Trying to get "Idle" animation/pose

[Uxt]

Greetings, been playing EQ for many years, and I've been trying my hardest to export animations of models through many various means (ZoneConverter, EQ Model Viewer, PovImport, S3DSpy which doesn't work), but the best I can do is be able to export basic models splayed out in their usual "you make me move" pose.

To get a sense of what I'm trying to accomplish, using Delphi Zone Converter 1.2, looking into chequip and viewing HUM_ACTORDEF and selecting P01. Now I can save that in *.3mf, but danged if I can find anything that imports that type of file! I have 3DS Max 2010, Blender, and Bryce 7.1 (Bryce claims it can, but nothing happens)... it mystifies me. My ultimate goal is to get a 3D rendering of a human male (my first goal was a Qeynos Guard, but they're more or less the same without textures) and possibly get it printed.

Looking back into the forum's history, I've seen great accomplishments and attempts at exporting these animations, one notably from someone on YT showing hundreds of gnolls using their attack animation (can't find link, darnit), and the EQBrowser is just freaking amazing, though I can tell a lot of actions done there seem to be customized effort. But still, spot on! Love running about EC and Chuck-Norrising.

Here's what I mean in pictured form:



My ultimate reason for wanting to do this is a BAWWW personal story that I'll spare you all.

I have no experience in drafting, coding, whatever... but just looking into the threads here is a ton of brain training. George's Tools are just awesome, but S3DSpy refuses to work (Linux only?). If I have to export the human model without bones and such, I guess I'll just try to learn how to pose him correctly by learning, but I'm just trying to make sure there isn't already a method to save the time. And of course, there might be a "Sony no like, Sony smash" reason.

Oh, and with the other tools, I can finally get a bird's eye view of Qeynos. I plan on making a model (3 feet by... however long?) of the entire city. But that's another story, another dream. lol

Any advice or help appreciated.

[Uxt]

Well, I kept trying, and I found and isolated the animation files using S3DSpy. I've learned that .sph files hold the animations within them. I extracted L02_HUM.SPH and opened with notepad. It clearly shows points of animation. Tyen05 seemed to have been on the same path as I am, and stumped at the same spot - however, I have no clue how to make animations work. I renamed L02_HUM.SPK to XAF and 3DS Max seemed to read it, but nothing beyond that. I'm no cad designer.

Guess I'm going to learn how to "bend" the limbs into place. Thanks for reading anyway, folks.

[Uxt]

Interesting find, when I look into Animations I find the bones and attachments along with HUM_SPRITEDEF catalog, which seems to define movements or the actual posing/animation I'm looking for! Even a slowpoke such as myself has tried looking into files with Notepad to read 'em, and in such files extracted like P01_HUM.SPH has variables to bones called "HUMTH_R_TRACKDEF" (human model, right thigh bone).

I tried the whole day yesterday clunkering around P01_HUM.SPH and reading the numbers as if they were points or angles to move the limbs/bones into their default position (or in this case, the first animation frame). That was a hueg (not huge, HUEG) fail, unless my human guy wants a job at Cirque Du Soleil as a contortionist. ROFL

That ZoneConverter1.2 program is a piece of work... but why oh why does it export in .3mf? Nothing reads that crap. I have Bryce 7.1 and it won't import it. Nothing else reads it. WARGLBLARG. Exporting in .OBJ just gives a mass of jumbled crap, so I had to use EQModelViewer and export a human head and body seperately, then import both and merge them into one (exporting both head and body at the same time = MASS OF JUMBLED CRAP).

I'm just still working on my original dude, bending limbs to make the P01 pose I desire so much. Taking screenshots in-game like a photographer on meth, trying to get various angles of each limb so I can hopefully wrangle the one I have to match it. Know what would be awesome? If I could export the stickfigures model to my dude, and just be like "SNAP BONES TO THAT". lol

[Uxt]

Annnnd... BAM!



The hardest part was trying to figure out why the knees were so deformed. The bones connected just fine, but the skin was horrible. Had to detach the bones and slide the shins behind the thigh bones. Had to resize the legs because again, the shin bone skin (which I couldn't figure out how to edit) was the reason it was so deformed, so I had to enlarge the thighs a bit.

The way I did it: Went in-game, found an NPC with old models (Qeynos FTW), looked at their side and hailed. Screenshot as they look at me with the pose I wanted, then when they turned back to their position, I took another screenshot. Four screenshots, you get the idea.

Then I used OnScreenProtractor and used the angles to wrangle and wrench the limbs into place. Forearms needed to be rotated (as with the hands), feet as well.

Now I can start my dream of a populated Qeynos model.... just need to start working on the female models.

The bits and pieces you see are placements for shields, weapons, etc. that I never bothered to remove yet. Whatevers. Took me just a day, and I have no CAD experience AT ALL! I feel so proud.

[Tyen05]

Classic NPC/PC: models / textures / animations

https://github.com/eqbrowser/EQBrows...t/Assets/2-Art