[Tut] Nifscope

[Xyth]

Well I thought I'd have a go at weapon swapping and failed miserably. I'm replacing a lance with a spear in the attached unit (one of Bakuel's Hussars). The spear is from another of his units, the Carthaginian Knight, which I chose because because both units use the same animations (Charlemagne Heavy Cavalry). I hoped that would make things easier.

I removed the lance and placed the spear as a child of the same parent NiNode, in the same child slot and then renamed the block the same as the lance one too. Finally I translated it to the right position but in game it's fixed in place and not attached to the hand at all. What am I missing or doing wrong? I shouldn't have to change any .kf files should I?

Both the original hussar nif and the one I'm editing (horseman) are in the attached folder. I'm very computer competent but 3D animation and modelling just confuses the hell out of me.

 

[ambrox62]

If you remove the NiSkinInstance #132, the new unit runs like the hungarian one (into nifskope), then probably it will work fine in game also.

 

[Xyth]

If you remove the NiSkinInstance #132, the new unit runs like the hungarian one (into nifskope), then probably it will work fine in game also.

I have no idea what that means sorry, I can't find a NiSkinInstance in the block. #132 is a NiTriShapeData and if I delete that the whole spear vanishes. I tried attaching the idle animation .kf and all the numbers changed. Now #132 is a NiSourceTexture. This message also comes up:

"The following controlled nodes were not found in the nif:"
"HeavyCavalry_Shield_Icon"
"PolyMesh"
"Editable Poly"
"HeavyCavalry_lance"
"Editable Poly@#1"
"Editable Poly@#3"
"HeavyCavalry_lance_FALL"

Have I not added the spear as a child properly? Should I not have deleted the lance? How come all the numbers keep changing? This really is the most unintuitive and confusing software/file format I have ever tried to use :/

In game and in NifSkope the unit animates fine but the spear just hovers unanimated in the air beside the unit.

 

[SaibotLieh]

I have no idea what that means sorry, I can't find a NiSkinInstance in the block. #132 is a NiTriShapeData and if I delete that the whole spear vanishes. I tried attaching the idle animation .kf and all the numbers changed. Now #132 is a NiSourceTexture. This message also comes up:

"The following controlled nodes were not found in the nif:"
"HeavyCavalry_Shield_Icon"
"PolyMesh"
"Editable Poly"
"HeavyCavalry_lance"
"Editable Poly@#1"
"Editable Poly@#3"
"HeavyCavalry_lance_FALL"

Have I not added the spear as a child properly? Should I not have deleted the lance? How come all the numbers keep changing? This really is the most unintuitive and confusing software/file format I have ever tried to use :/

In game and in NifSkope the unit animates fine but the spear just hovers unanimated in the air beside the unit.

I don't know why your change didn't work, but I can offer you a workaround. Search in NifSkope in the HorseBip node the Bip01 R Hand node. Make the spear a child of that node and remove its child status from the MD NonAccum NiNode. Edit the spear position to X 15, Y 0, Z 124 and Euler Y 0, P 16, R 0. Now the spear is bond to the right hand and follow its movements.

 

[ambrox62]

I can't find a NiSkinInstance in the block. #132 is a NiTriShapeData

Sorry, I confused the nifs.
Now I've realized that #132 is in the Bakuel nif, while your nif is the HungarianHorseman one.
However, SaibotLieh has explained above the best solution for your issue

 

[Xyth]

It works! Thanks to you both. That method makes much more sense to me.

 

[Ekmek]

this might be the place for it. i plan to add it to my guide but maybe some of you nifskopers know some better details.

Basically its editing animations though nifskope. Its a quick and dirty way to get a unique greeting animation for a LH but I'm sure you can use it for units too.


Anyways, you open a kf animation file in nifskope then edit the stuff you see in red in my screen shots to make the animation play just the beginning or the end of an animation.

 

[ambrox62]

Hi,
in order to edit/fix a .kf sequence, is there a way to replace a unfriendly NiBSplineCompTransformInterpolator with a editable NiTransformInterpolator one?

 

[Manifold]

another question for the profs:
i plan to make a butcher-unit. so i work on the master_gunsmith files.



I gave him an axe and a new skirt. Blood will come next.

Now the problem is, the master_gunsmith.kfm is without any stuff. So the only thing the butcher could do, is roaming around and beaming him away like scotty in Star Trek.

So, here are my questions: Is it possible to give him just the animation of another unit, how could i get out which animation match?

 

[SaibotLieh]

So, here are my questions: Is it possible to give him just the animation of another unit, how could i get out which animation match?

It is certainly possible, try these tutorials:
http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=312613
http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=271331

Finding matching animations is another problem. I guess you'll have to make some trial-and-error runs.

 

[ambrox62]

is there a way to replace a unfriendly NiBSplineCompTransformInterpolator with a editable NiTransformInterpolator one?

I've found a answer here:
http://forums.civfanatics.com/showpo...0&postcount=26
Thanks Coyote&Saibot

 

[Manifold]

oh man, you folk must be absolutely cracking profs! i take a look at the tutorials and the subtutorial for the kfm-converter. i fail with the installation

1. I downloaded the KonverterFM, thats fine. but for what is the KonverterFM-Source? What do i had to do with it?

2. After dobbleclick the KonverterFM.exe a popup ask me witch KFM file (this is clear) - but he also ask me for a xml.file. Which file is this? Please

 

[SaibotLieh]

oh man, you folk must be absolutely cracking profs! i take a look at the tutorials and the subtutorial for the kfm-converter. i fail with the installation

I wish I were, then this all would cost me much less time.

1. I downloaded the KonverterFM, thats fine. but for what is the KonverterFM-Source? What do i had to do with it?

2. After dobbleclick the KonverterFM.exe a popup ask me witch KFM file (this is clear) - but he also ask me for a xml.file. Which file is this? Please

1. Don't exactly know myself, but as long as it works it's fine I guess.

2. the .xml file is the file the content of the kfm file will be written in when 'Decode' is pushed . Just choose any name you like. If you push 'Encode' the content of the .kfm file will be written in the .kfm file.

 

[Manifold]

2. the .xml file is the file the content of the kfm file will be written in when 'Decode' is pushed . Just choose any name you like. If you push 'Encode' the content of the .kfm file will be written in the .kfm file.

Thanks, i take this hurdle. And i guess, i understand a little bit what the xml-file is meening, but...

Finding matching animations is another problem. I guess you'll have to make some trial-and-error runs.

where should i start to find a matching animation? how should i proceed? Could anyone give me a hint, please?

 

[SaibotLieh]

where should i start to find a matching animation? how should i proceed? Could anyone give me a hint, please?

Depends on where you want to go. Is there a certain unit you want to change?

 

[Manifold]

yes, the master_gunsmith (from colonization) needs some fighting und dying animation: just some brutal attacks with his meat axe. this will employ me some time.

 

[SaibotLieh]

yes, the master_gunsmith (from colonization) needs some fighting und dying animation: just some brutal attacks with his meat axe. this will employ me some time.

You could try the maceman or warrior animations I guess. I think it could already work if you put their files in the same folder as the master_gunsmith.nif and rename the .kfm to master_gunsmith.kfm. I'm not sure though.

 

[Valkrionn]

I have a question (and am a complete novice when it comes to the art side, so please bare with me); I'm wanting to copy the effect from one unit (fire ball) to another (floating eye). How exactly do I do this? I tried just copy/pasting the EFFECTS branch, but that apparently had no effect.

EDIT: That's because it was an attachable, not an effect. Deliverator set me straight.

Working version:

Spoiler :

 

[Manifold]

You could try the maceman or warrior animations I guess. I think it could already work if you put their files in the same folder as the master_gunsmith.nif and rename the .kfm to master_gunsmith.kfm. I'm not sure though.

yes! it works very cool and it was just so easy, thank you so much!

Now he is a really ugly and bloodied butcher

 

[SaibotLieh]

yes! it works very cool and it was just so easy, thank you so much!

Now he is a really ugly and bloodied butcher

That's good to hear.