replacements [wip]

[ceriux]

hey iv decided that i would like to start making replacements for msc. so that the content matches better if someone does so happen to choose to use my models. im going to start off with simple things. first being the shortsword/rusty shortsword.

tell me what you think so far. im considering adding more polies to the blade.

 

[TheOysterHippopotami]

Don't replace everything. Imo, just target the worst looking models. I don't think any of the rusty equipment needs work, for example. But a good deal of the starter/mid level equips do. Some of the high levels need it as well. Axe of Balance could use a better skin, and the hoarfrost/fshard/blooddrinker models, when in first person only, do not look good imo.

Personally i'd rather you not make 'alternates' but rather just rework the worst models and make the new versions official. The dev team is small so I don't think it's a good idea to divide efforts.
Actually, I think an even better idea would be to specifically target all of the 'stolen' material from commercial games and rework those so that there is at least some originality. Blood drinker, if I understand correctly, is ripped from wow. Maldora is ripped from something commercial too. If you could fix stuff like that you'd do a hell of a lot for the community in my eyes.

 

[ceriux]

i plan to remake a lot of models including the ones you've listed. ill have them downloadable individually or as a pack with each update. this is purely for my own practice and for those who wish to have them.

 

[TheOysterHippopotami]

You post faster than I can edit!

 

[ceriux]

this work isn't guaranteed to be for msc as permanent content. only as separate downloads. i am approaching the problems i have with msc with out the need of help from the devs. that way if they dont agree with what i'm doing they can just say oh well. no pressure on anyone this way. i just feel that ALL of the content needs to match better. So, for the better of the people who will wish to download these replacements. I am asking for some constructive criticism to help make these better. IF i feel like working on something that the mod needs and is dire i may attempt it. other wise. this is purely what i feel like doing as i go down the line. right now im working on the swords. then ill move on to other things.

edit: update btw.


edit: smoothed out the blade.

 

[Thothie]

Still waiting on that rat.

Discipline, man... Finish one project before ya go wandering off to another.

(Or at least do as I do and keep procrastinating on the same project for months on the basis that your allies are doing the same. >_>)

...and of all the craptastic models we have, you harp on the short sword? :\

^ Look at him, he's so adorable! Those big bright eyes are just BEGGING to be put in game!


Besides, what ya got going there isn't really going to offer any improvement:

Just going to make for a chubby blade and more epoly, but otherwise look the same. A new skin would do more, though not a lot to be done there either.

 

[ceriux]

don't worry the rats on my to-do list. ill probably completely remodel him again. i just need to get to practice. i haven't really touched a computer in eight months. at the moment I am not confident enough to touch a character model. So critisism wise you would have to say that my blade is too high poly?

the original shortsword is more! it sits at 364 tri's while my model sits at 282.

edit: also have you seen the half-life beta rats?

just cut the tri count down.

 

[TheOysterHippopotami]

That rat model is amazing. If you finished that I think it'd do alot more for the community. Granted, I can't really complain as something is still better than nothing.

 

[Stoned]

Didn't Ceriux say that he thinks the models in MSC don't fit the theme? That rat model wouldn't fit in imo. Don't get me wrong, its pretty but it just doesn't fit :|

 

[Srgnt Rehab]

Actually, that rat model goes great with the new Boar model...

 

[TheOysterHippopotami]

I think the rat model fits especially well in places like Calruin. I think a milder looking more brownish 'field mouse' kind of thing would be more appropriate than the one in Edana.

Although, no matter what, the current rat does not fit with anything at all. It's not really a rat. It's an amoeba.

 

[J-M v2.5.5]

It's not really a rat. It's an amoeba.

My pet rat did not appreciate this comment and he asked me to tell you that he's going to find you and kill you.

 

[Thothie]

Our rat is so kawaii though!

I propose we introduce a spider model to match:

 

[ceriux]

lol derail?

 

[ceriux]

aside from my thread being taken off topic, i had this part of the model done a while ago. but something got messed up and i took a break. anyways i decided to pick back up. someone in game was asking me for this. so i sat down and redid the uv map. so now its finished. next step ill decompile some msc models so i can scale it properly. after that, ill compile the model, get it in game, then start on the texture.

anyways here's a screen of it uv mapped.

 

[ceriux]

hey guys i need some help. i looked into p_weapons01 and i have one , no idea what p_weapons is used for. two - no idea if there's any specific way i should compile this in that works with msc, three, what are the other types of .mdls do i have to look for ,decompile, and compile mine into?

someone please reply. id really like to work on this further.

 

[Thothie]

Really prefer that rat to the sword but... models/weapons/p_weaponsX.mdl's are the consolidted game world models, ie. when you toss a weapon to the ground, or the model you see other player's carrying (or yourself, when in third person, or on the "lil red guy" hud.)

Generally, there's a left hand, right hand, floor, and in some cases, sheath submodels. There's two animations as well, one is idle (for when wielded) and one for floor. QC should make which is which pretty clear. The bone the mesh is assigned to varies with what hand it is in (or if it's on the floor).

In some of the older p_models there's a seperate animation for every damned weapon - this is not generally required - p_weapons3.mdl just has two animations, and those should be usable for most weapons.

Since you are replacing an existing model, however, you'll have to duplicate all the appropriate submodels and animations, even if they aren't used. Normally I'd edit the script to adjust to your new model, but that isn't an option until you're done (even with the upcoming open script system, as you can't create nor edit items.)

All the p_weaponX.mdl's are VERY large though. You might need an updated compiler to make them recompile. Give me a heads up if you run into that issue, and I'll link you an alternative compiler.

Here's the script, which may or may not help you get the idea:

items/swords_shortsword.script

//Shortsword

{
  const BASE_LEVEL_REQ     3
  setvar ANIM_LIFT1         0
  const ANIM_IDLE1         1
  const ANIM_ATTACK1       2
  const ANIM_ATTACK2       3
  const ANIM_ATTACK3       4
  setvar ANIM_SHEATH       5
  const MODEL_VIEW        viewmodels/v_1hswords.mdl
	const MODEL_VIEW_IDX 0
const MODEL_HANDS weapons/p_weapons1.mdl
const MODEL_WORLD weapons/p_weapons1.mdl
  setvar SOUND_SWIPE       weapons/swingsmall.wav
	const SOUND_SHOUT $get(ent_owner,scriptvar,'PLR_SOUND_SHOUT1')

const MODEL_BODY_OFS 28
  const ANIM_PREFIX  shortsword

  //Used in base_melee
  //------------------
  const MELEE_RANGE  60
  const MELEE_DMG_DELAY  0.6
  const MELEE_ATK_DURATION 1.1
  const MELEE_ENERGY  0.4
  const MELEE_DMG  110
  const MELEE_DMG_RANGE      60
  const MELEE_DMG_TYPE  slash
  const MELEE_ACCURACY  70%
  const MELEE_STAT  swordsmanship
  const MELEE_ALIGN_BASE 4,-6 
  const MELEE_ALIGN_TIP  0,6
  const MELEE_VIEWANIM_ATK      ANIM_ATTACK1

  const MELEE_SOUND      SOUND_SWIPE
  const MELEE_SOUND_DELAY      MELEE_DMG_DELAY
  const MELEE_PARRY_CHANCE      15%
}

#include items/swords_base_onehanded

{
   eventname weapon_spawn

   name  a|Short Sword
   desc  A short one-handed Sword
   weight  30
   size  5
   value 15
   sethudsprite trade shortsword
}

So as you can see, it's using the first viewmodel submodel (MODEL_VIEW_IDX 0 - remember the game indexes from 0 - JHLMV indexes from 1), and the p_ model index begins at 28 (MODEL_BODY_OFS 28) of weapons/p_weapons1.mdl.

...Eh... Crap... This has been updated since - I forgot, in the version of the sc.dll you have, the shortsword is still using its old viewmodel (eh, whatever the appropriate one is in models/weapons/swords) - p_model rules still apply though. But as such, MAKE SURE your new sworld follows the boneset/anims used in viewmodels/v_1hswords.mdl.

I'd have to post you the base_weapon script to show you exactly how it picks out the submodels and animations in the p_model set, but suffice to say, just follow the submodels used in p_weapons1.mdl.

 

[FER]

you'll have to duplicate all the appropriate submodels and animations, even if they aren't used

Just replace the reference files, not the animations. For the shortsword (in the p_models) that may be shortsword_lhand, shortsword_rhand, shortsword_floor and maybe shortsword_sheath.

I think you are making it way to complicated Thothie. I doubt he needs to even touch scripts or anything, just open the reference files with the old model and replace them with the new one, tough the MDL not compilining is true.

 

[Thothie]

^ FER has the TL;DR version of what I said, thanks.

Just note the main difference in those reference models is the bone each mesh is assigned to. Other than that, it's just a matter of duplicating the alignment.

I suppose you shouldn't need to mess with the animation unless you are making a radically different sword. Even then, it is not wise.

 

[ceriux]

right i didnt plan to play with animations. just the reference model. so P_weapons01 and what ever shortsword .mdls i can find.

 

[ceriux]

so anyways, i replaced the v_model with mine. the original is not in there anymore. but when i see the rusty shortsword in game it still looks the same ? (v_wep wise) and im wondering why?

this is what i got in jeds off the model i compiled.

EDIT: anyways, i found out that its the R_view model i had to edit. but i got it into game with a problem -.- ... after decompiling importing my mdl and recompiling. i have this issue...

 

[Stoned]

I have had that same issue before when I was trying to replace the Blood Drinker model with the sword that the Iron Guardian uses. My guess is to just fool around with it in till something happens :|

 

[ceriux]

so recompile?

 

[Thothie]

There's some importer out there or some such that seems to cause this.

The viewpoint is @ 0x0x0 - you'll have to adjust your reference model to match that position.

Finally, a Tron sword - now we may at last defeat Master Controller / South Park Moses.

 

[ceriux]

can i do this in jeds?

EDIT: apparently in milkshape it is at 0x0x0...