Multiple Player Skeletons

#1 More than one player skeleton...?

I'm not a much of a 3Dmodeler/animator, but from what I understand, once you change the skeleton, you kinda have to do all the animations over yourself.

So it sounds like you'll want to make your own skeleton with its own animations from scratch. Maybe someone else here has a better idea though....

#2 I would like to do this all from scratch, as the current animations and skeletons are more suited for an fps, while I want to make an RPG.

I'm not sure how to do this though.

I'm using MAX 7.

How do I export my skeleton?

I know how to make DSQ's, but I don't know if the skeleton is embedded with the DTS or if theres a separate file.

-Griff

#3 I'm sorry I can't help you, I don't have Max.

With Maya though, you make the .dts with the skeleton, but no animations. Then for each dsq you make a new sequence, seperate the skeleton from the mesh and export just the animation.

Load in the animations with the .cs file like they do with the demo.

You've read the documentation on all this right?
http://www.garagegames.com/docs/torque/general/ch08.php

#4 Maybe what you said will work for max as well. I've read through the documentation, but have yet to come across anything that says "To export a new skeleton, do this:"

I'll give it a try.

-Griff

#5 @Griffin: have you read Joe Maruschak's documentation on the max exporter? I think it would be what you're looking for:

http://www.garagegames.com/docs/torque/general/ch08s02.php

#6 I don't think it would matter how many feet you have because it doesn't register feet. Your player falls till he hits something it doesn't need to know what your feet are doing. (Estimate chance of not being true) Obviously an animation for kork wouldn't work with this new skeleton but you already knew that (I hope?).

#7 @Chris: I've read through all of the official documentation, and have got a few good hints, but I still clueless as to how to organize multiple character skeletons.

@Treb: Obviously, Torque was meant to support many characters with the same animations and body structure, which is good for an FPS, but not too great for a game where some characters might have tenticles, and others with arms. The two need to have separate skeletons, and separate animations to make the movement believable. I was originally thinking of using 6 different skeletons for the 6 different races in my game, but I don't know how the game would know which one to use at any given time.

I figured that one set of animations will work with one character skeleton, and I would have to do the same animation 6 other times, one for each skeleton. I like the high level of customization with this process, and I don't care about how much time it takes.

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I guess what I really need to know is:

1) How to create different skeleton and export it.
2) How to organize the different characters and skeletons so they work properly
3) How to script/re-code the engine to work with multiple skeletons

-Griff

#8 1) rig it, set it up according to the 'vaild scene' requirements in the docs.. and export
2) don't understand the question.. look at the existing character setup, do it same way, 6 times, one for each skeleton
3) script it so that the game allows one to set a different player (wtih a different set of datablocks), one for each player.

note, that there is an example player, with all the animations, with a custom skeleton in the girl pack

there are no real limitations to the characters.. if you can rig it, it can be made to export (within reason... 3000 bones probably won't work)

#9 Griffin,

If your characters still do the normal stuff, i.e run forward, backward, look, die, mount, unmount, etc, then you shouldn't need to change the engine.

I recommend that you get the book 3D Game Programming All In One. While it uses MilkShape, it does walk you through do exactly what you are looking for, i.e. build a character mesh, add a skeleton, export it, and use it in Torque.

You can even be creative in your use of what is already in the engine. My characters are large robots that twist at their waist. I used the look and headside animations and made them move the entire upper body instead of just the head and it works great.

Thanks.

#10 @Joe: Once I get the model rigged correctly, I'll try what you said. If I can set up a different skeleton for the different characters, and get it to work properly, I'll be happy. If I can't, I'll be right back here posting.

I was thinking about getting the girl pack, but $40 is a bit much for a learning aid, especially with my budget.

@Derek: There are many books which are on my list right now, including 3DGPAIO, but until I can gather enough money to buy them, I am stuck with what is available online (Which is probably more extensive than all of the books I can buy)

My characters do everything the demo characters do, and then some. I'm assuming that adding more sequences easier than taking away sequences.

Thanks for the help!

-Griff