new to modeling, question about "odd" models in jediknight2

[Darkling19]

i've recently started classes in maya in school and i was thinking about doing something fun with it.

 

basically i want to make a model for jk2 but not a humanoid model.

the thing i had in mind was a big floating brain with a bit of spine attached that doesn't grip it's weapons but uses telekynesis to float them in front of him.

 

from what i understand you make the model move normally ingame by binding it to a (animated) skeleton, since my model wont be humanoid i was wondering if i could bind it differently to the standard skeleton.

 

for example, bind the big brain section to the part where normally the players torso would be, bind the trailing bit of spine to the skeletons upperleg and let the saber be held normally but since the model doesn't have arms it would look like it is floating in thin air.

 

could someone enlighten me to my possibilities?

[Psyk0Sith]

Well that is possible, but you would need to create "fake" objects for the other body parts because the compiler will not compile unless it has a full hierarchy (torso, head, hips, legs...)

 

To solve this problem, just create a single polygon for each unwanted bodypart (to trick the compiler) and use the "surf_off" option so they dont appear in-game.

 

and caps are not necessary.

[Psynex]

you could also use a shader to hide the unwanted surfaces. That's a cool model idea too BTW. I think you should go for it. I'd like to see it. You could do some other fun things too since you won't be using that many polys like make surfaces around the brain and spine that flow with electricity or something like that.