Posted: Sat Apr 23, 2011 8:21 pm Post subject:
Animating for C&C Generals Zero Hour...How?
Subject description: Help with animating for Zero Hour
I have recently began to animate for C&C Generals Zero Hour, but and do not fully understand how you animate for the game itself. I do have animating skills, this is because i have animated for Halo Custom Edition before this. But it would seem that the process for animating for Zero Hour is different then animating for Halo Custom Edition. So can someone please enlighten me on how the animating process works in Zero Hour?
Posted: Sun Apr 24, 2011 3:47 pm Post subject:
So....Nobody knows how?
So....I am taking it that nobody knows how to properly make custom animations? If so than.....wow. But if someone does indeed know how to create custom animations for C&C Zero Hour, then can you please speak up?
You're really either being a bit too impatient, or in the wrong community. There are only a few modders for ZH here, and most of which have tiny animation experience. You'll probably be better off finding the creators of the Shockwave mod and Contra mod, as they have incredible experience with the ZH engine. QUICK_EDIT
Joined: 18 Jun 2005 Location: Dordrecht, the Netherlands
Posted: Sun Apr 24, 2011 4:45 pm Post subject:
As M7 said, this community lacks Generals modders. The amount of 'real' Generals modders can be counter on 2 hands. I'm one of them.
As to answer your question: it depends what kind of animation. Building animation or infantry animation (skeleton-related)? QUICK_EDIT
You're really either being a bit too impatient, or in the wrong community. There are only a few modders for ZH here, and most of which have tiny animation experience. You'll probably be better off finding the creators of the Shockwave mod and Contra mod, as they have incredible experience with the ZH engine.
I'd recommend the Cold War Crisis team as well. They are just awesome at ZH modding. _________________ QUICK_EDIT
As M7 said, this community lacks Generals modders. The amount of 'real' Generals modders can be counter on 2 hands. I'm one of them.
As to answer your question: it depends what kind of animation. Building animation or infantry animation (skeleton-related)?
I am currently working on some custom infantry animations for a new model that i have. But i am not sure how the process works for Zero Hour. I am using 3ds max 7 (or and have the BFME2 MOD SDK installed as well. Dutchygamer can you please teach me the basics of animating for Zero Hour?
Animating on vehicles is rather simple, but for infantry i wouldn't know, i'm still going to try it one day...
But to give you some basic knowledge:
-for animating in gmax/3ds(not sure about 3dsmax) first enter animation mode(there a button named animate somewhere, usually bottom right)
-Generals zh can only handle one animation sequence in a file.
-animations for zh work with timestamps and positions, each timestamp has the knowledge of what the location/angle/size of the part is at that moment. ching this in the next timestamp makes the animation.
I know it probably sounds crap, but it might help get you started. QUICK_EDIT
Animating on vehicles is rather simple, but for infantry i wouldn't know, i'm still going to try it one day...
But to give you some basic knowledge:
-for animating in gmax/3ds(not sure about 3dsmax) first enter animation mode(there a button named animate somewhere, usually bottom right)
-Generals zh can only handle one animation sequence in a file.
-animations for zh work with timestamps and positions, each timestamp has the knowledge of what the location/angle/size of the part is at that moment. ching this in the next timestamp makes the animation.
I know it probably sounds crap, but it might help get you started.
Ok...So how would i make a animation that includes two propellers which are part of a vehicle? I have a special vehicle that has two propellers. How would i properly animate that? Also, I have a pre-made animation that i will be importing into 3ds max 7 for a infantry unit running. But the animation does not include a gun. Do i need to include a gun with in the running animation.
two propellors fit fine in one animation, what i meant with one animation per file is that you can't have jumping and a running anim together(unless you want to animate a run jumping unit), cause that would look like run jump run jump etc etc.
this missing gun only needs to be animated if you want it to move when the unit is runnig, if not leave it.(ranger has a stationairy gun as well, so it just depends on your wishes.) QUICK_EDIT
two propellers fit fine in one animation, what i meant with one animation per file is that you can't have jumping and a running anim together(unless you want to animate a run jumping unit), cause that would look like run jump run jump etc etc.
this missing gun only needs to be animated if you want it to move when the unit is running, if not leave it.(ranger has a stationary gun as well, so it just depends on your wishes.)
Ok, but IF i can't seem to get them to cooperate in one animation file, then how would i get the two animations to cooperate if they were to be two separate animation files? And can it be done? QUICK_EDIT
yes, by making your plane in two parts, one part with just one wing and it's propeller, the other with the rest of the plane. You'll need a bone in the bigger part to link the other part, see the technical for code) QUICK_EDIT
yes, by making your plane in two parts, one part with just one wing and it's propeller, the other with the rest of the plane. You'll need a bone in the bigger part to link the other part, see the technical for code)
Ok...I have been kinda secretive on what i am trying to do. I will be more "up-front" now. I am the team leader for this C&C Zero Hour Modding Team. Here is our post on Moddb:
http://www.moddb.com/mods/halogen-the-resurrected-mod/#2114271. And if you look at the picture with the vehicle with the two blades...that is what i want to animate. And that vehicle is the Falcon from Halo Reach. My friend made it completely from scratch in 3ds max. And thus how would i animated such a mode? In addition to the propellers i want to make it look like it tilting forward when it goes forwards and make it tilt backwards when it goes backwards. I also want to make the Propeller bases tile forwards and backwards depending on that direction the Falcon. If you are having a hard time understanding what i am talking about....then please look at this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Meom_5M5iIU. Can all this be done?
hmm, only thing i don't know is the tilt backwards. the rest is defenately possible, th Shockwave mod has done it.
I think the easiest way would be by making a loose animated propeller model, then code it to be used twice and mouted to the engines. The have the rest of the vehicle in a single animation for the engines turning forward, and use the locomotor to make the entire heli tilt.
In code something like (Note: check with generals syntax, as I don't have any example code around me)
Object Heli
w3d modeldraw module_01
extrapublicbone bone_01
extrapublicbone bone_02
defaultconditionstate ;stationary
model heli.w3d
;no anim
transitionstate a
End
condition moving
model heli.w3d
anim heli.heli
animmode start frame last
animspeed 0.0 ;gets it to stay on that animframe
transitionstate b
End
transition a b ;not sure of correct syntax
anim heli.heil
animmode once
End
transition b a ;not sure of correct syntax
anim heli.heil
animmode once backwards
End
// damaged states.... go here
End
w3d modeldraw moduletag_02 ;the first propellor
attach to bone in anothermodule bone_01
defaultconditionstate
model prop.w3d
anim prop.prop
End
End
w3d modeldraw moduletag_03 ;the first propellor
attach to bone in anothermodule bone_02
defaultconditionstate
model prop.w3d
anim prop.prop
End
End QUICK_EDIT
hmm, only thing i don't know is the tilt backwards. the rest is defenately possible, th Shockwave mod has done it.
I think the easiest way would be by making a loose animated propeller model, then code it to be used twice and mouted to the engines. The have the rest of the vehicle in a single animation for the engines turning forward, and use the locomotor to make the entire heli tilt.
In code something like (Note: check with generals syntax, as I don't have any example code around me)
Object Heli
w3d modeldraw module_01
extrapublicbone bone_01
extrapublicbone bone_02
defaultconditionstate ;stationary
model heli.w3d
;no anim
transitionstate a
End
condition moving
model heli.w3d
anim heli.heli
animmode start frame last
animspeed 0.0 ;gets it to stay on that animframe
transitionstate b
End
transition a b ;not sure of correct syntax
anim heli.heil
animmode once
End
transition b a ;not sure of correct syntax
anim heli.heil
animmode once backwards
End
// damaged states.... go here
End
w3d modeldraw moduletag_02 ;the first propellor
attach to bone in anothermodule bone_01
defaultconditionstate
model prop.w3d
anim prop.prop
End
End
w3d modeldraw moduletag_03 ;the first propellor
attach to bone in anothermodule bone_02
defaultconditionstate
model prop.w3d
anim prop.prop
End
End
ummmm....I am rather confused about how to properly animate the propellers and what you are describing. Can you please elaborate some more?
hmm, only thing i don't know is the tilt backwards. the rest is defenately possible, th Shockwave mod has done it.
I think the easiest way would be by making a loose animated propeller model, then code it to be used twice and mouted to the engines. The have the rest of the vehicle in a single animation for the engines turning forward, and use the locomotor to make the entire heli tilt.
Ok...let me rephrase my questions. I can animated the model. But i am rather confused about some of the things you said. For the first part....what do you mean by "loose animated propeller model". Do you mean make the propellers a completely separate model and then export them separately from the main part of the model? Second part....what do you mean by "then code it to be used twice and mounted to the engines"? And last part that i did not understand is when you said "have the rest of the vehicle in a single animation for the engines turning forward, and use the locomotor to make the entire heli tilt"......What do you mean when you say "single animation for the engines turning forward"? And what do you mean by "locomotor"? Can you please be more explanatory?
Basically what The-Light is saying is this,
You need to take your model and set it up in just a way that it will be easier to code later.
First, separate your rotors from the aircraft, and animate them to spin
then save them as another model.
(for testing, you could put a transparent texture on the originals so that they don't show up in-game, and you don't mess up your model if it doesn't work)
Then on your aircraft add a bone that lines up with the wings/engines pivot point
next, animate the wings/engines to pivot, (I have mine going 20 degrees back, and 20 forward, with 21 frames, frame 11 being 0 degrees)
now everything should be ready for coding, where you just need to attach your rotors to the bone.
I haven't tested this in-game yet, I don't mod Generals much, but maybe I'll test it in the morning. Last edited by Lynn on Sat May 07, 2011 2:12 pm; edited 1 time in total QUICK_EDIT
Then on your aircraft add a bone that lines up with the wings/engines pivot point
now everything should be ready for coding, where you just need to attach your rotors to the bone.
I haven't tested this in-game yet, I don't mod Generals much, but maybe I'll test it in the morning.
Ok..THAT helps a lot. But the only thing i seem to be having issues with is...making a bone. I don't know about what a lot a people use but...I am currently using 3ds max 7 to create and animate my models. So i don't know how to create a bone that has that...diamond/transparent look to it. So if someone can please let me know how to create the right kind of model/object in 3ds max 7 and then convert it into a bone then that would be awesome.
What I do for the bones is I went and saved one from one of EA's models, and then I just import it and copy/rename as many times as needed.
I don't know how everyone else does it, there are several ways though.
(also, incase it wasn't clear, that bone should be linked to the wings/engines, so that it pivots with them, allowing your rotors to follow) QUICK_EDIT
The diamond shape is just a sphere with the least possible amount of sides and only used so you can see it fast enough. Only thing that is important and if properly set up the only thing that gets exported is the position and rotation of that object. _________________ QUICK_EDIT
Posted: Tue May 10, 2011 12:25 am Post subject:
Adding a Pickbox...is it necessary?
Thanks for all the help everyone! I have another question about creating a flying vehicle....Does a flying vehicle (or any vehicle in that matter) need a pickbox? I know the infantry do....but do vehicles need a pickbox?
no, you don't need pickboxes on vehicals, in fact, you dont really need them for infantry, its just there to help when clicking on a unit, it gives small units a larger area to click on. QUICK_EDIT
Joined: 18 Jun 2005 Location: Dordrecht, the Netherlands
Posted: Tue May 10, 2011 4:48 pm Post subject:
Lynn wrote:
no, you don't need pickboxes on vehicals, in fact, you dont really need them for infantry, its just there to help when clicking on a unit, it gives small units a larger area to click on.
You don't need them, but if you have small units like drones, or resized inf, it is pretty handy. QUICK_EDIT
no, you don't need pickboxes on vehicals, in fact, you dont really need them for infantry, its just there to help when clicking on a unit, it gives small units a larger area to click on.
You don't need them, but if you have small units like drones, or resized inf, it is pretty handy.
Thanks man. Now i just need to figure out how to script the proper script for the Falcon. Anyone know how to create the right script?
Posted: Fri May 13, 2011 3:07 am Post subject:
Any one good with scripting?
I know its been a day since i last posted.....but i would really like some help with scripting the animations for the falcon i am working on. Does anyone know the right script for the animations? QUICK_EDIT
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