Endwars and the quest for mouth animation

[673f91acb9ea9nemyax]

You wouldn't. To transfer weight assignments directly, you'd need a better model compiler or a Blender add-on that writes files in the Dark formats.

[673f91acba075endwars]

So unless someone releases a better Blender plugin out of nowhere, that makes my idea pretty much impossible.

That leaves the texture animation as the only option, but:

1. It will not look as good,
2. It will look comical unless it is done exactly right,
3. All models would need to be edited to get rid of existing lips on the mesh.

Not to mention, it is somewhat difficult to set up. Since I have no other options, I will look into it as an alternative though.

[673f91acba3a2nemyax]

So unless someone releases a better Blender plugin out of nowhere, that makes my idea pretty much impossible.

Worse than that, if somebody did release that plugin, the engine still wouldn't be able to handle the "human with a jaw" creature type, which it doesn't know about.

[673f91acba519endwars]

Well, I was hoping we would be able to figure out a way around it. It seems I can't even try it without a better plugin.

[673f91acba6b6voodoo47]

I would not try to do the texture swap method on the Rebirth models - either go for the vanilla models, or wait for the SS2EE updated ones.

[673f91acba950endwars]

voodoo47
Why exactly? If I get rid of the mouths and leave a flat space for the texture, it should work.

[673f91acbaae8voodoo47]

I'm expecting a rapid dip in Rebirth popularity once the proper hires models are available.

anyway, I guess what I'm trying to say here is making the texture swap method work on the vanilla models would most likely be the least difficult thing to try. once it's confirmed working, maybe then move to the Rebirth models, which will need significantly more work, with tolerable result not guaranteed.

[673f91acbae0bLivo]

It's the model compiler that uses this system, not the game. In the compiled models, vertices are bound to bones in a fairly conventional way...To transfer weight assignments directly, you'd need a better model compiler or a Blender add-on that writes files in the Dark formats....Worse than that, if somebody did release that plugin, the engine still wouldn't be able to handle the "human with a jaw" creature type, which it doesn't know about.

nemyax, off-topic question:

In your opinion, how (un)likely is it that Nightdive would have updated both the model compiler and the engine code to recognize creature types with jaws or other joints for SS2: EE ? Night Dive apparently has the Dark engine source code and is porting SS2 to the Kex engine framework: it seems that it'd be far easier from an art workflow & programming perspective to update the tools & animation code (whilst keeping the original animations obviously), than try and deal with the awfully clunky & outdated tools modders are stuck using.

[673f91acbaf44nemyax]

Livo
I don't know. I'm not acquainted with anyone from Night Dive.