Thanks, both of you! As for making the models, well I've always had an artistic flare but as far as game models (kitbashing anyway) go I think it's just practice, I did a few back in my Warcraft 3 days so I'm already familiar with some things I can apply to StarCraft II :)
Edit: Good news! My Kani's Models asset has been approved!
Ok well the gunbat has certainly lived up to his potential. It's pretty freaking awesome. 1 issue. I'm not sure if it has to do with his emissive texture or any emissive lighting that may have been aded with the modeling but he has a nasty bug. On the areas he has custom textures (everything but his guns) when he turns around it turns blue. I attached an image below of it. Other then that this guys is beastly.
Huh... I'll look into that :S Thanks for reporting it! Though, I've not added any lighting to my knowledge...
Edit: From your picture it seems like it's switching off the shading... problem is I'm not able to recreate the above screenied bug in my editor.... is anyone else able to recreate/experience this bug and if so, does anyone have any ideas?
Make sure you have transformation reset on the model before you skin it. Just a thing to check. I don't know if normal are taken under consideration when calculating specular (it should) but maybe it's something to look there.
In the same menu where you have the M3 scripts, the one with a hammer, you have an option Reset X-Form. It resets all the transformations to default. The scale and rotation is the important ones. If you rotated your model in any way before skinning it may show up in the editor as somehow flawed model.
Right click on the rotate mode icon with the model selected and see if it's [0,0,0], for the scale it should be [100,100,100]
I don't know if it will help but if you think of doing your custom models you should always take that into consideration :)
I had an issue with a reaction to the light: looked like all surfaces of the model faced only one direction, so the whole model was either warm sunny or cold shady, depending on it's rotation angle. And I fixed it by removing something rotation related, so each surface gained the orientation dictated by its normal.
Thanks, I'll look into it. And I've always wondered what Reset X-Form did heh (I've seen the button but like 95% of Max I don't really know what it does)
The tricky part is I can't recreate this bug so I'll have to rely on others to tell me if anything I do fixes it heh.
Edit: Could it also be I need to completely reskin (as in rebinding to bones) the model as I removed some parts of it? When I was making it I deleted the flamethrower arms on the Firebat but was able to leave the Skin Modifier as it didn't flip out like it sometimes does if you remove things, in Max anyway.
I didn't know about that initial orientation thingy that Zolden linked. So you may try that first. The resetXform needs you to convert to editable mesh so reskin in a must.
Unfortunately, I don't have 3ds max here, so can't redo this to remember the exact sequence of actions. But hope I remember it right.
You don't need to reskin to fix that thing. But it may require a little trick. You need to create a dummy bone, then select all your meshes and go to Animation->Create Orientation Dependency (or something like this) and click that dummy bone. Then go to Motion Tab->Orientation List and remove both entries, Euia XYZ and the dependency link. And then finally remove the dummy bone.
Why do you need to create orientation dependency to that dummy bone? Because when you select the mesh, its orientation list may be empty. I'm not sure, but looks like the initial orientation is implicitly present, but can't be removed. And one of the ways to show it as an entry in the orientation list is to create an orientation dependency.
All this stuff may not work for you, because in my case I didn't use the normal map, and relied on the normals of surfaces. You probably use them, so, I'm not sure what will happen. But it worth a try.
Hmm well in answer to various questions, it doesn't seem like the model's been rotated at any point, as when I right clicked rotate it shows as all 0s.. I also work in Edit Mesh out of habit from my WC3 days.
Though Zolden, your post has got me wondering. You see for the texture for the Juggernaught, I only edited the diffuse and emissive textures of the Firebat, and so currently it's still using the Firebat... normal... map...
I'm going to check myself Jack, but I'm guessing your test map doesn't have campaign dependancies? I'm an idiot, the Firebat normal maps are only in the campaign, therefore a map without campaign dependancies won't be able to find a normal map which might result in the bug shown. Ok, going to make copies of the firebat maps I didn't edit and make the Juggernaught use those, then I'll upload it. Hopefully that'll fix the problem!
Edit: That could also explain why the Juggernaught looks much darker in your non blue screenshot than it does on my computer as (correct me if I'm wrong) Normal maps control how lights effect the material.
Edit2: Ok Jack, I checked your map and it's as I suspected. Now, let's fix those maps...
Edit3: Ok! That was the problem. That'll teach me to check if my models are using campaign dependancies in the future!
I've submitted a fixed version which is just awaiting approval :)
So, here's something else I'm working on (don't worry, I've not abandoned the Engineer, I just tend to flit from one thing to another ), recreating the scrapped Protoss concept unit the Adept.
Basically it's a Protoss infantry ranged unit who attacks by throwing his shield (Captain Antioch!). I decided to give making him a go after noticing how much his concept resembled the Preserver model - I suspect the Preserver recycled the Adept model in fact, especially how well the animations work with this setup, though will need some tweaks for clipping issues.
Oh, the psi blade and the shield are team coloured, with a decal in the middle of the shield. I'm also considering giving him melee animations (like the Hydralisk has) given he has a nice melee blade there.
The other thing I've been working on is something for Soulfilcher's Heaven's Devil Takedown map - the Kel Morian Sloth. A modified Earth-mover equipped with cannons and extra armour. It's still VERY early WIP (for example, the flatbed part will be replaced)
Whether or not I release this model publically is up to Soulfilcher.
My god I love you... Those are so bad ass I can't wait I think I just got a new hero for my campagin. But when you use him can you release a version without the shield and the shield seperately so we can have him throw the shield.
@JacktheArcher: Go
@SoulFilcher: Go
Thanks, both of you! As for making the models, well I've always had an artistic flare but as far as game models (kitbashing anyway) go I think it's just practice, I did a few back in my Warcraft 3 days so I'm already familiar with some things I can apply to StarCraft II :)
Edit: Good news! My Kani's Models asset has been approved!
Ok well the gunbat has certainly lived up to his potential. It's pretty freaking awesome. 1 issue. I'm not sure if it has to do with his emissive texture or any emissive lighting that may have been aded with the modeling but he has a nasty bug. On the areas he has custom textures (everything but his guns) when he turns around it turns blue. I attached an image below of it. Other then that this guys is beastly.
@JacktheArcher: Go
Huh... I'll look into that :S Thanks for reporting it! Though, I've not added any lighting to my knowledge...
Edit: From your picture it seems like it's switching off the shading... problem is I'm not able to recreate the above screenied bug in my editor.... is anyone else able to recreate/experience this bug and if so, does anyone have any ideas?
@Kanitala: Go
Make sure you have transformation reset on the model before you skin it. Just a thing to check. I don't know if normal are taken under consideration when calculating specular (it should) but maybe it's something to look there.
@Kanitala: Go
Ok heres the map I used. I had just replaced the ground viking with him so I could get a good feel for him. Though I doubt that's what caused this.
@Leruster: Go
Sorry, I'm not sure what you mean by transformation reset?
@Kanitala: Go
In the same menu where you have the M3 scripts, the one with a hammer, you have an option Reset X-Form. It resets all the transformations to default. The scale and rotation is the important ones. If you rotated your model in any way before skinning it may show up in the editor as somehow flawed model.
Right click on the rotate mode icon with the model selected and see if it's [0,0,0], for the scale it should be [100,100,100]
I don't know if it will help but if you think of doing your custom models you should always take that into consideration :)
I had an issue with a reaction to the light: looked like all surfaces of the model faced only one direction, so the whole model was either warm sunny or cold shady, depending on it's rotation angle. And I fixed it by removing something rotation related, so each surface gained the orientation dictated by its normal.
@Zolden: Go
That's the same thing :D
@Leruster: Go
Thanks, I'll look into it. And I've always wondered what Reset X-Form did heh (I've seen the button but like 95% of Max I don't really know what it does)
The tricky part is I can't recreate this bug so I'll have to rely on others to tell me if anything I do fixes it heh.
Edit: Could it also be I need to completely reskin (as in rebinding to bones) the model as I removed some parts of it? When I was making it I deleted the flamethrower arms on the Firebat but was able to leave the Skin Modifier as it didn't flip out like it sometimes does if you remove things, in Max anyway.
@Kanitala: Go
I didn't know about that initial orientation thingy that Zolden linked. So you may try that first. The resetXform needs you to convert to editable mesh so reskin in a must.
@JacktheArcher: Go
if I delete the Normal map is good
@Kanitala: Go
Unfortunately, I don't have 3ds max here, so can't redo this to remember the exact sequence of actions. But hope I remember it right.
You don't need to reskin to fix that thing. But it may require a little trick. You need to create a dummy bone, then select all your meshes and go to Animation->Create Orientation Dependency (or something like this) and click that dummy bone. Then go to Motion Tab->Orientation List and remove both entries, Euia XYZ and the dependency link. And then finally remove the dummy bone.
Why do you need to create orientation dependency to that dummy bone? Because when you select the mesh, its orientation list may be empty. I'm not sure, but looks like the initial orientation is implicitly present, but can't be removed. And one of the ways to show it as an entry in the orientation list is to create an orientation dependency.
All this stuff may not work for you, because in my case I didn't use the normal map, and relied on the normals of surfaces. You probably use them, so, I'm not sure what will happen. But it worth a try.
Hmm well in answer to various questions, it doesn't seem like the model's been rotated at any point, as when I right clicked rotate it shows as all 0s.. I also work in Edit Mesh out of habit from my WC3 days.
Though Zolden, your post has got me wondering. You see for the texture for the Juggernaught, I only edited the diffuse and emissive textures of the Firebat, and so currently it's still using the Firebat... normal... map...
I'm going to check myself Jack, but I'm guessing your test map doesn't have campaign dependancies? I'm an idiot, the Firebat normal maps are only in the campaign, therefore a map without campaign dependancies won't be able to find a normal map which might result in the bug shown. Ok, going to make copies of the firebat maps I didn't edit and make the Juggernaught use those, then I'll upload it. Hopefully that'll fix the problem!
Edit: That could also explain why the Juggernaught looks much darker in your non blue screenshot than it does on my computer as (correct me if I'm wrong) Normal maps control how lights effect the material.
Edit2: Ok Jack, I checked your map and it's as I suspected. Now, let's fix those maps...
Edit3: Ok! That was the problem. That'll teach me to check if my models are using campaign dependancies in the future!
I've submitted a fixed version which is just awaiting approval :)
@Kanitala: Go
oooo ok that totally explains it. Glad you figured it all out thanks for the fix.
@JacktheArcher: Go
No problem :)
you can do something for my Mod of SC1/BW?
@Zarxiel93: Go
My time and mood to work on these things is sporadic, so I'm afraid I'm not in a position at the moment to join any mod teams or suchlike. Sorry.
So, here's something else I'm working on (don't worry, I've not abandoned the Engineer, I just tend to flit from one thing to another ), recreating the scrapped Protoss concept unit the Adept. Basically it's a Protoss infantry ranged unit who attacks by throwing his shield (Captain Antioch!). I decided to give making him a go after noticing how much his concept resembled the Preserver model - I suspect the Preserver recycled the Adept model in fact, especially how well the animations work with this setup, though will need some tweaks for clipping issues. Oh, the psi blade and the shield are team coloured, with a decal in the middle of the shield. I'm also considering giving him melee animations (like the Hydralisk has) given he has a nice melee blade there.
The other thing I've been working on is something for Soulfilcher's Heaven's Devil Takedown map - the Kel Morian Sloth. A modified Earth-mover equipped with cannons and extra armour. It's still VERY early WIP (for example, the flatbed part will be replaced) Whether or not I release this model publically is up to Soulfilcher.
@Kanitala: Go
My god I love you... Those are so bad ass I can't wait I think I just got a new hero for my campagin. But when you use him can you release a version without the shield and the shield seperately so we can have him throw the shield.