Biped being rendered in the game?

[neener]

Hey guys. I'm a bit new to the Civ mod scene, although I've been using 3DS Max for years. As such, I have a problem exporting models into the game, and I'm hoping someone can help.

Basically, when I export the model as a .nif, for some reason it's including the Biped from Max, and is rendering it in the game. Like this:

Is there any way of simply making the Biped invisible in the game? A setting I've missed somewhere to switch it off?

Any help is hugely appreciated. Once I've ironed out this kink, I should be able to start modelling some really nice units for Civ.

 

[woodelf]

to help neener!

Since I have yet to do a biped I have no idea. My stuff magically goes from max to a working nif model using the plugins.

Have you tried a simple model, a non-biped, to see if you can get that into the game?

 

[neener]

to help neener!

Since I have yet to do a biped I have no idea. My stuff magically goes from max to a working nif model using the plugins.

Have you tried a simple model, a non-biped, to see if you can get that into the game?

Thanks woodelf

I haven't tried that, no, but as I mentioned, the model itself has previously exported just fine, apart from the fact the bones are rendering too.

What confuses me is that this isn't just something unique to my model. I exported the Roman_Praetorian_Complete from the example files accompanying the PDF tutorial, and it does the same thing. It shows up in the game with the full Max biped showing.

I don't know enough about the process to tell where I'm going wrong, but if the Praetorian suffers the same fate, I'm inclined to think it's not a problem with my model. Rather, it seems it's something to do with my exporting and/or game?

 

[woodelf]

I doubt it's the game. You could upload the nif and let someone else try it to be sure. Since I'm using v7 I can't help you by taking your model and exporting it on my system, can I?

Since I was (am) a noob I simply followed everyone's directions to the letter and haven't had problems like this. I've had others, oh have I, but that's another topic.

 

[neener]

I doubt it's the game. You could upload the nif and let someone else try it to be sure. Since I'm using v7 I can't help you by taking your model and exporting it on my system, can I?

No, you can't, but I tried exporting a Max 6 model and it did exactly the same thing. I'll send you it over later and you can try your luck with it.

 

[woodelf]

It has to be a setting on the plug ins. I've reinstalled mine twice when I had other problems...

I honestly don't know if anyone else has exported a biped yet. There are plenty of other new models, but to my knowledge not a biped...

 

[Duke van Frost]

You should write a pm to Chalid, I think he did his Dragon with Max and had no problem exporting it (at least no problem that I´m aware of).

Or post this question in the Dragon-thread.

 

[woodelf]

One last idea. (Forgive me if I'm asking a simple question, don't feel insulted! )

When you are exporting it as a nif are you finding the dropdown that says Civilization4 (.nif, .kf, .???) or are you manually making it a nif somehow?

 

[Grey Fox]

Isnt it just that you have an Texture with the Alpha being black except the UV's?

 

[neener]

It has to be a setting on the plug ins. I've reinstalled mine twice when I had other problems...

I'm pretty sure I've already reinstalled them once before, but I'll try it again.

I honestly don't know if anyone else has exported a biped yet. There are plenty of other new models, but to my knowledge not a biped...

But there's even a biped in the example files! This thread by Kael includes some example files of how to properly model for Civ, and I downloaded them. Simply taking his model and exporting it produces the same results as my own. In both cases, the model has a biped (which, as far as the documentation suggests, is the correct way of rigging your models) and it's getting rendered in the game.

When you are exporting it as a nif are you finding the dropdown that says Civilization4 (.nif, .kf, .???) or are you manually making it a nif somehow?

I'm picking the Civilization4 option, and exporting with the exact same settings suggested by Rabbit in his tutorial:

Perhaps that's the problem? Do I need to change any settings when I have a biped in the scene?

Isnt it just that you have an Texture with the Alpha being black except the UV's?

Sadly not. I grabbed an earlier copy of my model, halfway through completion, to show what's happening slightly better:

Ignore the actual mesh itself, it was only half-finished at the time, is untextured and obviously isn't even attached to the biped. However, what you can see is that both the model and the biped are being rendered, when the biped should be invisible.

I'm totally stuck.

 

[Grey Fox]

make it invisible in 3D studio before you export?

 

[neener]

make it invisible in 3D studio before you export?

I've made it non-renderable in Max, but it still shows up. Besides, I'm using the exact biped that Kael used and it presumably worked for him, but not for me.

 

[Grey Fox]

non-renderable wont work since its real-time in the game, not "pre-rendered". As a reference, its real time in Max aswell, and u can see it there right? So hide it and export.

Just an idea.

 

[woodelf]

I'm trying it right now with all biped pieces invisible. The pedia entry has a pink Skaven! I'll put up an in game screenie in a minute.

 

[woodelf]

It seems that the Grey Fox was correct.

 

[neener]

Hmmm. So you just hid them, and they get exported with the same state? That's bizarre. Does it interfere with the animations, I wonder? Gimme a second to try it...

 

[woodelf]

I know nothing about animations. Nothing.

 

[neener]

Yeah, it seems to work fine. I just hid the bones in Max and they stop rendering in the game, while still playing the animations. In hindsight it seems totally obvious but I was sure turning off rendering was the proper way to do it.

Thanks a million for your help, Grey Fox, and sorry for wasting your time with what turned out to be a simple solution!

Thanks to Woody, too, for being a willing guinnea pig

 

[woodelf]

Don't worry, I'll be asking for favors soon enough.

 

[Grey Fox]

No problem, after all I should have been able to solve this since I've been studying Digital Graphics (3D).