the modification of those global files, but I failed.

Mongrel, I'm assuming it also loads item models, specifically gequip.s3d? Also, what language is it written in?

[Mongrel]

Doesn't load items, but since those are like characters without all that hard stuff, it won't take more than an hour to implement an item viewer.

It's C++.

I've never written a plugin for MAX, so I'm not sure about those, but I already got a pretty good converter for .ase files (or .asc files? can't remember). Before you start bouncing about making your own weapons, let me try to make a simple weapon model first.

I'd assume however, that gequip is hardcoded as well. Replacing existing models should be possible (in fact, I'm thinking the same would be true for character models - replacing them, yes. Adding a new one, no.)

[mangoo]

Oh I don't want to make new item models Mongrel. I need a model viewer in my item editor and never could get Kaiyodo's integrated. On top of that now gequip.s3d does not load in Kaiyodo's model viewer since the DX9 patch to EQLive. So if you can whip up a simple model viewer for me you will get much man love!

[mangoo]

Also noticed your webserver is down, I have a ton of space if you need it.

[Mongrel]

I know what you want, Mangoo, hehe. I was actually talkting to Charmy about the plugin. Should've made that clearer.

I'll see what I can do about the equipment viewer. This weekend is tough for me, since I'll be working on both Saturday and Sunday, so I won't have that much free time.

Thanks for the offer, but I'm hoping that my new server is ready soon. I'll have 150GB/month sitting directly at one of the six or seven internet backbones in Germany, so ... *drool* ... I can't wait either, hehe.

[Swampdog]

Would be nice to have something where we could replace models in the object files as well. Kinda wish SOE would have been lazy and made object additions as easy as npc model additions so we could pick up tents and banners and place them in our zones.

Thanks for sharing the model viewer Charmy! At least we can see what models are available. Now if there were only # commands to manipulate doors/objects while trying to get them placed where we wanted them.... :P

[Charmy]

Mongrel: The only Real thing i want to do is create new weapons/items, i know alot of items out there such as stones, and such that are equipable in primary/secondary slots are very boring looking, usually like little bags =/ so i wanted to replace those, and also in the phizzlewop quest, alot of the resulting weapon type items i want to be unique, i have a friend who makes models for the morrowind mods, she is very good at it too, so she said she could make some kick ass looking models for new items, and if anyone figures out a plugin for max i will be glad to share all the models with all of you =), i have been looking at the max website and well.. there isn't enough for someone as program stupid as me to understand but i will keep looking!