Jedi Knight 3 FAQ
Psyk0Q:Is doing a UVW Unwrap another term for mapping a skin to a model? And do you use a different process to remap a pre-mapped model?
A:Yes UVW Unwrap also means mapping a model, to re-map a pre made model, you would have to import it back into 3D Studio max, re-do the UV's and the whole rig process.
Q:I'm using Milkshape and making small changes, i have a problem, whenever I export the model back to the .glm format to overwrite the old one it shows up in game floating in midair as it was when I looked at the model in Milkshape.
A:Like i said, you have to RIG the mesh before its a valid (and moving) .glm player model. Last i heard milkshape didnt have the proper tools to rig a player model for JA. Dont think Gmax has support either, only for weapons and static meshes.
Q:There might be one way to get the weighting and rigging to work. You know how whenever you open a .glm in NotePad you get a bunch of weird characters of comp code? Well some of those characters have to be defining the whole weighting/rigging/bone thing. If you could figure out which characters did that you could copy and paste them into your exported .glm. It would be VERY,VERY,VERY hard but it's possible.
A:YOU ARE CRAZY! ;) That's an even more desperate method. I tried this when JA was released, i used an hexadecimal editor to find an easy way to fix the saber "bug" on JO models...no success. It's even more complicated (and impossible if you ask me) to do this for whole rig process. Each file has its own structure because the placement of vertex and weight info is different...id say no chance in hell this would work...it would take you less time to learn the proper way than get this crazy method to work!.
Q:I want to create my own player models for Jedi Academy, what are the steps involved?
A:It's the exact same process as Jedi Outcast, except some minor changes to the skeleton. Its a known fact that JO models work fine in JA so you can stick with the old way too.
Q:I don't have 3D Studio Max 4.0+, can i use another 3D software?
A:Yes and No, you can do the actual mesh modeling using any software you want, BUT, the last steps require a software that can export to .XSI and also has something similar to the skin modifier used in 3D Studio Max. Take my advice, stick with 3D Studio Max.Q:Where can i get the official skeleton for Jedi Academy?
A:You can't! there was no skeleton released with the JA SDK. Corto created one based on the new .GLA, you can download it here. You can also download my altered JO to JA skeleton.Q:Can i use the old skeleton to compile a character for Jedi Academy?
A:Yes, that's what i did and it works perfectly fine.
Q:What are the differences between the "old" skeleton and Corto's?
A:It's almost identical. This one is made of dummy objects, not bones, but should work fine. It also has less bones (because some were not needed like the toes and fingers) and i think they have two tailbones.
Q:Which bones were, or should be, removed from the old JO skeleton?
A:r_d1_j3
r_d2_j3
r_d3_j1
r_d3_j2
r_d3_j3
r_d4_j3
r_d5_j1
r_d5_j2
r_d5_j3
l_d1_j3
l_d2_j3
l_d3_j1
l_d3_j2
l_d3_j3
l_d4_j3
l_d5_j1
l_d5_j2
l_d5_j3
mc5
ltarsal
rtarsal
Q:What are those bones?
A:Some finger bones, a hand bone and the "toes" of the skeleton.
Q:Is it safe to delete those bones from the skeleton?
A:Yes, or you can simply leave them out of the skin modifier.
Q:Why should i delete them?
A:Cuz i'm telling you to!!!! and the GLA doesnt have anims for them = useless and will prevent you from compiling your character.
Q:The taunts are messed up, what am i doing wrong?
A:Rename the "lhand_tag_bone" to "lhang_tag_bone".
Q:Are there any other weighting issues i should be aware of?
A:The l_hand and r_hand tags have to be weighted to the l_hang and r_hang bones.
Q:I'm using the old skeleton so i dont have the tailbones, am i doomed?!?!?!?
A:Nope, tailbones are simply small extensions of the upper leg bones, so just weight stuff to the upper leg
if you are desperate.
Q:Where can i download the altered skeleton?
A:You can try my altered JO to JA skeleton, no guarantee it will work with your version of 3D Max.
Q:Thanx!A:Hey that wasnt a question!, no problem ;).
