Merging models?

[Balamb]

Hi! I wanted to create a custom hero using Tauer's amazing Khadgar model. When I first saw it, I immediately thought of making a permanent ultimate transformation that empowers him with the Young Khadgar "growing old" animation based on the Destroyer Form ability, but then I saw that Obsidian Statue and Destroyer are the same model with different animations called alternate.

I'd appreciate some insight into the whole thing because while I've tinkered with the editor over the years, I've never tried certain things (like triggers) and I don't even know if what I want to do is possible. Thanks in advance to anyone who replies.

 

[Uncle]

Those are all separate Khadgar models, not animations. You would simply use an ability like Bear Form or Metamorphosis to transform Khadgar A into Khadgar B.

Regarding animation tags like "alternate", these simply tell the model to play animations setup to use that tag. This is how the Footman for example can toggle between his standard animation set and his Defend animation set. In those cases the unit-type/model doesn't change to something else, the existing model simply gets new instructions on what animations to play.

A precise guide about alternate animations

Hi, I've searched on this forum (and somewhere on the net) about this, and I just find a lot of different information, not a complete guide. But everything I tried still doesn't work. So what can I read, precisely, about that? if I have a unit like this? MammothRider if there's a tremendously...

www.hiveworkshop.com

 

[Balamb]

Those are all separate Khadgar models, not animations. You would simply use an ability like Bear Form or Metamorphosis to transform Khadgar A into Khadgar B.

Regarding animation tags like "alternate", these simply tell the model to play animations setup to use that tag. This is how the Footman for example can toggle between his standard animation set and his Defend animation set. The unit-type/model doesn't change to something else, the existing model simply gets new instructions on what animations to play.

A precise guide about alternate animations

Hi, I've searched on this forum (and somewhere on the net) about this, and I just find a lot of different information, not a complete guide. But everything I tried still doesn't work. So what can I read, precisely, about that? if I have a unit like this? MammothRider if there's a tremendously...

www.hiveworkshop.com

I think I get what you mean. I feared it was something complicated but It seems like something I can figure out from here. Many thanks.

 

[Balamb]

Those are all separate Khadgar models, not animations. You would simply use an ability like Bear Form or Metamorphosis to transform Khadgar A into Khadgar B.

Regarding animation tags like "alternate", these simply tell the model to play animations setup to use that tag. This is how the Footman for example can toggle between his standard animation set and his Defend animation set. The unit-type/model doesn't change to something else, the existing model simply gets new instructions on what animations to play.

A precise guide about alternate animations

Hi, I've searched on this forum (and somewhere on the net) about this, and I just find a lot of different information, not a complete guide. But everything I tried still doesn't work. So what can I read, precisely, about that? if I have a unit like this? MammothRider if there's a tremendously...

www.hiveworkshop.com

Hey, I just did what you said but ran into more problems. I am facing the following problem:

I created two separate units with different models, one young and one old, and gave the young one the ability to permanently transform into the old one using bear form as a base. So far, so good, the transformation takes place and so on, but I can't get the right animation to play (or any animation at all), which was the whole point of using this cool animation in a transformation ability.I suspect it might have something to do with the fact that the animation I want to use isn't labeled as "morph", but I'm not 100% sure.


If anyone has any ideas, I would appreciate any help.

 

[Chaosium]

It should play whatever animation you specify in that field:

If that doesn't, work, you can try to trigger it

• Events
  • Unit - A unit Starts the effect of an ability
• Conditions
  • (Ability being cast) Equal to YourSpell
• Actions
  • Animation - Play (Triggering unit)'s morph animation

 

[Balamb]

It should play whatever animation you specify in that field:

View attachment 430281

If that doesn't, work, you can try to trigger it

• Events
  • Unit - A unit Starts the effect of an ability
• Conditions
  • (Ability being cast) Equal to YourSpell
• Actions
  • Animation - Play (Triggering unit)'s morph animation

I wrote the animation name in that field and it didn't work so I tried using other animations. After none of them worked I checked other units with morphing abilities and all of them have an animation labeled "morph" that they use when transforming, so I reckon this kind of abilities only work with said animations. The one I'm trying to use however is labeled Stand Second, so unless I can change it from that to "morph" somehow I don't think it will work.

I wanted to avoid using triggers, since I'm a total noob on the matter and wanted to keep things as simple as possible, but I might have to learn. I will give it a try tomorrow. Just a couple of question about it: do I have to put the names I have chosen for the custom abilities or the name of the one I based them on? Is there a rule to write animation names in the trigger such as capital letters or comas to separate labels (in my case stand, second)?

Thanks for the help.

 

[Chaosium]

For the condition "ability being cast", you need to input the ability that you have created if you've made a new one. If e.g. you have edited the base Bear form ability, then you'd select this one instead.

I don't think animation names are case sensitive, and in triggers like this you can write them without anything, like "stand second" (without quotes), although I'm not sure the game will properly play those labelled second, third, etc. Needs testing

All that being said, I think the very easiest way would be to slightly edit the model and rename the animation into "morph", I don't think the author would mind

 

[Balamb]

I actually tried the trigger, it was much easier than I thought, as I only had to choose between the given options and didn't really have to write code, which I kind of imagined at first. After that I just had to adjust the spell time to the animation duration and it runs nice and smooth. Thanks a lot for the tips.

I'm still curious about how to edit models for future projects. I guess you would need a special application and such.

For now, I'll keep experimenting with dummies and simple triggers like the one you showed me.

 

[Chaosium]

Glad it worked in the end! Triggering can certainly be daunting, but starting small and spicing things up progressively will get you there