Author Topic: Note for new "resizers & reskinnners" out there.  (Read 352 times)

Legacy_The Amethyst Dragon

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Note for new "resizers & reskinnners" out there.
« on: September 05, 2014, 06:55:26 am »


               

Hi, folks.


 


Just something to keep in mind if you are taking an existing NWN model and reskinning and/or resizing it, you can save a ton of file space by using the original as an animation supermodel.


 


This means instead of your new version of a model coming complete with animations, it'll just borrow the animations of the original model.


 


Example 1: Reskinning/retexturing:


 


Say I'm extracting an existing model from the NWN game, such as a rat. I want to make a mutant green rat.  I would extract the original rat from the NWN game resources, along with it's texture file. Recolor the texture and give it a new name, lay it on the rat model (and give that a new name for both the file and all the "c_rat" references inside it...yay for "find and replace"), then save. Besides recoloring, everything can be done in a text editor.


 


Now, to save on file space, the second portion of the model file can be removed (the part found after the "endmodelgeom" line).  Then go back to the top of the file, look for the line that includes "setsupermodel" and change "NULL" to "c_rat".  Since you're not resizing right now, nothing else needs to change.  Save, and your new green rat will behave just like a normal brown one, but save a lot on file space/size.


 


Example 2: Resizing/scaling:


 


This is a bit trickier, and I find it much easier using gmax (with nwmax) than a text editor.


 


Instead of manually removing the animation portion of the rat model and renaming all the internal parts with a text editor, you can import the .mdl file into gmax (import geom only) to strip out the animations. Change the name of the aurora base to the new model name you want, set the original model as the supermodel, apply the new texture, then select the model base and use nwmax's scale wizard to resize the model. Then export the model.


 


 


Just thought I'd share these tips for people new to modifying existing models. It's something I didn't learn myself for quite some time.


 


For perspective, today I removed the animations from a bunch of models in one CEP hak, supermodeled them to existing models, and reduced the (uncompressed) hak size by 53 MB. '<img'>


 


Edit: Aaaaannnnd...title typo I can't fix. Oh, well.



               
               

               
            

Legacy_Pstemarie

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Note for new "resizers & reskinnners" out there.
« Reply #1 on: September 05, 2014, 11:49:18 am »


               

Always good to be passing such info - no matter how basic it may seem onto others. You can also "strip" out the animations from your new model by using the "import geometry only" option when importing the original model OR using the "export geometry only" option for the new model. 


 


Both options are available on the 3DS version of NWMax. I'm not sure about the GMax version.


 


Seeing the OP also makes me think its time that we either create a wiki or compile a manual that thoroughly explains NWMax and what all the various tools and buttons do.



               
               

               
            

Legacy_Tarot Redhand

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Note for new "resizers & reskinnners" out there.
« Reply #2 on: September 05, 2014, 02:15:01 pm »


               

Could I add that if someone were to make a downloadable file version I could import it into my, very slowly taking shape, custom content guide that I work on when I find the time.


 


TR



               
               

               
            

Legacy_Mecheon

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Note for new "resizers & reskinnners" out there.
« Reply #3 on: September 05, 2014, 02:42:20 pm »


               

Both options are available on the 3DS version of NWMax. I'm not sure about the GMax version.

I can confirm both are available in Gmax, as it is my tool of choice