HDTP in PC POWERPLAY!! and #1!! no TNM in the list though :(

Post by **Jonas** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 10:53 pm

That is the weirdest incident of nationalism I have ever heard about. If you guys think like that, you're really fucked up, you know that?

Mr_Cyberpunk · Post by **Mr_Cyberpunk** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 10:58 pm

oh really, then why didn't they link to the actual homepages?

Post by **metche_steele** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 11:29 pm

Nameless Voice wrote:I still can't help but think that it should be possible to cut the work down to a manageable level by using MAXScript, but I'll admit that I probably don't know enough about the way Unreal's models work to know if that would be possible.
I should probably shut up now.

Dude, seriously, is there something you need to tell us here? Don't make me use Chinese water torture to extract said info... this is critical

Nameless Voice · Post by **Nameless Voice** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 11:55 pm

I'm not quite sure what you mean?
Like I said, I don't understand how Unreal's model format works (I only hope it's better than the Dark Engine's, which I have worked with), but I do know what 3DSMax can be scripted, and that repetitive tasks like exporting a few hundred files are what MAXScript is for.
I was just asking if anyone had considered trying to use it to automate the process?

Post by **DDL** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 12:03 am

It's more the whole process of adding in bones and stuff, getting it all rigged, applying the animation, exporting to snapshot, converting to DX-acceptable mesh format, importing, and then....finding out that it doesn't like a particular poly assignation in the rigging. Or something else similarly obtuse.

And then you have to go back to the start, or possibly even before.

Post by **metche_steele** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 12:34 am

See that's why i'm just the coordinator - I wash my hands of modeling as I know very little about it. Gimme programming any day of the week baby!

addendum - I have massive respect for modelers - they make my game ideas look good at work

Post by **Jonas** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 12:37 am

Mr_Cyberpunk wrote:oh really, then why didn't they link to the actual homepages?

That question makes no sense in context. Re-read my post.

NVShacker · Post by **NVShacker** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 12:59 am

DDL wrote:It's more the whole process of adding in bones and stuff, getting it all rigged, applying the animation, exporting to snapshot, converting to DX-acceptable mesh format, importing, and then....finding out that it doesn't like a particular poly assignation in the rigging. Or something else similarly obtuse.

And then you have to go back to the start, or possibly even before.

The rig has to be redone each time? I was under the impression that it was the exporting the skeletal animations to snapshots that had to be redone and added the tedium, not the rigging itself (beyond modifications when there are issues of course) which felt like it could be automated to me but I didn't really question the declaration the doing characters was unfeasible because I don't really know enough about the process.

Michael_TSM · Post by **Michael_TSM** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 7:46 am

Jonas wrote:That is the weirdest incident of nationalism I have ever heard about. If you guys think like that, you're really fucked up, you know that?

Its the harsh Australian sun, makes people delirious...and cancerous

daedulas · Post by **daedulas** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 10:56 am

Its been bloody hot here at around 40 C

Post by **DDL** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 11:36 pm

NVShacker wrote: The rig has to be redone each time? I was under the impression that it was the exporting the skeletal animations to snapshots that had to be redone and added the tedium, not the rigging itself (beyond modifications when there are issues of course) which felt like it could be automated to me but I didn't really question the declaration the doing characters was unfeasible because I don't really know enough about the process.

The snapshot aspect adds tedium, fer shure. But it's primarily the problem that there are so many steps between "model tweak" and "end result of tweaking", and oftentimes the mesh format that DX uses just decides to hate a particular poly grouping and force you to simplify/reassign/rearrange them from..well, the start again.

At least in my (limited) experience.

Phasmatis · Post by **Phasmatis** » Sat Jan 12, 2008 1:40 am

I'm not singling anyone out when I say this; I include people's posts from when the first characters debate started as well…

It's very annoying when people don't take you at your word. I've been modelling and exporting models for Deus Ex since the SDK was released and I like to think I know a thing or two. It isn’t a simple process and it took me a very long time to learn what problems you can face and how you fix them.

If someone comes along and points out a trick or an easier way to do something that I have missed, then fine, I will bow down and call them king but please, I'm not a hak who picked up a copy of 3d Studio Max yesterday and now believes he can work for Pixar, I've been doing this for well over 6-7 years.

I would like to thank DDL for explaining the problems with character exporting as it saved me from doing it for at least the 50th time.

Nameless Voice · Post by **Nameless Voice** » Sat Jan 12, 2008 3:37 am

I'm sorry if I've annoyed anyone; I hadn't seen MAXScript brought up before (a search shows no hits), so I just thought I'd suggest it.

I've done enough modelling to know that making AIs is generally more trouble than it's worth, so I can well understand your lack of enthusiasm for wasting hours of your time and not even having a working model at the end of it.