Can we elaborate on dsq for a minute.
by Anthony Rosenbaum · in Artist Corner · 08/07/2002 (10:34 pm) · 15 replies
Ok let me explain what has lead me to this post. Currently I am working on a player model for a project. I had already animated one player model with (root/run/side/back) in one dts file and everything worked fine. This time though I wanted to use dsq. So I exported a dts with NO sequence objects in it. Then I used that file as a base for animations. I was able to add the root sequence fine with only 1 odd thing. In the show tool there were 2 threads called root the first (in the list) works fine but the second (in the list) did nothing. I took the model into the game and it worked fine. Then I decided to add a run animation. Here is where things go crazy. If I export it as dsq, it either mirrors the legs and sorta walks or explodes the whole mesh in to some of solar system. Also a second run animation in the thread control, however this time the one that animates the mesh (for better or worse) is always the second run and is located at the end of the list. Also this thread is never called when I put the mesh in the game.
So why am I here tell you all this? Well I was hoping to get some solid Do's and Don't for exporting dsq animations.
So why am I here tell you all this? Well I was hoping to get some solid Do's and Don't for exporting dsq animations.
About the author
#2
08/08/2002 (11:41 am)
Chad, I made a max file that has both root and run in the file. It was originally intended only to be used to export the run sequence. When I export as a dsq sequence all sorts of ugly things happen (mirroring leg effect). However if I take the same file and throw in another sequence object and export the root and run as a dts they will export w/o any problem. For some reason the bones are getting messed up. If the communtity could come up with a tutorial (highly detailed) for max and milkshape it might clear up these problems. 
#3
Logan
08/08/2002 (12:10 pm)
Anthony I think that everything that you need to make your own DSQs is already found in the DTS Exporter Documentation. Perhaps the DSQ exporting section could be expanded upon a bit more, but this is just general assumption. Maybe if I have the time I will consider creating an add-on document to compliment it, but I don't dare give out a guesstimation on how long that will be.Logan
#4
I make one file and work on that until it exports corectly i.e. run. once that works i resave that file and rename it and change the animation to what I want and rename the sequence object and export it as a diff name. Make sure you change the keys for you sequence object and all appropriot boxes are checked on the exporter for your aniamtion. This probably does not help much as when I came here for questions I kept getting the same answer "it's all in the documentation" Right.
08/08/2002 (2:48 pm)
I am not sure what the problem is but i suggest saving your file as another name and using only one sequence object renamed and rekeyed for your animation. This exporter is not the most stable thing it took me a couple of weeks to get mystuff to show in the show tool. I was just about minus one computer when I started using this thing. I make one file and work on that until it exports corectly i.e. run. once that works i resave that file and rename it and change the animation to what I want and rename the sequence object and export it as a diff name. Make sure you change the keys for you sequence object and all appropriot boxes are checked on the exporter for your aniamtion. This probably does not help much as when I came here for questions I kept getting the same answer "it's all in the documentation" Right.
#5
a) Why would 2 sequences of the same name be in the thread control, even though there is only 1 dsq?
b)Why does the first animation work when the other doesn't?
c)Why, when there are 2 animations of the same name, does the first (from the list) work in game fine while the second (in the list) not work in the game?
I am using the Biped system so for anyone using it
d)What do you use to get the animations right, motion flow, layers, or loading a .bip file?
e) Why would the legs (mesh) become mirrored?
f) Why would if collapes transforms is not checked (for dsq) cause the mesh to look like a solar system?
08/08/2002 (3:06 pm)
I know "how" to do everything, however there seems to be a problems with this run animation. The problem only occurs if I export it as a dsq, not as a dts. The major question I wonder is a) Why would 2 sequences of the same name be in the thread control, even though there is only 1 dsq?
b)Why does the first animation work when the other doesn't?
c)Why, when there are 2 animations of the same name, does the first (from the list) work in game fine while the second (in the list) not work in the game?
I am using the Biped system so for anyone using it
d)What do you use to get the animations right, motion flow, layers, or loading a .bip file?
e) Why would the legs (mesh) become mirrored?
f) Why would if collapes transforms is not checked (for dsq) cause the mesh to look like a solar system?
#6
08/08/2002 (3:12 pm)
I don't, I use biped also and I create my animations by hand and then save them as .bip file for later use. The only other area I can think to check is the .cfg file for your player. Sorry.
#7
08/08/2002 (9:28 pm)
Did you edit the player.cs file, the one that has the TSShapeConstructor initialization in it? Maybe your not loading the dsq files properly.
#8
08/08/2002 (9:35 pm)
nope the .cs file is fine it is from the default player
#9
;P
It sounds like somehow the shape is loading an extra set of animations. Do a search and make totally sure that there are no extra player dsqs around.
As for the exploding and mirroring, that's just character studio. I have had this happen to me after i had edited the .fig
If you change the .fig. make sure it gets loaded into all the shapes, or, save as a bip, make a new biped, and start over.
08/08/2002 (10:47 pm)
Ahh, character studio. What a wonderful tool.;P
It sounds like somehow the shape is loading an extra set of animations. Do a search and make totally sure that there are no extra player dsqs around.
As for the exploding and mirroring, that's just character studio. I have had this happen to me after i had edited the .fig
If you change the .fig. make sure it gets loaded into all the shapes, or, save as a bip, make a new biped, and start over.
#10
I thought I heard somewhere that you needed to keep at least one frame between sequences too but that might be for Milkshape.
Have you tried dropping the console to see if there is an error message that pops up?
Some really funky things happen, like mirroring, when you cull out a node that is higher in the heirarchy then nodes that you leave in. Like the clavicle when you leave in the two arms and hand.
You could be using two different .cfg files for exporting the .dsq and the .dts in which case there could be something that pops up there.
Alc
08/09/2002 (7:39 am)
If somehow you get two sequence helper objects of the same name into either the same file or seperate files, the first one in the list will load fine, while the second does nothing.I thought I heard somewhere that you needed to keep at least one frame between sequences too but that might be for Milkshape.
Have you tried dropping the console to see if there is an error message that pops up?
Some really funky things happen, like mirroring, when you cull out a node that is higher in the heirarchy then nodes that you leave in. Like the clavicle when you leave in the two arms and hand.
You could be using two different .cfg files for exporting the .dsq and the .dts in which case there could be something that pops up there.
Alc
#11
If it doesn't ask, and you have more than one sequence in your shape when you export the DSQ, it's probably exporting all of them. It looks like the ShapeConstructor will load all the sequences in a DSQ, but renames the last one loaded to the name specified in the .cs dsq load line (because it's only expecting one sequence per dsq). This could explain the multiple sequences with the same name.
08/09/2002 (7:40 am)
Just took a look through the load sequence code, and it looks to me like a DSQ file can have more than one sequence in it. I've never used the Max DSQ exporter... does it ask you for the name of the sequence to export? Just wondering how it knows which sequence to export if there is more than one in the shape.If it doesn't ask, and you have more than one sequence in your shape when you export the DSQ, it's probably exporting all of them. It looks like the ShapeConstructor will load all the sequences in a DSQ, but renames the last one loaded to the name specified in the .cs dsq load line (because it's only expecting one sequence per dsq). This could explain the multiple sequences with the same name.
#12
I got the dsq and dts to work, I had to make sure the collapse transforms was checked on both dts and dsq exports. However by doing this the camera broke and defaults to the pivot point. Could this be a result of my .cfg file here is what I am using for the .dts
08/14/2002 (9:47 pm)
UPDATEI got the dsq and dts to work, I had to make sure the collapse transforms was checked on both dts and dsq exports. However by doing this the camera broke and defaults to the pivot point. Could this be a result of my .cfg file here is what I am using for the .dts
AlwaysExport: Eye cam mount0 //mount1 //jetnozzle0 NeverExport: //Bip01 Bip01 L Finger* Bip01 R Finger* Dummy* Bip01 L Toe* Bip01 R Toe* start01 //Ski0 //Ski1 Light0 Light1 //Mount1 //Mount2 +Error::AllowEmptySubtrees +Error::AllowCrossedDetails +Error::AllowUnusedMeshes -Error::AllowOldSequences -Error::RequireViconNode -Param::CollapseTransforms -Param::findMergeIndices -Param::computeScreenError =Params::T2AutoDetail 0
#13
At this moment I have 80 frames running at 10 fps for 8 secs of action. However it seems to get cut short, about half way through it goes back to the root. Those that are not running 4.2 max should go ahead and get the update, it so much easier to use now.
But back to the issue, does anyone know? I have the animation.max and the .cfg I used for it and will post it up with some docs about how to get it loaded for those still struggling with it, as long as I get my answer :P
Sam
-Edit-
Oops, I forgot to set the track view to 0-80. Haha, gimme an hour to get the docs and source ups, maybe 2.
-2nd Edit-
Removed Dead Link
10/14/2002 (12:57 pm)
Is there a limit to the number frames that can be used in an animation?At this moment I have 80 frames running at 10 fps for 8 secs of action. However it seems to get cut short, about half way through it goes back to the root. Those that are not running 4.2 max should go ahead and get the update, it so much easier to use now.
But back to the issue, does anyone know? I have the animation.max and the .cfg I used for it and will post it up with some docs about how to get it loaded for those still struggling with it, as long as I get my answer :P
Sam
-Edit-
Oops, I forgot to set the track view to 0-80. Haha, gimme an hour to get the docs and source ups, maybe 2.
-2nd Edit-
Removed Dead Link
#14
10/28/2002 (4:41 pm)
I've been through the dts code a few times, and I don't remember seeing any limit. Some of the indices may be 16 bit, but it doesn't sound like your at that limit.
#15
05/18/2004 (6:17 pm)
Im just bumping this one to the top as I've been doing searches and this somewhat is similar to my issues. Using max 6, but trying to have more than one sequence in the same dsq file does not seem to go well for me either. Only one of the sequences ever seems to load from that dsq. I triple check the names in my asset scripts, but no matter which sequence name I scritp to load, I only get the same single animation. 
Chad Hunt
I do my animations the same way with a root dts the sperate dsq files for the animation, you should have a root dsq also not just root.dts.
The way you are doing it are you creating all the animations in one file and exporting them seperate or as one?