The Capo's LH Gallery and Self-Help Thread!

[cool3a2]

well its fairly easy. its like the basic nifswap but when you get a nikskope message saying that a bone doesn't exist you have to go back to your exported Napoleon version and rename it. DO NOT rename the Lincoln bones because the animation wil not work.

Okay, I got this part. I think I already tried it till this point some time ago.

Once you get the swap through it will look VERY distorted. you then import this one into blender and line up the mesh to the bone. This could get tedious, and may require a few export-nifwaps-test (the regular technique) and refix to get it perfect but after the first fewtimes you get use to it it gets faster.

Hmmm... by saying "line up the mesh" do you mean rigging? Uh oh... I don't like rigging... I never figured out how to view which bone a vertex is assigned to how much. In other words, I couldn't find out how to view the vertex weights... Although I figured out how to set it with your tutorial some time ago. Doing it blindly does not make fun, but as you said "may require a few export-nifswaps-test" I get the feeling, that this is exactly what I'd have to do... At least, I got a new pc since I tried it last time. I can remember that it took me more then 10 minutes only to import something to Blender - hell, it felt like I could dig over my whole garden in the meantime! So maybe I try it... On the other side, sounds like a good idea if you would use this case as the example shown in your upcoming tutorial Just kidding!

Another technical problem with that leaderhead comes to my mind, maybe you can give me a hint. If you select a mesh in nifskope, the nifs tree gets browsed, showing any node till the mesh. Of course, the leaderhead in question does the same, but there are over 30 nodes all called napoleon.nif or napoleon2.nif or the like till the scene root occurs. This doesn't cause any errors, but isn't too comfortable when nifswapping. Deleting some of these nodes in between didn't work as far as I remember... I'm sure there weren't that much of these nodes when I started working on it (mostly with sceneviewer and nifskope) and I couldn't remember this would have happened to another nif when working on it with the mentioned programs, so don't know how this has happened...

 

[The_Coyote]

realign should mean that you move the vertices of the imported leaderhead to fit the skeleton. The rigging information itself is still there. Eg the the finger joint of the mesh should be there where the joints in the skeleton are [but this is only a guess]

to see the weights, select the mesh, but instead of object mode or edit mode go to the weight paint mode and select the bone (link and materials) you want to see

the "additional" napoleon.nif or napoleon2.nif are because of the sceneviewer editing, every time you save there such a bone is added at top of the tree. In most cases (sometimes one of this nodes is the base node of the mesh in the SkinInstance and this must changed before you can safely remove them), you can remove them all. Go to the children array of the last of this nodes and remove the scene root as children from this node. Now delete the entire napoleon.nif bone tree

 

[cool3a2]

Thanks, that makes sense. I think I'll give it a go!

EDIT: Does anyone know if there are plugins for Blender, that...
a) change the look so that it gets more contrast?
b) enable the mouse as primary control element instead of the keyboard?

EDIT1: The trick about removing those extra nodes worked, so thanks for that. Now I try to nifswap the way you told me to. In-deed, it's complaining about missing bones. The problem is, that those bones don't have a counterpart in Lincolns skeleton. Therefore, I used the names of bones that come closest. For example, there is something like shoulder_biceps which I renamed into biceps (for my napoleon based meshes). This ways, I was able to copy the torso (which already is separated from the head and the hands), without too heavy distortions. Now I try to copy the head and hand part and it's complaining about b_neck_comp_L (and next it will about *_R I guess). There's nothing similar in Lincolns skeleton, so what should I do now? Copy the bone making it the child of the bone that corresponds to its parent in Lincolns skeleton?

 

[Ekmek]

Thanks, that makes sense. I think I'll give it a go!

EDIT: Does anyone know if there are plugins for Blender, that...
a) change the look so that it gets more contrast?
b) enable the mouse as primary control element instead of the keyboard?

EDIT1: The trick about removing those extra nodes worked, so thanks for that. Now I try to nifswap the way you told me to. In-deed, it's complaining about missing bones. The problem is, that those bones don't have a counterpart in Lincolns skeleton. Therefore, I used the names of bones that come closest. For example, there is something like shoulder_biceps which I renamed into biceps (for my napoleon based meshes). This ways, I was able to copy the torso (which already is separated from the head and the hands), without too heavy distortions. Now I try to copy the head and hand part and it's complaining about b_neck_comp_L (and next it will about *_R I guess). There's nothing similar in Lincolns skeleton, so what should I do now? Copy the bone making it the child of the bone that corresponds to its parent in Lincolns skeleton?

I posted in my how to guide info on this. basically you don't copy bones because the animation won't know what to do with them. the neck_comp should just be nect. forearm_comp just forearm.

As coyote said most of the rigging willl be preserved. I find this saves me a lot of rigging. I may modify a polygon here and there to make it smoother but the bulk of stuff is done. but again no need to add bones. just keep renaming.

 

[The Capo]

Sorry I haven't been active, this past ten days a really good friend of mine who moved to Oregon came back to town with his girlfriend who has never been to DC, so I spent most of the week showing them around town. Anyway, I plan on getting to work on these guys now. Currently here is the status of the LHs I am working on:

• Arpad - the basic model/concept is finished, I just have to tie up a few loose ends. I am also going to create an alternate version that more closely resembles the statue posted previously on this thread.
• Yagan - again, this one is practically finished, I just have to fix an issue with the lip. I'll probably release Yagan along with Arpad.
• Citizen X - this one was a request by Tony Kiehl on ModCast. The general concept is done, nothing is rigged but that's basically all I have left to do.
• Cavour - basic model is finished, I just have to work with the suit.

I also announced that I would be working on a Thomas Jefferson LH, along with TJ will be an Alp Arslan LH, an Harun al-Rashid LH, and a generic Hittite leader LH (i.e. I don't know who he will really represent). I will be attempting some Skeleton Swaps with this set of LHs. I might release the first version of Arpad (the one I originally made) before the second (statue) version simply because it is already close to being finished.

 

[Vika]

Harun al-Rashid LH

Well. For the base you can take Cirus. Change his Face to look more arabian. Change his shirt colour to white. You can take turban from your Chandragupta. And take Pericles's part. Now he looks like the picture from Civ 5.

 

[Huayna Capac357]

Maybe have Pericles as base, with Chandragupta's turban, and Zara Yaqob's clothes.

 

[The Capo]

Or I could just do what I originally planned on doing.

 

[Vika]

Any Screen? Please.

generic Hittite leader LH

Oh,It's very interesting.

Maybe have Pericles as base, with Chandragupta's turban,

Maybe.

and Zara Yaqob's clothes.

Well. But look at picture. Cirus's clothes! I can ramake it.

 

[The Almighty dF]

Didn't someone already make a really good Alp Arslan LH recently? I remember when we were talking about Seljuks on the Diplomacy threads someone linked it.
Edit: Ah, it was cybrxkhan. I guess it could be made better.

 

[mechaerik]

There's apparently one in History Rewritten.

 

[smeagolheart]

Check these out, SaibotLieh has been converting models from a mmo to leaderheads. They look unique, not like reskins like a lot of other leaderhead makers make (not The Capo of course)

http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=372255

Spoiler :

http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=372431

Spoiler :

There are like 30 or so that can be done, if anyone knows how to do this stuff:

Spoiler :

To create a leaderhead you'll have to first import the new nif into Blender. Then choose an already existing leaderhead you want to use the animations of and also import that leaderhead. Next you'll have to modify the new leaderhead to have the same proportions as the old leaderhead. Then follow The Coyote's tutorial to copy the bone weight of the old leaderhead onto the new one. Here it is especially important is that the eyes and the mouth are in the same same place. After that, some fine-tuning will have to be done. Then you'll have to export the leaderhead into a new nif. Now you can test the leaderhead in NifSkope by loading the animations. Once you're satisfied, you can nifswap the leaderhead information into the nif file of the old leaderhead. Then you're done!

 

[The Capo]

Yeah, I asked for the files for that game so I could use some of the parts already, so I plan on doing something with them. Well some of them at least.

Anyway, here is a preview shot of some of the LHs that I have already created viewable and game-ready nifs of. I am having issues with Cavour's suit, but other than that it is nearly finished (all I have to do is add the suit and some accessories and then rig it). Yagan only really needs a few touch-ups, and is practically finished, Arpad is the same, basically done but in need of a few touch-ups, although I did promise to make an alternate version, so that may take some time:

I haven't had much time lately to sit down and get these all knocked out, but I am trying my best.

And thanks for advertising another LH-maker's work in my thread, that was really awesome...

 

[Vika]

Cool. But Cavour needs work.

 

[Huayna Capac357]

Yagan looks done. However, if you are dead-set on him being blue-eyed, you should also release an alternate version with brown eyes.

 

[avain]

These are still looking great, The Capo, can't wait for the release!

 

[smeagolheart]

Don't worry, you are still the only LH maker around able to stand up to ekmek (although I doubt that you will win ).

There are a lot of people that hang out in the "self help" thread here.

The Capo is pretty cool, he has awesome 4th of July avatars and profound drunken rants. Anyways, it's a cool place to hang out waiting for his next awesome LH . I'm waiting on the Arpad he looks great, better than the old one.

So it makes sense to throw that out there about the blender work conversions and then we all reap the rewards after inspiring somebody with the right skills to do a couple.

 

[Ekmek]

i thought you were going to take shaka's nose and put it yagan?

have you figured out how to get the iron texture for arpad's eagle?

 

[Triver]

Arpad

He is Greet! But looks fat.
I think that Yagan's nose is too big.

 

[The Capo]

Cool. But Cavour needs work.

Yeah, no . Otherwise he'd be released.

Yagan looks done. However, if you are dead-set on him being blue-eyed, you should also release an alternate version with brown eyes.

The blue eyes make the LH look better, believe me, I've worked on it a lot. I am already doing an alternate version with grey hair, I suppose it won't be too much trouble to throw in other eye colors, although that is one of the easiest things to do yourself really.

These are still looking great, The Capo, can't wait for the release!

Thanks avain.

Don't worry, you are still the only LH maker around able to stand up to ekmek (although I doubt that you will win ).

I don't consider making LHs a contest, we work together a lot and help eachother out anyway. Plus Ekmek was my mentor, I would never admit I could best him unless I was drunk or something. No matter what I really think in my head....

There are a lot of people that hang out in the "self help" thread here.

The Capo is pretty cool, he has awesome 4th of July avatars and profound drunken rants. Anyways, it's a cool place to hang out waiting for his next awesome LH . I'm waiting on the Arpad he looks great, better than the old one.

So it makes sense to throw that out there about the blender work conversions and then we all reap the rewards after inspiring somebody with the right skills to do a couple.

I suppose that is true, I don't mind helping out and I was half-joking anyway about the advertising comment. But veBear is completely right when he said...

You know, I think capo meant that he were the one to get help with the "Self-Help" but it looks like it have been largerly misunderstood

i thought you were going to take shaka's nose and put it yagan?

have you figured out how to get the iron texture for arpad's eagle?

I haven't tried yet, but I am pretty sure I can get it working. And I actually resculpted the nose, it is a bit difficult to tell from that front shot, but he looks better in-game.

He is Greet! But looks fat.
I think that Yagan's nose is too big.

Arpad looks fat because he is wearing two shirts, fur, and chain-mail. You'd look fat in that too, unless you are fat and would look fat anyway. I don't know.

Anyway, I'll try to get some of this work done soon. I suppose this is part of the problem with making four LHs at once, but that's always been my style so there is no reason to change it. I am a bit of a perfectionist, which is another reason why there has been such delays.