Importing Deus Ex models in Milkshape

A refuge for those migrating from the fallen DXEditing.com and a place for general discussion relating to Deus Ex editing (coding, mapping, etc).
Zxenop
Mole Person
Posts: 9
Joined: Tue Jul 26, 2011 1:08 pm

Importing Deus Ex models in Milkshape

Post by Zxenop »

Hi everyone
I recently played Deus Ex again, and like everytime I play it, I want to mod it,

Since I'm used to model hacking for Half-life, I wanted to experiment a litle with model editing before trying anything else. I'm mostly using Milkshape, and I tried to import a couple of DX's meshes, after realising there's a shitload of way to export but non to import directly I tried to screw around with UT tools, I managed to import the mesh, no textures of course, but I also didn't saw a skeleton.
Since I never edited a Unreal engine model before, I don't know if that's normal or not (through I guess it's not ence my post), so I wanted to know how you guys import/edit DX models ?

Thanks in advance
User avatar
Akerfeldt
UNATCO
Posts: 253
Joined: Fri Feb 24, 2006 5:00 pm
Location: The Cliffs of Insanity!

Re: Importing Deus Ex models in Milkshape

Post by Akerfeldt »

Importing models into Deus Ex is a nightmarish process that takes a lot of trial and error to figure out all of the quirks. The only tutorial I've ever seen on the subject was on Steve Tack's site and it was very limited in scope. You are right in that DX doesn't use skeletal animation though.

I haven't used Milkshape's DX exporters in a long time, but from what I remember they had some whack-ass math involved that made the models look like they were made of Jell-o (also some shit about the model can't be bigger than 256 units wide?). As such I went and made my own exporter, however it hasn't been released to the public yet. I'm working on a program that combines all my ms3d tools that I built for dealing with DX into one package so future modders hopefully won't have to deal with as much of DX's bullshit as I did.
A hole is a hole.
Zxenop
Mole Person
Posts: 9
Joined: Tue Jul 26, 2011 1:08 pm

Re: Importing Deus Ex models in Milkshape

Post by Zxenop »

Ok so how are Milkshape models animated then ?
User avatar
Akerfeldt
UNATCO
Posts: 253
Joined: Fri Feb 24, 2006 5:00 pm
Location: The Cliffs of Insanity!

Re: Importing Deus Ex models in Milkshape

Post by Akerfeldt »

Milkshape only supports skeletal animation. You have to build the skeleton with the Joint tool. There's more info here: http://chumbalum.swissquake.ch/ms3d/tutorials.html
A hole is a hole.
Zxenop
Mole Person
Posts: 9
Joined: Tue Jul 26, 2011 1:08 pm

Re: Importing Deus Ex models in Milkshape

Post by Zxenop »

Sorry I meant how are deus ex model animated ? >_<!
And it goes with an other question : how do you animate a deus ex model in milkshape ?
I guess I mixed the two question in my last post >_>
User avatar
Akerfeldt
UNATCO
Posts: 253
Joined: Fri Feb 24, 2006 5:00 pm
Location: The Cliffs of Insanity!

Re: Importing Deus Ex models in Milkshape

Post by Akerfeldt »

Deus Ex only supports vertex animation and Milkshape only supports skeletal animation. However the exporter will perform the conversion so you don't have to worry about it.

The original Deus Ex models were all modeled and animated in Lightwave I think.
A hole is a hole.
Zxenop
Mole Person
Posts: 9
Joined: Tue Jul 26, 2011 1:08 pm

Re: Importing Deus Ex models in Milkshape

Post by Zxenop »

Ok but is there a way to import a dx in milksahpe so it wil have a skeleton created from the vertex animation
Or is there an other 3D modeling program I can use ?
User avatar
Akerfeldt
UNATCO
Posts: 253
Joined: Fri Feb 24, 2006 5:00 pm
Location: The Cliffs of Insanity!

Re: Importing Deus Ex models in Milkshape

Post by Akerfeldt »

Technically there is such a program(kind of) although I haven't finished coding the latest version. Your better off grabbing the skeletons out of the HDTP ms3d files since I've done pretty much all the weapons and a bunch of the characters. Said files will be made public later this month.

Also I'm sure you could get similar assets from current/past DX modders.
A hole is a hole.
Zxenop
Mole Person
Posts: 9
Joined: Tue Jul 26, 2011 1:08 pm

Re: Importing Deus Ex models in Milkshape

Post by Zxenop »

Didn't knew HTPD released the source files of their models, great I'll check that out
Altrough I can help beta-test your program, if you have a tests sheet/plan or something
User avatar
Akerfeldt
UNATCO
Posts: 253
Joined: Fri Feb 24, 2006 5:00 pm
Location: The Cliffs of Insanity!

Re: Importing Deus Ex models in Milkshape

Post by Akerfeldt »

Zxenop wrote:Didn't knew HTPD released the source files of their models, great I'll check that out
Sorry, my sentence was misleading. The HDTP files haven't been released YET. But they will be released this month.

My milkshape -> dx tools will be released around the same time. They all work just fine but I'm working on making a user friendly interface for it.
A hole is a hole.
miguel
UNATCO
Posts: 160
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2010 10:35 pm
Location: Acheron LV-426 Hadley's Hope

Re: Importing Deus Ex models in Milkshape

Post by miguel »

Great news :smile: :) :D :P =P~ =P~ =P~ :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
Zxenop
Mole Person
Posts: 9
Joined: Tue Jul 26, 2011 1:08 pm

Re: Importing Deus Ex models in Milkshape

Post by Zxenop »

Akerfeldt wrote:
Zxenop wrote:Didn't knew HTPD released the source files of their models, great I'll check that out
Sorry, my sentence was misleading. The HDTP files haven't been released YET. But they will be released this month.

My milkshape -> dx tools will be released around the same time. They all work just fine but I'm working on making a user friendly interface for it.
Dho well I'll wait, unless somebody have a equivalent ms3D file with the skeleton in it
Zxenop
Mole Person
Posts: 9
Joined: Tue Jul 26, 2011 1:08 pm

Re: Importing Deus Ex models in Milkshape

Post by Zxenop »

Kind of a bump I guess
Does anybody have any news regarding the HDTP files or Akerfeld's program ?
DDL
Traditional Evil Scientist
Traditional Evil Scientist
Posts: 3791
Joined: Mon Oct 17, 2005 10:03 am

Re: Importing Deus Ex models in Milkshape

Post by DDL »

Peeps're still working on shit: I'm thinking "released in a month" should perhaps be "released in a valve month".

:)
Zxenop
Mole Person
Posts: 9
Joined: Tue Jul 26, 2011 1:08 pm

Re: Importing Deus Ex models in Milkshape

Post by Zxenop »

DDL wrote:Peeps're still working on shit: I'm thinking "released in a month" should perhaps be "released in a valve month".

:)
Ok see ya guys next year =P
Post Reply