Joint/Hardpoint Tree Structure Tool

[Dominus_Noctis]

You'd probably have the most luck if you posted directly on the Fleet Ops forums - I can make a post there when you want me too about this of course

[starfox1701]

The other thing was the Command Nodes. c_ they could be added or as they sound like they aren't generally used

We would use them if we could export them. The Milkshape exporter won't do animations And I could never find anyone how could or would fix it. Truth be told both the Milkshape and Max exporter need updated.

[Muldrf]

Dominus_Noctis, you can post over there about it. If you send me the address I'll see about going myself when I get the chance. I likely won't until I get to start coding though. Which might be soon or might be a couple weeks.

I don't expect it to take too long to sort it out. I could probably knock it out in a couple days provided my wife and kids are away, but that's highly unlikely.

[starfox1701]

Looking forward to it

[Muldrf]

Looks for starters like removal of the Generic light and the Amber lights from Legacy. Adding of the "billboard" entry to sprites.

I have to add a quantity and increment function to the emitters (due to an exporter limitation, Legacy can only use 1 of each, so that currently isn't in the tool).

Take off the Color and Pattern for sprites.

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Armada you don't rotate hardpoints. But Armada 2 uses rotated hardpoints? How are those handled, or are rotated joints able to even be done in Milkshape?

[starfox1701]

Yes you use a null joint to point it in the direction wanted and then delete the null joint just before exporting the model.

[Muldrf]

Then the hardpoint directional joint function can stay. It's the same method for Legacy except you don't delete the null joint before exporting as the exporter ignores it. The directional for a hardpoint makes a "joint##" in that "direction" relationally to the hp joint as seen in the video, it, makes it easier to ensure you grabbed the right joint and didn't miss moving any. Plan out you want 6 Up 6 Down 2 Forward 2 Aft etc then you can see you moved them around to where you wanted and didn't mix them up.

I think I'm going to download both Demos and look at the stock models hardpoints in them to get the base trees hammered out. I have a few ideas how to do the swap, likely a dropdown that you set to "Armada" "Armada 2" "Fleet Ops". Switching it would switch the "default tree" and for Fleet Ops add the additional sprites to the dropdown and possibly a few other things.

[Muldrf]

What are the s_crew joints on the stock sovies?

[Muldrf]

oh I missed that "s_sensor" joint what's that? The s_ prefixes are for sprites and Legacy uses nothing like those..

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Well anyway I have an alpha/beta put together. I have used that Armada 2 Sovie joint tree as the basis for the Armada and Armada 2 trees. There is a fleet ops tree but it's identical to the Armada 2 mode at this time. The only change I did between the Armada and Armada 2 tree is the removal of the "h_scene root" on Armada, it starts out with "h_root" at the top.

Anyone interested in beta testing it? I can send/post it and the milkshape joint exporter that it uses to get the mesh group data and any existing joint data.


I'll look at a real armada tree and see what other differences there might be. I'll get the fleet ops tree made uniquely for it when I get the required info on it. It also has Legacy mode, but that won't do you guys much good. I set it to default to Armada 2 mode at this time, but I'll set it up so that it saves your last selected mode on closing then reopens in that same mode the next time.

[starfox1701]

I think it is supose to be h_sensor. PM me a link