[RELEASE] Jedi Knight CAT Rig - for 3ds Max 2013+

[AshuraDX]

This is something that I've been working on since like 2017. But I finally got around to rebuilding this thing for the third time - this time properly and with all bones for Jedi Academy, Jedi Outcast and even Soldier of Fortune 2.
Most of you are probably like "What the Hell is this?", so let me explain:

What is CAT and what can I do with it?

CAT Is a very versatile Rigging and Animation System for 3ds Max. It allows you to quickly and comfortably make high quality Animations, after setting up a Rig that is equally quick to build. This Video (and this Channel in General) explain what CAT is and what it can do really well:

This rig comes in a 3ds max scene with the original Jedi Knight Game bones constrained to it. This means that when you move any part of the rig, the bones of the character move accordingly. It is also organized in layers and comes with a couple of useful premade selection sets to streamline animating and exporting your animations to the game.

How do I use it?

To export animations and get them ingame you will need the Jedi Academy SDK Repack and the dotXSI Exporter for your version of 3ds max. (I linked the exporter for 3ds max 2021 underneath - check the authors other uploads for alternate versions)

When CAN I use it?

The file has already been uploaded and approved here on JKHub and I hope to get a tutorial written up and recorded until next weekend. WC3Tutorial from the JKCommunity Discord, who has been Alpha-Testing the initial Version of the Rig heavily, might beat me to recording a tutorial - if that happens I'll link it here. I'd be happy to hear any questions you might have upfront that might help make the tutorial better and easier to understand.

If you fancy messing around with this rig before the tutorial is up - don't be shy to reach out to WC3Tutorial or me on the JK Community Discord #modding channel.

Some more pictures

[Circa]

Dang, that is awesome, nice job!

[Doughnuts]

YES!

[AshuraDX]

A first draft of the Tutorial is written and was shared on the JK Community Discord, I'll wait for feedback and then upload the tutorial here.

[AshuraDX]

The tutorial is here!

https://jkhub.org/forums/topic/12201-jedi-knight-cat-rig-export-compile-animations

[Wc3 Tutorial]

2 Tutorials Here

Basics about Ashuradx CAT Rig - Modelling - JKHub

How to Create a Simple Stance Animation with Breathing effect (Ashuradx CAT Rig) - Modelling - JKHub

 

[katanamaru]

Hey that's really cool! I was checking in lately to see if animating was easier to do now. So we can use 3dsm now, can we use blender? That's easier to get, and easier to use from what I've heard. 

[AshuraDX]

8 hours ago, katanamaru said:

Hey that's really cool! I was checking in lately to see if animating was easier to do now. So we can use 3dsm now, can we use blender? That's easier to get, and easier to use from what I've heard. 

Welcome back mate!

This Rig is specific to 3ds max unfortunately, as CAT is a system built into 3ds max. There is at least one rig built for blender on here. Besides the rig there's a difference in the process of getting animations ingame 

Blender works a lot like the process you are familiar with from using dragon. You animate and export a gla file, which you then merge with the _humanoid.gla file and manually edit animations.cfg to get the game to use your new Animation.

3ds max and Softimage XSI export .xsi files which can then be sent through carcass via assimilate. This opens two paths for you:

A. Compile a single animation in a fresh gla and merge it to the existing humanoid.gla

B. Grab the Animation source files, the original .car file for jedi academys _humanoid.gla from the SDK, then add your new animations to the list/replace existing sequences and compile a new gla. This will not only keep the gla file smaller but also automatically generate your animation.cfg file. And if you want to change the first animation you made, you just have to replace its .xsi file and recompile the gla.