How to edit Sacred 2 gr2 files?

[Stormwing 40]

This looks wonderfull indeed. Almost half of the stuff is way beyond my reach, so that there's really nothing I can contribute here...

But it's really nice to see some progress. Eagerly awaiting some totally new stuff. ^^

[Pesmontis 166]

better yet: I added special version info to the executable to be able to distinguish it:

grnreader98 v1.4.0.1 debug

 

> ".. Eagerly awaiting some totally new stuff.."

I've got for instance Sacred (1) creatures lined up ;-)

Edited August 29, 2010 by Pesmontis

[dimitrius154 612]

> "The picture below shows the result of a direct import of an SMD produced with this new version of grnreader98"

 

You should try exporting it to gr2 and then ingame. I think it'll be displayed upside down.

[Pesmontis 166]

> ".. I think it'll be displayed upside down..."

I think so too :-)

 

So ehm.. in 3DSmax you did not rotate the root bone?

 

I'm asking this, because I didn't change anything about the skeleton rotation.

I only changed vertex data.

 

[Edit] I think mirroring the edge in x should be the same operation as the removal of normal vector flipping in grnreader98.

[Edit] I could also reverse the vertex indices for the triangles (that's switched off in grnreader98).

Edited August 29, 2010 by Pesmontis

[dimitrius154 612]

> "So ehm.. in 3DSmax you did not rotate the root bone?"

 

Of course not - that has proven useless, harmful for ingame model positioning even.

I selected Editable Mesh ( Element selection ), then selected all elements above the foot, then rotated them 180 deg around Y axis.

[czevak 57]

> "So ehm.. in 3DSmax you did not rotate the root bone?"

 

Of course not - that has proven useless, harmful for ingame model positioning even.

I selected Editable Mesh ( Element selection ), then selected all elements above the foot, then rotated them 180 deg around Y axis.

 

Okay. This looks astonishing and starts to go in the absolute right directiopn. I think I let the pros handle this until they come up with a simple to use step-by-step tutorial for 3d modelling noobs like me.

 

If you need to know anything else about the game scripts I am here for you, of course.

 

Keep it up!

 

As for the pipeline: I got a lot of Dryad NPC Items waiting for a mesh resize to fit the playable dryad.

Edited August 29, 2010 by czevak

[Pesmontis 166]

> ".. Of course not.."

I have to make sure (ie. check & double check), in order to be as exact as possible,

especially when putting your operations in code.

 

Sorry if it reads like I'm doubting anything - I'm not doubting, it's more like rejecting any other interpretation.

 

So we have 2 operations, a rotation and a flip.

 

Maybe we should go offline and discuss this further per PM, and only report a definitive procedure here (and results), what do you think?

[dimitrius154 612]

>"what do you think?"

 

Sure. But I think the ICQ variant would be best. Just added my ID to contact info.

[Pesmontis 166]

Sorry, not using ICQ, I PM'd you.

 

btw. Editable Mesh - Element - World Rotation y = 180 leads to this result:

 

[dimitrius154 612]

dimitrius154@yahoo.com then

 

> "btw. Editable Mesh - Element - World Rotation y = 180 leads to this result:"

 

My bad : not Absolute World, but Offset World rotation.

[Pesmontis 166]

Materials are indeed working:

 

 

The following procedure goes for SMD files created with grnreader98 v1.4

What you have to do is:

- pick the multi-material from the imported SMD mesh;

- give the first submaterial the name of the material you see in GrannyViewer;

- remove all texture references in every sub-material.

(right-click the button of a texture and select the pop-up menu option <Clear>).

- then you have to mirror only the mesh (as 'Element') in the x-axis.

 

To do so, go to the Modifiers tab in 3DSmax and select the 'Editable Mesh' modifier.

You will receive a warning about modifier dependency, but you can simply click <Yes> to continue.

Now click the small + left of the modifier's name, and select 'Element' from the drop-down list.

Next, click-and-drag a rectangle around the entire mesh. The mesh will turn red.

Go to the main menu bar at the top of the 3DSmax window and select the menu option <Tools><Mirror>.

Under "Mirror Axis:" tick the radio-button "X" and click <OK>.

Go back to the modifier tab, click once on 'Element', and then click once on the 'Skin' modifier (or any other modifier which is highest).

 

Select the mesh and click the menu option <File><Export Selected> to export the model as GR2.

 

The above method has only been tested with meshes which have only ONE sub-material.

This would mean to remove all other sub-materials.

 

In case your imported mesh should have more than one (diffuse) texture,

then (for now) it is better to export each mesh part separately.

Edited August 29, 2010 by Pesmontis

[iandave68 0]

any1 please give me a links to Cannonfodder's Smd import plugin that works on 3dsmax 9/2008...my smd impoter here dont works...heheh

[dimitrius154 612]

any1 please give me a links to Cannonfodder's Smd import plugin that works on 3dsmax 9/2008...my smd impoter here dont works...heheh

 

The one for 3ds max 7 works well for 3ds max 8

 

http://gr2decode.altervista.org/files/smdimp_max6.v013a.rar

[Pesmontis 166]

The post by czevak carried an extra bracket at the end of the URL.

 

The link to Chris Cookson's SMD import and export script for 3DSmax 4.2 is:

Johnny's Workshop - SMD importer for 3DSmax9

 

These scripts work for 3DSmax2008 as well, BUT

- if you installed Wunderboy's SMD plugins, remove them from the 3DSmax plugins directory (**).

AND

- I strongly recommend that you read the enclosed readme html file (however much you hate reading ;-)

[iandave68 0]

http://gr2decode.altervista.org/files/smdimp_max6.v013a.rar

 

wont works here...failed to inialize.

 

the only thing that smd works importing to 3dsmax is to import the smd fille first to milkshape and export it again as a smd then import to 3dsmax...that how it work...

Edited August 30, 2010 by iandave68

[czevak 57]

http://gr2decode.altervista.org/files/smdimp_max6.v013a.rar

 

wont works here...failed to inialize.

 

the only thing that smd works importing to 3dsmax is to import the smd fille first to milkshape and export it again as a smd then import to 3dsmax...that how it work...

 

Use the Maxscript one Pedro and I linked. (Johnny's)

 

This works very well for me on 2008.

 

Also make sure you export the smd from the gr2 with the -a flag of grnreader98. Otherwise you will recieve an error.

Edited August 30, 2010 by czevak

[dimitrius154 612]

http://gr2decode.altervista.org/files/smdimp_max6.v013a.rar

 

wont works here...failed to inialize.

 

the only thing that smd works importing to 3dsmax is to import the smd fille first to milkshape and export it again as a smd then import to 3dsmax...that how it work...

 

That's strange - are you sure you it's installed to 3ds max 8 plugin folder? If, yes, I suggest adding granny.dll to 3dsmax8\plugins and 3ds max 8 directory.

 

The plugin definitely won't work for 3ds max 9.

 

It works for me even without -a flag for grnreader98

Edited August 30, 2010 by dimitrius154

[dimitrius154 612]

Looks like custom model content will be created for the game after all..

 

Knee plates added to Shadow Warriors enforcer leggins example screenshot:

 

[Pesmontis 166]

Yes !

We did it !

You've done a great job testing all this :-)

 

Last night I uploaded an new version of grnreader98 (v1.4.0.3 debug), which got rid of the mirroring trouble:

download grnreader v1.4.0.3 debug

 

Use this command line tool as follows:

> grnreader98 <creature>.GR2 -a -t

 

Note: this is still a debug version. If you see any disruption of creature's animations then please notify me.

 

Below: direct import / export of "a_helve01.GR2"

 

[dimitrius154 612]

Applied a cape model. Looking good...

 

Well now, every utility needed for 'almost' easy custom model implementation within Sacred 2 is in place. Excellent .

[Pesmontis 166]

> ".. are you sure you it's installed to 3DSmax8 plugins folder?.."

iandave is using 3DSmax9 and 3DSmax2008.

 

There are SMD import and export plugins (not scripts) for those versions of 3DSmax,

but I strongly disadvise using them. Please PM me if you want to know why.

 

The SMD import/export scripts by Chris Cookson were originally intended for use in 3DSmax 4.2 (!).

They work in 3DSmax2008, where I've tested them and found that they're almost as good as Cannonfodder's SMD plugins for 3DSmax6/7/8.

The only hickup I found is that Chris Cookson's SMD exporter incorrectly exports bone rotations after a mirror operation in 3DSmax2008.

However, this script can be improved by anyone who can edit maxscript + knows somit about 3D rotation transforms.

 

> ".. every utility needed for 'almost' easy custom model implementation within Sacred 2 is in place.."

In due time I will start on the animations (if required at all).

For now lets celebrate & show off new and improved meshes :-)

[dimitrius154 612]

>"iandave is using 3DSmax9 and 3DSmax2008."

Oops, sorry! I've read /2008 as 8 not as 3DS max 9 Sp1 2008.

 

Those plugin incompatibilities are reason, why I have a combination of 3DS max 5,7,8,9(2009)

[Pesmontis 166]

I can recommend 3DSmax2008 (without SP1 **) for importing GR2 animations from older games (not Sacred 2).

But I guess you already know this from the GR2decode pages.

 

>"iandave is using 3DSmax9 and 3DSmax2008."

Oops, sorry! I've read /2008 as 8 not as 3DS max 9 Sp1 2008.

 

Those plugin incompatibilities are reason, why I have a combination of 3DS max 5,7,8,9(2009)

 

ps. I'm using 3DSmax 7 and 2008 (both without SP1 **for HoMM.V).

I only use 3DSmax 5.1 for Warcraft III.

+ Maya 6 for Blitzkrieg 2 and HoMM.V

Edited August 30, 2010 by Pesmontis

[czevak 57]

Applied a cape model. Looking good...

Well now, every utility needed for 'almost' easy custom model implementation within Sacred 2 is in place. Excellent .

 

Very Nice work, dimitrius!

 

I know a qualified modder over at german forums who tried to do the exact same thing on a dryad item. Needless to say I pointed him in the direction of this thread.

 

Keep it Up!

[iandave68 0]

guys is it ok if I import the smd files to milkshape and export it again as (halflife)smd then import to 3dsmax ? becoz I cant import smd file directly to 3dsmax..I get error "couldnt flag node 0 as weighted".. it work if from milkshape to 3dsmax..