Help with Custom Motion Implementation

Phantom on 4/5/2017 at 13:21

Alright, I suppose I'm man enough to admit I need some guidance. I built some motions successfully a few years ago, but alas this is not like remembering to ride a bicycle.

I spent several hours yesterday with Weyoun's motion tools, trying to add alternate blackjack swings. I did not succeed, other than to break the engine in multiple ways.

Essentially what I'm going for is a setup where picking up a blackjack gives you standard motions, and picking up something like a rock or pipe gives you a new limb model and custom motions.

I got as far as this:
1. Created a standalone folder structure to experiment with.
2. Built a custom motion with motedit.exe, saved the .mi and .mc files to the motions folder.
3. Added a new motion tag to Tags.moc.
4. Added a new motion schema to PlayerSword.mos, copied the settings from the Blackjack lines and changed the tag and motion names to match the new tag and motion.
5. Built the motionbd.bin and imported all the above files to the Thief folder.

At this point is where I began hitting walls. I have searched the threads quite a bit but can not find a guide for the proper implementation of the new motions.

I experimented with Nameless Voice's NVNewWeapon, but the documentation more or less just outlines how to change the limb model, not the motions. I can't find a step by step guide to implement this.

So I guess what I need help with is this:
1. Exactly what properties would I give my alternate Blackjack to use a different set of motions?
2. What properties and design notes do I use to set up NVNewWeapon?

My ideal result would enable several different weapons on a table, each one giving the player a new limb model, and a separate motion. Has anyone done this already? Is there a mission I could use for reference? Thanks for any help!

Zontik on 4/5/2017 at 13:43

Script description tells that the correct propery is Motions->Actor Tag List. Seems you have to change it on Player object, not on your blackjack (the weapon is probably not actor). Try to check Garrett archetype to see what tags it use by default.

john9818a on 4/5/2017 at 15:07

This is just a theory but do you have schema entries for both the blackjack and your new model or just your new model? I don't think you can have both at the same time.

Phantom on 4/5/2017 at 15:19

@Zontik, thank you that's a good tip, when I get home tonight I'll try that out. It makes sense that it wouldn't work on the object itself.

@john9818a, I have both, I thought we could add new motions, can we only edit the existing ones? Bummer if that's true.

john9818a on 4/5/2017 at 16:45

I'm not sure Phantom, but my theory is that the weapons and motions were hardcoded with the weapon slot position. I could be wrong though.

Daraan on 4/5/2017 at 18:57

Quote Posted by john9818a

I'm not sure Phantom, but my theory is that the weapons and motions were hardcoded with the weapon slot position. I could be wrong though.

Uff been a while since I crawled trough that stuff I try to share my rusty knowledge.

- You can have different weapons and swap them-> different limbs specified in the editor but only hold one sword, bj weapon at the time - not sure if if you can have like 3rd melee weapon.

- Motions are semi hardcoded

I can't find the map where I created/used the new Actor Tags for my weapon then I could tell much more as I roughly understood at that point how to use them.

The motion Tags (framework) is hardcoded see this list (dunno if all are implemented)

Code:

// Sword Ready
{
kDMC_PlayerArm, // controller id
kTrans_Immediate,
{ kPSS_Ready, kPSS_SwingMediumLeft, kPSS_Ready, kPSS_End }, // connecting skills
{ 0 // maneuver skill data
},
"PlyrSword 0",
NULL, // schema name
0, // time to max
0, // mouse speed
0, // mouse zone
0, // slewSpeedScale
0, // rotateSpeedScale
TRUE, // IsIdleMotion
},
// Sword Block
{
kDMC_PlayerArm, // controller id
kTrans_Immediate,
{ kPSS_AtBlock, kPSS_SwingMediumLeft, kPSS_Ready, kPSS_End }, // connecting skills
{ 0 // maneuver skill data
},
"PlyrSword 3",
NULL, // schema name
0, // time to max
},
// Sword At Block
{
kDMC_PlayerArm, // controller id
kTrans_Immediate,
{ kPSS_Ready, kPSS_SwingMediumLeft, kPSS_Ready, kPSS_End }, // connecting skills
{ 0 // maneuver skill data
},
NULL,
NULL, // schema name
0, // time to max
},
// Sword Directed block
{
kDMC_PlayerArm, // controller id
kTrans_Immediate,
{ kPSS_Ready, kPSS_Ready, kPSS_Ready, kPSS_Ready }, // connecting skills
{ 0 // maneuver skill data
},
"PlyrSword 6",
NULL, // schema name
0, // time to max
},
// Sword Windup Short
{
kDMC_PlayerArm, // controller id
kTrans_Immediate,
{ kPSS_AtWoundShort, kPSS_SwingMediumLeft, kPSS_SwingShort, kPSS_End }, // connecting skills
{ 0 // maneuver skill data
},
"PlyrSword 1, PlyrSwordSwing 0",
NULL, // schema name
0, // time to max
},
// Sword At Wound Short
{
kDMC_PlayerArm, // controller id
kTrans_Immediate,
{ kPSS_Ready, kPSS_SwingMediumLeft, kPSS_SwingShort, kPSS_End }, // connecting skills
{ 0 // maneuver skill data
},
NULL,
NULL, // schema name
0, // time to max
},
// Sword Swing Short
{
kDMC_PlayerArm, // controller id
kTrans_AtEnd,
{ kPSS_Ready, kPSS_SwingMediumLeft, kPSS_Ready, kPSS_End }, // connecting skills
{ 0 // maneuver skill data
},
"PlyrSword 2, PlyrSwordSwing 0",
"sword_swing_S", // schema name
0, // time to max
},
// Sword Windup Medium Left
{
kDMC_PlayerArm, // controller id
kTrans_Immediate,
{ kPSS_AtWoundMediumLeft, kPSS_SwingMediumLeft, kPSS_SwingMediumLeft, kPSS_End }, // connecting skills
{ 0 // maneuver skill data
},
"PlyrSword 1, PlyrSwordSwing 1, Direction 1",
NULL, // schema name
0, // time to max
},
// Sword At Wound Medium Left
{
kDMC_PlayerArm, // controller id
kTrans_Immediate,
{ kPSS_Ready, kPSS_SwingMediumLeft, kPSS_SwingMediumLeft, kPSS_End }, // connecting skills
{ 0 // maneuver skill data
},
NULL,
NULL, // schema name
0, // time to max
},
// Sword Swing Medium Left
{
kDMC_PlayerArm, // controller id
kTrans_AtEnd,
{ kPSS_Ready, kPSS_SwingMediumLeft, kPSS_Ready, kPSS_End }, // connecting skills
{ 0 // maneuver skill data
},
"PlyrSword 2, PlyrSwordSwing 1, Direction 1",
"sword_swing_M", // schema name
0, // time to max
},
// Sword Windup Medium Right
{
kDMC_PlayerArm, // controller id
kTrans_Immediate,
{ kPSS_AtWoundMediumRight, kPSS_SwingMediumRight, kPSS_SwingMediumRight, kPSS_End }, // connecting skills
{ 0 // maneuver skill data
},
"PlyrSword 1, PlyrSwordSwing 1, Direction 2",
NULL, // schema name
0, // time to max
},
// Sword At Wound Medium Right
{
kDMC_PlayerArm, // controller id
kTrans_Immediate,
{ kPSS_Ready, kPSS_SwingMediumRight, kPSS_SwingMediumRight, kPSS_End }, // connecting skills
{ 0 // maneuver skill data
},
NULL,
NULL, // schema name
0, // time to max
},
// Sword Swing Medium Right
{
kDMC_PlayerArm, // controller id
kTrans_AtEnd,
{ kPSS_Ready, kPSS_SwingMediumRight, kPSS_Ready, kPSS_End }, // connecting skills
{ 0 // maneuver skill data
},
"PlyrSword 2, PlyrSwordSwing 1, Direction 2",
"sword_swing_M", // schema name
0, // time to max
},
// Sword Windup Long Left
{
kDMC_PlayerArm, // controller id
kTrans_Immediate,
{ kPSS_AtWoundLongLeft, kPSS_SwingLongLeft, kPSS_SwingLongLeft, kPSS_End }, // connecting skills
{ 0 // maneuver skill data
},
"PlyrSword 1, PlyrSwordSwing 2",
NULL, // schema name
0, // time to max
},
// Sword At Wound Long Left
{
kDMC_PlayerArm, // controller id
kTrans_Immediate,
{ kPSS_Ready, kPSS_SwingLongLeft, kPSS_SwingLongLeft, kPSS_End }, // connecting skills
{ 0 // maneuver skill data
},
NULL,
NULL, // schema name
0, // time to max
},
// Sword Swing Long Left
{
kDMC_PlayerArm, // controller id
kTrans_AtEnd,
{ kPSS_Ready, kPSS_SwingLongLeft, kPSS_Ready, kPSS_End }, // connecting skills
{ 0 // maneuver skill data
},
"PlyrSword 2, PlyrSwordSwing 2",
"sword_swing_L", // schema name
0, // time to max
},
// Sword Windup Long Right
{
kDMC_PlayerArm, // controller id
kTrans_Immediate,
{ kPSS_AtWoundLongRight, kPSS_SwingLongRight, kPSS_SwingLongRight, kPSS_End }, // connecting skills
{ 0 // maneuver skill data
},
"PlyrSword 1, PlyrSwordSwing 2",
NULL, // schema name
0, // time to max
},
// Sword At Wound Long Right
{
kDMC_PlayerArm, // controller id
kTrans_Immediate,
{ kPSS_Ready, kPSS_SwingLongRight, kPSS_SwingLongRight, kPSS_End }, // connecting skills
{ 0 // maneuver skill data
},
NULL,
NULL, // schema name
0, // time to max
},
// Sword Swing Long Right
{
kDMC_PlayerArm, // controller id
kTrans_AtEnd,
{ kPSS_Ready, kPSS_SwingLongRight, kPSS_Ready, kPSS_End }, // connecting skills
{ 0 // maneuver skill data
},
"PlyrSword 2, PlyrSwordSwing 2",
"sword_swing_L", // schema name
0, // time to max
},
// Sword Begin
{
kDMC_PlayerArm, // controller id
kTrans_Immediate,
{ kPSS_Ready, kPSS_SwingMediumLeft, kPSS_Ready, kPSS_End }, // connecting skills
{ 0 // maneuver skill data
},
"PlyrSword 4",
"sword_begin", // schema name
},
// Sword End
{
kDMC_PlayerArm, // controller id
kTrans_Immediate,
{ kSkillInvalid, kSkillInvalid, kSkillInvalid, kSkillInvalid}, // connecting skills
{ 0 // maneuver skill data
},
"PlyrSword 5",
"sword_end", // schema name
},
};

But how these schemas/Tags are finally translated into motions is not hardcoded as this is done via the motionDB!

Let's look at the .mos file and Actor Tag

Code:

schema Direction 6, PlyrSword 6
MType PlayerSword
TimeScale 0
XYZScale 0
motion camSynch 0 0
motion GBLO 0 500

so when Direction 6, PlyrSword 6 is called motion camSynch motion GBLO is executed.

Now when using Motions->Actor Tag List the added keyword is used as an additional "archetype" schema (Please correct me if I'm wrong without my testing map this is my explanation)
So if Setting Motions->Actor Tag List = MyMotion 0

The motions defined in schema MyMotion 0 Direction 6, PlyrSword 6.

Therefore when building your ModDB you can use in your .mos file the keyword global MyMotion 0 and build the motions for your motion as you like.
Now back in the Editor with Motions->Actor Tag List = MyMotion 0 you bind these motions to your current weapon.

So from my point of view you can have many weapons with many different motions but for every weapon you need a custom motion file.

Phantom on 4/5/2017 at 19:42

@Daraan, thank you so much for your help. I will try using that method over the next couple of days. The only thing I'm unclear about is where to use the global MyMotion line, at the top of the .mos file perhaps?

Daraan on 4/5/2017 at 20:43

Quote Posted by Phantom

The only thing I'm unclear about is where to use the global MyMotion line, at the top of the .mos file perhaps?

Not sure if you have to but that makes sense and works like in bot.mos

R Soul on 4/5/2017 at 20:43

Telliamed's script descriptions suggest it's the weapons' scripts that handles things. Swapping Blackjack with Sword or arrow supports this.

Daraan on 4/5/2017 at 22:38

Quote Posted by R Soul

Telliamed's script descriptions suggest it's the weapons' scripts that handles things. Swapping Blackjack with Sword or arrow supports this.

The scripts are sadly not very impressive they listen for the Frobs and Selects and call the Weapon/Bow.Services and that stuff is internal :/