Extracting enemy models and converting them to *.3ds or *.obj

[67435d54b9c03Cherno]

Hello,

I managed to extract static models and import them into 3d Studio Maxalong with their textures, but I can't find any information about how to do the same for actor models, like the various hybrids and whatnot. I suspect a different extraction/conversion program is required since the actor models use some kind of skeletal rig for animation. Can anyone point me in the right direction? Alternatively, is there a model viewer for SS2 so actor models can be viewed from different angles and posed? I would like to make cardboard standees for my boardgame and thus I need matching front and backside images of each actor in a good action pose

[67435d54ba086Olfred]

If you want to convert AI models (the ones inside the mesh folder) you need to tell the tools which map file to use. (Basically it's a file which tells the tool which joint is connected to which).
You can get the necessary tools from here..
Inside the "Free the Objects" pack you have bintoe and eto3ds. They come along with readme files which explain everything you need to know.

Unfortunately you won't get any skeleton with it. Someone is working at that over at TTLG. But I don't think he made a public release yet.

But that all aside. I think it would be way better to just draw the characters instead of using the ugly blocky models.
Unfortunately there aren't many concept arts you can just grab and use.
Some while ago someone named Guud wanted to remake the models and created some quite good looking concept arts for them. They are scattered over this thread.
But I wouldn't go on to just use someones elses creations without their consent. But something like that would look way better than anything you can find ingame.

[67435d54ba1d7Cherno]

Thanks. I can't just draw them myself because I'm not an artist nor do I have any drawing skills to speak of, but I figures since the resulting cardboard miniatures will only be about one inch high, the sub-par model and texture quality will not be too apparent There are some nice concept art pieces but I like my standees  to have matching front and back sides so I generally go with models are actual miniatures that have been photographed accordingly.

[67435d54ba376Cherno]

Ugh. Okay, I used the "Free the Objects" tools  a while aho successfully to convert static models, but when I try to follow the instructions for AI models, I keep getting nowhere. First of all, I have to pass not only a *.bin file, but also a *.map file for the joint info. Problem? None of the bin files has a corresponding map file, and vice versa. I don't know how I'm supposed to know which map file belongs to which bin file. The file names are generally pretty vague; There is a "aracboss", a "aracyoun" and a "spidey7" bin file. Okay, I I assume the second one is the small arachnid and the third is the adult one, but there is only one map file named "spidey" (without the "7"). Great Do I use this one for all three? It doesn't matter eally, because If I pass any combination to BinToE, Nothing happens, and if I don't pass a *map file, the vertices and uvs get converted, but after I convert the E file to a 3ds file, I can't import it to Max because it has an "improper file format". Sigh

[67435d54ba490Cherno]

I even used it with the Assassin (which I assume is the Cyborg Assassin) with Assassin.bin and biped.map. Still improper file format when importing into max.

[67435d54ba5e3Olfred]

Make sure you also put the *.cal file in there.

Which *.map file to use is some guesswork and trying out which one works the best. I think you can go into ShockEd and let it display the joint, but I forgot which command it was. Maybe someone else can help out with that.

I think all humanoids use biped.map. I guess there isn't much more you need to know.

For example, I put ARACBOSS.BIN and ARACBOSS.CAL in the folder with the tools.
Then I execute these commands.

Code: [Select]

bintoe /marach.map aracboss.bin aracboss.e
eto3ds aracboss.e aracboss.3ds
I have no problems opening that 3ds with Blender. I don't know why 3dsmax might bug out on that, I don't have it.

[67435d54ba6e7Cherno]

I made sure to have the cal files, yes. I tried your code example, making sure all files are present, but it still can'T be importet into max. It's weird because static models make no problems at all. Must have something to do with max's importing function. Oh well, thanks a ton for your help! 

[67435d54ba7ebCherno]

Update: I downloaded and installed Blender and what do you know, it imports the file without any problems! So now I will try to find a way to export it in a different file format and then re-import it into max. Man, who would have thought that editing files of a 20 year old game could be so cumbersome?

[67435d54ba92cRocketMan_Remote]

For me, the front-end gives me trouble so I usually use the command-line tools.  Start with the .bin and .cal in the same folder and run bintoe on the bin file from a DOS console.  Then run eto3ds.  It should work and give you a 3ds file.  THEN, because sometimes you're right 3DS Max won't open the format, you have to open it in Accutrans instead.  Then just re-save it and open that in 3ds max.

[67435d54bab40Cherno]

Thanks for the suggestion. I just exported it to obj in Blender and max was able to import that without a hitch. The normals had to be flipped and the was a bunch of strange polygons I had to delete, probably from the joint planes, which left a few small holes in the main mesh, but nothing that would be noticeable for the simple renders I need to do.

Here is the first render of a creature, the "Arachnid Boss" (I don't even remember it from the game) with outline added in System Shock-style colors, made a little brighter so it's more visible, and ready to be printed out and made into a cardboard miniature! Thanks again for all your help guys, it was invaluable. Now I just need to write a readme file for myself with everything I have learned so far since I fear I wont be able to remember it all next time I start messing around with SS2's files!

http://cherno.cwsurf.de/shock/arachnidboss_front.png
http://cherno.cwsurf.de/shock/arachnidboss_back.png

P.S.: I anyone knows a way to insert images in this forum without having to resort to using Flickr or other services who delete uploaded files after a few weeks, I'd be more than grateful

[67435d54baee8Olfred]

Did you try to export from Blender into 3ds?
My experience showed the obj exporter isn't always the best.

And you should set the model to smoth shading. That should make it look less boxy. And you could also put some subsurface modifier to it to smoothen even more. If your model falls apart doing that, you probably need to remove double vertices to merge them together.

I just did a quick render to show you what a possible outcome could look like.

P.S.: I anyone knows a way to insert images in this forum without having to resort to using Flickr or other services who delete uploaded files after a few weeks, I'd be more than grateful

Just click on "Attachments and other options" at the bottom of the text insert window Oo

[67435d54bb14aCherno]

Thanks again for the suggestion. Yes, I exported the model as an obj from Blender and imported it into Max.

As for the subdivision, smoothing group and mesh smooth modifiers, good idea. I didn't felt the need for it since the resulting cardboard standees will only be about 1 inch high but the green outline will probably look better with some mesh more vertices to work with. I will try to keep that in mind. However, before I read your post, I finished another model, the Cyborg Assassin. I actually created a new rig for him from scratch and used the default bone weights so I could pose him better. I made him into a kind of "sneaky ninja about-to-throw-shuriken" pose, and the shuriken was added in photoshop.

http://cherno.cwsurf.de/shock/assassin_front.png
http://cherno.cwsurf.de/shock/assassin_back.png

Just click on "Attachments and other options" at the bottom of the text insert window Oo

I notices that before but it says that the maximum retention time is 4 weeks so I might as well use Flickr, or is this not true?

[67435d54bb264Olfred]

He looks like a midget ninja.

About the 4 weeks. I have unlimited... but maybe Kolya just gave me permission for that without me even noticing that.

[67435d54bb53dCherno]

He looks like a midget ninja.

About the 4 weeks. I have unlimited... but maybe Kolya just gave me permission for that without me even noticing that.

Now that you mention it.. He DOES look like a ninja midget. It's those baggy pants, man. Speaking of which, this guy has a serious erection! That's one bad ass cyborg assassin who manages to keep his schlong up while battling invading hackers and evading The Many!

[67435d54bb648RocketMan_Remote]

I was relieved to see that I wasn't the only person to notice he was pitching a tent... but not anymore lol.