SS1 Style Cyborg Assassin

[67434aa78dcf3microspam]

Hello. I am a fairly new modder. As you can observe by my post count/join date, I am very new to this forum. I'd like to contribute back to this forum because I love the System Shock series and this community. From my initial impressions, this looks like a pretty cool forum! 

Besides my point: I am an amateur modeler, and somewhat good C++ programmer, and I'd like to look for some projects to contribute to.

One more question: Are there any Dark Engine tools for 3ds Max? I don't really like Blender a whole lot, and I'd prefer to use Max.

UPDATE: Appropriately renamed thread

[67434aa78df92voodoo47]

sure thing, as long as you like to hang around grumpy old people of questionable sanity, dark humor and honesty that borders with cruelty.

aanyway, check these for starters;
https://www.systemshock.org/index.php?topic=7427.0
https://www.systemshock.org/index.php?topic=5970.0
https://www.systemshock.org/index.php?topic=7356.0

[67434aa78e0dbmicrospam]

I'd like to make a model based off the Shock 1 Cyborg Assassin. My Dark Engine modding experience is minimal, so I'll just provide the model and have someone prepare it for the engine.

I do have one question. What is the number of polygons that any bipedal NPC in Rebirth has?

[67434aa78e227voodoo47]

the AI poly limit is probably what you want to know - according to this, 1500 should be safe, but I think that applies to objects, and AI meshes can have more, if I remember correctly (RocketMan would know, hopefully he drops by).

[67434aa78e666RocketMan]

I was able to get about 2700 with Pennington's droid model before it crashed.

[67434aa78e777voodoo47]

also, making sure the joints on the new model correspond to the original(s) is highly recommended - having to re-rig them later is not something anyone would be looking forward to.

[67434aa78e88amicrospam]

I really wasn't planning on rigging the model, as my modding experience is only minimal. If I end up pulling my hair out, I might ask for some assistance.

PS: Has anyone found a good reference/concept art to the Shock 1 Cyborg Assassin? I can't seem to find any good pieces on the web. I want the model to look as authentic to Shock 1's Assassin as possible.

[67434aa78e9e8voodoo47]

unfortunately, it seems like the tiny picture here is everything the internet has at the moment (looks like there were some better ones available at TTLG, but the links are dead now).

[67434aa78ed05RocketMan]

I really wasn't planning on rigging the model, as my modding experience is only minimal. If I end up pulling my hair out, I might ask for some assistance.

PS: Has anyone found a good reference/concept art to the Shock 1 Cyborg Assassin? I can't seem to find any good pieces on the web. I want the model to look as authentic to Shock 1's Assassin as possible.

IF you make a cyborg assassin that is aesthetically appropriate to put into SS2 as an enemy replacement, I will rig it for you.

[67434aa78eeb9ZylonBane]

The vanilla cyborg assassin is really one of the least-ugly models in the game. It's not any higher-poly than the rest, but its design and texturing helps its angularity be much less apparent.

[67434aa78efc8microspam]

The Assassin model is supposed to serve as a replacement for the ones you fight at the end of the game, where it turns to Citadel Station. Voodoo made a request for a model that looks more like the one in SS 1.

[67434aa78f09cRocketMan]

Oh I see now.  That's not a bad idea

[67434aa78f18cZylonBane]

That seems like a lot of work for an AI that there's only maybe five of in the entire game.

[67434aa78f694ThiefsieFool]

That seems like a lot of work for an AI that there's only maybe five of in the entire game.

It's also going to be a pretty summary tweak to their appearance as perceived by the player, their main distinction was that they carried a big ol' gun in SS1, that'll never look right in this game because the gun animations are all one-handed clumsiness so I assume the gun will be left out.

[67434aa78f7a2microspam]

Aye, I forgot about that.

Wait, can't animations be edited? There is a motion editor for the Dark engine, but from what I heard it's a living nightmare to use.

[67434aa78f8b9RocketMan]

Well then now might be an excellent opportunity for you to try to figure out the NEW animation editor that's integrated into 3DS Max.  I made a weak attempt to figure it out and got as far as making a custom model of my own act out any motion that the game currently has but I was unable to properly edit or create new motions for my model so maybe you'll have better luck than I did.

[67434aa78fbd4Olfred]

From what I've read and heard it's pretty solid, and as long as you know how to create animations it should be easy.
I'll guess the hard part comes in when you need to set the apropiate flags and make it behave according to that ingame.

I've made some animations in Blender and even ported them to SS2, but I had no option to set flags and that screwed up some things.

[67434aa78ff9funn_atropos]

That seems like a lot of work for an AI that there's only maybe five of in the entire game.

In the short run.
In the long run it would be nice to have some more options for variations in appearance and gameplay for the enemies. Not necessarily for the vanilla game (except it matches the original overall look) but for potential mods and Fan missions. Though at the moment there do not seem to be any projects, these alterations could be an incentive to start something.

[67434aa7900c3microspam]

I don't have the newest version of 3ds Max installed yet. I've only 3ds Max 2009 at the moment. I'll give it a try this weekend when I have computer access.

But did you say that Dark engine supports 3ds Max animations?

[67434aa7901edRocketMan]

It's a plugin that somebody made specifically for system shock.  It's like a widget that runs inside the editor and you can import animations, change em and then save em again. 

The newest 3ds has a free demo.  That's how I managed to get it.  You can download it too.

[67434aa7902e9ZylonBane]

This is the best resolution concept art I was able to find.

[67434aa79041fmicrospam]

3ds Max has this program where you can sign up and get a free three year license. It's suppose to benefit schools, but people just abuse it all the time. The only downside is that you can't use it for commercial purposes.

[67434aa79066emicrospam]

This is the best resolution concept art I was able to find.

Is there any place online where I can acquire the SS1 sprites? I don't have Shock 1 installed right now, and I can't find my copy anywhere. (I know there is the GOG version, but I don't like the idea of buying things twice.)

[67434aa790774RocketMan]

Rip from here?

http://www.daxxus.frickbat.com/wingnut/sshock/enemies.htm