Custom motion request

Yandros on 28/1/2014 at 22:20

I don't know the first thing about the motion editor, and am not really inclined to learn. If anyone who happens to be proficient with creating new motions is willing to take the time to make a simple custom motion for DCE (which others might also find useful), please respond here or send me a PM or email.

GORT on 28/1/2014 at 22:24

I might jump at it. What do you want and when do you need it?

Yandros on 29/1/2014 at 01:29

Thanks! I have numerous conversations in DCE where an AI needs to hold up a parchment or book and scan over it, so the hands need to be both raised and upturned, as cradling an open book, or else one arm held up as if holding a parchment. Both variations would be wonderful, but I'll be grateful for just one or the other, I can make do if need be.

So, I need a motion starting with arms to the sides (normal idle pose), and then raising either one or both hands up to waist/chest level with the palms upturned, as if holding a book or parchment up to scan over it. A little head movement (side to side slightly, as if scanning the page) while holding it would be nice, but not necessary. After a few seconds, the arms can go back to the sides.

If anyone knows of a stock motion from the original motion database, or Shadowspawn's extended db, which would work well enough for this, please let me know. I've tried many of them and haven't found one that seems to suit the need here.

I don't need it any time soon, if it took you a few months that would be fine.

R Soul on 29/1/2014 at 01:45

That sounds similar to what I've already done:
(http://catmanofiowa.com/RSoul/RSmotions.zip)

The motion is split into 4 parts so things can be triggered after each one.
reachout
takeitem (pull arm back)
readletter (hold arm in position for a few seconds)
lowerarm

I modified one of the idling motions and used Blender to animate the arm.

Motion schema (.mos) file:

Code:

torso Biped

schema reachout 0
MType GroundAction
TimeScale 0
XYZScale 0
motion reachout 4 500

schema takeitem 0
MType GroundAction
TimeScale 0
XYZScale 0
motion takeitem 4 500

schema readletter 0
MType GroundAction
TimeScale 0
XYZScale 0
motion readletter 4 500

schema lowerarm 0
MType GroundAction
TimeScale 0
XYZScale 0
motion lowerarm 4 500

Conv step example:
Play sound/motion
arg 3: reachout 0

Yandros on 29/1/2014 at 03:05

:wot: :thumb:

I had missed your motions I guess, Robin. That sounds like it will do the trick, thank you!

Edit: Do I need an updated motiondb.bin? Or just those files in the \motions folder?

R Soul on 29/1/2014 at 12:09

You didn't miss them. I made them a while ago but I just uploaded them. You will need a new motiondb. As well as the .mos file I mentioned, you'll also need to update tags.moc with the following:

Code:

motionTag takeitem 1 0
motionTag reachout 1 0
motionTag readletter 1 0
motionTag lowerarm 1 0

I don't know if you've done this before so here's a typical folder structure (not in your FM folder):
root\Makdb.exe (Motion Database Tools from (http://www.angelfire.com/games4/shadowspawn/Tools.html) Shadowspawn's site)
root\Motions (.mi and .mc files, extracted the contents of RES\motions.crf into here)
root\MSchema (Thief 2 Motion Schemas, also from Shadowspawn)

If you want to include the files in the GMDB, do so after extracting the original files, because some of them will be updated.

Add my files to the appropriate folders. The .mos file I mentioned can be a new file.

Run Makmdb. It creates Nmotiondb.bin to save you accidentally losing the original.

Yandros on 29/1/2014 at 17:02

Ah, thanks. I'll give that a go this evening.

Yandros on 2/2/2014 at 05:10

Just reporting that I managed to get this working after I remembered to add the new files to the \motions folder as well as the new motiondb.bin to my root folder. (I had added them in the work folder where I built it, but forgotten to put them where Dromed could find them also.) Thanks again! Before, I was having both AI play the WorldFrob 0, AtWaist 0 motion, which means they had to be placed far apart and took large steps to pass an item between them - this looks much more natural.

R Soul on 2/2/2014 at 17:03

In Blender I made the whole thing as one motion, then for each motion I changed the start and end frame.

Yandros on 2/2/2014 at 18:31

Is there an easy way through the schema or .moc file to speed up the motions? The readletter is a bit longer than I'd prefer, and lowerarm is rather slow-motion. If not it's just fine, but while I'm building my own DB I figured I'd ask.