Using Player Biped with my Mesh
by Brad Strong · in Artist Corner · 12/25/2006 (4:50 am) · 5 replies
Hi,
I am trying to take the advice of one of the animation tutorials that suggested using the Player.max file setup with my own Editable Mesh. I have successfully exported my own DTS meshes and animations, so I know I am doing it right... but when I go to skin my mesh to the Player biped, my player is invisible in both the Show Tool as well as in the game.
I have not messed with the hierarchy at all, I have made sure to only Skin those bones that the Player uses, and I have tried with and without the Multires::bodymesh. My structure is the same as the default player, my names are the same.
As a test, I opened up the original Player.max file and tried to do a Whole Shape export. This made my cpu churn a while, then when I checked in the Showtool, I got the error that one or more meshes was invalid. I have also tried exporting without the Hires mesh. I see no obvious issues with the DMP file generated, but then again, I have found no good tutorial on how to interpret a DMP file.
I am using the Max2DTSexporter.dle for Max 6, 7, and 8, I am using TGE 1.5, and I am using the Player.max file that is in the Starter.fps folder.
Is the problem exporting a DTS from the original Player because of the mesh, or are there other problems with this old file that make usings it's biped a problem? Should I be able to use the player biped as a means of taking advantage of the existing player DSQ animations, or am I wasting my time?
Thanks for any help.
I am trying to take the advice of one of the animation tutorials that suggested using the Player.max file setup with my own Editable Mesh. I have successfully exported my own DTS meshes and animations, so I know I am doing it right... but when I go to skin my mesh to the Player biped, my player is invisible in both the Show Tool as well as in the game.
I have not messed with the hierarchy at all, I have made sure to only Skin those bones that the Player uses, and I have tried with and without the Multires::bodymesh. My structure is the same as the default player, my names are the same.
As a test, I opened up the original Player.max file and tried to do a Whole Shape export. This made my cpu churn a while, then when I checked in the Showtool, I got the error that one or more meshes was invalid. I have also tried exporting without the Hires mesh. I see no obvious issues with the DMP file generated, but then again, I have found no good tutorial on how to interpret a DMP file.
I am using the Max2DTSexporter.dle for Max 6, 7, and 8, I am using TGE 1.5, and I am using the Player.max file that is in the Starter.fps folder.
Is the problem exporting a DTS from the original Player because of the mesh, or are there other problems with this old file that make usings it's biped a problem? Should I be able to use the player biped as a means of taking advantage of the existing player DSQ animations, or am I wasting my time?
Thanks for any help.
#2
12/27/2006 (3:38 pm)
My guess is that you are missing detail data on your meshes.
#3
Foster, I will check it out. But I am definitely using the exact same detail data as is included with the original Player.max file. Maybe my next step is to delete the detail data and create new versions, because I know sometimes in Max things can become corrupt and simply need to be rebuilt.
Thanks for the ideas.
12/28/2006 (9:37 am)
Krane, yes, I'm using a 1024x1024 png. Foster, I will check it out. But I am definitely using the exact same detail data as is included with the original Player.max file. Maybe my next step is to delete the detail data and create new versions, because I know sometimes in Max things can become corrupt and simply need to be rebuilt.
Thanks for the ideas.
#4
If you have multiple LODs ensure that you have your multires mesh setup (ie. snapshot, add multires modifier, link to original mesh). Ensure that you have properly entered the LOD data into the Multires meshes object properties and ensure that the numbers between it match the detail markers in your scene.
As mentioned before ensure that you have no unused Detail markers in your scene, if you do this will cause no model data information to be displayed.
12/28/2006 (11:50 am)
If you have a single LOD ensure that the detail number in your player mesh name (at the end) matches the number of this LOD. Also ensure that you only have 1 Detail marker in your scene, if you have more detail markers you will end up with no model data displaying for those sizes.If you have multiple LODs ensure that you have your multires mesh setup (ie. snapshot, add multires modifier, link to original mesh). Ensure that you have properly entered the LOD data into the Multires meshes object properties and ensure that the numbers between it match the detail markers in your scene.
As mentioned before ensure that you have no unused Detail markers in your scene, if you do this will cause no model data information to be displayed.
#5
For anyone else wanting to use the Player skeleton and animations with your own mesh, I highly recommend this method at least for your first pass. It is fast and relatively painless way to see your own textured mesh fully animated within the game.
12/28/2006 (1:28 pm)
Mr Foster, you nailed it! Thanks, I am finally starting to understand what this is all about. I had several details; deleted all but detail3, renamed bodymesh to bodymesh3, and I was set. For anyone else wanting to use the Player skeleton and animations with your own mesh, I highly recommend this method at least for your first pass. It is fast and relatively painless way to see your own textured mesh fully animated within the game.
Torque Owner Krane