Modelling node and animation problem

[Asteroth]

This is part of my continuing quest to make a decent looking skeleton without a shield.

Okay following the procedures outlined in Skuggasveinn's tutorial I exported my file (in this case skeleton warrior) from GMT to .obj where i opened it up in blender. In blender I then proceded to delete the models shield (and open three of it's fingers so it wasn't clutching anything before being thwarted on the fourth). After that I ran into huge problems with textures and UV maps (mentioned on my 'skeleton and its shield' thread), however I actually solved those. Now, however, I am still left with two problems. First, The model seems to have only one, or two depending on how you count it, node. Node 0 rootnode and node 1 MainObject. Also no animations work. The creature is scripted as a cloneObject of the skeleton so in theory skeleton animations would work were it not for the weirdness.

I have a strong feeling that these problems are connected. Does anyone know what to do? If I can get this thing working, I can then try to find out how to lower that arm in animations.

[Brodie301]

Don't think anyone has animations working yet. Think JohnWordsworth and Issac are almost there. Check the GMT thread.

[Asteroth]

But that doesn't explain why the nodes all disappeared and why unmodified animations don't work.

[Xanathar]

I don't know with Blender, but with 3dsmax if you save it in .obj it will lose all hierarchy and node naming information. I usually save as .dae (Collada) but even that does some name mangling under the hood and names are not so well preserved.

[Asteroth]

So if this is normal, then are my problems connected? Does one either need to follow a different procedure to modify objects with animations, or does my node problem have nothing to do with the animation problem?

[JohnWordsworth]

Hi Asteroth, I'm afraid the Grimrock Model Toolkit doesn't support exporting full node / bone structures out from Grimrock Models yet, so it's not possible to export an animated model, edit it and then re-import it with the GMT (well, without losing animation support on that model). Unfortunately, this is a limitation of the OBJ file format. I'm working on adding FBX import/export through a C++ library and/or export of DAE files (including animations) from the Toolkit.

[Asteroth]

Oh, okay then I guess this is solved for now. (cuuursses, will I ever be able to make that thing?!)

[JohnWordsworth]

@Asteroth: Heh, while things have slowed down a bit, the Assimp-Net wrapper I use has just been upgraded to support the Export API apparently, so I might be able to get it all working within the next few days!

[Skuggasveinn]

That's great news John, I've been working on some animated animals that are simply waiting for a change to rip something to pieces

Skuggasveinn.

[Xanathar]

If you just want to remove the shield from the skeleton you can use the GMT to set the scale at 0 of the object "shield" in the animation files.
You can then use the GMT or the Animation Editor to change the rotation of the object "forearm_l" and eventually "arm_l" otherwise the skeleton would look like a waiter
However it's not intuitive and requires a very lot of trial and error (and time)