mdlops2-0 suggestion -- head models

[Kimm Lors]

cchargin,

 

I've been pretty excited about mdlops and the ability to import our own models into the game-- although it was a bit of a dissapointment to find that we can't import heads yet. Seems like you're attempting to decipher the entire model format and allow us to build models from scratch, and that you're still working through how to implement importing of all the fields of the model format. Without key features of the model format worked out, we can't import things like heads at the moment.

 

Sooo.... I was wondering if it would be possible to code a quick workaround to tie us over until you've had a chance to fully work out the format:

 

Would it be possible to allow a mode where we can just nudge the position of the vertices around, without actually creating any new ones-- and then fill in the old data from the original model file for all the unknown fields?

 

Seems to me that this should be possible-- since you've already got most of the geometry data worked out, along with normal calculations and texture coordinates. By nudging vertices, we'd only change the actual values of vertex, normal, and texture coordinate positions-- without actually changing the size of the file, number of data entries, and in effect mucking with any of the values we're not currently sure of. And vertex weights that might be used for animating facial expressions would still be retained, by puling them out of the original model. The user just needs to keep each vertex topographically near where it is on the original model, which shouldn't be a huge problem since faces don't differ that much. Just being able to tweak vertex positions would do wonders in being able to create some new faces and hairstyles.

 

How about it? Think this is at all workable as a temporary solution?

[drchode]

I had the very same thought about a week ago, and tried out a few of my ideas about how to do this.

 

Well, it certainly CAN be done, and as evidence, here's Bastila's new hair style:

 

http://home.comcast.net/~drastro/kotor/bastila2.jpg

 

 

This is my first attempt at head-modding in KOTOR. The method I used to do this could probably be made into a tool, or incorporated into Mdlops.

 

I agree that a lot of interesting modding could be accomplished with just the ability to move around the vertices of existing models (and of course, new skins to go with it).

[cchargin]

Hello all,

 

Yes I have been working on something along these lines. tk102 gave me the idea way back when I first extracted a model.

 

I have been messing around with it, but the resulting models crash the game about half the time. I have to figure out that problem first.

 

The thing that is holding this up is animations. The animations that are stored with the head are the ONLY thing holding me up. If you or anyone else knows of a 3D animation guru that can help me figure out how these animations work, then we would be able to change any character or creature model.

[Kimm Lors]

Thanks for the replay cchargin! I might be able to lend a slight hand... while not a guru by far, I'm modestly familiar with 3D graphics and animation programming, and know my way around. If you could describe how you think the animations work (I'm assuming it's a standard bone driven system), whether the animation frames are actually stored within each head model file, and how things are laid out, I might at least be able to take a look and pop you some suggestions.

[kampher]

Seems to me like we might be close to a breakthrough here.....