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Here's how to take a rigged Trespasser mesh and use it for an animation in Gmax or 3D Studio MAX.

0.- Get the rigged mesh in TPM format in the first place! Do it properly, in TresEd check the "convert bones" option when exporting, it must be such that it can be opened in TPDC.

1.- Import the mesh into Gmax/3DS MAX with the TPM import MaxScript. If you did step 0 properly, you should see a warning about skins taking a long time to process.

2.- Hide everything except the creature's bones. This includes the physics boxes, the shadow mesh and its bones, and the creature's mesh itself.

3.- Using the "Select and Link" tool, connect the bones, left-clicking on a "child bone", dragging the pointer to its "parent" bone and releasing it, then right-click on the "parent", select "Properties" and click both on "Realign" and "Reset Stretch", then on "OK". Repeat for other bones. Use the alias files from TPDC for reference to determine which bones should be children of which other parent bones. For creatures with double joints, refer to the TPDC preset files, too, since for cosmetic reasons the parent-child relationships for those weren't properly set in the corresponding alias files.

4.- After you're done establishing the bone hierarchy, unhide the creature's mesh. After having realigned the bones in the previous step, the mesh will be severely deformed.

5.- Select the mesh, click on "Editable Mesh". then on the "Skin" modifier, expand the "Advanced Params" section in the right panel, uncheck the "Always Deform" box, then check it again. Save your work.

That's it, now you have a fully animated creature which you can use.

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Visit The Carnivores Saga - a forum devoted to modding Action Forms' Carnivores, Carnivores 2 and Carnivores: Ice Age games
Tres WIP: updated T-Script Reference and File Formats documents
Sound name listings for the Demo (build 117), Retail (build 116), Beta 103, Beta 99, Beta 97, Beta 96, Build 55, PC Gamer Alpha (build 32) and E3 1998 Alpha (build 22) TPA files

Ah good work, a lengthy process but it will help out alot.

_________________
~ They told me humans weren't real... I proved them wrong.
Anthropology ~ A beautiful tale.
EpicZen
Carnivores Hub ~ Need the full games without all the hassle of torrents or viruses? Run on over to EpicZen's Carnivores Hub!

It actually doesn't seem TOO lengthy. I might have to check it out

Step 3 sounds like a doozy but I think we can handle it ultimately (mainly concerned about interpreting the alias files, haven't dealt with them yet), thanks.

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T-Script Reference / Trespasser Twilight / JP Dark Secrets / Tres File Box

Wow, that's pretty sweet!

HOLY FRAK!!!

Anyways, I was wondering if we could use this process to... well modify the existing Anne mesh then re-export the .TPM?

_________________
~ They told me humans weren't real... I proved them wrong.
Anthropology ~ A beautiful tale.
EpicZen
Carnivores Hub ~ Need the full games without all the hassle of torrents or viruses? Run on over to EpicZen's Carnivores Hub!

regarding the alias files found in Tpdc:

Syntax:



- Remdul

I'm trying to follow this tutorial along to have an animatable raptor for a project I'm working on, but I'm getting stuck at step 3.

After I've linked the bones, I right click on the parent, but there's no 'properties' button, only 'object properties', which deals with how light is received etc etc.

I'm using Max 2010, so that might be the cause. Does anybody know what I need to click?

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As a note to machf when he sees this, I saw a screen of his Object Properties box and it looked just as I remember it in older versions, so I think some detail is being left out, or else the object is not acting as the same type it's expected to in your tutorial..

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T-Script Reference / Trespasser Twilight / JP Dark Secrets / Tres File Box

Well, for some reason, the required buttons ("Realign"and "Reset Stretch") are accessed via Animation->Bone Tools
Although according to this page, they should be accessible through right-click->"Options"

https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/ ... A-htm.html

_________________
Visit The Carnivores Saga - a forum devoted to modding Action Forms' Carnivores, Carnivores 2 and Carnivores: Ice Age games
Tres WIP: updated T-Script Reference and File Formats documents
Sound name listings for the Demo (build 117), Retail (build 116), Beta 103, Beta 99, Beta 97, Beta 96, Build 55, PC Gamer Alpha (build 32) and E3 1998 Alpha (build 22) TPA files