[Katie Louise Ingram]

Befoure I embark myself in a no exit tunnel , I woudl like to know if is possible to make the following :


I would like to create a new combat animation hybrid based on both 2h and 1 h and call it 1.5 h weapon animation , this woudl require to make 2 - 5 different sword idles of fighting with the sword type using eventually as base one of the 1h and one of the 2 h and mix together or use them as base alter the middle animation portions and leave unaltered the starting and ending loops ... woudl this work and allow the make use of the transitions between animations of the game or not?

Can't Add new animation States, Events or Transitions so no you will not be doing this... anytime soon.

[Ryan Lutz]

I sidestepped the problem by using Paired Animations (For Now) to Play new animations but they can never be anything other then Idles because of all of the systems that get disabled when a Paired Anim triggers -> there is also a secondary problem that when a Paired anim gets called on the Player as the second target it locks all anim events except movement and you have to then force reset the players Behavior Graph to get back to normal functions.

This is extremely interesting. That could even be a way to test modified idles more easily.

Could you please give a few feeds how to set this up? Or, most likely, you have already done that somewhere?

[Sammykins]

This is extremely interesting. That could even be a way to test modified idles more easily.

Could you please give a few feeds how to set this up? Or, most likely, you have already done that somewhere?

My Second Actor is nothing but one node -> NPC Root [Root] that sets up the Character as the 2_ actor -> the rig I gave out in the last thread will work just fine for this.

[Rhi Edwards]

My Second Actor is nothing but one node -> NPC Root [Root] that sets up the Character as the 2_ actor -> the rig I gave out in the last thread will work just fine for this.

That was an answer I was afraid of

So I don't need the paired skeleton I found in one of your previous posts? Just define a '2_' node and rename all other nodes, except NPC Root, by prepending '2_'?

Is this the re-created setup you were talking about? And after export I can use it with PlayIdleWithTarget?

1) They contain 2 skeleton's paired -> None of the skeleton.hkx's shipped are set up for this type of conversion -> that entire setup needs to be re-created.

2) The slave skeleton is prepended with a "2_" denoting it as the slave actor -> which means the bones in the second skeleton do not even match the actor they belong to -> not an issue for the conversion as all it cares about are the number of nodes present but you will not be importing this anim without the proper scene setup in your 3D application -> also many shared nodes Weapon, BackWeapon, etc... are all prepended with Dummy so the importer/exporter does not get confused.

Please bear with me, I'm just starting 3DS after years with Blender.

[R.I.p MOmmy]

That was an answer I was afraid of

So I don't need the paired skeleton I found in one of your previous posts? Just define a '2_' node and rename all other nodes, except NPC Root, by prepending '2_'?

Is this the re-created setup you were talking about? And after export I can use it with PlayIdleWithTarget?




Please bear with me, I'm just starting 3DS after years with Blender.

No the Character actors entire rig needs to be prepended with 2_ and the main chars rig just needs NPC Root [Root] -> the paired anim itself also needs the NPC, 2_ and the Paired Root Node or the mapping will not work correctly.

[Peter lopez]

No the Character actors entire rig needs to be prepended with 2_ and the main chars rig just needs NPC Root [Root] -> the paired anim itself also needs the NPC, 2_ and the Paired Root Node or the mapping will not work correctly.

Wait, Saiden, I think I jumped onto a ghost train.

You are using paired animations so you can more easily structure your replacements, not because its a work-around for using additional idle animations ? I made such a paired animation, but to start it I still need that damned animation event !?

[Amber Hubbard]

Wait, Saiden, I think I jumped onto a ghost train.

You are using paired animations so you can more easily structure your replacements, not because its a work-around for using additional idle animations ? I made such a paired animation, but to start it I still need that damned animation event !?

I use paired animations because they are the ONLY way ATM to get new animations onto an existing actor is to use a second party and force a Paired with the first party -> There is no way ATM of adding new animations to existing actors because of the aforementioned Behavior Graph being set in stone -> but its set in a stone that is copy/paste friendly.

So I just copy/paste the Character Actor and create new skeletons' and animations' then I use the already included with the Character Actor Special Idles to force a Paired animation from my faux actor to a real actor...

I also am doing a Copy/Paste of the Character Actor to add 1HSpears, 2HHalberds, XBows, Throwing Potions(explosive, poisonous, etc...), and other throwing weapons.

[Rachell Katherine]

A question for the sages here, in the CK when I preview some of my animations I get the warning:

ANIMATION: Animation file
Data\Meshes\Character\Animations\H2H_Idle.hkx loaded with more than one binding, only the first one is used.

What's causing this?

I also am doing a Copy/Paste of the Character Actor to add 1HSpears, 2HHalberds, XBows, Throwing Potions(explosive, poisonous, etc...), and other throwing weapons.

Any chance we could get a more detailed how-to on this one?

[Kelvin]

A question for the sages here, in the CK when I preview some of my animations I get the warning:

ANIMATION: Animation file
Data\Meshes\Character\Animations\H2H_Idle.hkx loaded with more than one binding, only the first one is used.

What's causing this?

Any chance we could get a more detailed how-to on this one?

Its no secret... SetRace.

Save the Players Current Race -> then SetRace to the extraweapon version -> the second Character_1HS_2HH_XBow_2HTP -> each of these weapon classes are nothing but the original 1H_2H_Bow_Mag classes just with different animations that are appropriate for the weapon being used.

Though using SetRace is unbelievably poor as far as future mod compatibility is concerned as my Races will not have any of the new eye, hair, beards, etc... that will get added from beauty mods to the base Character Races.

[Mistress trades Melissa]

Its no secret... SetRace.

Save the Players Current Race -> then SetRace to the extraweapon version -> the second Character_1HS_2HH_XBow_2HTP -> each of these weapon classes are nothing but the original 1H_2H_Bow_Mag classes just with different animations that are appropriate for the weapon being used.

Though using SetRace is unbelievably poor as far as future mod compatibility is concerned as my Races will not have any of the new eye, hair, beards, etc... that will get added from beauty mods to the base Character Races.

I've been working out a similar method, actually, for my hand to hand mod, where selecting a particular "stance" will actually change the player's race (from, say, Breton to Stance1Breton) while the new race's entry points to a new behavior graph (from DefaultMale to Stance1Male) and I'm going through the different Behavior files and replacing any references to default animations with my equivalent custom animation, and replacing any references to other Behavior graphs with my new "stance1" versions.

Is this basically what you're doing as well, or do you have a method that doesn't involve blindly stumbling around through packed behavior files?

Will the hair/beards thing actually be a problem here? I was under the impression that when the race is forced to change via script hair, beards, horns, etc will stick around, even if they aren't available by default on the new race, kind of like when people take a nord and setrace themselves into an argonian, you can get a creepy argonian with blond hair.

[Kelly Upshall]

I've been working out a similar method, actually, for my hand to hand mod, where selecting a particular "stance" will actually change the player's race (from, say, Breton to Stance1Breton) while the new race's entry points to a new behavior graph (from DefaultMale to Stance1Male) and I'm going through the different Behavior files and replacing any references to default animations with my equivalent custom animation, and replacing any references to other Behavior graphs with my new "stance1" versions.

I have not been Hex Editing the Behavior files for the weapons there is not much point if we are never able to edit these then its just wasted time and if we are then Its easy enough to rename the new animation files to something descriptive to purpose.

Is this basically what you're doing as well, or do you have a method that doesn't involve blindly stumbling around through packed behavior files?

Path of least resistance -> I'm only replacing the animation files -> the only Behavior FIles I am Hex Editing are the ones for my fake character actors for Paired anims and even then I think I am just going to give that up its a bigger waste of time then just replacing races for specific actors and reusing already available idle slots.

Will the hair/beards thing actually be a problem here? I was under the impression that when the race is forced to change via script hair, beards, horns, etc will stick around, even if they aren't available by default on the new race, kind of like when people take a nord and setrace themselves into an argonian, you can get a creepy argonian with blond hair.

Never sure exactly how the game is going to save your character when your playing as a race that does not support your current choices.

Though IC another incompatibility any mods that use SetRace in the manner that we are will conflict horribly as the scripts fight each other over what race is the current race and most likely have issues when reverting to default races...

[Charity Hughes]

Hey, everyone. Fascinating topic, and thanks very much for trying to figure this brutally complex area out.

I must admit I've gotten a little lost, so I'm wondering if the big brains here would have the time to fill me in on a particular, slightly unusual, animation situation.

In short - I'm working on making Machinima in Skyrim, and I'm wanting to use motion-captured animation. (We've got a mocap system here, and I'm not afraid to use it).

We've got 3DSMax, Motionbuilder, and all the other bits and pieces, and so we can easily get motion-captured animations cleaned up and ready to render conventionally. However, I'm slightly lost as to how I'd get a mocapped sequence into Skyrim.

So - 1) is it possible to convert a mocapped sequence into an animation format that I could have an NPC play? and 2) what's the fastest way to play that sequence in-game? Is it even possible at this point?

For clarification - what I'm wanting is to capture an actor performing a scene, then use that motion to drive an NPC in the game, so that we can then capture that with FRAPS or similar and edit it to make a film.

Is that doable, and if so how?

All help VERY MUCH appreciated!

[Stat Wrecker]

We've got 3DSMax, Motionbuilder, and all the other bits and pieces, and so we can easily get motion-captured animations cleaned up and ready to render conventionally. However, I'm slightly lost as to how I'd get a mocapped sequence into Skyrim.

1) DL the Havok Content Tools version 2010.2.0 if you have Max9 through Max2011, if Not then you have to go through the NifTools Exporter or CIvIV Exporter(Max6-8 only) and use hkxcmd to convert the kf files into hkx files.
2) Import the Character Actor Skeleton.nif into Max
3) Apply MoCap to the Skeleton and Export.

Note: you will have to replace existing Idles to be able to play the anims but that is not and issue for you as its not for game play.

So - 1) is it possible to convert a mocapped sequence into an animation format that I could have an NPC play? and 2) what's the fastest way to play that sequence in-game? Is it even possible at this point?

Convert not likely, you will have to import it into Max and ReTarget it to the Character Skeleton.

[Heather Stewart]

Path of least resistance -> I'm only replacing the animation files -> the only Behavior FIles I am Hex Editing are the ones for my fake character actors for Paired anims and even then I think I am just going to give that up its a bigger waste of time then just replacing races for specific actors and reusing already available idle slots.

Alright, trying to figure this out here.

I've made a duplicate of the "Meshes\Actors\Chatacter" folder and all its contents and named it "CharacterStance1". I made a duplicate of the Breton race and named it "Bretonracestance1" and made its behavior graph "CharacterStance1\DefaultMale.HKX" which should be identical to "Character\DefaultMale.HKX" which is the default. In-game, however, "player.setrace bretonracestance1" results in a breton standing there running an idle animation (notably, NOT the default "T" pose you get when it can't find an animation) but not able to perform any other action besides glide around in his idle stance. Right now I've got no alterations in any of the behavior files, they're clean duplicates of what I extracted from the game files.

Am I going about this the wrong way? What am I missing here?

[Celestine Stardust]

I use paired animations because they are the ONLY way ATM to get new animations onto an existing actor is to use a second party and force a Paired with the first party -> There is no way ATM of adding new animations to existing actors because of the aforementioned Behavior Graph being set in stone -> but its set in a stone that is copy/paste friendly.

So I just copy/paste the Character Actor and create new skeletons' and animations' then I use the already included with the Character Actor Special Idles to force a Paired animation from my faux actor to a real actor...

I also am doing a Copy/Paste of the Character Actor to add 1HSpears, 2HHalberds, XBows, Throwing Potions(explosive, poisonous, etc...), and other throwing weapons.

Its no secret... SetRace.

Save the Players Current Race -> then SetRace to the extraweapon version -> the second Character_1HS_2HH_XBow_2HTP -> each of these weapon classes are nothing but the original 1H_2H_Bow_Mag classes just with different animations that are appropriate for the weapon being used.

Though using SetRace is unbelievably poor as far as future mod compatibility is concerned as my Races will not have any of the new eye, hair, beards, etc... that will get added from beauty mods to the base Character Races.

I'm lost here again.

With success I'm using Dementor's strategy, changing file names in a custom race copy of DefaultFemale.hkx. Works perfect for idles. But since you said that you can add animations without modifying even one behavior file, I would really like to understand what you do. Only when coming to "the second Character_1HS_2HH_XBow_2HTP -> each of these weapon classes" I'M totally confused (at the latest).

Please, Saiden, can you explain that with a little more detail?

[Francesca]

With success I'm using Dementor's strategy, changing file names in a custom race copy of DefaultFemale.hkx. Works perfect for idles.

Wait, you got that to WORK? Is that all you did, changed the file names in that one behavior file? The one with the huge list of all the animations for the actor? That's it, nothing else?

And it only worked for idles? What happened when you tried to replace and attack animation?

[Nick Tyler]

Wait, you got that to WORK? Is that all you did, changed the file names in that one behavior file? The one with the huge list of all the animations for the actor? That's it, nothing else?

And it only worked for idles? What happened when you tried to replace and attack animation?

Not only this one, but also had to make a copy and modify the one with the same name in the characters folder. What I did:

• Copy meshes\actors\character\defaultfemale.hkx to MyDefaultFemale.hkx
  
• In MyDefaultFemale.hkx replace "DefaultFemale.hkx" by "MyDefltFemale.hkx" -- length of both filenames have to be IDENTICAL !!!
  
• Copy meshes\actors\character\characters female\DefaultFemale.hkx to MyDefltFemale.hkx
  
• In MyDefltFemale.hkx replace an existing Idle Animation with your new one -- length of both filenames have to be IDENTICAL !!!
  
• In CK: Create a new race (Copy of an existing one; set Morph Race and Armor Race)
  
• In CK: In your new race's "BodyData" -> "Behavior Graph" enter link of your new MyDefaultFemale.hkx (NOT the MyDefltFemale.hkx !!!)

I have tested this by adding a new NPC with my new custom race into the game, and changing "mt_idle.hkx" into "MY_Idle.hkx" in the new MyDefltFemale.hkx. Then I renamed a custom animation into "MY_Idle.hkx" and put it into meshes\actors\character\animations\female. Since this worked, I'm sure it will work with setRace as well. Somehow.

I've not tested with combat animations. Because I think those have more interactions with the behavior files, and will have more problems than simple idles.

[JAY]

The reason your new race character does not animate anything but the default idle is because you need to set up the Gameplay -> Animations -> Action to Anim Event Mapping, for a duplicate of the Character Actor this is going to take A LONG TIME as there are well over a thousand animations you need to map though you need not map all of the Idles except maybe the furniture idles if this is a PC only race.

[Marilú]

Not only this one, but also had to make a copy and modify the one with the same name in the characters folder. What I did:

• Copy meshes\actors\character\defaultfemale.hkx to MyDefaultFemale.hkx
  
• In MyDefaultFemale.hkx replace "DefaultFemale.hkx" by "MyDefltFemale.hkx" -- length of both filenames have to be IDENTICAL !!!
  
• Copy meshes\actors\character\characters female\DefaultFemale.hkx to MyDefltFemale.hkx
  
• In MyDefltFemale.hkx replace an existing Idle Animation with your new one -- length of both filenames have to be IDENTICAL !!!
  
• In CK: Create a new race (Copy of an existing one; set Morph Race and Armor Race)
  
• In CK: In your new race's "BodyData" -> "Behavior Graph" enter link of your new MyDefaultFemale.hkx (NOT the MyDefltFemale.hkx !!!)

I have tested this by adding a new NPC with my new custom race into the game, and changing "mt_idle.hkx" into "MY_Idle.hkx" in the new MyDefltFemale.hkx. Then I renamed a custom animation into "MY_Idle.hkx" and put it into meshes\actors\character\animations\female. Since this worked, I'm sure it will work with setRace as well. Somehow.

I've not tested with combat animations. Because I think those have more interactions with the behavior files, and will have more problems than simple idles.

I think your registering a false positive as you completely missed changing the name of the animation within the event reference to the idle in the Behavior.hkx files -> which also has a direct path to the animation by name...

[Bellismydesi]

Not only this one, but also had to make a copy and modify the one with the same name in the characters folder. What I did:

• Copy meshes\actors\character\defaultfemale.hkx to MyDefaultFemale.hkx
  
• In MyDefaultFemale.hkx replace "DefaultFemale.hkx" by "MyDefltFemale.hkx" -- length of both filenames have to be IDENTICAL !!!
  
• Copy meshes\actors\character\characters female\DefaultFemale.hkx to MyDefltFemale.hkx
  
• In MyDefltFemale.hkx replace an existing Idle Animation with your new one -- length of both filenames have to be IDENTICAL !!!
  
• In CK: Create a new race (Copy of an existing one; set Morph Race and Armor Race)
  
• In CK: In your new race's "BodyData" -> "Behavior Graph" enter link of your new MyDefaultFemale.hkx (NOT the MyDefltFemale.hkx !!!)

I have tested this by adding a new NPC with my new custom race into the game, and changing "mt_idle.hkx" into "MY_Idle.hkx" in the new MyDefltFemale.hkx. Then I renamed a custom animation into "MY_Idle.hkx" and put it into meshes\actors\character\animations\female. Since this worked, I'm sure it will work with setRace as well. Somehow.

I've not tested with combat animations. Because I think those have more interactions with the behavior files, and will have more problems than simple idles.

This is basically what I've been doing, up to and including using same-length file names. I'm out the door atm, but when I get back I'll try looking back at what I had and seeing if there's some small thing you did that I neglected, or something I did that you skipped, perhaps.

The reason your new race character does not animate anything but the default idle is because you need to set up the Gameplay -> Animations -> Action to Anim Event Mapping, for a duplicate of the Character Actor this is going to take A LONG TIME as there are well over a thousand animations you need to map though you need not map all of the Idles except maybe the furniture idles if this is a PC only race.

I don't mind putting in a few hours of work on this, but I'm not sure how this is done. My new actor isn't even showing up in the Gameplay\Animations window, not sure how what I need to do to make that happen. Any advice?

[Laura Ellaby]

I don't mind putting in a few hours of work on this, but I'm not sure how this is done. My new actor isn't even showing up in the Gameplay\Animations window, not sure how what I need to do to make that happen. Any advice?

Oddly enough you have to create an actor that uses the new race before that will populate.

[Sheila Esmailka]

I think your registering a false positive as you completely missed changing the name of the animation within the event reference to the idle in the Behavior.hkx files -> which also has a direct path to the animation by name...

Definitely? I didn't find one pathed reference to the FEMALE mt_idle.hkx, only a lot of male ones. Which made me believe that these were used for other tasks. Like synchronization, blending with other animations (which in Oblivion always was done, but only based on bone priorities).

Ok, I will certainly have to test if I can make other anim events work, and with scripted invocations.

[Tyler F]

Oddly enough you have to create an actor that uses the new race before that will populate.

Weird. Alright, thanks.

[Sophie Miller]

I think your registering a false positive as you completely missed changing the name of the animation within the event reference to the idle in the Behavior.hkx files -> which also has a direct path to the animation by name...

No, I don't.

Now I tested a changed DB_AstridIdle.hkx, and did the setRace and SendAnimEvent(self, "IdleAstridEnter") by script. And it did work.

So I can say it's sufficient to change the name of the Idle in Characters female\defaultfemale.hkx.

But, Saiden, I'm still interested to understand how I can make your paired animations procedure work.

[Benito Martinez]

No, I don't.

Now I tested a changed DB_AstridIdle.hkx, and did the setRace and SendAnimEvent(self, "IdleAstridEnter") by script. And it did work.

So I can say it's sufficient to change the name of the Idle in Characters female\defaultfemale.hkx.

But, Saiden, I'm still interested to understand how I can make your paired animations procedure work.

Thats' very interesting -> must be some of the left over Male/Female automation introduced in FO3, might be useful for something later.