How to get a Blender model in Jedi Academy?

[bigphil2695]

I just started learning blender, and was wondering how you get a model from Blender to JKA. I'm learning how to animate a model, but are there specific steps to wiring a model for JKA? If there is another more in depth thread on this I'd love to see it

[Ramikad]

Essentially you have to make sure that every piece of the model is attached hierarchically to another (Parent - I recommend you to take a look at the various JA models for a clearer idea of the hierarchy), then add an Armature modifier named skin to all new objects, setting skeleton_root as Object. You'll also have to add Ghoul 2 Properties in Object and give each piece a name - the name you'll use at the end for the .skin file. Once done, you'll have to mess with Object Data, and add Vertex Groups named after the bones themselves (for example, for the head, cervical, cranium, jaw). At this point all you have to do is weight the model pieces to the bones you defined in Vertex Groups, which can either be done manually, by selecting groups of vertices, selecting the desired Vertex Group and Assign or Remove the Weight (ranging from 0 to 1), or you can paint the weights in the Weight Paint mode, by selecting the Vertex Group of the bone and slapping it over the model piece. There are other ways to weight a model, like using Envelopes, but I haven't really tried them.

Rinse and repeat for every model piece, and don't forget about Tags - which you can really just port from any base JA model. If every model piece is weighted correctly, if the ghoul2 properties are set correctly, if the hierarchy is correct, you should be able to export and use it in-game just fine.

If it doesn't show up fine, generally re-importing the exported model helps you pinpoint the exact problems and oversights.

This is pretty much it, essentially replicating how the base JA models work, or at least how they're rigged once imported in Blender. Let me know if you have any more questions.

[mrwonko]

You'll need the Blender Ghoul 2 plugin to be able to import and export models. Unpack your asset PK3s and import one of the existing player models to see how they work, and read the PDF manual (though some of the restrictions mentioned in it no longer apply in that version).

[bigphil2695]

Thanks both

[bigphil2695]

On 10/2/2020 at 7:38 AM, mrwonko said:

You'll need the Blender Ghoul 2 plugin to be able to import and export models. Unpack your asset PK3s and import one of the existing player models to see how they work, and read the PDF manual (though some of the restrictions mentioned in it no longer apply in that version).

Did Blender change how addons were put in? It seems like the Install segment is flat out wrong

[bigphil2695]

Also I'm having trouble getting my models imported, it keeps telling me "no .gla?" 

 

I put the _humanoid.gla file in there with the model I'm trying to open. Does it need to be placed somewhere? Does each default model interact with a different gla?

[bigphil2695]

Actually I figured it out on my own, made my first Frankenstein.

[Jeff]

18 hours ago, bigphil2695 said:

Actually I figured it out on my own, made my first Frankenstein.

That's awesome congrats

[bigphil2695]

Now all I gotta figure out is how to get my own textures working on a new model