Clerks in the Avenger

[kexx456]

Hello all!

 

Inside DefaultContent.ini, I've been able to switch what pawns every unit in the game takes. Civilians, VIPS, Scientists, Engineers, Faceless Civilians, etc. My goal was to change the appearance of them all, and by doing so I've been able select each torso, arms, and legs for them, so I have more options.

 

Except for Avenger Clerks. As it states in the file, Clerks use a mesh that includes arms and legs onto the torso, for better performance. But this limits the appearance I want to change. In the previous unit examples, just by simply ini-changing their pawn from civilian to soldier, or sometimes not even, but just adding torso, arms, and leg lines would do the trick. But by doing so for the Avenger Clerks, all it results in are floating heads with torsos, no arms and no legs. I get why, since they want a torso that includes these. But that's not what I want.

 

All I've managed has been to use the Resistance Warrior Kevlar Armor options for them, and it looks great. But it works because the torsos from those DLC items are the fullbody mesh, and not split into parts.

 

My question/request/plead for help is: How can I change the game, and make the Avenger crew us soldier or 3 part body meshes instead? Is there some code (I assume so) that basically tells the game: "For the Avenger, use clerk pawns, not soldier pawns", so that I can easily change it? Or maybe it isn't easy, but at least feasable?

 

For my skills, all I know is how to tweak ini's, and add/swap textures, tattoos, facepaints, patterns. But I'm more than willing to dive into what needs to be done to learn.

 

Thank you to all who read and can help!

 

PS: This might also help further along the line, but changing or adding new animations for the crew in the Avenger. I'd like some to be slouching on the couch, or passed out on the bar, or contemplating the memorial wall, etc.

[Hyperplexed]

Thats because the underlay parts lack the animation which allows them to play properly, you'll have to re-do the arc if you want, and add a proper animation to it, like all other torsos archetypes have. You need to get into the editor, create a new package, dupilcate the Archetype you want to edit and put it in the new package, and on the "Unit Pawn Default Anim Sets" specify what animation should be using, like AnimSet'SldCnvMed_Std.Anims.AS_SldCnv_Med_Std_Torso_D_M'. Then, save the package and point the content part to the arc you want to use.

 

These animations exist mainly to offset weapon sockets from the mesh, otherwise they would be clipping or floating too much when using different outfits. However, these anims are also Additive, so they play a crucial part in setting up the bones they influence, and thats why it also affects the heads. It doesnt affect normal soldiers, because they have other animations being specified into them that puts the head in a "normal" state

Edited May 17, 2016 by Hyperplexed

[kexx456]

Hi Hyperplexed,

 

Thanks for the prompt response! Sadly, a lot of what you state flew over my head.

 

If I'm understanding right, Clerks were underlays. They sit at the bar, do push ups or pull ups, or torch and fix the Skyranger, etc. When I replaced their appearance into the Resistance Warrior Pack, they all still do these exact same animations, just dressed in those clothes.

 

I went into the editor and see if I could make some sense of what you're telling me. The resistance warrior meshes, have under Unit Pawn Anim Set: a Resistance Warrior Set. Checked the Underlay Archetypes, different story. There's arms, legs, torsos, and full. Full and Torso, have the option, but it's currently at None. Arms and Legs archetypes don't even have the Unit Pawn Anim Set option.

 

If I'm understanding you correctly, you're telling me that I can't add for example, Powered Armors to my Clerks, because the Power Armor Archetypes don't have these "Clerk" animations, sitting, drinking, pushups, etc? If that's the case, then I don't think that's right. Just for testing purposes right now, I changed:

 

BodyPartTemplateConfig=(PartType="Torso", TemplateName="Clerk_Std_A_F", ArchetypeName="SldCnvUnderlay_Std_GD.ARC_SldCnvUnderlay_Std_Full_F", Gender=eGender_Female, bVeteran=false, ArmorTemplate="", CharacterTemplate="Clerk")

 

Into:

BodyPartTemplateConfig=(PartType="Torso", TemplateName="Clerk_Std_A_F", ArchetypeName="SldPwrMed_Std_GD.ARC_SldPwrMed_Std_Torsos_A_1_F", Gender=eGender_feMale, bVeteran=false, ArmorTemplate="", CharacterTemplate="Clerk")

And commented out the previous one (with a ; ), and it worked. I have the powered armors doing push ups, torching the skyranger, walking and sitting in the Hologlobe Bridge. They just don't have arms or legs. Heads work, Torsos work.

 

Maybe I'm understanding this wrong?

Edited May 17, 2016 by kexx456

[Hyperplexed]

you're undertsanding it patially wrong, partially right

 

Anim Sets are only specified in the Torso Part Archetypes (XComTorsoContent). These are just uh... how can I explain it... "libraries"... they are just loose variables that fit no purpose other than getting their value on the scripts. The decidion to set this variable in the torsos, was made by Firaxis, it could be done on any other part (although it makes sense, since a Torso is probably more relevant than arms and/or legs). So regardless of what you have, this Anim Set must be somehow specified, so, we can do it via the Torso parts. However, these are juust a concept if you will. Nothing stops me from using a legs mesh or even a full body mesh on a torso part, the engine doesnt really care if the mesh you're loading is actually a full body mesh or not. Armor meshes, as you are most likely aware, are "cutout" in 3 different parts... torso, arms and legs. Everything that may be equipable by soldiers, have been cut that way, for obvious reasons. The underlay is cut on 3 parts because the underlay is part of the Conventional (1rst tier) armor set. It just happens that the underlay itself, is also the full body outfit for clerks, so you'll find 2 versions of it: one that is a full body mesh and one that is cut in parts.

 

No, choosing a different part wont completely wipe out the animations from them. Anim Sets are collections of Animations, and each pawn can have an infinite (?) number of Anim Sets. Animations themselves, are controlled via Anim Trees and Matinees, which are a more complex and different subject, But, they only control! If a pawn lacks a certain (that is expected) Animation from an Anim Set, the Anim Tree and Matinee won't be able to use them.

 

In order for you to be able to customize your clerks as you wish, you have these options:

 

1. Edit scripts so that the game can allow you to actual customize engineers/scientists/clerks as soldiers... this will require some extensive changes to a certain degree, depending on how you want to do it. For example, you could, through a Screen Listener, when the Armory Personnel menu is up, change the Unit bool temporarily to set them as soldiers, which would then fully allow any customiztion option as soldiers have. This is probably way to complex for you to handle for now

 

2. Edit the Torso Archetype, so that you can specify what Anim Set should have loaded (this is what I replied to, to fix the head gone wild issue)

 

3. If you want to use different split out parts (torso, arms, legs) you'll have to bring them together by using a 3D app like 3DS Max, Maya or Blender and export/import them as a new asset

 

4. It might be possible (I havent tested it) that you can also add more than one part using more mesh components on the pawns themselves, manually. But, this will be a fairly limited option and I can forsee a whole lot of issues happening if you would choose to do so, I dont recommend it

[kexx456]

Thanks for the response.

 

Yeah, seems like a bit of work that's out of my league. Currently, though. I'm reading up and testing around with lots of stuff, so hopefully I'll get it. I think option 1 is the most directly dealing with the issue.

 

I'm still confused by option 2. Don't understand how changing what animation sets the pawn will use, correlate to what skeletal meshes the pawn uses, whether full body, or 3 parts. Option 3 is also viable, currently also learning blender, but having tons of issues already with importing. Haven't succeeded once yet, but this one might also work.

 

Option 4, well, if you don't recommend it, I'll stay away. Just curious though, when you say add more parts on the pawns themselves, what, or rather, where, do you mean? INI's? upk? modelling software? Modbuddy? I'm completely lost.

[Hyperplexed]

I just dont get one thing, if you are doing only INI edits, why arent you going with option 2? that fits exactly what you're doing. Option 1 is by far the most complex one, if you choose to do so, you're aiming at the stars. This is a step by step of what you must do for option 2 and 3:

 

First part - XCOM2 Editor Export

1. Open XCOM2 Editor

2. Find the meshes that are 3 parts that go together, and exportthem as FBX

 

Second Part - Blender Import

3. Use blender 2.72 at least

4. Import all 3 meshes with these options selected: On the Armatures, make sure everything is deselected

5. Selected every every single mesh individually, press ALT+P, unparent and keep transforms

6. Remove the armature Modifiers from 2 of the meshes

7. Select all 3 meshes, but make sure to select by last the mesh on which you did not removed the modifier from

8. Hit CTRL+J, will join all 3 meshes and keep them parented to only one skeleton/armature. Delete the other armatures no longer needed. WARNING: when importing these FBXs to blender it will create a "fake" object that parents the skeleton. Delete these aswell, but leave the one that is parenting the skeleton you are keeping! while we dont need it to export, you will regret in the future to have deleted this object in case you want to edit animations!!!

9. You sould only have 3 objects now:

----- The Parent "fake" object.

---------- The armature/Skeleton (Its important to keep its name as "Root")

---------------The mesh (name is irrelevant)

10. Select ONLY the Skeleton and Mesh. DO NOT SELECT THE "FAKE" OBJECT

11. Export using these settings:

- Main: Check Selected Object, and select only Armature and Mesh (not required if you did exactly as I told you to, but do it incase you have other unwanted objects in your scene)

- Geometries: uncheck Apply Modifiers, Smoothing: Faces, check Tangent Space

- Armatures: Uncheck everything

- Animation: Uncheck everything

 

Third Part - Back to the Editor

12. Start by finding a mesh to duplicate (I would use the Torso you just exported to get to Blender) right click and create a copy. Name the package something meaningful, group is just for organization purposes but usually these are used: SkeletalMeshes, Textures, Materials, etc...

13. Right click on the duplicated SkeletalMesh, and select Re-Import, and point it to the FBX you exported from Blender. next dialog box, just press ok

14. This will be a good moment to save although not required, just save it wherever, you can also save it already on your mod's Content folder

15. Now... these are some best practices:

- Keep UPKs... small-ish... By this I mean, don't start cluttering the same UPK with dozens of assets, the smaller they are the better, and also, keep it with the content they have in mind.

- Don't put Archetypes and assets together on the same UPK

16. Now we need to find an Archetype to duplicate, just go look for the anything that is XComTorsoContent, it will do just fine! Duplicate it as you have done with the mesh, BUT put it in a new package, and I would use the same nomenclature as Firaxis, appending a _GD to the end (GameData). VERY IMPORTANT!!! DON'T PUT ARCHETYPES IN GROUPS, LEAVE IT EMPTY!!!!

17. Open the Archetype, pick up the mesh you imported, select any texture override required, and any armor/socket specific animation. In doubt, open a torso archetype that uses a mesh that mostly represents the same volume as the one you are using, usually you will want to check the torso you exported/imported and select the anim there. NOTE. when inputing data on UDK you will very frequently find 3 little icons: Green arrow: This will fill in the the variable/property with whatever is selected on the Content Browser // Magnifying Glass does the opposite, looks for the reference already specified in the Content Browser. White Square: empties the value. I usually open the original archetype, click on the magnifying glass first to find the asset, and next I'll go to the new archetype and press the green arrow.

18. Save your _GD

 

Now lets say your package was called Poop_GD, and the Archetype was called ARC_Poop_M, on the INI you must use Poop_GD.ARC_Poop_M

[kexx456]

Holy crap, I'm speechless. This is so much more than I could've wanted. Thank you so much for the detailed step by step!!!! You're amazing!! So generous and helpful, thanks, really.

 

Ok, I will follow this guide and see what the results are. The good news is, almost all of it makes sense to me. The little I've dabbed in Blender, and the numerous experiments I've done for creating tattoos, patterns and facepaints, as well as other tests, has given me the knowledge on how to navigate and edit the content browser and change stuff in there.

 

Stuff I've done in the past is completely opposite of what you state here, which is probably why I had such a hard time getting them to work, like putting archetypes in groups called archetypes, putting the archetypes and meshes and textures and materials all in the same upk, etc. Lol. I'm confident this will now take a turn for the better!

 

Once again, thank you so much, and I'll report back asap with results!!

[kexx456]

Hi!

 

Ok, so I started, and got stuck.

 

2.6: Delete Armature Modifiers. I don't know how to do this. What I did notice was that once I Alt+P each mesh, on the top right... "timeline I guess, don't know what it's called", where I have a list of elements, I have Scene, RenderLayers, World, Camera, Lamp, and my Meshes. Once I did the unparent step, each mesh got, either separated or duplicated or something, but in this window, another element appeared. I'm guessing here is where I have to select one, and look for a way to delete these armature modifiers, but I couldn't find them.

 

2.8. the Fake Object parent. Can't find this either. Even if it's invisible, wouldn't it appear or be labeled somehow somewhere?

 

I'll stop there. I did the rest and what I got was a T-positioned mesh for each clerk, where the heads animated but the bodies remained in T. I'm hoping/guessing it's something to do with the armature stuff in blender before.

 

Can I delete the armatures of the 2 parts first/instead of deleting their modifiers first?

[Hyperplexed]

yes there is no specific order to delete the armatures or modifiers, in fact you dont even need to clean up the modifiers since there is no armature referenced on the modifier if you delete it. If you are getting T-Pose, its because you are not following my steps. to fix it, select the mesh, followed by the armature, and press CTRL+P And parent it with bone deforms.

[kexx456]

I believe I've gotten working... Further testing is required, but it's late and I gotta get some sleep!

 

Still though, I think I'm close, and I can't thank you enough!!!