How To: Make Leaderheads! Ekmek's Guide

[Ekmek]

you can do all your model editing without textures. reimporting could help but usually by messing with te uv editor (see my guide) it will load it.

but if you are having these blackouts/crashes you might be wasting your time. LH making requires enough work as it, but to have stuff disappear on you will just make it frustrating.

 

[TheLastOne36]

The blackout's tend to happen during the night, so I'm not to worried, I was just stupid enough to leave Blender open and everything. I believe if I close Blender after working than following blackouts should not effect it.

They are supposingly fixing a problem in one of the big cities, so they cut off the power off the smaller cities to compensate and keep power in the big cities, because they know that we won't riot. Although last week they had to cut off the power in Caracas ONE time and the damn city revolted! Such a difference, they know they can pick on us. But it's becoming annoying, nonstop daily blackouts for the last 2 months.

Anyway, I exported-imported and I now have textured view, so I'm not worried. I think while modding, all that I have to do is after every save, I will have to export to a .nif, than continue working, just in case. It's not to much extra effort.

 

[Ekmek]

The blackout's tend to happen during the night, so I'm not to worried, I was just stupid enough to leave Blender open and everything. I believe if I close Blender after working than following blackouts should not effect it.

They are supposingly fixing a problem in one of the big cities, so they cut off the power off the smaller cities to compensate and keep power in the big cities, because they know that we won't riot. Although last week they had to cut off the power in Caracas ONE time and the damn city revolted! Such a difference, they know they can pick on us. But it's becoming annoying, nonstop daily blackouts for the last 2 months.

Anyway, I exported-imported and I now have textured view, so I'm not worried. I think while modding, all that I have to do is after every save, I will have to export to a .nif, than continue working, just in case. It's not to much extra effort.

blackouts that bad in an OPEC country? so much for the bolivarian revolution

ok, well atleast you are getting the hang of blender.

 

[TheLastOne36]

I tell you, Chavez is going out straight away in the next election.

Approval rate is becoming worse than Bush's, the big cities hate him and always have, the smaller cities like Merida have been hit with nonstop blackouts for the whole summer, and it is still going, and I think we will do anything to stop these blackouts now. As for the barrios, the free oil money charity Chavez was giving them, in exchange for his vote, is ending because the rest of the govornment finally decided - hey this is stupid, thus they can't really give a rats ass about him anymore.

Yah, I really want to see the end result of this leaderhead. I don't know how to take out Zara's hair that sticks out like needles, so I will have to import a new hairstyle from another leader. Your guide covers replacing hair right? I will later on reskin him and his clothing to something and I hope to get a fairly unique looking modern European leader.

 

[TheLastOne36]

Is there some way to Copy and paste the b_torso's and clavicle's? I think I spent an hour getting them right.

Also, you might want to take a look at 'Rotate' part of your guide. It looks like you were writing it at 1 AM in the morning. You at first say Left Arm than start describing what to do with the right arm for example.

Also- Why do I need to rotate the Arms? Can't I jsut move teh hands, or does that cause some unforseen sideffects?

 

[TheLastOne36]

Hmm... While exporting, I had some error that went something like this - Can not export file to .nif because of unweighted vertices.

What does that mean? I assume I didn't rig something right?

Also, does your guide cover reskinning leaderheads?

------
I'm going to take a break for the day, but I have to admit, i feel good about myself. I think I'm getting the hang of Blender. Let's see if my good streak continues to nifscope.

 

[Ekmek]

Is there some way to Copy and paste the b_torso's and clavicle's?

what do you mean copy and paste? what are you trying to do?

Hmm... While exporting, I had some error that went something like this - Can not export file to .nif because of unweighted vertices.

.

come on now. that thing has taken up the majority of this thread and I highlighted in red in the rigging section why you should avoid.

yes, something is not rigged.

you can just move hands because if the mesh/skin isn't lined up with bones the animation will distort it



thanks on the rotate part I'll fix it. hopefully nifskope goes easy.

 

[Vrenir]

OK, so I'm finally trying to make a leaderhead, and I'm using the latest version of the guide. (What I'm trying to do is put The Capo's "Cochise" in "Adams" suit with "Vanderdonck's" hat to create "Tupac Amaru.") I followed clearly all the way through joining the models. I think I actually got that part too. But then I hit this whole attaching to the skeleton thing, and that's proving difficult.

I can highlight the individual nodes and make the polygons. I had trouble isolating a decent right elbow (it kept wanting to take out larger parts of his arm as well), but at least I got the concept. The problem came when I needed to assign it. I chose "New" under the little box at the bottom, and it generated an entry called "Group." I then renamed "Group" as "R_Elbow." So far so good.

I then highlighted the lower right arm, revealed R_Elbow so that both were highlighted, and tried to find b_forearm_R (which I had seen earlier in the list). It's not showing up, so I tried typing it in myself, but this just renamed what I already had. What happened to b_forearm_R? I didn't do anything to it, and the bone is still visible as one of those grey shapes on the screen; it's still labeled "b_forearm_R" when I select it under objects and then under edit. I'm really quite confused. Did I somehow disconnect part of the skeleton at some point so that only a portion of it is available? I haven't had to work with it yet, but I've noticed the same menu appearance/disappearance issue with the biceps (one time I click to assign and "b_bicep_R" and "b_bicep_L" are available as options; the next time, only one is.) I'm not even touching those options, so why are they changing on me?

The good news is that the model matched up very nicely and looks good. It just isn't at all functional.


EDIT:

I went back to the save right before I joined the suit, hat, head, and hair together. I then joined them, went into edit mode, and took a screenshot of the bone options displayed. There is no "b_bicep_R" or "b_forearm_R," but there are "L" versions of both available, and when I select the skeleton, those bones can be seen and they are titled "b_bicep_R" and "b_forearm_R." I have included the screenshot in case that helps.

 

[Ekmek]

first off what was your joining order?

did you import multiple skeletons or are the suit and hat boneless - i think you did but just making sure.

if cochise is your base you should click the suit first (there by erasing its skeleton) then shift-click cochise. that will give cochise's skeleton.

if you did do that then you might want to look at the unmodified cochise. there might something with te skeleton itself where it doesn't have those bonesto begin with. see what those parts ar assigned to.

the other thing is that maybe you deleted the bone by mistake by clicking the bone and pressing delete?

nice work so far!

 

[Vrenir]

Could part of the problem be that I was not simply joining two parts together? There was the suit (made of different parts that I had previously joined), plus the hat, plus the original Cochise head (Ramesses), plus the original Cochise hair (Asoka). I'm not sure why the head and hair weren't previously joined, but it appeared that the head was the one with the bones attached as the base.

So, should I make sure that I select 1) the suit, 2) the hat, 3) the hair, and 4) the head?


EDIT:

I tried that order, and the result was the same. I opened up the original Cochise (which works fine in-game) and found the following: none of the parts were joined it seemed, so I selected them all with "A," then went into edit mode. The same bone options as I had seen in mine showed up, no "b_forearm_R" or "b_bicep_R." The odd thing is that the model is animated in-game just fine.

 

[Ekmek]

you might be facing some difficult you get when modifying a custom LH. IgorS has problems so he usually starts with te firaxis base (and so do I).

but to answer your question - the objects can be separate if they are already rigged. like your hat , once you join it to the head you'll assign it to the b_head bone. but when you export it will be two separate objects in nifskope. Alternatively, and I do i at times. you can rig it then separate it as an object in blender and it will retain its rigging.

but if Capo just has a head for cochise there is a good chance that the head doesn't have the bones you are looking for but instead the old suit has them. you might want to join it to the old suit then rig your new suit and delete his old suit.

hope that helps. BTW posting your WIP blend files helps me get better answers faster.

 

[Vrenir]

I looked at the original Cochise some more and you seem to be right. The arms have the correct bones associated with them, but when I delete the shirt model, nothing else is connected to those bones.

So, you suggested either starting with a Firaxis model or transferring the bones over by joining them to something then joining my suit to that object, then assigning the bones, then deleting the old clothing? That sort of makes sense, but could you please talk be through what exactly I would be selecting, joining, and assigning to what? Thanks so much for helping with this, by the way. Sorry to be yet another newbie who has no idea how to use a program like this.

 

[TheLastOne36]

Ok, i'll take a look later today.

I meant, I think I spent an hour rigging the Clavicles and Torso. Was wondering if there was anyway to simply copy and paste the rigs onto another blend.

And I assume your guide does not cover reskinning leaders? That means i'll have to take a look at another guide for now. (I assume reskinning goes before NIFScope)

 

[Ekmek]

I looked at the original Cochise some more and you seem to be right. The arms have the correct bones associated with them, but when I delete the shirt model, nothing else is connected to those bones.

So, you suggested either starting with a Firaxis model or transferring the bones over by joining them to something then joining my suit to that object, then assigning the bones, then deleting the old clothing? That sort of makes sense, but could you please talk be through what exactly I would be selecting, joining, and assigning to what? Thanks so much for helping with this, by the way. Sorry to be yet another newbie who has no idea how to use a program like this.

Well, I don't have the model that you are working with so I cant say which parts go exactly where. But my hunch is:

click the adams suit -> go to edit mode -> select all (press A) -> create a new group and name this 'SUIT'

then go back to object mode with adams suit highlighted/clicked shift+click the Cochise shirt (ASSUMING the shirt has the bones you want! else choose the one with te right bones)

then join the objects

with objects now joined go to edit mode and select you SUIT group. it should be the only one lit up. IF NOT press A to deselected everything (maybe press twice, its a toggle).

once everything is deselected then choose the SUIT group so only the suit is selected. then press I or go to select->inverse so every is lit up BUT the SUIT. then press X and delete faces.

Line up your suit and start rigging. Similar method for the hat but attach to the head

I meant, I think I spent an hour rigging the Clavicles and Torso.

An hour? you were clicking individual polygons and not using hid select linked like my guide says huh?

 

[TheLastOne36]

An hour? you were clicking individual polygons and not using hid select linked like my guide says huh?

That would have also been very long though, and I only selected individually the body's polygons and used linked vertices for the buttons and badges and stuff, and just shift-clicked 'Select' than 'Assign' and went on to add another part.

But I am pleased with it, all these 'doing things the hard way' is helping me get used to Blender.

 

[Ekmek]

But I am pleased with it, all these 'doing things the hard way' is helping me get used to Blender.

Thats the importnat part. the first LH is always the hardest and least perfect IMO. The second one is where you really try to get creative and run into different problems. But after getting through about two maybe three. you pretty much got it down.

 

[Ekmek]

i'll add this in my next guide

 

[Nitram15]

This is very useful, Ekmek!
I just remember those, what I'm mostly use, but now, I can use any hotkeys!

 

[Vrenir]

It worked! All the correct bones are now available; thank you, Ekmek. This evening, I can try the whole assigning thing and move forward with the guide.

 

[Ekmek]

excellent! goo dto hear it!

no just a warning chances are cochise didnt have shader files so you wont be able to add shaders to this guy's head (well unless you try the Add Shaders to Your Old LHs part in the guide)