DarkIllusion
(Acolyte)
04/07/03 10:39 AM
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0 Replies to your post? Use this as your last answer resort
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As director of the Morrowind: Underworld Project, I have nearly come across every problem and aspect of modding. If your question was a genuine one (ie. NOT SPAM) and you received 0 useful replies, then post it here. Be it about modding, creature animation - hopefully I should have most of the answers.
DarkIllusion
Mysteries of the Abyss
http://users.tpg.com.au/ron3sun/main.htm
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DarkIllusion
(Acolyte)
04/07/03 10:43 AM
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COMMON PROBLEMS #1 - ANIMATION
Q. Step box height of 0?
A. Your creature is either too small, or you have forgotten to put a Bounding Box around the creature
Q. Creature keeps jumping in teh TESC render window
A. You have not bound your creature to the Root Bone.
Q. Animate in Place Error?
A. For the Walkforward or RunForward animations, you creature must actually move in 3dsmax. Simple select the Root Bone and animate it (and the entire creature) moving forward.
Q. I CANNOT HIT MY CREATURE FOR SOME REASON??
A. You have made your Bounding Box around your creature too large, so your character cannot even touch your creature. Make sure parts of your creature sticks out from the Bounding Box.
DarkIllusion
Mysteries of the Abyss
http://users.tpg.com.au/ron3sun/main.htm
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DarkIllusion
(Acolyte)
04/07/03 10:50 AM
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COMMON PROBLEMS #2 - SCRIPTING
Q. Post-To-Fix Error?
A. You have either forgotten to close speech marks for an object.
eg. set "UltimaL05Level.state to 1
or you have stated a non-existent object.
Q. Expression ERROR!! Aaaarg!
A. Most common cause is that you have tried to use a local variable which has not been declared. A less clear cause of this is that you have testing a variable outside a function.
eg.
If ( state == 1 )
If ( GetStandingPC == 1 )
endif
endif
Instead, it is good practise to have the GetStandingPC function test outside the "state" variable test.
Q. My script compiles properly, but doesn't run at all.
A. The possible cause is that your script name is too long. To test whether your script name is in the allowed length, click on the object with the script, and click the '...' button next to the script name. If a blank script editor comes up, close it and try again. If your script never appears in the editor, then your script is too long. Rename it.
Q. PlaceAtPC doesn't seem to work for any positioning besides behind the player.
A. Use PlaceItemCell, "CREATURE ID". PlaceItemCell can place monsters, items, everything. The only limitation is that the script must be Cell specific - but there is no other way.
DarkIllusion
Mysteries of the Abyss
http://users.tpg.com.au/ron3sun/main.htm
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DarkIllusion
(Acolyte)
04/07/03 11:19 AM
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COMMON PROBLEMS #3 - DIALOGUE
Q. Error: Type Dialogue tried to become Type Journal
A. You are using digits (eg. 1, 2, 3) in your Topic Names
Q. My topics aren't coming up!
A. If your topics are new, then you must remember to "Player"->AddTopic "YOURNEWTOPICNAME" for each topic. The best way to do this is to add a script on the NPC who has these topics.
Q. How do I reorder my dialogue when they are filtered.
A. Aaah, there is a good trick to be learned here. Open up your Morrowind.ini and search for something like OrderWhenFiltered=0. Change it to OrderWhenFiltered=1 and you will now be able to use the Left and Right keys to change the dialogue order even when filetered!!
Q. My Greetings keep looping!
A. Morrowind dialogue works by searching from the top to bottom and will give the FIRST one which matches. Make sure Greetings are at the bottom of the order to be safest.
Q. When I try to do something like
set state to state + 1
in the Results of dialogue it doesn't work!
A. Sorry, but Morrowind just doesn't support it. The easiest way is to have a script on the NPC which does it.
Q. My creature won't talk!! When I activate it nothing happens!
A. Did you remember to give the creature a Greeting?
Q. My creature won't remember that it has talked to the Player even though I am using the Talked to PC function.
A. Interestingly, creatures don't have access to the Talked to PC function. Only NPCs' do. So, add a script to your creature which has a local var like hasTalked. And on the first Greeting, have a
set hasTalked to 1
in the Results box.
DarkIllusion
Mysteries of the Abyss
http://users.tpg.com.au/ron3sun/main.htm
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Brona
(Layman)
04/07/03 12:34 PM
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I didn't put a new topic up for this one, hope its ok to ask it here rather than flood the forum with yet another dumb question.
Ok, got the greeting and stuff working fine and she hands on the key just fine, but now what i need is a laymans guide to journal entries.
I.E, in my previous topic, I want to add an entry to the effect of "i have agreed to help...". Do you have anything to help with adding journal topics? I read the dummies guide for this part, but it didn't go into enough detail.
Thanks.
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Miles_Acraeus
(Diviner)
04/07/03 02:17 PM
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in the results field:
journal AA_journalTopic 10
AA_journalTopic: this is your journal entry created prior to creating dialogue.
10: this is a referrence needed for the game to check in the function. it could be any number you choose.
in the function/variable window select Journal and the select your journal ID, set enum state to your referrence (10) "less than" <.
i just woke up, so i hope i made that cogent.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
;A & -A |- B
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DwemerScientist
(Initiate)
04/07/03 02:28 PM
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Ok, I Have A Nice Centurion, I Want Him TO Patrol.....But Don't Know How. He Just Walks Around And Ends Up Walking Into A Wall And Keep Doing it,Or I Find Him Walking Under The Water Miles Away......(Seems Like They Would Mess Up)...How Do i Give A Given Path To Patrol?
--The Devil Went Down To Georgia Looking For A Soul To Steal, He Was In A Bind, He Was Behind, And Was Willing To Make A Deal--
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Brona
(Layman)
04/07/03 02:41 PM
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What if the dialogue is already created? I have the conversation in place and working. Now i want to move on to the journal entry portion of this one. I'd like to take it one piece at a time in full or I'll get really confused.
So, with dialogue already made, can i go over to the journal tab and make a new journal topic? I call it AA_Ring_of_TP 10. Then on the info side at the top I put in the text of the entry. I'm confused about some of the stuff at the bottom though, like quest name and all that. Is that relevant here?
Thanks for the help
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DarkIllusion
(Acolyte)
04/07/03 11:36 PM
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COMMON PROBLEMS #4 - CREATURE AND NPC BEHAVIOUR
Q. How do I stop making my creature walking into walls?
A. If you go up to World at the top, you will be able to select Edit Cell Path Grid. Do you know waypoints from Counter-Strike? That is what this is but the Morrowind's waypoint system isn't very good. Use right-click to place a CellPoint on the map. (it will appear as a purplish diamond) You can now move this CellPoint using the left mouse button like a normal object. To link CellPoints together to make a 'Path', select a CellPoint and hold on Ctrl and click on another CellPoint. Remember this will reduce the creature's 'stupidity' but not by much.
Q. How do I make my NPCs attack with missile weapons when distanced and switch to melee weapons for close combat?
A. There is a marksmanScript which you can place on your NPCs. DO NOT put this on a creature as this will crash the game.
Q. My creature is supposed to be non-hostile, yet it keeps attacking the Player
A. Open up the creature, click on AI, and set the Fight chance to 30 or less.
DarkIllusion
Mysteries of the Abyss
http://users.tpg.com.au/ron3sun/main.htm
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Dave Humphrey
(Adept)
04/08/03 02:14 AM
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In reply to:
Q. When I try to do something like "set state to state + 1" in the Results of dialogue it doesn't work!
A. Sorry, but Morrowind just doesn't support it. The easiest way is to have a script on the NPC which does it.
Are you sure? I'm pretty positive that I've used mathematical expressions in a dialogue result before. I have found, however, that always using lots of () helps in set expressions like this. For example:
set State to ( State + 1 )
set XPos to ( player->GetPos, X )
Set YPos to ( ( GetPos, Y ) * 80 + 10 )
Dave Humphrey - The Unofficial Elder Scrolls Pages, serving the ES community since 1995.
TESCK Script Function Reference
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HotPizza
(Acolyte)
04/09/03 05:23 AM
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With the dialouge thanks for explaining it but my main problem is that when i try and type in anything new (like a new topic) it never stick in it just dissapears once i press okay, and whenever i try and select a speach option that is already there it immediately swaps back to the default. Please help.
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HotPizza
(Acolyte)
04/09/03 05:56 AM
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also how do i make a book? i've given it a title and text but i just need it to have like a... err... cover. I just need it to look like a book (or a scroll) and i am done. Any help?
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Brona
(Novice)
04/09/03 06:01 AM
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Ok, this is something i can actually help with 
First, when you create a new topic, regardless if you are filtered or not, it always goes into the main list. You have to unfilter, find you topic and then assign it to the character in question. Beleive me, by the time i figured this out i had about 20 of the same topic
Once you've assigned the topic, then in the info section, this is where you put your new dialogue. THIS IS WHERE IT GETS REALLY HARD 
Not sure about the speech part though.
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DarkIllusion
(Acolyte)
04/09/03 08:38 PM
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Just to clarify more about this problem with dialogue that everyone seems to have.
In the bottom left corner of the dialogue editor you will see box with an ID name in it. When you filter by ID name for topics, only the topics which the ID has dialogue for will show up.
Now when you create a new topic, you add the topic name, but the moment you press enter, the dialogue filtering refreshes (sorta stupid thing about the TESC). But you have not added any dialogue for your ID, so it doesn't show up. (and it won't show up for anyone else either cause they wouldn't have dialogue for the new topic either). So basically, you must have it unfiltered until you will be able to see it and add dialogue for an ID.
DarkIllusion
Mysteries of the Abyss
http://users.tpg.com.au/ron3sun/main.htm
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Obelisk
(Initiate)
04/09/03 11:42 PM
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Re: 0 Replies to your post? Use this as your last answer resort
[re: DarkIllusion] |
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huh?
When A Dark Wanderer is spotted there is usually death and destruction behind him.
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elrihn
(Initiate)
04/12/03 03:02 AM
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Re: 0 Replies to your post? Use this as your last answer resort
[re: DarkIllusion] |
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Hi ! I am using max 5 and morphing just doesn't want to be exported....i make a root bone , then a sphere , then a bounding box (just to be sure all is here) , i set all in the right way (link and so on) , i make a target object , and i use a morph modfier on my sphere ! I animated : from 0 to 100% then back ! Animation shows well in max !
If i want to see it in the maxviewer , there is an exception error while converting data ! If i export in tesc format it just crash without any processing.....i tried the 3 authorized float controllers (linear , bezier or tcb) on the morph modifier , but none seem to make the difference , crash!!!
Could it be that max5 uses another algorithm to calculate morph and netimmerse doesn't understand anymore??
Thanks
"There are two infinite things :universe and human stupidity....but for the universe i am not sure yet !"
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DarkIllusion
(Acolyte)
04/12/03 03:26 PM
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Re: 0 Replies to your post? Use this as your last answer resort
[re: elrihn] |
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From your description you are doing everything correctly, be assured about that. Many appear to be encountering problems using the TES Exporter with 3dsmax 5, and you are probably another one of them. Unfortunately, you may have to wait until the release of Bloodmoon when Bestheda will probably release the TES Exporter 5.x. 
For now you will have to put up with the bug limitations.
DarkIllusion
Mysteries of the Abyss
http://users.tpg.com.au/ron3sun/main.htm
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elrihn
(Initiate)
04/16/03 07:10 PM
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Hi ! I made a creature , all is fine but i've got a bounding box issue!
I want this creature , which is an imp , to hover at one metter above the ground ! As i don't want it to go higher or lower i set it to "walk" in the tesc properties (it's walking , one metter above the ground)
Ok in Morro all is fine , the imp attacks , moves and so on one metter above the ground but .....
To do this i put the root bone at a 80 units heigh on the z axis (world reference) and i created my bounding box around the creature . The bounding box is quite as big as the creature. I didn't extend the bounding box to the ground (0 on z) because i want to pass under it or it to hover above little objects.Works fine in morro except that:
if i collide my creature by the side (left or right) i can't pass through it (fine) but if i collide by the front or the back i can pass through (!!!???!!!) And why please mister morro ? If someone have a suggestion...Ah and the rgb box in the tesc shows right , as the bounding box is set!
Moreover i noticed something strange: i didn't make any WalkForward animation group and dispite that my creature walks forward in game using the idle group animation (?!?)!What is strange is that in this group the rootbone is not moving.
So what do you think of all this ? Do you thing i should leave the root bone to 0 on z axis and move the Main mesh high ? (for now when the imp falls , i moved the root bone from 80 to 0 on z) ! Do you think i should extend my bounding box to the ground? And what is the command to summon the console and to make morro shows bounding boxes in game ?
Thx
"There are two infinite things :universe and human stupidity....but for the universe i am not sure yet !"
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DarkIllusion
(Acolyte)
04/22/03 12:29 PM
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PROBLEM #7 - BOUNDING BOXES
Sorry for the late reply, I have been away from these forums for quite a while.
Q. How do I set my creature in 3dsmax so it will be 'flying' when attacking.
A. Keep your Root Bone at the origin and leave your creature mesh where it is too. Now, for the Bounding Box, make sure its height stretches down below the Root Bone. The further down your Root Bone goes, the higher your creature will be.
DarkIllusion
Mysteries of the Abyss
http://users.tpg.com.au/ron3sun/main.htm
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DarkIllusion
(Acolyte)
04/22/03 12:36 PM
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PROBLEM #8 - INVENTORY ICONS
Q. What are these 'alpha channel' thingies I keep hearing about?
A. Your .tga images for your icons must be 32x32. Hence it is a square. Alpha channels make parts of the icons transparent. So in Morrowind game, the icon will not look square, but follow the outline of the object.
Q. How do I make a .tga icon with alpha channels?
A. There are two ways of doing this. The first is to simply render the model of your object in 3dsmax. (This is if you have actually made a model of it).
The second way requires Adobe Photoshop. Put your object into the center of a 32x32 size document with a white background. Now, use the 'Magic Wand' tool to select the background. Go up to Select and 'Invert Selection'. Now your icon selected. At the bottom right, there is a box with Color RGB and Alpha Channels. Click on the Alpha Channel Tab. And at the bottom of the box, click the button with the round icon 'Make existing selection into an alpha channel'. Then select the white background with the Magic Wand again, and press Delete to remove it. Save As a .tga at 32bit color and without compression.
DarkIllusion
Mysteries of the Abyss
http://users.tpg.com.au/ron3sun/main.htm
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Favorite!
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