Vertex Animation exporting from MAX

[Nielk1]

MAXScript for the export of bone to vertex envelopes:


This works with 'bones' in max with means you can not only do vertex animations but use Inverse Kinematics or base them off physics simuations of ragdoll physics.

Do note that if you go the real bone rout, you will want to give the bones names ending in __h or starting with hp_ so they don't show up in game and you will want to make some bones 'Terminators' and you will want to 'Bind Position' and 'Bind Orientation' on nearly all the bones if not all. You can do this from the Hierarchy tab on the tools panel, under IK.

[MrTwosheds]

Now figure out yourselves how to plug this into max.

Oh go on, be useful. were a collection of nerds with differing skill sets. What I know about Max scripts = 0

[Nielk1]

Now figure out yourselves how to plug this into max.

Oh go on, be useful. were a collection of nerds with differing skill sets. What I know about Max scripts = 0

Options include, Google "how do I run a script in max", finding the MAX SCRIPT button in the tabs in the program, or just giving up.

[MrTwosheds]

Well I saved it as envelope.ms and it appears in the list. Now my problem is having no Idea what to do with the skin modifier.

[Nielk1]

Yea its not exactly an easy to use thing. It looks like you should add a bone with it that acts as the core bone that never moves first, and then add more after. lay out the skeleton first with little cubes or something, then start linking them to the bone list.

[MrTwosheds]

Grumble...looks more complex than the manual way...
Think Ill have to get back to you in a few months after I have learnt how to operate 3dsmax's ridiculous animation controls. They are testing my patience somewhat.

[Nielk1]

It allows you to have a bone effect anything around it with a given range and falloff, in addition you can go for pure weight tables to do it in a style similar to XSI editing but with real-time feedback as to the result and the ability to select the vertices in 3D space.

[Josiah]

omg. +1 N1 rep

I will definitely give this a shot, perhaps when I lose the cold and get a day off...

[Zax]

I have never vertex animated nor needed to...scary concept indeed. Isn't there a method where you can grab a vert and auto key it?... Never actually tried.

[Nielk1]

I have never vertex animated nor needed to...scary concept indeed. Isn't there a method where you can grab a vert and auto key it?... Never actually tried.

Even if there was BZ2 would never be able to process that information. It just plain doesn't go into an XSI 1.01 file.

[Zax]

Thus I weep.

[Nielk1]

You could link 1 bone per vert if you wanted to.

[MrTwosheds]

I have never vertex animated nor needed to...

Vertex animations are quite essential for some objects in bz2, like pilots or animals, but the use of their full potential is fairly limited by the games nature and the limits of what its classes can do.
Now really I would like to build a Hooder! (Imagine a train sized, armour plated millipede 100 meters long, with a spoon shaped head containing lots of food blenders) But It would just not work in bz2. Many things you could build in modern programs just either cannot be implemented in this fine game or end up being limited by its in built constraints.
Pilots/soldiers are probably the best thing to build, the game needs more alien freaks.

[MrTwosheds]

MAXScript FileIn Exception
--Syntax error at dotNetControl,expected<rollout control>
--In line ontest open do

[Nielk1]

Well isn't that a right bitch, must be a difference in max versions.

Try it a few more times, like... 5 times.

Edit: Try a .MS rather than a .MZP file, and be sure you are running max as admin. The first bit is my suggestion the 2nd is what the internet says.