How to Create Character LOD With Collada Models (free files)
by Kevin Mitchell · 01/13/2013 (3:04 pm) · 5 comments
This is just some consolidated data on how to get this working. Hopefully this will work for everyone.
Things to make a note of.
Notes:
Explanation of the Collada importer and Link Structure
The visual Schema that I'm using and is working.
Source Example File, Torque Ready:
Download
Things to make a note of.
Notes:
- LOD is not distance based but pixel sized based.
- LOD goes top down because of this. - 128 - 64 - 32 - 16 - 2
- All meshes of a LOD must be rigged. If not then when the LOD is switched to it will be in an init pose. (Assuming the same goes if you have morphs on the model as well);
- Also Make sure all dummy objects linked to the bip01 (Or what ever your Center Of Mass is named.) are centered to this node or it will break your animations.
Explanation of the Collada importer and Link Structure
The visual Schema that I'm using and is working.
Source Example File, Torque Ready:
Download
About the author
Riding Solo since 2005. Current Project: Fated World 2005-Present RPG Engine Tool Kit - Now available.
#2
01/14/2013 (3:52 pm)
You have to sign up. Its a registration site. It's free though. Along with the files. 
#3
I parent 'eye' and 'camera' to the Bip01 bone and 'mount0' is a child of Bip01_RHand.
01/17/2013 (12:03 am)
Thanks for that wrap up of LODs in Playermodels! Could you please explain the dummies called 'BipCOM' and 'unlink'? I'm asking because so far i exported our playermodels without them (i mimicked the hierarchy of the SciFi T3D soldier) and for now they *seem* to act as they should? Are there hidden problems when leaving out these dummies? I parent 'eye' and 'camera' to the Bip01 bone and 'mount0' is a child of Bip01_RHand.
#4
Also Eye and Camera are unlinked because I do not need them to move with the breathing and movement of the character. They are still linked to the character movement but they do not link to the model itself. The reason for this is that with swimming, rolling, 360 movement, and other needed animation types that affect the bip01 root node this was causing all kinds of crazy camera rotations wince its normally linked to parts of the body.
01/17/2013 (5:33 am)
BipCOM is what I'm using with my engine add on that to apply 360 rotation to characters. This is a small modification i added to other resource T3D 360 Directional Movement plus Double Jump Sorry I should have explained this.Also Eye and Camera are unlinked because I do not need them to move with the breathing and movement of the character. They are still linked to the character movement but they do not link to the model itself. The reason for this is that with swimming, rolling, 360 movement, and other needed animation types that affect the bip01 root node this was causing all kinds of crazy camera rotations wince its normally linked to parts of the body.
#5
I'll have a look at that other resource to get some ideas. Thanks again!
01/17/2013 (11:38 pm)
Ahh, thanks Kevin, that explains it. I noticed the anomalies when animating the Bip01 root node and wondered what i can do about it, too. I'll see where i can link eye and camera with our players. It probably would be a good idea to have a game option for that - headswaying on or off. Hmm... I'll have a look at that other resource to get some ideas. Thanks again!
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