Need someone to teach us blend animation in T3D

#1 Setting up and exporting a 'Blend' type sequence isn't too difficult; it's in getting the scripting/code to make this type of animation work/render correctly inside the engine. There's no 'magic' rig setup, use the same rig as you did for the rest of the animations; it's all in the Exporter setup. You need to have a 'Blend Reference Frame' which is usually the first frame of your 'root' sequence. Only animate the nodes you need moving so they don't conflict with the 'run' nodes, and use a CFG file to make sure you're only exporting animation data you really need/want in your sequence. There is nothing special for T3D and blends....same old Blend Reference Frame.

It sounds as though you are looking for the 'Server Side Melee' Resource...this allows for player animation to play for more than a 'recoil' callback routine, which is stock behavior and much simpler to work with. Getting running and swinging a hand held weapon takes changing Source code......getting the art working is the easy part.

I suggest reading up on Blend Type Sequences in the Documentation, even the older guides explain this type of animation well.

Good luck!

Blend Setup in Milkshape3D...not 'Max' but the concepts still apply.

You can also contact us at BrokeAssGames; as we do this type of contract work frequently.

#2 In the shape editor, I can select an animation to blend with, select a blend reference frame, and check the blend checkbox. When I do this, should I expect to see the blended animations in the shape editor, or will I only ever see the two animations blending when run in the game (a la 'Server Side Melee' resource)? As it is, I do not see a blend of my two animations in the shape editor even though I believe I have everything set up correctly in Max.

#3 The shape editor contains the 'Thread controller', which is where you can setup blends to see them as if in the engine. If the Resource has been added, I could not say for certain how it will render in the editor. Also, I'm not sure if that particular Resource does a 'blend', I 'thought' it over rode the action sequence with the attack sequence, not a blend per se, but not doing any C++ myself, seek more info from a coder. The shape editor won't save a dsq file, so it's all done via the TSShapeConstructor when the shape loads, not sure how that works via viewing shapes in the editor. I haven't delved too deeply with that Shape Editor, but have done a little bit of tinkering....;).

Good luck with melee attacking and action threads!

#4 Hey Rex, I've contacted BrokeAssGames, but I'm not getting a reply.

#5 Jondo should have answered some of your questions the other day...I'll check with him again. He mentioned the chat the other day...?

#6 Sorry guys,

I meant to respond to this but got sidetracked... I am now.