How To: Make Leaderheads! Ekmek's Guide

Good news Ekmek, I've got everythings working :goodjob: (I think ;))

I just have one question, what python version do you use? I need the one that's compatible with Blender 2.43.
 
I think I use 2.4, but I believe 2.5 works as well.

I recommend starting simple on a leaderhead. Like putting someone in fdr's suit for a modern leader just to get used to the interface and the options. I have a rough list of steps:

Spoiler :

Configure your blender (page X)
Import FDR.nif (see page X)
Click on FDR’s suit go to edit mode (see page X)
Select
By body part: the torso, shoulder, biceps, forearms
By Linked Uvs
Separate the parts (see page X)
Delete everything else (see page X)
Inverse selections
Remove the skeleton
Export the nif (see page X)
Import Shaka (or leader of your choice)
Select the parts covered by the suit
Remove unattached objects
Select by body part
or Select Linked UVs
Attach the suit to the body
Assign Suit to skeleton
Export as a New.nif
Begin Nifskope
Through your windows explorer open a copy of the original Shaka
Through explorer open the exported shaka_fdr.nif
Do Nifskope swap
Save as Nif
Copy relevent files to custom assets folder to test
 
Ok, I got stuck...again :blush:

On page 9 of the tutorial after you go to: scripts-system-scripts config editor, it then tells you to click the arrows seen in the picture. The arrows are in a box. The problem is I have only one box there and it is not the right one!!!
 
Ok, what I did was go to file-import-NetImmerse/Gamebryo (nif).

After that I clicked Import NIF in the top right, then I hit cancel in the middle

When I went back to that same scripts window with the arrows, It still didnt have the right box...
 
Ok... I read through the posts...I still dont really get what to do. Is it a problem with my nifscripts?
 
So can you walk me through exactly how to run through the nifs by importing and exporting?
 
Hey everyone, I'm going to try my hand at this. I downloaded everything and all that, and everything works fine, and I was thinking of making Alexander into Kemal Ataturk, what I was thinking of doing was putting Lincoln's suit with Alexander's head to start with. How exactly to I go about doing that? I've been screwing around with it for like an hour so far and I can't seem to get it straight.
 
I have an Ataturk in work. I too am using alexander but replacing the nose with Stalin's and the hair with Kublai Khans and working on the jaw from Suryavaram.


I've learned a lot since this leader guide and havent kept up with it. but some steps to do we be to go to uv mode and practice removing parts you don't need (use the select for same uv's, sometimes its faster). you can also check out my leader parts collection thread which has a nif of lincoln's suit and imprt it into your working Alex nif.

after importing it, line them up, clickk on the suit and shift click to alex and then join the the objects. then you have do the uv select to find certain parts to match to the bones (like forearm) and then go to edit mode and assign the highlighted part to that bone. see if that gets you started.
 
If you are already making an Ataturk I'll try to make someone else. I figured he'd be an easy one to start out with because he doesn't have a very complicated "costume." Maybe I'll try and make Jefferson or something, but this is probably going to take me FOREVER because I am just learning. I'll just keep messing around with it until I get the hang of it.
 
The Capo said:
If you are already making an Ataturk I'll try to make someone else. I figured he'd be an easy one to start out with because he doesn't have a very complicated "costume." Maybe I'll try and make Jefferson or something, but this is probably going to take me FOREVER because I am just learning. I'll just keep messing around with it until I get the hang of it.
Click to expand...


go for jefferson. i always have a lot of mock-ups in case i do a leaderhead. attached is an initial mock-up for Jefferson I did based on a colonization leaderhead (I think it was champlain). I planed to use adams quote washington's hair and scarf. i did no model work but had the parts in here. so you can take those parts or even try this model. i would recommend not doing this model because you'll see that it starts on a weird angle which'll be hard to work with. so go with a leader you wnated t o base it off and feel freee to use the parts.

The first LH will take a long time, mine was Jeff Davis and took 6 weeks, if not longer. Yours will hopefully be quicker. PM me if you have modelling questions.

I'd say your goals for your first head will be to:

1) get used to removing parts
2) add parts (like the suit)
3) and rig (add to skeleton) the parts.

4) reshaping the face and stuff can come later. but the top three will be your bread and butter for most leaderheads. Good Luck! and don't quit!:goodjob:
 
Well, part of the reason I want to learn to make them (besides the obvious reason; being able to do it) is because I am going to make a mod for diplogamers at Apolyton, which is going to be based on Europe, so I need a LOT of leaderheads that people probably won't really want to make (like Urho Kekkonen, Gustav Adolphus of Sweden, etc) and that I need for the mod. Plus there are a few out there for existing civs that I think would be cool too. So its kind of for selfish reasons, but ultimately I think it will help the modding community.

But I will try for Jefferson as a first one because I really like him as an historical figure.

EDIT: This is going to take longer than I thought, I have no clue what I am doing.
 
Pretty much I am trying to change Luois de Fontenac (sp?) into Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden. What I plan on doing is changing a few items:

1) His hair color to blonde

2) Giving him Joao's facial hair (making it blonde though)

3) Adding the collar that van der donck has and probably removing the collar he has from his body.

4) changing the sleeves to a different color

5) maybe change his nose a little

I loaded it up and the first impression I got was that the "skeleton" is not "attatched" to the body (sorry I don't know the terminology, I am not computer savvy but here is what it looked like.
 
OzzyKP said:
I don't think the mod would be hurt too badly by having 2D pics up for some of the leaders. Especially for an MP game. You hardly ever see the leaderheads.
Click to expand...

That's true Ozzy, but I might as well learn how to do this. Plus we still haven't started the second game and its going to take a while to make the mod anyway, so I might as well make some leaderheads. Plus I always wanted to learn how.
 
The Capo said:
Pretty much I am trying to change Luois de Fontenac (sp?) into Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden. What I plan on doing is changing a few items:

1) His hair color to blonde

2) Giving him Joao's facial hair (making it blonde though)

3) Adding the collar that van der donck has and probably removing the collar he has from his body.

4) changing the sleeves to a different color

5) maybe change his nose a little

I loaded it up and the first impression I got was that the "skeleton" is not "attatched" to the body (sorry I don't know the terminology, I am not computer savvy but here is what it looked like.
Click to expand...

ok, i imported the nif. the bad news is that you picked a tough one as your first (no worries though I did the same with charlemagne)

it looks like the skeleton and the body are not matched up but they are still attached. pacal has the same issue with his eyes. i think what happens is that the animation it is attached to puts it in the right place in game. even weirder in nifskope the face looks see-through.

but on the good news you can still make the model but you have to work hard to align it right.

so here's where you start.

first do you have joao's beard? I have it in my lh parts collects, if not you have to start from scratch or "new"; import joao's nif then select everything but the beard. the easiest way to do this is in object mode click the beard then go to select and choose 'inverse' this will select everything but the beard. the either press x or go to object->delete and delete everything. you will then have just the beard and no skeleton to it. then select the beard and go to file->export->netimmerse (nif). save it to your Gustav folder.

ok, now start new again and import Louise (I'll call him LDF for now on)
first thing I do after import is save it by file->save and then go to my directory (the P button takes you up a directory and it will remember folders with the double arrows below it). I tend to save them like 'gustav_ldf_01' so i know who I'm making and with what model.

now your going to import joao's beard -> file_>import->nif

now click on the beard and shift click on the head
go to view->local view this will get the other distracting stuff out of the way

now to position the beard click on it and drag into position. its not lining up because the body is weird. your goingto use 'R' to rotate it but you are going to have to do it from many angles - the same view button gives you top, front, side but use your numpad to rotate other ways

whew... after this you are going to attach it by selecting the beard then shift clicking the body and going to object->join object (ctrl+J)

now click object mode and choose UV mode you 'll see it all black (unless you figured how to map UVs) click one part of the beard then go to select->same UV note: lined faces is another way bonly will do the beard and if you pick moustache only moustache (usually its stuff that touches each other)

now go to the part where its UV mode and select edit mode. with beard and moustache highlighte it will be all lines and dots. you'll see the part in left corner that says vertex groups. click the double arrows and find the head (in this case the bone is called 'Bip01 Head' now click assign. it is now attached to the head. (select everything that is attached to that bone etc this is another way to chooose parts and delete or move)

to delete things that arent separate objects you do a select method (either by the UVs or by bones by the edit mode) and then in edit mode go to
mesh-> delete->faces or to separate it you can choose mesh->vertices->separate and it is separated
.

go back to view global and you could export it as nif and see in nifskope that its attached. then do the nifskope swap (in roland's guide) and you can see it in game.


I know there are other things you want to by mess around with this stuff and post other questions. no need to PM I'd rather keep it here in case others want to follow along.
 
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