Overgrowth Character Reference Guide

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Markuss
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Overgrowth Character Reference Guide

Post by Markuss » Thu Jan 09, 2014 2:19 am

EXAMPLE FILES: EXAMPLEMAN.ZIP
BLENDER: BLENDER-OVERGROWTH-WIN.ZIP


This guide assumes you are familiar with the 3D reference guide.

Basics

Characters in overgrowth consist of 4 .XML files, an .OBJ file and a .PHXBN file.
The .PHXBN file is created in bender and contains the Skeleton and skin weighting info.
The XML files just contain links to themselves and other files:

1 - Links to the .OBJ and .PHXBN files that the engine needs to rig the character.
Image

2 - A regular object file as described in the 3D reference guide.
Image

3 - Links to the first 2 files, and a load of animation files for each action.
Image

4 - Links to the third file and an AI script, this is the file you choose when loading a character.
Image



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Model and Texture Requirements

Models have to be triangles only and centered to the middle of the scene with location, rotation and scale set to zero. It should loosely match the pose and proportions of the overgrowth characters, you can use this: rabbit.obj

Image
Character Model Faces Z-axis
If your character is not symmetrical, ignore the center line in the geometry, it has to be the ‘true’ the center of the model, otherwise you will get errors
The normal map has to be object-space, there is currently no character shader that supports tangent-space. The normal map's alpha channel controls a side-glow effect when the sun is behind the character, black = no effect.

Image
This is what a Blank/Flat object-space normal map looks like.

Color Space:
Blue = light from top
Red = light from right
Green = light from front
It is possible to use a blank (blue) normal map with the Cubemap shader, the character is rendered brighter, but it is acceptable, most community characters are like this
____________________________________________________________________________________

Blender

I have repackaged it with the export add-ons and customised the UI for making characters, it does not require an install and can be run from its folder. You may need to restart it once to get the export options to show up.

Image

I’m not going to write a full tutorial on using blender, just list the steps and tell you the keyboard shortcuts u need:

camera:
Scroll = zoom
Middle mouse = rotate
Shift + Middle mouse = pan

Step 1: Replace the white rabbit
right-click = select
del = delete :-)
Image
You can import your mesh as an .OBJ

Step 2: Bind your own mesh to the skeleton
shift + right-click = select more then 1 object
Ctrl+P = bind selected mesh to selected skeleton (armature deform)
Image
u need to select the mesh, then the skeleton, before u press Ctrl+P

Step 3: Paint weights
Drop down box near file menu = switches between editing modes
TAB = switches between last 2 editing modes
Image
you may want to go to YouTube and look up a tutorial on painting weights in blender…

Step 4: Export your files
With skeleton selected in object mode, export as .PHXBN, same for mesh but as .OBJ, needs to be in rest position.
You should test your character in engine with automatic weights, just to check that you have no errors before you paint, it won’t look pretty, but it’s just a test
Image


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Last edited by Markuss on Fri May 02, 2014 8:43 am, edited 42 times in total.

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Endoperez
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Re: Overgrowth Caracter Reference Guide

Post by Endoperez » Thu Jan 09, 2014 2:28 am

Looks like an excellent start! I'm quite interested in the later sections. :D

Also, you have a few typoes right there in the start: character in the title and first line, and "Bender" instead of Blender in the download link also right at the very beginning.

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Markuss
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Re: Overgrowth Caracter Reference Guide

Post by Markuss » Thu Jan 09, 2014 2:50 am

cheers, I've just added the last bit, I have it in a word doc, just converting it to BB code.

I hope it reads ok, my brain is a bit cluttered at the mo.

also, can I get a sticky?

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last
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Re: Overgrowth Caracter Reference Guide

Post by last » Thu Jan 09, 2014 12:30 pm

Markuss wrote:also, can I get a sticky?
You got it.

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Thomason1005
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Re: Overgrowth Character Reference Guide

Post by Thomason1005 » Thu Jan 09, 2014 12:54 pm

I dont like reviving old topics but i still have this prob
viewtopic.php?f=16&t=18775&start=15#p199974

to the tutorial, maybe add a sentence about the color map and the color picker weight map thing.
and i think quads are possible in the mesh, its converted when exporting. only bmeshs dont work.
but its a nice tutorial, cool that youre doing this stuff

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Markuss
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Re: Overgrowth Character Reference Guide

Post by Markuss » Fri Jan 10, 2014 1:15 am

Thomason1005 wrote: by Thomason1005 » Thu Jan 09, 2014 6:54 pm

I dont like reviving old topics but i still have this prob
what prob? the one about the sheathing animation?
Thomason1005 wrote:maybe add a sentence about the color map and the color picker weight map thing
I don't know how that works :shock:
i think quads are possible in the mesh, its converted when exporting
just did a test, it causes an error message when loading the character.

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Thomason1005
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Re: Overgrowth Character Reference Guide

Post by Thomason1005 » Fri Jan 10, 2014 7:31 am

Markuss wrote: what prob? the one about the sheathing animation?
yeah that it doesnt create any file and has these dependency cycle stuff, even when exporting the already existing animations
Markuss wrote:
Thomason1005 wrote:maybe add a sentence about the color map and the color picker weight map thing
I don't know how that works :shock:
ehm color map is the same as objects and palette map is done by adding

Code: Select all

 	<PaletteMap 
		label_red="Fur" 
		label_green="Shirt" 
		label_blue="Pants"
		label_alpha="Spots">
        	Data/Textures/Characters/rabbits/male_rabbit_1/male_rabbit_1_m.tga
    	</PaletteMap>
to the character xml and a texture with the color / alpha channels as how effective the layer is at this point. i think.

and you could mention the optional fur .obj viewtopic.php?f=16&t=22189#p207216
Markuss wrote:
i think quads are possible in the mesh, its converted when exporting
just did a test, it causes an error message when loading the character.
oh.

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ChromeRaccoon
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Re: Overgrowth Character Reference Guide

Post by ChromeRaccoon » Sun Jan 12, 2014 1:16 pm

Great tutorial - however, the game just crashes whenever I try to load my xml file and the example man ends up looking very messed up!

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last
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Re: Overgrowth Character Reference Guide

Post by last » Sun Jan 12, 2014 1:45 pm

Make sure that you don't have lose vertices. Also you have to triangulate your model before exporting.
Also you have to check that when you export your model you check keep vertice order checkbox.

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Markuss
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Re: Overgrowth Character Reference Guide

Post by Markuss » Thu Jan 16, 2014 2:52 pm

Thomason1005 wrote:that it doesnt create any file and has these dependency cycle stuff, even when exporting the already existing animations
I have no idea about this, I guess that this is a procedural animation and can't be changed, sorry.

I'll add the other stuff you mentioned to the guide, I also need to update my other guide at some point. O_O
ChromeRaccoon wrote:Great tutorial - however, the game just crashes whenever I try to load my xml file and the example man ends up looking very messed up!
perhaps you could share your files so I can find the problem?

adamfoster
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Re: Overgrowth Character Reference Guide

Post by adamfoster » Sat Mar 29, 2014 2:23 am

Uhm, my Chrome has detected that the overgrowth rabbit model for blender is unsafe. Are you sure this is a safe file?

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Markuss
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Re: Overgrowth Character Reference Guide

Post by Markuss » Tue Apr 15, 2014 11:00 am

its just a .obj file in a .zip file.

Metzelainen
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Re: Overgrowth Character Reference Guide

Post by Metzelainen » Sat Jun 28, 2014 8:02 am

I'm having a problem and was wondering if I could get some help.

I made my own character but I can't get it to spawn. Every time I click to spawn it I get error: Character name not found. Aborting actor load.

Any help would be appreciated! And thanks for the awesome tutorial! :D

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akazi
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Re: Overgrowth Character Reference Guide

Post by akazi » Wed Nov 19, 2014 12:48 pm

Hello Markuss, I was just wondering if I can add this as an Overgrowth Steam guide, and a select few may edit the guide as time goes by?

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Markuss
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Re: Overgrowth Character Reference Guide

Post by Markuss » Fri Dec 12, 2014 12:08 pm

akazi wrote:Hello Markuss, I was just wondering if I can add this as an Overgrowth Steam guide, and a select few may edit the guide as time goes by?
sure, this needs updating, I should get round to it at some point...

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