NieaV

I rigged up the 10mm using the reload KF as my ref and tried to animate a reload for the 10mm. I exported using the Gamebyro exporter as well as the NifTools one. The animation does not show up ingame. Either the gun doesn't move or it disappears depending on the exporter used. I will have to take the above posters info in to account and re-try! Also, does anyone know how the first person camera wobble is animated? What files those are stored in?

I imported the 1st person skeleton (and applied body and 1st person hand meshes + their skin mod data). When I imported it, a camera was created (I assumed the Niftools importer created it) but it was aimed down at the ground. I rotated it 90 degrees so it was facing ahead. I have imported a weapon and animations on to the skeleton and watched the anims with the camera and it seems to match up with the ingame visuals. In regards to iron sights I think there is a bone (node) that one needs to place so the camera changes to that node or something.

Here are the pictures I promised: http://img815.imageshack.us/img815/1409/fonvrig1a.jpg -Uses IK for arms. -Controller for hand placement and rotation are integrated and the hand's rotation is independent of IK. -Has bones exposed in the hand for animating fingers. -Has controllers for shoulders and upper spine. -Uses mostly constraints so the hierarchy of the skeleton bones is untouched. -Mesh applied to skeleton to aid in animation (I used a female one as I am a female). -Camera set where head is and set to 75 FOV Basically made really simple and hard to break. Im not sure if it exports appropriately... if anyone has experience in this sort of thing I would appreciate it if they could take a look at it.

If you own both games where is the problem in proceeding with such a objective?

I have heard about the limited slots problem... it doesn't concern me much. I am not looking to add a slew of new weapons, just replace the default weapons with higher quality/better weapon choices. As a result, all I need to do is animate the animations associated with the 9mm for example if I wanted to replace it with a Luger or something. I guess there is something awry with your importing process because I was able to import the skeleton, meshes, texture data, and skins modifier without a problem. I was also able to rig up the skeleton with a simple and intuitive controller system that does not change the hierarchy of the skeleton and changes the kinematics to IK (while preserving the hand orientation). This results in a easy to use skeleton and it shouldn't be harder than using my Source engine rig in regards to animation and posing. I have reasoned out this work flow for creating the animations: -Rig body and weapon skeleton -Attatch weapon to body gun bone, set up idle pose -For anims where only the body skeleton moves (idles, draw) I will hide the weapon skeleton and mesh, and export. -For anims where both move, I will hide export, unhide, and repeat vice versa. Ill post pictures of the rig in max when I get home.

Does anyone know if the Gamebyro 3ds exporter will work? Also, if I use Niftools to import human skeleton, can I just rig it up and use it for the animation? What bones are weapons supposed to have?

Yeah I made those. I have made a new set of HL2 pistol animations that are a large improvement I have just been too lazy to release them. Most of my work was for CSS so I'm surprised you mention those haha. I don't mind that I can only replace existing animations. What I want to know about is process by which this is accomplished: what is the content creation pipeline, plug ins needed, information regarding rigging, limitations of the exporter. I can't really find a single source for this information which is why I'm asking. Can I even do this with 3DS Max?

Basically I animate weapons (usually 1st person type) for source engine games (my work is under Zoidberg or Strangelove aliases). I want to get back in to it again because Fallout 3 and NV have extremely bad animations and it bugs me to death. My preferred program is 3ds Max 2010 and I am curious if there is a pipeline in place for exporting animated assets in to the engine. I know how to create my own rigs as well so no worries about a lack of existing ones. Any info is appreciated! -Niea