I have some questions although I have no idea wether these are modelling or programming questions. In rpgs usually characters aquire items such as weapons or clothes, this manifest themselves on the character model. I wanted to know how this was accomplished. Any guidelines/tips/information would help. -How the cloth/armor and weapon models 'respond'(?)/work with the character model, apropriately. -How the character's skin/texture is modified/some of its parts are replaced(As when certain clothes are equipped). -Is there a way to display only a certain percentage of a model's animation(in game)? Speed it up or down? And if there is how are this things acomplished? Are there any tutorials/articles regarding this subjects? Thanks

Please don't double post, as its against forum rules.

Quote: I have some questions although I have no idea wether these are modelling or programming questions.

That depends on what you want to know. Do you want to know how to make models/animations? Or to write code so they all work together as they do in-game?

Quote: -How the cloth/armor and weapon models 'respond'(?)/work with the character model, apropriately.

Your character can only "respond" to new weapons or armor if there is an animation of them wielding it. So for example, if you have animations of your character running, jumping, dancing, but none of him wielding a sword, then he will never be able to "respond" like he has a sword (even if you did bind one to his hand).

Quote: -How the character's skin/texture is modified/some of its parts are replaced(As when certain clothes are equipped).
-Is there a way to display only a certain percentage of a model's animation(in game)? Speed it up or down? And if there is how are this things acomplished?

These are more programing oriented questions, try looking around the resource section under "Graphics" here on Gamedev, or asking around the Programming forum's.

Quote: Are there any tutorials/articles regarding this subjects?

Code wise your best bet is here on Gamedev, for making Models/animations try CGTalk, Polycount, or DeviantArt.

'That depends on what you want to know. Do you want to know how to make models/animations? Or to write code so they all work together as they do in-game?'

So they work together as they do in-game.

'Your character can only "respond" to new weapons or armor if there is an animation of them wielding it. So for example, if you have animations of your character running, jumping, dancing, but none of him wielding a sword, then he will never be able to "respond" like he has a sword (even if you did bind one to his hand).'

So all I have to do is create all the character animations? Then how is this 'binding' done? Although when it comes to an 'armor' model how is it made to follow/deform according to the character's skeleton/animations?


'These are more programing oriented questions, try looking around the resource section under "Graphics" here on Gamedev, or asking around the Programming forum's.'

Alright I'll do that.

Quote:

Quote: Your character can only "respond" to new weapons or armor if there is an animation of them wielding it. So for example, if you have animations of your character running, jumping, dancing, but none of him wielding a sword, then he will never be able to "respond" like he has a sword (even if you did bind one to his hand).

So all I have to do is create all the character animations? Then how is this 'binding' done? Although when it comes to an 'armor' model how is it made to follow/deform according to the character's skeleton/animations?

Yes, in order to do an action in game, there has to be an animation for it. Binding is usually done by the Animator/modeler before being integrated into the game, usually its done in Animation programs, but you can do it in some modelers that have animation support like Blender or Maya.

"Binding" involves attaching the Character Model to a wire-frame skeleton like this, its usually quite simple where you just highlight which parts of the model you want and hit the "bind" button (although this may vary depending on what animation program you use). As the wire-frame skeleton moves, the parts of the model connected to it move with it. So to bind say, a sword to your characters hand, you would attach it to the left-hand or right-hand point. You can see an example of what i mean Here.

With armor you'd just have to attach it to the related skeletal frame points (so for pants for example, you attach it to the Pelvis, left/right knee joints). How you arrange things like armor model wise can make things easier (like swapping heads on to different armor "bodies").

Ahh bones although I don't think you understood my question. This 'armor' and 'weapon' models wouldnt form part of the character model (he would by default be 'naked') until aquired(items). I understand you still have to make all the animations for him but how do you make an armor model work with the character model(For example once an armor item is aquired)?

Further example, like in most games when your character obteins an armor or the like it manifests itself on the character model. The armor model, though, follows(?)/deforms according to the character's animations, even though it doesnt form part of it.

Because it follows the hierarchy of it's parent model, or you swapped the parts out and made a new mesh with the new armor model.

If you have a naked base model, and he puts on clothes, you can either swap the sub meshes out and replace them with the clothed body parts, or you can just draw the clothes around the body. They are rigged to the skeleton, and will move correctly.

A sword or gun just attaches to the hand bone at run time, and will move along with the hand. It just floats near the hand. You can program this however you like.

Do you know any sites where I find more information on the procedure to acomplish this?

By the way which method do you recommend?