View source for Tutorial for adding characters

'''Eskarn's tutorial for adding characters'''

First off this is really easy to do once you know how.

What you will need is .

'''Maya (im using 2014)'''

'''XStoryPlayer 3.5'''

'''Always make sure you have the latest patch'''

'''Download the''' '[[Tutorial resource pack]]' '''using the account manager.'''

'''[https://www.dropbox.com/s/rsax8apw6q559oz/body.ini?dl=0 body.ini]''' '''THE BODY.INI IN THE TUTORIAL RESOURCE PACK WILL NOT WORK'''

'''YOU MUST USE THIS ONE'''

(optional your own character) 

'''[https://www.dropbox.com/s/lj8w05q1kru5w5k/Eskarn%27s%20adding%20a%20charater.pdf?dl=0 PDF VERSION]'''
PDF versions do not get updated as regularly 

If using your own character then adapt this to your needs.

Important notes

For your own character all the internals need to be apart of the model look inside this test model for a reference

The textures used MUST be stated in the body ini and every textures in the ini MUST be used or you will get

Cannot convert Maya file '../pack/pack_character/sources/scenes/char_new/body.ma' : characterShape Char.rd.render.elem[0].lod[0] og count mismatch, in file



<syntaxhighlight lang="cpp">

render_skin
  { 
    elem[0]
    {
      alpha_depth_write = false;

      lod[0]
      {
        mesh = "bodyShape";

        og[0]
        {
          shader = "AA_body";
        }

         og[1]
        {
          shader = "AA_face";
        }
        
        og[2]
        {
          shader = "AA_eyelid";
        }
        
        og[3]
        {
          shader = "AA_genitals";
        }

      }
	</syntaxhighlight>  
	  
The bone Coll's are used for ground and other solid object collisions. 

The skin collisions are what interacts with fluids.
The skin collisions are very expensive this is why we can only have a few characters in the game if you want to have prop characters that the player does not interact with then do not use skin coliders.




	  
You will have to adjust the bone weights for it to look proper
	  
Iv never touched Maya's rigging, boning or skinning system so up to you to find the tutorial on how to do that if you don't know.
	  
There is a way to export the current weights off a model and import them to the bodymesh but i doubt the bones will be the same as this rig but if you want to do it look at this tutorial.


We are going to be using.
TutorialResourcePack > 3. Advanced Modding > 1.Creating character > 2.Deriving new character from template character > pack_character

So place pack_character inside your pack folder and go to
pack_character\sources\scenes

Then make a folder called "char_new"

Next copy the body.ma from char_new Step 1 into "char_new"
Also copy the body.ini you downloaded from dropbox into the "char_new" folder
Then for the textures go to
pack_character\sources\scenes\textures

Rename the "model" folder to "char_new"

Also go to
1.Installing template character > pack_character > sources > scenes > textures > char_template
and copy eye_shine.png to the "char_new" texture folder

Then open body.ma in "char_new"

You got a pretty rig with teeth and eyes.

[[File:Esk_Chartut_baseskele.jpg]]


Next is to get the character in.

file > import 

[[File:Esk_Chartut_Import.jpg]]

Under namespace options untick use namespaces and change resolve to clashing nodes.

[[File:Esk_Chartut_Importsettings.jpg]]


Then import.

pack_character\sources\scenes\model\body.ma

Rename body2 to body

[[File:Esk_Chartut_BodyRename.jpg]]


We now need to change a few textures 

Window > Rendering Editors > Hypershade

[[File:Esk_Chartut_Hypershade.jpg]]



Find AA_eyes and click the arrow in the box on color 


[[File:Esk_Chartut_EyesColor.jpg]]

Then change the texture to eye_diffuse_blue.jpg in the char_new texture folder.

[[File:Esk_Chartut_EyesColorChange.jpg]]

AA_eyes2 change the reflected colour to the eye_shine.jpg in our char_new texture folder


[[File:Esk_Chartut_EyesColor2.jpg]]

Now we can rotate/move the joints so the new model has correct joints.
Make sure you do not translate the joints when they can be rotated. Rotate the joints instead. Or use the joint orient to rotate them (if the rotation is locked).
Only translate them to make the joints longer.
Use 'X-Ray Joints' to view them better through the body. Use different views (top,front,side) to get a good view of the joint positions.

[[File:Esk_Chartut_Xray.jpg]]

Use the original model joint hierarchy for reference on where to position the joints.
Do not rotate or move the root_joint! Move the body instead.

After you have the bones in the right spot.

You want to do is delete mariashapecluster.
The pre exsisting rig and skin.
Select the modelWindow > Hypergraph : Connections

[[File:Esk_Chartut_Hypergraph.jpg]]

[[File:Esk_Chartut_HypergraphInside.jpg]]
Find the mariashapecluster and delete it and exit the Hypergraph

Then delete root_joint2.

[[File:Esk_Chartut_Root2.jpg]]

Now bind the model body mesh to the root_joint hierarchy. 

Select the mesh and the root_joint and go soft bind.


[[File:Esk_Chartut_Smoothbind.jpg]]

Once this is done the model should have a new skincluster.

[[File:Esk_Chartut_SkinCluster.jpg]]

Rotate the joints to check that the body is binded.

Position the eyes. They are constrained, so the way to move them is by adjusting the pivot. Press [INSERT] (go into pivot mode) and then move them (using translate tool).
All constrained objects like the eyes and the bone colliders can be moved this way.
Also adjust the teeth. They are not constrained so you can use the translation tool directly to move them.

After all this is done we can test to see if the model works.

Well almost we need to make one change so the character is not black
We need to disable receiving shadows

For the render stats on is off and off is on
so cast shadows is on
receive shadows is off
motion blur is ambient occlusion and that's on
With these settings your character wont be dark

[[File:Esk_Chartut_Renderstats.jpg]]



Grab the filemaker's start ini from char_new Step 7 and drop it in your filemaker folder in the root directory.
XStoryPlayer 3.5\filemaker

Best to make a backup of your current one.

Run the filemaker and it should compile all the textures and be happy.

Now we need to see if it worked ingame.

Go back to
1.Installing template character
and copy the testini to the root folder.

Then open the settings.ini.
(backup the settings.ini if you want)

And add/replace the following.
<syntaxhighlight lang="cpp">
runtime
{
  start_mode   = TEST;
 
  debug_sys    = BASIC;
  debug_render = NONE;
  debug_phys   = NONE;
  debug_brain  = ENABLED;
 
  // Use this directory as second pack directory
  // (The pack_test.bin is used as primary pack)
  pack2        = "pack/pack_character";
 
  save_key     = "";
}
 
// Run this file in test mode
#define VIDEO_PATH "video"
#define FAST_NAME "master"
#define TEST_RUN "run_char.ini"
</syntaxhighlight>



After that has been done go into the testini folder and open up run_char.ini.
Then change   name_obj  = "scenes/char_template";  to be   name_obj  = "scenes/char_new";

Then run XStoryPlayer.exe and you should have your character standing in front of you for better or worse

There ya have it I'm using the step 7 body.ma because i don't want to have to adjust the skin weights
so yours may look a bit wrong but that's the basics of adding a character

The dark model issue is fixed by turning receive shadows off (see above)

[[File:Esk_Chartut_Final2.jpg]]

I will be updating this after i figure out more about the skin collisions and how to get it into a story