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Marvel Mods

XML and MUA - Common Items => Knowledge Base - (not for questions) => Tutorials => Topic started by: BaconWizard17 on January 20, 2020, 03:58PM

Title: [All Games] Marvel Mods Modeling Tutorial
Post by: BaconWizard17 on January 20, 2020, 03:58PM
MARVEL  MODS  MODELING  TUTORIAL
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

By BaconWizard17

Table of Contents
Main Content

Supplemental Content

What is Covered in This Tutorial
      This tutorial covers how to make custom models for X-Men Legends, X-Men Legends II, Ultimate Alliance, and the n-space versions of Ultimate Alliance 2. This includes skins, mannequins, 3D heads, and BoltOns. It also covers 2D assets, like conversation portraits (HUDs) and character select portraits (CSPs). The tutorial describes the entire modeling process, broken into steps. Each section will link to subsequent sections that are used by it.

Which File Does What

Next Steps
The next place to visit is Chapter 2 - 3ds Max (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,10797.msg197655.html#msg197655).

Credits and Thanks
      Special thanks to andersonbrazil, BLaw, Julio Cabral, nikita488, Outsider, Teancum, thetommyboy2002, UltraMegaMagnus, ak2yny, MrKablamm0fish, and all the other wonderful community members who have made this tutorial possible. All the tips and knowledge, whether it's big or small, have been critical to this tutorial, and without the great members that have made tutorials before me or figured out key bits of information, I would've never learned to make custom models. Thank you all. As this community continues to march on and make new content for our beloved games, it's you that have made it possible to pass on this knowledge.
Title: Chapter 2: 3ds Max
Post by: BaconWizard17 on January 20, 2020, 03:58PM
MARVEL  MODS  MODELING  TUTORIAL
CHAPTER 2: 3DS MAX

By BaconWizard17

Introduction
      3ds Max is the primary software used to create and export models for X-Men Legends II and Ultimate Alliance. However, new versions of the software don't support the plugins for the game's native 3d model format, igb files. The main plugin that's used is the Alchemy 2.5 plugin, which is only compatible with 3ds Max 5.

Installing VirtualBox and the Virtual Machine
     Because 3ds Max 5 is so old, it has to be installed on a virtual machine. A virtual machine is like a virtual computer that's on your regular computer. In this case, the virtual machine runs windows XP, which is the operating system that 3ds Max 5 runs properly on. This version of 3ds Max is the only one that can be used, and it will not run on Windows 7/Windows 8/Windows 10 PCs. Here's how to get it set up:

Expand to see steps
  • You can find the Marvel Mods virtual machine at this link (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,11443.0.html). To download it, go to the download link and click the link that says "H.263" on the right side. This should download a file called MarvelMods.ova.
    (https://c.l3n.co/i/pKJvA1.png)
  • To use the virtual machine, you need a program to run it. For this, you'll need VirtualBox. You can download it on their website (https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads). Choose to download the latest version for Windows hosts.
    (https://a.l3n.co/i/pKJY5Z.png)
  • Next, you'll need to install VirtualBox. You don't need to change anything for the first Custom Setup screen. For the second, I usually prefer not to have a shortcut in the Quick Launch Bar, but that's up to you.
    (https://a.l3n.co/i/pKJFs9.png)(https://c.l3n.co/i/pKJbVC.png)(https://a.l3n.co/i/pKJwn5.png)
  • You can install the network interfaces, but it's not required.
    (https://b.l3n.co/i/pKJ5ET.png)
  • Proceed with the installation at this screen.
    (https://a.l3n.co/i/pKQAD3.png)
  • When you're asked by Windows if you want to install the software, choose to do so.
    (https://b.l3n.co/i/pKQ0vq.png)
  • Go ahead and launch the software after installation.
    (https://a.l3n.co/i/pKQIGA.png)
  • Once the software starts, press the "Import Appliance" button at the top middle of the screen.
    (https://c.l3n.co/i/pKVNB9.png)
  • Locate the MarvelMods.ova file that you downloaded earlier.
    (https://a.l3n.co/i/pKVF2v.png)
  • On the next screen, it's not necessary to change any settings. Just press the "Import" button.
    (https://b.l3n.co/i/pKVUJC.png)
  • Within VirtualBox, click the "Start" button at the top middle to run the machine.
    (https://c.l3n.co/i/pKVcS5.png)
  • If everything was successful, you'll be greeted with the home screen!
    (https://b.l3n.co/i/pKVXxz.png)

      Now that you've properly installed the VM, you'll have to configure a few things before proceeding.

Configuring the Virtual Machine
      After installing the virtual machine, you'll need to configure a few settings. Here's what to do:

Expand to see steps
      The first thing that you'll need to do is set up a shared folder. This is how you'll get files from your main PC to your VM and vice versa. I do not recommend storing any files on the VM. If you have to reset it, you'll lose anything stored on it. All files that you want to use on the VM should be stored in the shared folder, which is hosted on your main PC and accessible by the VM.

  • To set up the shared folder, the VM must be shut down. If it's currently on, power it down by going to Machine>ACPI Shutdown.
    (https://b.l3n.co/i/pKVGIr.png)
  • Back in the main window of VirtualBox, select the VM and click on the "Settings" icon.
    (https://a.l3n.co/i/pKVaBF.png)
  • There may already be a shared folder set up for this VM. If there is, go ahead and delete it.
    (https://b.l3n.co/i/pKVho3.png)
  • Now you can set up your own shared folder. First, press the button to add a shared folder.
    (https://a.l3n.co/i/pK9AJD.png)
  • The Folder Path is the location of the folder on your main PC. The folder name will automatically be populated. You can choose a different one if you want, but it can't have spaces. Also choose to Auto-mount the drive (it saves a lot of headache). Then press OK.
    (https://b.l3n.co/i/pK9Weq.png)
  • You should now see the folder in the list of shared folders.
    (https://a.l3n.co/i/pK9I7Q.png)
  • And when you restart the VM, you'll see that the shared folder appears as a network drive in the file explorer of the VM!
    (https://b.l3n.co/i/pK9rIe.png)

      The other thing that you'll want to do is create a snapshot of the VM. This saves the state of the VM exactly as it is at the point where you saved it. If you encounter any issues, such as licensing issues with 3ds Max, you can revert to this snapshot, and it will be like going back in time!

  • To take a snapshot, go to Machine>Take Snapshot....
    (https://a.l3n.co/i/pKBWev.png)
  • The "Take Snapshot of Virtual Machine" window will appear. You can change the name or add a description if you want, but it's not required. Press "OK" at the bottom to create the snapshot.
    (https://c.l3n.co/i/pKB0R5.png)
  • To see the current snapshots, click the list icon to the right of the VM name in VirtualBox and choose "Snapshots."
    (https://b.l3n.co/i/pKBZUT.png)
  • To restore a snapshot, click on it and then click the "Restore" icon at the top middle.
    (https://a.l3n.co/i/pKBT8F.png)

3ds Max Overview
      There are plenty of excellent tutorials that you can find online if you're looking to get more familiar with the 3ds Max user interface. Although most tutorials cover newer versions of the software, the overall layout and structure of the UI and shortcuts hasn't changed much over the years. However, if you're looking for a quick start guide, here's some general information:

Eexpand to see steps
      To start 3ds Max, double click on the "3ds Max 5" icon on the desktop of the VM.

(https://c.l3n.co/i/pKms4T.png)

      When you launch the software, you may get a "Loading Plugins" popup asking about duplicate plug-in paths. You can press "No" here.

(https://b.l3n.co/i/pKmKi7.png)

      If you get an error that says "A license error has occurred", this likely means that you tried to start 3ds Max too soon after launching the VM. Dismiss the error, wait a little bit, and then try to start the software again. If you keep having issues, restore your snapshot.
      As the tutorial progresses, I'll point out different things in the software that you need to know, such as menus and hotkeys. However, there are a few basic principles that you should know before you set off on your modeling journey.
     Here are some basic hotkeys and mouse controls that will help you with navigating the software. I encourage you to try them all out so that you can get a feel for how to get around. Some of them will only be usable when you have an object in the scene, which you'll learn about in later sections. When you have an object imported, then it'll be a good idea to come back to this section and try some of the hotkeys that require an object.
  • Selection (requires an object to be in the scene)
    • Left mouse button click: select
    • Left mouse button click and drag: select multiple objects
    • Ctrl+Left mouse button click: add to selection
    • Alt+Left mouse button click: remove from selection
    • H: select from list
  • Camera movement
    • Middle mouse button click: move the camera
    • Ctrl+middle mouse button click: move the camera (faster)
    • Alt+middle mouse button click: rotate the camera
  • Zoom
    • Middle mouse button scroll: zoom in/out
    • Ctrl+Alt+Middle mouse button click and drag: zoom in/out with finer control
    • Z: reset zoom
  • Camera views
    • Alt+W: change between 1 view and 4 viewports
    • V: bring up the option for different views
    • P: perspective view
    • F: front view
    • T: top view
    • L: left view
    • V then K: back view
    • V then B: bottom view
    • V then R: right view
  • Display
    • G: toggle grid
    • F3: toggle wireframe view (requires an object to be in the scene)
    • F4: toggle edged faces (requires an object to be in the scene)
  • Right mouse button click: right click menu
  • Right mouse button click>Hide Selection: Hide the currently selected selected object(s)
  • Delete key: delete the current selection

      Here's are some additional tools related to selection:
    
(https://a.l3n.co/i/pKmzlD.png)

  • Selection Region Shape: Click and hold this icon, and you'll get different selection shape options. This controls the shape of the selection when you click and drag on the screen. The default is rectangular.
  • Selection Filter: Allows you to filter by certain object types to make selections easier.
  • Window / Crossing: Change if objects not fully within the selection region will be selected. Default is crossing, which will select objects on the edges of a selection.

      When selecting objects, it's important to be careful and take your time. Make sure that you're selecting only what you want. Objects that are selected will always be boxed in by a white outline. Model portions (vertices, edges, faces, polygons, and elements) will always be red when they're selected. If you click on something to select it and it doesn't look like it was selected, make sure that there isn't an object behind it that's being selected.
      Another important set of tools are the transform tools. These are the Move, Rotate, and Scale tools. Here's what they look like:

(https://c.l3n.co/i/pKmSbq.png)

      When you use one, the axes associated with a model will change to a gizmo. You can click and drag different sides of the gizmo to change the position, rotation, or size of a model. You can also enter values into the boxes at the bottom of the screen.
    
(https://c.l3n.co/i/pKmode.gif)

      If you click and hold on the Scale tool, you'll see that it actually has 3 modes: Uniform, Non-Uniform, and Squash. Uniform is useful to scale an object the same amount in all directions. Non-Uniform will scale in only one direction. Squash is not recommended for use, because it's got a cartoonish effect of having the opposite effect on the dimensions you're not scaling.
    
(https://a.l3n.co/i/pKmuMk.png)

      After finishing transforming an object, always go back to the selection tool so that you don't accidentally transform it further.
    
(https://c.l3n.co/i/pKmDax.png)

      You can also change where the center point of the transformation occurs. This is mostly useful for rotation and scaling. To do this, press and hold on the Transform Center icon. There are 3 options: Use Pivot Center, Use Selection Center, and Use Transform Coordinate Center. I recommend only using the first one. It's the default option when you have one object selected. However, with two objects, it defaults to Use Selection Center, so you'll have to change it every time you start 3ds Max.
    
(https://b.l3n.co/i/pKmXKZ.png)

Configuring Modifier Sets
      Before you start modeling, there's one last thing you need to do, which is setting up the modifier sets. This will put all the useful modifiers used throughout this tutorial within easy reach. Here's how:

Expand to see steps
  • On the right side of the screen, go to the Modify rollout.
    (https://b.l3n.co/i/pKpVc1.png)
  • Click on the Configure Modifier Sets icon and choose "Configure Modifier Sets."
    (https://c.l3n.co/i/pKpdZc.png)
  • At the top, give your modifier set a name, like "My Tools."
    (https://b.l3n.co/i/pKpqsK.png)
  • Although you can have as many buttons as you want, I recommend that you change the "Total Buttons" number to 6. This will accommodate all of the modifiers that are commonly used in this tutorial.
    (https://a.l3n.co/i/pKpBDZ.png)
  • Add the following 6 modifiers to the 6 buttons by dragging them from the list on the left side of the screen: Smooth, Vertex Weld, UVW Xform, Physique, Normal, and Push. The only other modifier commonly used in this tutorial, Alchemy Object Properties, will not stay in the buttons for some reason, so it doesn't benefit you to add it.
    (https://c.l3n.co/i/pKpsAP.png)
  • I usually use 10 buttons, because I have extra ones that are helpful when kitbashing models (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,10797.msg197976.html#msg197976). Feel free to add any of them or any others that you think you'll need. Here are the ones I use:
    (https://b.l3n.co/i/pKp3Vm.png)
  • Once you're satisfied with the modifiers, click "Save" at the top, and then "OK."

Next Steps
      Now that you've got 3ds Max properly set up, you can start making models! The next section will depend on the source of your model:

Summary
Title: Chapter 3: Converting igb Files
Post by: BaconWizard17 on January 20, 2020, 08:30PM
MARVEL  MODS  MODELING  TUTORIAL
CHAPTER 3: CONVERTING IGB FILES

By BaconWizard17

Introduction
      To get convert in-game models to a format that can be used in 3ds Max, you can use two programs by nikita488: igbConverter and actorConverter. These tools are better than ripping through 3ds Max, because you'll get the exact right proportions and positions of everything. However, it won't work for static pose mannequins, because these programs don't capture in-game poses.
      I hope to create a more in-depth tutorial for this at a later date, but for now, this chapter will just contain a general overview.

Using igbConverter/ActorConverter
      You can find the necessary files for this process (igbConverter.bat, the latest version of igbConverter.exe, and the latest version of actorConverter.exe) on ak2yny's release thread (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,10969.msg204310.html#msg204310). You should also install Alchemy 5. You can find more information in the Alchemy 5 Tutorial (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,11158.0.html). Here's a brief overview of how to use igbConverter:

Next Steps
      Once your model is properly imported into 3ds Max, you can go to Chapter 7 - Textures (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,10797.msg197744.html#msg197744) to learn how to apply textures to your model.

Summary
Title: Chapter 4: Ripping In-Game Models
Post by: BaconWizard17 on January 20, 2020, 09:31PM
MARVEL  MODS  MODELING  TUTORIAL
CHAPTER 4: RIPPING IN-GAME MODELS

By BaconWizard17

Introduction
      This section covers how to rip models from Ultimate Alliance. The purpose of this is generally to create static pose mannequins. Although it can be used to rip other models from the game, it's not recommended for that because the models won't have the exact right scale. For other models, see Chapter 3 (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,10797.msg197656.html#msg197656) of this tutorial.

3D Ripper DX
      Download 3D Ripper DX (http://www.deep-shadows.com/hax/3DRipperDX.htm). It's the software that's needed to rip models from Ultimate Alliance. Here's how to use it:

Expand to see steps
      Essentially, 3D Ripper DX takes a 3D screenshot of whatever is happening in the game. This allows you to take a model that already exists in the game and get it in a format that can be opened and modified. When you double click on the exe for 3D Ripper DX, it may ask for a password. The password is shown to you in the window that opens. Currently, it is "ripper", but I can't guarantee that that will always be the case.
      Before starting 3D Ripper DX, I recommend creating a separate herostat file that only contains the character you're ripping (note that this won't be possible with the 50R). This reduces clutter, keeps you from having to sort through too many textures, and reduces the file size of your ripped frames (making editing faster too).
      After you download 3D Ripper DX, launch the program as an administrator. Once the program launches, you'll see it come up with its options. You can change the button configuration if you want, but don't check any boxes. The file locations are generally set to the Documents folder, but you can alter them if you like. At the top, be sure that the program points to Game.exe in your Ultimate Alliance game files.

(https://c.l3n.co/i/pK7c12.png)

      Once you've configured 3D Ripper DX, you can proceed to ripping the models.
      An alternate program that you can use instead of 3D Ripper DX is called Ninja Ripper (https://gamebanana.com/tools/5638). Ninja Ripper will automatically put models in a T-pose, so you don't have to do any hex editing. It can get more accurate proportions sometimes as well. The downside is that you can't rip mannequins with it, since it will automatically rip the model in a T-pose no matter what. Additionally, Ninja Ripper separates everything in the scene into separate files, and sometimes incorrectly.

Running 3D Ripper DX with Mod Organizer 2
      If you use Mod Organizer 2 (MO2), it's possible to run 3d Ripper DX through MO2 so that you don't have to overwrite any game files.

Expand to see steps
      First, launch MO2. At the top right, next to the "Run" button, hit the dropdown menu where you choose which exe you're using and press "<Edit...>".

(https://a.l3n.co/i/pK7XKv.png)

      The dialog box to Edit Executables will pop up. At the top left, choose to add an executable. Choose to "Add from File." Navigate to your 3D Ripper DX install location, and select "DX3DRipper.exe"

(https://b.l3n.co/i/pK7bfC.png)(https://c.l3n.co/i/pK7xj5.png)(https://b.l3n.co/i/pK7yqz.png)

      At this point, 3D Ripper DX will be added to the list of executables. You can choose to rename it and change its order on the list if you'd like.

(https://b.l3n.co/i/pK7yqz.png)(https://b.l3n.co/i/pK7Ghb.png)

      To run it, simply select 3D Ripper DX as your executable, and then press the Run button in MO2! When you do that, 3D Ripper DX will launch as normal, and then you can launch MUA1 through 3D Ripper DX. Be sure to enter the file names carefully in 3D Ripper DX when you do this. I had an error when I first tried this because the file names had quotation marks around them.

(https://a.l3n.co/i/pK7hC7.png)

Setting Up the Model
      For this method, your character will still have animations. You can use any animations, but relaxed, standing, or floating animations tend to look best. If you want some other animation to play, hex-edit the animation file you're using, and change any other animation to be the menu_idle animation. More on that here (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,10705.msg196512.html#msg196512). For this example, we will use Captain America in his default idle menu animation.
      Once you've decided on the animation you've decided to use, you'll want to make sure the animation is given to the character with the skin you want to rip. This can be done two ways. It's best described with an example. If you wanted Captain America's 0702.igb skin with Iceman's idle menu animation (08_iceman.igb), you could either rename 08_iceman.igb to 07_captamerica.igb (and use Captain America as your character), or you could rename 0702.igb to 0801.igb (and use Iceman as your character).
      Once you've decided on which animations to use, you can proceed to ripping the model, as described in "Ripping Your Model."

Ripping Your Model
      Here's how to use 3D Ripper DX to rip the model:

Expand to see steps
      Once you've prepared the model, you can press Launch in 3D Ripper DX to start Ultimate Alliance. First, go to the settings, and make sure that advanced lighting and full screen effects are turned off. Then, go to the character selection menu of Ultimate Alliance and choose the character you plan to rip from. It's easiest if you place them in the second spot from the left, and if you clear all the other spaces. Now, press the Capture Key (F9 by default) to rip the model. Be sure to wait until the character is in the proper position before pressing the Capture Key.

(https://c.l3n.co/i/pKO2Sr.png)

      When you press the capture key, you may experience some momentary lag. This is normal. Wait for the game to start moving again before you exit to ensure that the rip is completed.

Importing the Ripped Frame
      Once the model is ripped, it's time to import it into 3ds Max! Here's how:

Expand to see steps
      Once you launch VirtualBox, and 3ds Max within it, you'll want to start a new scene by pressing Ctrl+N. Be sure to click "new all." Go back to your main PC. Go to the folder where 3D Ripper DX deposited the Frames (the default location is C:\Users\(Username)\Documents\3DRipperDX\Frames). The frames are named by the date and time you captured them. The first set of numbers is the date, in Day.Month.Year format, and the second set of numbers is the time, Hour.Minute.Second format. Find the frame (it'll be a .3DR file) from the time you ripped, and copy it to your Shared Folder with VirtualBox (alternatively, you can set 3D Ripper DX to export to that folder automatically by changing its settings).
     Go back to 3DS Max. Go to File>Import, navigate to your shared folder, and select the file that you moved there. When you select "Import," a menu will pop up, prompting you to change settings. There is only one setting that needs to be changed, which is the "Recommended Values" box. Change it to whatever is suggested. It will alter a few of the other values. That is normal.

(https://b.l3n.co/i/pKO8wF.png)

      Once you import, you'll see the scene you just ripped floating around. It will be all gray, without any textures. At the beginning, it's useful to expand the perspective (3D) view to fill your screen. For me, it's on the bottom right. You can click the proper view button in the bottom right corner, or you can use the hotkey (Alt+W when you have no objects selected) to do this.

(https://a.l3n.co/i/pKOW13.png)

      Next, you'll want to delete everything other than your character. This includes all parts of the stage, any other mannequins, and the little arrow above their head.

(https://c.l3n.co/i/pKOip0.png)(https://b.l3n.co/i/pKOjfD.png)

      Now, you just have the character alone in the scene, and you can proceed to repositioning them.

Repositioning the Model
      After importing the model, it's important to position it properly to be able to work on it. Here's how:

Expand to see steps
      To start, you'll want to move them to the origin of the scene. To do that, you'll first need to attach all parts of the model. Most of the time, 3D Ripper DX separates the model into several parts, called DrawCalls. To attach them, click any part of the model, and then at the right, under the Modify rollout, select "Attach List." Then, when the second menu shows up, select "All," and then "Attach." Press "Okay" on the last popup

(https://c.l3n.co/i/pKOgYM.png)(https://b.l3n.co/i/pKOt2Q.png)(https://c.l3n.co/i/pKO1Ca.png)

      Now, the character is one solid piece. The next important step is to clear the user-defined properties. When you rip a model with 3D Ripper DX or Ninja Ripper, it often creates a series of user-defined properties. These properties don't do anything, but when you export the model they can increase your file size by quite a lot. To get rid of them, right click the model and choose "properties". Select the "User-Defined Properties" tab, right click, and "select all". Then, press Backspace to delete them all.

(https://b.l3n.co/i/pKORSe.png)(https://a.l3n.co/i/pKOTxk.png)(https://c.l3n.co/i/pKOk1x.png)(https://b.l3n.co/i/pKO6pH.png)

      After this, you need to move the pivot to the center of the character. To do this, go to the Hierarchy rollout. Select "Affect Pivot Only," and then "Center to Object." Once that's done, click "Affect Pivot Only" again to deselect it.

(https://b.l3n.co/i/pKO9oZ.png)

      Now, you can freely move the character. Select the Move tool, and then you can type in coordinates at the bottom. I usually start by moving the character to 0, 0, 36.

(https://a.l3n.co/i/pKOq2P.png)

      To position the character, you'll need to use the rotate tool to make sure they're properly oriented. Start by expanding the Right viewport. Rotate them along the X-axis until the bottom of their feet is the straightest line possible. If the feet are angled, I try to make the foot that the character has the most of their weight on be flat.

(https://b.l3n.co/i/pKOBJm.png)

      After you do this, you'll want to reset XForm. This is a very important step that ensures that your axes are properly oriented. To do this, go to the Utilities rollout, select "Reset XForm," and then "Reset Selected." Then, go to the Modify rollout, and collapse the modification down by right clicking "XForm" and selecting "Collapse All." Press "Yes" at the next prompt. Any time I say to Reset XForm, follow this procedure.

(https://c.l3n.co/i/pKOmei.png)(https://a.l3n.co/i/pKOsxo.png)

      For animated poses, it's not possible to get the character to stand perfectly even, as the animation is not symmetrical. However, you still want to make the character stand as straight as possible. Expand the Front viewport, and make sure your character is upright and facing you.

(https://b.l3n.co/i/pKO4R9.png)

      Once you've done this, use the Move tool to make your character's head centered on the origin. First, move them along the x-axis in the Front view, and then move them along the y-axis in the Right view.

(https://c.l3n.co/i/pKOK72.png)(https://a.l3n.co/i/pKOpFv.png)

      After you do this, you'll want to move your pivot one last time. Select "Affect Pivot Only" under the Hierarchy rollout and move it to the 0, 0, 0. Make sure that only your pivot is moved, and not your model. The, deselect "Affect Pivot Only."

(https://a.l3n.co/i/pKHJEr.png)
(https://c.l3n.co/i/pKOOIC.png)

      Now, just reset XForm one more time.
      Now that the model is properly positioned, you'll want to smooth it out to make it look nice. The first thing to do is, under the modify rollout, select the Smooth modifier. Under "Smoothing Groups," select 1. Then, select the Vertex Weld modifier. Set the threshold to 0.01. Reset XForm one more time and collapse all your modifiers.

(https://a.l3n.co/i/pKOloz.png)(https://b.l3n.co/i/pKOS8T.png)

      After this, it's best to rename the model. You'll want to change it to be the number of the character. Since Captain America's number is 07, we'll name the skin 0701. I always do 01 as the last two numbers, so that it's easier for me to remember.

(https://a.l3n.co/i/pKOeJb.png)

Separating Model Portions
      Once the model is in position and smoothed out, it's important to separate the model portions. This is necessary for any characters that have different model parts that use different textures, or for characters that use skin segments.

Expand to see steps
      Generally, characters with weapons or other separate objects have those objects split off as separate parts. Other models have multiple textures, meaning that the model needs to be split into the correct sections for the texture to apply correctly. If you rip a model and it produces multiple textures, you'll need to also separate the model correctly. This looks different for every model, so consult the character's mod or ask the community if you're unsure if something needs to be separated.
      I highly recommend detaching the cape if a character has one. It makes the process much easier. Name it something like "XX01_cape", where XX is the 2 or 3 digit character number.
      In this case, Captain America fits both requirements: his shield is a separate object within his mod, and it also has a separate texture. To separate it, go to the Modify rollout, press the black plus sign next to "Editable Mesh," and then select "Element." This allows you to select any closed object within the model, including Captain America's shield.

(https://b.l3n.co/i/pKHOHk.png)

      Select the shield. You'll notice that it glows red, indicating that it's selected. Then press "Detach" under "Edit Geometry." When you detach the object, you're given the option to rename it. For each character, it will depend on their mod as to what you should name it. You can look at the coding of the mod, or pull up their model in Finalizer to look at the different object names. In this case, it's "shield_segment".

(https://c.l3n.co/i/pKHHcx.png)

      If using the element selection doesn't work, you'll have to select "Face" instead of "Element," and go through and select each face of the object that needs to be separated.
     Your model is now prepared and ready for whichever model type you're creating. Be sure to save your model before proceeding.

Next Steps
      Once your model is properly imported into 3ds Max, you can go to Chapter 7 - Textures (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,10797.msg197744.html#msg197744) to learn how to apply textures to your model. If you want to learn about combining different existing models together, you can also check out Supplement 1 - Kitbashing Models (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,10797.msg197976.html#msg197976).

Summary
Title: Chapter 5: Importing Models from Other Games
Post by: BaconWizard17 on February 07, 2020, 09:04AM
MARVEL  MODS  MODELING  TUTORIAL
CHAPTER 5: IMPORTING MODELS FROM OTHER GAMES

By BaconWizard17

Introduction
      This section covers how to prepare the models that were ripped from other video games. This section doesn't cover the ripping process, but only discusses how to prepare these models to work in XML1, XML2, MUA1, and MUA2.
      The method for this section is most useful for skins, 3D heads, and BoltOns. It is not useful for static pose mannequins, since these models almost always come in a T-pose. This can be used for custom-posed mannequins.

Selecting a Model
       When it comes to selecting models to work with these games, it's important to consider the limitations of the games and the platforms they were released on. These games came out in the mid-2000s, and game design has advanced a lot since then. Many modern games have models with very high poly counts and high texture resolutions that these games simply wouldn't be able to handle. Here's how to pick models:

Expand to see steps
      The general rule for polygon count for skins is as follows (these rules apply for the appropriate versions of XML1, XML2, MUA1, and MUA2):
  • GameCube, PS2, and PSP: 3,000 polygons or less. For the GameCube, the file size of the exported model should be 190kb or less.
  • Wii: 5,000 polygons or less.
  • Xbox: 8,000 polygons or less.
  • Xbox 360, PS3: The extents have not been tested. There is likely a limit, but it's probably high. I would consider 20,000 polygons a safe limit, as the default models are 5,000 to 9,000.
  • Xbox One, PS4: Unknown, but likely similar to Xbox 360 and PS3.
  • PC, Steam: No limit, but models with extremely high polygon counts (over 100,000) become very difficult to convert into skins.

     Polygon count does contribute significantly to file size, but it's not the only thing that does. Textures definitely contribute as well. For the less powerful consoles (GameCube, PS2, and PSP), the texture export script covered in Chapter 7 will automatically scale the texture to the appropriate size. All other consoles will not be scaled. If you want the model to be compatible with the Wii and Xbox, I would recommend 512x512 as the maximum texture size. The next-gen consoles (Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS3, and PS4) should have a maximum texture size of 1024x1024. The PC and Steam versions can theoretically handle even bigger textures, but at a certain point the added resolution doesn't gain you much other than a huge file size; the characters in the game are never seen up close, so you don't have to worry about extremely fine details. I would also abide by the 1024x1024 limit for the PC and Steam versions.
     It's also important to limit the total number of textures. This can be hard to quantify, because different models have textures of different sizes. Some models come with 20 tiny textures, while some come with one big texture. A good rule of thumb to follow would be that the total texture area shouldn't exceed 150% the individual texture size limit. So for example, the total texture area for the Xbox and Wii would be 768x512, which can be spread across multiple textures. For the next-gen consoles, that limit would be 1536x1024. For the less powerful consoles, textures will be scaled automatically, but the limit would be 150% of the main texture area. So if the main texture is 512x512, then you can use up to 768x512. If the main texture is 256x256, you can use up to 384x256. Just scale appropriately based on the main texture size.
     Here's where you can source models from:
  • Models from 5th generation consoles (PlayStation, N64, Genesis) have very low polygon counts. They'll be easy to convert, but the low polygon count may not fit the style of the game well.
  • Models from 6th generation consoles (Xbox, PS2, GameCube, Dreamcast) often have lower polygon counts, so they're perfect for all consoles.
  • Models from 7th generation consoles (X360, PS3, Wii) generally have mid-level polygon counts, so they will also be practical for use, but may not work with the weaker consoles.
  • For 8th/9th generation consoles, Wii U and Switch models tend to have mid-range polygon counts as well, but models from the other consoles (Xbox One, Xbox Series X, PS4, PS5) may have higher polygon counts that would only be suitable for the PC versions.
  • Handheld consoles often have low to mid-level polygon counts and are often very practical for conversion to all consoles.
  • Models for mobile games also tend to have low to mid-level polygon counts, making them also very practical for conversion, but may not work on the weaker consoles.
      If you don't want to deal with a higher polygon count, or you want your model to work on console versions, you can perform a polygon reduction. More on this can be found in Supplement 2 (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,10797.msg197977.html#msg197977).
     You can find many models already on our site here (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/board,59.0.html). You can also find them on sites like DeviantArt (https://www.deviantart.com/) and Models-Resource.com (https://models-resource.com/)
     
     For this tutorial, I'll be using Scarlet Witch's Uncanny outfit from Marvel Future Fight.

Importing the Model
     3ds Max is only able to import certain 3D formats, so you'll need to make sure that the model you've obtained is one of those formats. Otherwise, it will need to be converted. Post on the forums if you're unsure how. Noesis (https://richwhitehouse.com/index.php?content=inc_projects.php) can be used to convert between many 3D file formats.

Expand to see steps
      Once you launch VirtualBox, and 3DS Max within it, you'll want to start a new scene. Be sure to click "new all." Go back to your main PC, and copy the file that you're importing to your shared folder with VirtualBox.
      In 3ds Max, go to file>import. Make sure that the proper format is selected. Navigate to the proper file, and open it. In the case of an .obj import, a box will pop up. You shouldn't need to change any settings. Just press "Okay."
      IMPORTANT NOTE: 3ds Max 5 only supports very old versions of the fbx format, so most fbx files that you can find online will not import anything. It is best to convert fbx files to obj using Noesis (https://richwhitehouse.com/index.php?content=inc_projects.php).
     When you import your model, it might be very small. Move the camera and zoom out until you see it. You can also select it with click and drag and then press Z to zoom fit automatically.

(https://a.l3n.co/i/pKHDHo.png)

      The next thing to do is to verify the poly count of your model to ensure that it's where you like it. To do this, save the file, and then go to File>File Properties. A box will pop up. Go to the "Contents" tab and look under "Faces." In this case, the file is around 7600 polys. That works for PC, next-gen consoles, and possibly XBOX, but for other console versions it won't work as well (or at all). If I wanted to reduce it, I could do so as described in Supplement 2 (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,10797.msg197977.html#msg197977). In this case, I won't, to better demonstrate rigging a higher-poly model.

(https://c.l3n.co/i/pKHNX9.png)

      Another way to check the polygon count of an individual object is to select it and press "7" on your keyboard. The polygon count will show up in the top left of the screen. But again, this only shows an individual object's polygon count.
     You'll want to make sure that the model is upright and straight. If it's not, use the rotation tools to adjust the model's rotation.
      Now that your model is in the scene, it needs to be scaled up. To properly scale the model, you need to alter the pivot. If your model is in multiple parts, you'll want to do this for each part. Go to the "Hierarchy" rollout, select "Affect Pivot Only," and then at the bottom right of the screen, change its position to 0, 0, 0 using the move tool.

(https://a.l3n.co/i/pKHJEr.png)(https://c.l3n.co/i/pKOOIC.png)

      Once you've done this, you'll want to scale all of your parts. Select every part of your character, and scale them using the Scale tool. Remember that when you have multiple objects selected, the Transform Center settings will change, and you'll need to change them back to "Use Pivot Center". See Chapter 2 (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,10797.msg197655.html#msg197655) in the section called "3ds Max Overview" for more information.
     If the model is very small, you'll have to drag the scale tool multiple times to get your character big enough. The overall height is less important than the placement of the hips. They should be right around the fourth line up (best seen from the front view of the model).
      If your character has normal proportions, they'll end up being about 7-8 blocks tall in the viewport. Ideal height is 7.25 blocks in height. However, if your character has unusual proportions (like a cartoon character or someone with very short or long legs), they could end up a different height. The hip placement is all that matters, because that ensures that your character will animate correctly. If the hips are above the fourth line, the character will sink into the floor in-game, and if they're below the fourth line, the character will float above the floor in-game.
      If you have a character with normal human proportions, and you're struggling to get their height to be 7.5 and their hips at the 4th line, check out Supplement 3: Adjusting Model Proportions (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,10797.msg197990.html#msg197990).

(https://b.l3n.co/i/pKHfr2.png)

      Also, make sure that your character's feet are touching the base plane of the scene, as shown above. After doing that, adjust the pivot back to 0,0,0 if it isn't already.
      Now that your character has been scaled to the proper size, you'll need to reset XForm to make sure that the scale occurs properly. To do this, select all parts of your model, go to the Utilities rollout, select "Reset XForm", and then "Reset Selected." Then, go to the Modify rollout, right click XForm, and then select "Collapse All." You'll need to collapse each part individually.

(https://c.l3n.co/i/pKOmei.png)(https://a.l3n.co/i/pKOsxo.png)

      Now that the model is properly positioned, you'll want to smooth it out to make it look nice. This isn't always necessary on models that you've imported from other games, but it can help. The first thing to do is, under the modify rollout, select the Smooth modifier. Under "Smoothing Groups," select 1. Then, select the Vertex Weld modifier. Set the threshold to 0.01. Reset XForm one more time and collapse all your modifiers.

(https://a.l3n.co/i/pKOloz.png)(https://b.l3n.co/i/pKOS8T.png)

      This made the model look a bit better.

(https://c.l3n.co/i/pKHF3v.png)

      After this, it's best to rename the model. You'll want to change it to be the number of the character. Since Scarlet Witch's number is 205, we'll name the skin 20501. I always do 01 as the last two numbers, so that it's easier for me to remember. Since she has two parts to her model, I named the main body 20501, and the face and shoulders to 20501_face.

(https://b.l3n.co/i/pKHUNC.png)(https://c.l3n.co/i/pKHXW5.png)

Separating Components
      Once the model is in position and smoothed out, it's important to separate the model portions. This is necessary for any characters that have different model parts that use different textures, or for characters that use skin segments.

Expand to see steps
      If you're importing a model from another game, chances are your model is separated properly based on the textures it has. However, characters with weapons or other separate objects that function as skin segments often have those objects split off as separate parts, so you'll need to do that as well. If you're unsure on whether a character needs a certain element to be separate, consult their mod to verify this, check an existing skin in Finalizer, or ask the community.
      I highly recommend detaching the cape if a character has one. It makes the process much easier. Name it something like "XX01_cape", where XX is the 2 or 3 digit character number.
     Scarlet Witch doesn't have any weapons of that form that need to be split off, and portions of her model that use a different texture are already separated, so I'll bring back the Captain America example from Chapter 4 (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,10797.msg197657.html#msg197657) just to demonstrate the process.
      In this case, Captain America fits both requirements: his shield is a separate object within his mod, and it also has a separate texture. To separate it, go to the Modify rollout, press the black plus sign next to "Editable Mesh," and then select "Element." This allows you to select any closed object within the model, including Captain America's shield.

(https://b.l3n.co/i/pKHOHk.png)

      Select the shield. You'll notice that it glows red, indicating that it's selected. Then press "Detach" under "Edit Geometry." When you detach the object, you're given the option to rename it. For each character, it will depend on their mod as to what you should name it. You can look at the coding of the mod, or pull up their model in Finalizer to look at the different object names. In this case, it's "shield_segment".

(https://c.l3n.co/i/pKHHcx.png)

      If using the element selection doesn't work, you'll have to select "Face" instead of "Element," and go through and select each face of the object that needs to be separated.
     Your model is now prepared and ready for whichever model type you're creating. Be sure to save your model before proceeding.

Next Steps
      Once your model is properly imported into 3ds Max, you can go to Chapter 7 - Textures (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,10797.msg197744.html#msg197744) to learn how to apply textures to your model. If you want to learn about combining different existing models together, you can also check out Supplement 1 - Kitbashing Models (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,10797.msg197976.html#msg197976).

Summary
Title: Chapter 6: Creating 2D Assets
Post by: BaconWizard17 on February 07, 2020, 09:16AM
MARVEL  MODS  MODELING  TUTORIAL
CHAPTER 6: CREATING 2D ASSETS

By BaconWizard17

Introduction
      In addition to 3D models, it is possible to create some 2D assets in 3ds Max. Although it's possible to do things like loading screens and power icons, this tutorial will currently only cover conversation portraits (HUDs) and character select portraits (CSPs). Others may be added later.
     Note: this method should only be used if you're creating 2D assets for all consoles. If you're creating 2D assets that are only for MUA1 PC or MUA1 next-gen consoles, then I would recommend the Alchemy 5 Texture Replacement Method (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,11009.0.html) tutorial instead.

GIMP and GIMP Scripts
      The first thing that you'll need to download is the latest version of GIMP (https://www.gimp.org/downloads/). GIMP is the image editor used by the majority of our community. It's possible to edit and export textures with other image editors, such as Photoshop, but GIMP is free, and the scripts have been created for it specifically.
     After downloading GIMP, you'll need to install the Marvel Mods GIMP Scripts (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,11441.0.html). This includes a series of scripts for exporting different types of textures, as well as many other helpful scripts. These scripts can be installed by following the instructions in the release post.
     To access the tools, launch GIMP. In the toolbar, you'll see an option called "Marvel Mods". Clicking on that will reveal a drop down menu with various other options that you can pick from. The rest of this section will explain which to use and how to use them.

(https://b.l3n.co/i/786ye2.png)

     Note: You must have at least GIMP 2.10.10 or newer. Older versions do not support .dds textures, and therefore the scripts will not be supported.

3ds Max Templates
      After getting 3ds Max set up and getting GIMP ready, the next thing you'll need is one of the templates. First, download the files from the release post (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,11444.0.html). Put them somewhere in your shared folder that you can easily access. To get to them, open 3ds Max and go to File>Open. You can save multiple copies for each character or portrait (which is what I prefer to do), or you can just reuse the same template.

Using Model Screenshots to Get Portrait Images
      To create portraits, I usually take screenshots of a skin in 3ds Max. This gives me a completely consistent style for all of my portraits, and it ensures that a portrait is always available. This is totally optional, and you can always get portrait images from somewhere else. I'll document the steps so that anyone can do this if they want. This technique requires you to have a .max file of a finished skin.

Expand to see steps
  • Open the .max file of the character in 3ds Max. Change to the Right viewport and make it full screen. Remember that you can find all the important hotkeys for different operations in Chapter 2 (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,10797.msg197655.html#msg197655).
    (https://a.l3n.co/i/786hp5.gif)
  • Hide the grid and turn off wireframe mode.
    (https://b.l3n.co/i/78CAIT.gif)
  • Select the rotate tool and turn on angle snapping.
    (https://c.l3n.co/i/78Cio7.png)
  • Select the upper arm. Under the "Motion" rollout, turn off figure mode and change the Track Selection to Symmetrical.
    (https://b.l3n.co/i/78CIJF.gif)
  • Rotate the character's arms down. If they started in a T-Pose, drop them 80 degrees. For models in an A-pose, it may not be necessary to do this. You just want the shoulders to be a bit more natural.
    (https://c.l3n.co/i/78Cgy0.gif)
  • The first time you try to rotate the arms, they may end up rotating the wrong way. This is common. Just let go, press Ctrl+Z to undo, and repeat.
    (https://b.l3n.co/i/78C17q.gif)
  • Hide the skeleton by selecting the model parts, right clicking, and choosing "Hide Unselected."
    (https://a.l3n.co/i/78CkmQ.gif)
  • Under the material properties, change the self-illumination to 25. Make sure that the best quality texture is applied to the skin.
    (https://b.l3n.co/i/78CJ8e.png)
  • Zoom in on the character as close as possible while still being able to see the top of their head and the bottom of their shoulders.
    (https://b.l3n.co/i/78CVex.gif)
  • If all textures are 256x256 or smaller, you can just take a screenshot. If you have any larger textures, it's necessary to render the scene to get them to display correctly.
    (https://c.l3n.co/i/78CmUK.png)
  • Paste the screenshot in GIMP. Create a rectangular selection from above the character's head to the bottom of their deltoid muscles. If the character's arms are different, make sure that the selection is symmetrical for their face.
    (https://b.l3n.co/i/78C7Ai.gif)
  • Use the magic wand tool (hotkey is U) to deselect the background by Ctrl + left clicking.
    (https://c.l3n.co/i/78CMsT.gif)
  • Copy the selection to a new file (Ctrl+C, Ctrl+Shift+V).
    (https://a.l3n.co/i/78CYub.gif)

      You now have a screenshot of the skin that can be used for the portrait!

Setting Up and Exporting Portrait Textures
      Once you have an image that you want to use as a portrait, you can set up the texture. Here's how:

Expand to see steps
      Within the download of the Marvel Mods GIMP Scripts, you can find several templates for creating portraits. They can be found in Export Textures\By Asset Type\Conversation Portrait (HUD) if you're making a HUD, Export Textures\By Asset Type\Character Select Portrait (CSP) if you're making a CSP, or Export Textures\By Asset Type\Multiple Portraits (CSP and HUD) if you want to make a CSP and a HUD from the same image. There are different sizes available; choose the one that fits your portrait image best. The export scripts will scale the image automatically for each console, so you can pick any size regardless of console.
  • Open the template of your choosing in GIMP. Within the template, there will already be an example image of Cyclops. You can delete that.
    (https://b.l3n.co/i/78CDVr.png)
  • Paste the portrait image in the layer called "Character." You can scale the portrait to fit however you want. If you used a screenshot of the skin, there are guidelines that you can use. The bottom line is for the bottom of the chin, the top line is for the eyes, and the vertical line is the center line. After pasting and scaling, press Ctrl+H to anchor, and Ctrl+L to fit the layer to the image size.
    (https://c.l3n.co/i/78CP53.gif)
  • For the CSP or multi-portrait template, you can customize the XML2 CSP background. I usually use a selection from the character's loading screen. The HUD and XML1 CSP backgrounds can be changed as well if you want, but it's more common for those to be standard and unchanged.
  • Once you're satisfied with the look of you portrait, save it somewhere in the shared folder that you set up for VirtualBox. I recommend a file path like (shared folder)\Custom Models\(character name)\Portraits\.
  • you can proceed to exporting it. Go to Marvel Mods>Export Textures>By Asset Type and pick the appropriate export script for the template that you picked.
    (https://b.l3n.co/i/78CFE0.png)
  • Once you select the option, you'll be presented with a dialog box with several options. Here's an explanation of each, and what you should choose:
    • Console: Choose All if you want to export textures that are compatible with all consoles, and choose PC Only if you want to export textures that are only for PC.
    • Export a plain portrait? (not found in the CSP script): Pick if you want to export a plain HUD with no outline.
    • Export an MUA1 next-gen style portrait? (not found in the CSP script): Pick if you want to export a HUD with a transparent background and no outline, like the next-gen MUA1 portraits.
    • Export a portrait with a hero outline? (not found in the CSP script): Pick if you want to export a HUD with a blue outline, which is the standard outline color for MUA1.
    • Export a portrait with a red villain outline? (not found in the CSP script): Pick if you want to export a HUD with a red outline, signifying that the character is a villain.
    • Export a portrait with a green villain outline? (not found in the CSP script): Pick if you want to export a HUD with a green outline, signifying that the character is possessed by Doctor Doom.
    • Alchemy Version (not found in the CSP script): The virtual machine version of 3ds Max 5 uses Alchemy 2.5, so pick that version.
    • Export a CSP for XML1? (not found in the HUD script): Pick if you want to export a CSP for XML1.
    • Export a CSP for XML2? (not found in the HUD script): Pick if you want to export a CSP for XML2.
    For more information on how each of these settings impacts the textures, check out the GitHub page of the Marvel Mods Gimp Scripts, where you downloaded them. Once you've picked the appropriate options for your texture, click OK. Several operations will be performed while the export takes place. Wait for a message to pop up that says that the export is complete. It's okay to click away from GIMP while it's running the script.
    (https://c.l3n.co/i/78Cccq.png)
  • After the export is complete, you'll see that there are several different folders within the Portraits folder that your xcf file is stored in. The folders will be named after the versions of the game that the texture is compatible with. The folders that you receive will vary depending on the options that you chose, as well as the size of the image. Within each folder, you'll find files with the same names as the xcf file, but they'll be different formats, have different dimensions, and possibly even different colors. The different portrait types also have different prefixes to help organize them.
    (https://a.l3n.co/i/78CbgA.png)
  • Once the textures have been exported, you can proceed to applying them in 3ds Max!

Applying Textures in 3ds Max
      Regardless of the 2D asset type, applying the portraits is the same process. Here's how:

Expand to see steps
  • Open up the .max file of the portrait template.
  • On your keyboard, press M. This is the shortcut to bring up the Material Editor window.
    (https://b.l3n.co/i/78CxDQ.png)
  • By default, the window has 6 spheres in a 3x2 grid. Each sphere represents one material. Materials are a combination of one or more textures and associated properties. You'll have one portrait texture per material. If you want to increase the number of materials that you can see at once, you can go to Options>Options, which will bring up the Material Editor Options window. There, you can change the number of slots under the Slots option. I prefer the 6 X 4 option.
    (https://a.l3n.co/i/78C5Aa.gif)
  • To get your texture into a material, open the file explorer within the virtual machine. Locate your texture file, and then drag and drop it into one of the spheres on the material editor. The sphere will show your texture.
    • The reason that you should drag the texture from within the virtual machine is because the texture can automatically be updated in all files if it's re-exported from GIMP. However, you may need to close out of the file and re-open it, relaunch 3ds Max, or relaunch the virtual machine if the texture changes don't show up.
    (https://b.l3n.co/i/78Cavk.gif)
  • After dropping your texture in, under Shader Basic Parameters, change the type from "Blinn" to "Phong." It doesn't seem like it really matters which option is picked here, but the "Phong" setting was passed down from previous skinners, so it's the default that I go to.
    (https://b.l3n.co/i/78J8EH.gif)
  • Once your material is properly set up, you can drag and drop it from the material editor onto the template model. You may notice that for some .dds textures, the colors appear flipped. This is intentional, and it will look correct in-game.
    (https://a.l3n.co/i/78J03Z.gif)
  • If the texture doesn't appear on the model, you can click the "Show Map in Viewport" button to make the material visible on the model.
    (https://b.l3n.co/i/78JEHv.gif)
  • If you have multiple console-specific versions of a texture, you can put each one in a different material editor slot, but don't apply them all at once. Only apply one. When it comes time to export the model, you can change out the textures one by one and export each version of the file. You also only need to add the textures for the consoles that your model will be compatible with.
    (https://b.l3n.co/i/78JCg5.png)
  • Repeat for any remaining textures.
    (https://c.l3n.co/i/78JJ3z.png)

      Once you're satisfied with the textures that you've applied, proceed to the "Next Steps" section of this chapter to see the next steps.

Next Steps
      Once you've applied the textures to the templates in 3ds Max, you're ready to export them! Proceed to Chapter 18 - Exporting Models (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,10797.msg197975.html#msg197975) to learn how.

Summary
Title: Chapter 7: Textures
Post by: BaconWizard17 on February 07, 2020, 09:33AM
MARVEL  MODS  MODELING  TUTORIAL
CHAPTER 7: TEXTURES

By BaconWizard17

Introduction
      Textures are images that are applied to models to give them visual detail. The main type of texture that's used on every model is a diffuse map, which gives the model its main colors and details. Other texture types can be considered "advanced textures." There are a variety of different texture formats used by X-Men Legends, X-Men Legends II, Ultimate Alliance, and Ultimate Alliance 2, and each console is compatible with different texture formats. To make things easier, I've created a series of scripts within the image editor GIMP that can be used to export textures with ease.

GIMP and GIMP Scripts
      The first thing that you'll need to download is the latest version of GIMP (https://www.gimp.org/downloads/). GIMP is the image editor used by the majority of our community. It's possible to edit and export textures with other image editors, such as Photoshop, but GIMP is free, and the scripts have been created for it specifically.
     After downloading GIMP, you'll need to install the Marvel Mods GIMP Scripts (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,11441.0.html). This includes a series of scripts for exporting different types of textures, as well as many other helpful scripts. These scripts can be installed by following the instructions in the release post.
     To access the tools, launch GIMP. In the toolbar, you'll see an option called "Marvel Mods". Clicking on that will reveal a drop down menu with various other options that you can pick from. The rest of this section will explain which to use and how to use them.

(https://a.l3n.co/i/78Jorc.png)

     Note: You must have at least GIMP 2.10.10 or newer. Older versions do not support .dds textures, and therefore the scripts will not be supported.

Exporting Diffuse Textures
      As mentioned before, diffuse textures are the most common textures. They're used on every model. Here's how to export them:

Expand to see steps
     Before you export your texture(s), you'll need to find them. Here's where you can look:
  • igbConverter/actorConverter: The textures will be in a folder with the same name as the .igb file. They will be .tga files.
  • 3D Ripper DX: The textures will be in the "Textures (*.DDS) output directory" that you chose when setting up 3D Ripper DX. They will be .dds files.
  • Models Acquired from Other Games: The textures will usually be found in the download alongside the model. They are often .png files, but they may be other formats.

      Once you've located the texture, open it in GIMP. Save it as a .xcf file somewhere in the shared folder that you set up for VirtualBox. I recommend a file path like (shared folder)\Custom Models\(character name)\Textures\.
     It's important to note that Alchemy only supports textures whose dimensions are powers of 2 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_of_two). This is dimensions like 0, 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, 256, 512, 1024, 2048, and so on. Any texture extracted from an igb file will already have these dimensions, but models downloaded from other sources may not. Adjust the image dimensions as needed, or else the exporter will give you an error.
      Additionally, it's not necessary for the textures to be bigger than 2048x2048, or really even 1024x1024. The characters in the game are usually not seen from very close up, so tiny details don't need to be seen as closely. Extremely large textures will make your file size extremely big without much benefit to the user.
     After saving the texture, go to Marvel Mods>Export Textures>By Asset Type in GIMP. If you're exporting a primary texture (main/largest texture for the skin), pick the Export Skin, Mannequin, or 3D Head (Primary Texture) script. If you're exporting a secondary texture (additional/smaller texture for the skin), pick the Export Skin, Mannequin, or 3D Head (Secondary Texture) script.

(https://c.l3n.co/i/78Ju4K.png)

      Once you select the option, you'll be presented with a dialog box with several options. Here's an explanation of each, and what you should choose:
  • Console: Choose All if you want to export textures that are compatible with all consoles, and choose PC Only if you want to export textures that are only for PC.
    • If you choose All, make sure that the polygon count of your model is low enough to work on all the consoles that you intend to release the model for.
  • Texture Type: A Primary Texture is a main texture that the skin uses. It is usually the largest texture that contains the most elements. For the example files, Captain America's body texture and Scarlet Witch's body texture are primary textures. A Secondary Texture is any additional texture used by a skin. It is usually smaller than the primary texture and will contain textures for additional details. Not every skin will have a secondary texture. Some may have one, and some may have many. For the example files, Captain America's shield texture and Scarlet Witch's face texture are secondary textures.
  • Character Size: A Standard character is any conventional playable character or NPC that you encounter in the game. A Large character is a special character that's extremely large, like Master Mold, the Sentinels, Ymir, or Galactus.
  • Alchemy Version: The virtual machine version of 3ds Max 5 uses Alchemy 2.5, so pick that version.
  • Requires Transparency: Pick No if the texture doesn't require non-uniform transparency. Pick Yes if the texture does require non-uniform transparency. See the section titled "Transparent Textures" below for more information on transparent textures. The vast majority of textures do not use transparency.
  • PSP Texture Compression: PNG4 uses only 16 colors, which produces a worse-quality image but a smaller file size. PNG8 uses 256 colors, which produces a better-quality image but a larger file size. The PSP versions of the game use both formats, so choose the appropriate one for what you want to create.

      The Export Skin, Mannequin, or 3D Head (Secondary Texture) script has an additional option, which is Primary Texture Size. Pick the corresponding size of the primary texture. This ensures that any secondary textures will be exported with the same format as the primary texture, regardless of size.
      For more information on how each of these settings impacts the textures, check out the GitHub page of the Marvel Mods Gimp Scripts, where you downloaded them. Once you've picked the appropriate options for your texture, click OK. Several operations will be performed while the export takes place. Wait for a message to pop up that says that the export is complete. It's okay to click away from GIMP while it's running the script.

(https://a.l3n.co/i/78JDPZ.png)

      After the export is complete, you'll see that there are several different folders within the Textures folder that your xcf file is stored in. The folders will be named after the versions of the game that the texture is compatible with. The folders that you receive will vary depending on the options that you chose, as well as the size of the image. Within each folder, you'll find files with the same names as the xcf file, but they'll be different formats, have different dimensions, and possibly even different colors.

(https://b.l3n.co/i/78JPiP.png)

     Once the textures have been exported, you can proceed to applying them in 3ds Max!

Applying Diffuse Textures
      After successfully exporting the texture, you can now apply it in 3ds Max. Here's how:

Expand to see steps
  • Open up the .max file of your character.
  • On your keyboard, press M. This is the shortcut to bring up the Material Editor window.
    (https://a.l3n.co/i/78Jfdm.png)
  • By default, the window has 6 spheres in a 3x2 grid. Each sphere represents one material. Materials are a combination of one or more textures and associated properties. You'll have one diffuse texture per material. If you want to increase the number of materials that you can see at once, you can go to Options>Options, which will bring up the Material Editor Options window. There, you can change the number of slots under the Slots option. I prefer the 6 X 4 option.
    (https://b.l3n.co/i/78JFMi.gif)
  • To get your texture into a material, open the file explorer within the virtual machine. Locate your texture file, and then drag and drop it into one of the spheres on the material editor. The sphere will show your texture.
    • The reason that you should drag the texture from within the virtual machine is because the texture can automatically be updated in all files if it's re-exported from GIMP. However, you may need to close out of the file and re-open it, relaunch 3ds Max, or relaunch the virtual machine if the texture changes don't show up.
    (https://a.l3n.co/i/78JUao.gif)
  • After dropping your texture in, under Shader Basic Parameters, change the type from "Blinn" to "Phong." It doesn't seem like it really matters which option is picked here, but the "Phong" setting was passed down from previous skinners, so it's the default that I go to.
    (https://c.l3n.co/i/78JX69.gif)
  • It's possible to change other settings here.
    • The Self-Illumination value can be changed if you want the skin to give off its own light and react less to in-game lighting. This can be used on glowing characters for consoles that don't support gloss/emissive maps (see the section called "Advanced Textures" below for more information on gloss/emissive maps).
    • The Opacity value can be changed if you want the texture to have uniform transparency. For more information on this, see the section below, called "Transparent Textures."
  • Once your material is properly set up, you can drag and drop it from the material editor onto your model. Apply the texture to all model parts that use it. You may notice that for some .dds textures, the colors appear flipped. This is intentional, and it will look correct in-game.
    (https://a.l3n.co/i/78Jbz2.gif)
  • If the texture doesn't appear on the model, you can click the "Show Map in Viewport" button to make the material visible on the model.
    (https://b.l3n.co/i/78Jwbv.gif)
  • If texture appears scrambled on the model, first make sure that all model parts are correctly separated. Also make sure that you applied the correct texture. If that's all correct, then you can try to flip the texture. You can either flip the texture in GIMP and re-export it, or you can apply the "UVW Xform" modifier and check the "Flip" box for the V direction to vertically flip the texture mapping. If you use the modifier, make sure that you collapse it after.
    (https://a.l3n.co/i/78JytC.gif)
  • If you have multiple console-specific versions of a texture, you can put each one in a different material editor slot, but don't apply them all at once. Only apply one. When it comes time to export the model, you can change out the textures one by one and export each version of the file. You also only need to add the textures for the consoles that your model will be compatible with.
    (https://b.l3n.co/i/78J545.png)(https://a.l3n.co/i/78JGPz.png)
  • Repeat for the remaining textures.
    (https://c.l3n.co/i/78JhjT.png)(https://b.l3n.co/i/78Q2db.png)

      Once you're satisfied with the textures that you've applied, proceed to the "Next Steps" section of this chapter to see the next steps.

Transparent Textures
      There are many ways to achieve transparent textures. Here are the different methods:

Expand to see steps
      Transparency can be broadly split into two types: full and partial. Partial transparency can be further split into uniform or non-uniform, and non-uniform partial transparency can be split into discrete and gradient types. These terms are not universal, but this is how I'll be defining them for this tutorial:
  • Full: this is when sections of a texture are completely transparent and can be seen through. Often, this is used on textures that have complicated edges, like a ragged cloak. It can also be used when a texture has a hole in it. Full transparency is always non-uniform because if it was uniform, the full model would just be invisible.
  • Partial: this is when sections of a texture are partially transparent. You can see through them, but the color is still there. This has a variety of uses, such as making something look like it's made out of energy or glass.
    • Uniform: Uniform partial transparency is when the entire model is the same level of transparency. For example, Captain America's famous energy shield would be uniformly transparent.
    • Non-uniform: Non-uniform transparency is when the different parts of the model have different levels of transparency. This can range from no transparency to full transparency, but there are different levels across the texture. This is less common, but can still be seen with energy effects, light beams, etc.
      • Discrete: Discrete non-uniform partial transparency is when there are sections within the texture that are a consistent level of transparency within themselves, but different between each other. For example, if there was a part of the texture that was 0% transparent, another that was 50% transparent, and another that was 100% transparent. This type is fairly uncommon, but it could be seen if a specific part of a character's outfit needs partial transparency while the rest needs none.
      • Gradient: Gradient non-uniform partial transparency is when the amount of transparency gradually transitions over the texture. There will still be different levels of transparency in different areas, but there is a closer transition. A light beam or energy effect would more likely be a gradient.

      For uniform transparency, you can choose No for the the "Requires Transparency" option of the texture exporter in GIMP. In all other cases, it's necessary to choose Yes for the the "Requires Transparency" option. For discrete non-uniform transparency, it may be possible to use a duplicate material and treat it like uniform transparency, but not always. If the different areas of transparency apply to different parts of the model, then it's possible. Otherwise, it's needs to be treated like the other cases.
     Here's how to treat the two cases:
  • Texture exported with "Requires Transparency" = No
    • Apply the texture to the material editor just like you would any diffuse texture. See "Applying Diffuse Textures" for more information.
    • Under the "Basic Parameters", change the value for "Opacity." It's a scale of 0 to 100. 100 means 100% opacity, which is 0% transparency. 0 means 0% opacity, which means 100% transparency. Most likely, your value will fall somewhere in the middle.
      (https://a.l3n.co/i/78Q8M7.gif)
    • When the opacity is reduced, the model can be harder to see. Sometimes, it can help to increase the "Self-Illumination" value to compensate for that.
      (https://b.l3n.co/i/78QAhr.gif)
    • Once the texture is applied to the model, you'll see that it is not fully transparent. Any further changes to the opacity will be shown in real time.
  • Texture exported with "Requires Transparency" = Yes
    • Apply the texture to the material editor just like you would any diffuse texture. See "Applying Diffuse Textures" for more information.
    • If the texture has Full transparency, you'll need to visit Supplement 10 (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,10797.msg200580.html#msg200580) to learn about necessary post-processing for the texture. Otherwise, you don't have to make any other changes!

      And that's all you need to know for transparent textures! You can find some additional information about transparent textures in this post by BloodyMares (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,10797.25.html). Although some of the techniques may be possible in Alchemy 2.5 Finalizer, the method described primarily shows this being done with Alchemy 5. Anything done with Alchemy 5 will only be compatible with next-gen MUA1.

Environment Maps
      Environment maps, also known as reflective maps or cube maps, are textures that give a model the illusion of reflecting the environment around them. They are the only type of advanced textures that are compatible with all consoles, are the only ones that can appear when advanced lighting is off on MUA1 PC, and also the only type that can be set up in 3ds Max directly. Here's how:

Expand to see steps
      There are two different ways to apply environment maps to a model. The first is in 3ds Max, and the other is on a completed model after export. There are different benefits and limitations with each:
  • 3ds Max Method:
    • Benefits: Compatible with all consoles; works when advanced lighting is turned off in MUA1 PC; can be applied within 3ds Max; only have to be applied once.
    • Limitations: Can't be used with environment masks, which limits the level of control; requires duplicate materials to apply to selective parts of the model; cannot be used with other types of advanced textures.
  • After Export Method:
    • Benefits: Can (must) be used with environment masks, which gives a better level of control; can be combined with other types of advanced textures.
    • Limitations: Only compatible with next-gen MUA1; advanced lighting must be turned on in MUA1 PC for them to be visible; must be applied with external tools; have to be re-applied every time you export the model.

      For more information on advanced textures and environment masks, see the section below titled "Other Advanced Textures."
     Regardless of the method that you're using, the textures can be exported from GIMP using the same method. Here's how:
  • Within the download of the Marvel Mods GIMP Scripts, locate the template file for environment maps. It'll be located in Export Textures\By Asset Type\Environment Maps.
  • Open the template. You'll see that it contains 6 layers: one for each side of the cube that makes up the environment map.
  • You can use the existing textures, edit them, or replace them with ones from your model. I don't recommend a texture size over 128x128, because you don't really gain anything extra from a larger texture. The script will automatically resize to 128x128 if you're over that size.
  • Save the texture to the same place as your diffuse texture.
  • After editing and saving the texture, go to Marvel Mods>Export Textures>By Asset Type>Export Environment Maps in GIMP.
    (https://c.l3n.co/i/78Qi6F.png)
  • Once you select the option, you'll be presented with a dialog box with several options. Here's an explanation of each, and what you should choose:
    • Primary Texture Size. Pick the corresponding size of the primary texture. This ensures that environment maps will be exported with the same format as the primary texture, regardless of size.
    • Console: Choose All if you want to export textures that are compatible with all consoles, and choose PC Only if you want to export textures that are only for PC.
      • If you choose All, make sure that the polygon count of your model is low enough to work on all the consoles that you intend to release the model for.
    • Alchemy Version: Select Alchemy 2.5 if you'll be applying the texture in 3ds Max. Select Alchemy 5 (Raven Set Up Material) if you'll be applying the textures after export. Do not select Alchemy 5 (3ds Max), as that's only for people who have 3ds Max 10/12 with the Alchemy 5 plugin, which is not currently covered in this tutorial.
    • PSP Texture Compression: PNG4 uses only 16 colors, which produces a worse-quality image but a smaller file size. PNG8 uses 256 colors, which produces a better-quality image but a larger file size. The PSP versions of the game use both formats, so choose the appropriate one for what you want to create.
    For more information on how each of these settings impacts the textures, check out the GitHub page of the Marvel Mods Gimp Scripts, where you downloaded them. Once you've picked the appropriate options for your texture, click OK. Several operations will be performed while the export takes place. Wait for a message to pop up that says that the export is complete. It's okay to click away from GIMP while it's running the script. This script takes the longest to run out of any script, because it exports 6 textures for each format. Be patient as it exports.
    (https://b.l3n.co/i/7HCu6T.png)
  • After the export is complete, you'll see that there are several different folders within the Textures folder that your xcf file is stored in. The folders will be named after the versions of the game that the texture is compatible with. The folders that you receive will vary depending on the options that you chose, as well as the size of the image. Within each folder, you'll find files with the same names as the xcf file (plus a direction-specific suffix), but they'll be different formats, have different dimensions, and possibly even different colors.
    (https://c.l3n.co/i/78Q0w0.png)
  • Once the textures have been exported, you can proceed!

      The next steps depend on whether or not you're applying the textures in 3ds Max. If you're applying them after export (not applying them in 3ds Max), then you can proceed with creating your model or setting up extra textures. After completing the model and exporting it, visit Supplement 12 (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,10797.msg200582.html#msg200582) to see how to apply the environment maps on the exported model.
     If you're applying the texture in 3ds Max, here's what to do:
  • Open up the .max file of your character. The diffuse texture should already be set up and applied.
  • On your keyboard, press M. This is the shortcut to bring up the Material Editor window (if it's not open already).
  • Be sure to click on the diffuse texture that you want to apply the environment maps to. Scroll down in the Material Editor window and expand the Maps tab. If you want to apply the environment maps to only a select part of the model, see the section below called "Duplicate Materials" for more information.
    (https://a.l3n.co/i/78QZtD.png)
  • The tab expands to reveal a wide range of different maps that can be applied to the model. Most, unfortunately, don't work with the Alchemy exporter and wouldn't be compatible with many console versions anyways. Here, click the checkbox next to Reflection, and then click on the box to the right that says None.
    (https://b.l3n.co/i/78QgKq.gif)
  • The Material/Map Browser window will appear. On the left, make sure that New is selected under "Browse From:." On the right, select "Reflect/Refract," and then press "OK" at the bottom.
    (https://a.l3n.co/i/78QrfA.gif)
  • The Material Editor window will change and will now show the "Reflect/Refract Parameters."
    (https://c.l3n.co/i/78Q1jM.png)
  • First, change the "Source:" from "Automatic" to "From File." The "From File" section at the bottom will no longer be grayed out. At this point, you can click on the box next to "Up:", and the file explorer window will appear. Select the texture that was exported with the "_UP" suffix at the end of the file name and press OK. The other textures will then also be filled out automatically.
    (https://b.l3n.co/i/78QRqQ.gif)
  • You'll notice that the preview shown in the material editor window is extremely bright now. It's possible to adjust the intensity of the map. First click on the "Go to Parent" button to back up the main settings of the material. Under the "Maps" section, next to "Reflection," there's a box with a 100 in it. You can change this on a scale of 0 to 100 to adjust the intensity. 15 is a normal level, but you can play around to your satisfaction.
    (https://c.l3n.co/i/78QTMa.gif)
  • The console compatibility types for diffuse textures and environment maps are different, so they won't always line up in 3ds Max. If there are multiple environment maps that use the same diffuse texture, you can either use the duplicate material technique (see below) or just drop in extra copies of the diffuse texture.

Duplicate Materials
      There are some cases where you want to use the same diffuse texture in 3ds Max, but with different properties applied to the different models that use this texture. If you just added multiple copies of the same diffuse texture, you'd end up with an unnecessarily large file size. Instead, you can create multiple materials with the same diffuse texture. Whether it's for self-illumination, transparency, or environment maps, here's how to do it:

Expand to see steps
      To my knowledge, this method only works if the different parts of the model are already separate models. Although there are techniques that can be used to apply multiple materials to different faces of the same model, I'm not familiar with them, and I'm not sure if they work with Alchemy. So, before you proceed, make sure to separate the parts of the model that you want to have different materials. Here's what to do next:
  • Open the .max file of your character. Within the material editor window, click on an empty/gray sphere. Click the black X button in in the middle of the screen to clear the material.
    (https://b.l3n.co/i/78QEhe.gif)
  • Scroll down in the Material Editor window and expand the Maps tab.
    (https://a.l3n.co/i/78Q6Ck.png)
  • The tab expands to reveal a wide range of different maps that can be applied to the model. Here, click the checkbox next to Diffuse Color, and then click on the box to the right that says None.
    (https://c.l3n.co/i/78QCzx.gif)
  • The Material/Map Browser window will appear. On the left, make sure that Mtl Editor is selected under "Browse From:." You can also choose Scene to filter to anything that's specifically applied to the model. Pick an existing diffuse color map that is the texture that you're trying to duplicate, and then press "OK" at the bottom.
    (https://b.l3n.co/i/78QJwH.gif)
  • The "Instance or Copy?" window will appear. Make sure that Instance is selected, and then press "OK."
    (https://c.l3n.co/i/78Q9Kc.png)
  • Click on the "Go to Parent" button to back up to the main settings of the material.
    (https://b.l3n.co/i/78QdfK.png)

      You'll now have a new material that uses the same diffuse texture as another material. This process can be repeated as many times as necessary to have different copies of the material with different properties. At this point, you can mess with the transparency/opacity or self-illumination, or add an environment map to this texture.

Other Advanced Textures
      In addition to environment maps, which can be made compatible with all games and consoles, there are several other types of advanced textures that are only compatible with next-gen MUA1 (PC with advanced lighting, Steam, PS3, and Xbox 360): normal maps, specular (spec) maps, gloss/emissive maps, and environment masks. Here's how to set them up:

Expand to see steps
      Each type of advanced map has a different purpose. Not every model needs each type, and not every type is always included with a model either. Here's what each type does:
  • Normal Maps: Normal maps show which "direction" each pixel on a texture is facing, which creates the illusion of finer levels of detail.
  • Specular (Spec) Maps: Specular maps show which parts of a model are shiny. It gives the appearance of reflecting light.
  • Gloss/Emissive Maps: Gloss/emissive maps show which part of a model emit their own light/glow.
  • Environment Masks: Environment masks indicate which parts of a model the environment maps should be applied to, and how intensely they should reflect the environment. They're always used with environment maps. See the above section titled "Environment Maps" for more information on environment maps.

      These types of textures may have other names used to describe them, but these are the terms that I've heard most commonly and will use in this tutorial.
     Here's how these different types of textures should look (with some examples):
  • Normal Maps: Green normal map with an alpha layer (not the traditional red/blue style). For more information on converting red/blue normal maps to green/alpha normal maps, see below.
    • Note: The Xbox 360 and Steam versions use both a yellow and a blue normal map format. The export script will automatically convert the green normal map to the yellow or blue format at export and export both kinds. There is no functional difference between the blue and the yellow formats.
    (https://c.l3n.co/i/78QB0Z.png)
  • Specular (Spec) Maps: Generally black and white textures (color theoretically supported, but it's not common).
    (https://b.l3n.co/i/78QmqP.png)
  • Gloss/Emissive Maps: Mainly black textures, with colors on areas that need to glow.
    (https://c.l3n.co/i/78QsYm.png)
  • Environment Masks: Black and white textures, similar to specular maps.
    (https://a.l3n.co/i/78Q42i.png)

      Here's how to convert red/blue normal maps to green/alpha normal maps:
Expand to see steps
  • Red/blue normal maps will usually look like this:
    (https://c.l3n.co/i/78QKCo.png)
  • With the normal map texture open, go to Marvel Mods>Utilities>MUA Normal Map Conversion.
    (https://a.l3n.co/i/78QpS9.png)
  • Several operations will be run on your texture. Once the script is complete, you'll see a new texture that is green with transparency.
    (https://b.l3n.co/i/78Q7x2.png)
  • The new texture will be on its own layer, separate from the old texture.
    (https://c.l3n.co/i/78QH1v.png)

      You can now proceed and export the texture!

     These advanced textures can't be applied in 3ds Max, and must be applied to a model after it's been exported from 3ds Max. However, you can go ahead and export them from GIMP now to get ready to apply them. Here's how:
  • Open the texture in Gimp. Make sure that it's set up appropriately. The texture can be the same size or smaller than the diffuse texture you're using it with, but it doesn't need to be larger. It can be, but it doesn't really benefit you much.
  • Save the texture to the same place as your diffuse texture. For a file name, it's generally a good idea to save it with the same name as the diffuse texture, but with a suffix for the texture type. A normal map could be named (texture name)_n.xcf, a spec map could be named (texture name)_s.xcf, a gloss map could be named (texture name)_g.xcf, and an environment mask could be named (texture name)_m.xcf. This is the naming convention used by next-gen MUA1. If you don't have these suffixes on the file name, the script will automatically add them.
  • After editing and saving the texture, go to Marvel Mods>Export Textures>By Asset Type in GIMP. If you're exporting a primary texture (main/largest texture for the skin), pick the script. If you're exporting a secondary texture (additional/smaller texture for the skin), pick the Export Advanced Textures for Next-Gen (Secondary Texture) script.
    (https://b.l3n.co/i/7WlXA7.png)
  • Once you select the option, you'll be presented with a dialog box with several options. Here's an explanation of each, and what you should choose:
    • Advanced Texture Type: Select the texture type that you're exporting.
    • Console: Choose All if you want to export textures that are compatible with all consoles, and choose PC Only if you want to export textures that are only for PC.
      • If you choose All, make sure that the polygon count of your model is low enough to work on all the consoles that you intend to release the model for. In this case, it's only the next-gen consoles for MUA1, which are fairly powerful.
    • Alchemy Version: Select Alchemy 5 here, as you'll be using an Alchemy 5 tool to apply the texture.
    • Steam/360 Normal Map Color: Select Yellow if you want the Steam/Xbox 360 normal map to be yellow, or Blue if you want them to be blue.
      • There is no functional difference between the two colors. Both work the same way. The Steam and Xbox 360 versions use both. If you don't know what to pick, just pick Blue.
    The Export Advanced Textures for Next-Gen (Secondary Texture) script has an additional option, which is Primary Texture Size. Pick the corresponding size of the primary texture. This ensures that any secondary textures will be exported with the same format as the primary texture, regardless of size.
    For more information on how each of these settings impacts the textures, check out the GitHub page of the Marvel Mods Gimp Scripts, where you downloaded them. Once you've picked the appropriate options for your texture, click OK. Several operations will be performed while the export takes place. Wait for a message to pop up that says that the export is complete. It's okay to click away from GIMP while it's running the script.
    (https://a.l3n.co/i/7WlbVr.png)
  • After the export is complete, you'll see that there are several different folders within the Textures folder that your xcf file is stored in. The folders will be named after the versions of the game that the texture is compatible with. The folders that you receive will vary depending on the options that you chose, as well as the size of the image. Within each folder, you'll find files with the same names as the xcf file (plus a suffix for the texture type if you didn't already add one), but they'll be different formats, have different dimensions, and possibly even different colors.
  • Once the textures have been exported, you can proceed!
    
     After you finish your model and have exported it, check out Supplement 12 (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,10797.msg200582.html#msg200582) to learn how to apply these textures.

Next Steps
      Now that you've successfully applied the textures to your model, there are several places you can go: Chapter 8 - 3D Heads (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,10797.msg197745.html#msg197745), Chapter 9 - Mannequins (Ripped Posing) (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,10797.msg197762.html#msg197762), Chapter 10 - BoltOns (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,10797.msg197792.html#msg197792), Chapter 11 - Other Models (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,10797.msg197805.html#msg197805), or Chapter 12 - Skins (Bipeds) (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,10797.msg197941.html#msg197941). If you're using your model to make multiple different types of assets, you can come back here after completing one of them and start the other. For example: if you're making a 3D head and a skin from the same model, you can first go to Chapter 8 to make the 3D head and follow the subsequent sections that it needs to finish and export it. Then you can come back to this chapter and go to Chapter 12 to use the same model to make a skin.

Summary
Title: Chapter 8: 3D Heads
Post by: BaconWizard17 on February 07, 2020, 09:54AM
MARVEL  MODS  MODELING  TUTORIAL
CHAPTER 8: 3D HEADS

By BaconWizard17

Introduction
      This section covers how to make 3D heads for X-Men Legends and X-Men Legends II. These are the floating character heads in those games that indicate which character you're controlling.

Trimming the Model
      You'll want to start with a character in an un-animated pose (either a character ripped in a T-Pose from Ultimate Alliance, or a model imported from another game in a T-Pose or A-Pose), as this will ensure that the head isn't deformed in any way.

Expand to see steps
      First, delete any objects that aren't the character's body (such as weapons).

(https://i.imgur.com/9JDg1Ut.png)

      Next, select the body of the model. Press the black plus sign next to "Editable Mesh" and select "Vertex."

(https://i.imgur.com/vCL3HNc.png)

      Click and drag to select all the vertices below the neck. If your character has long hair or anything else that extends from their head, do not select that just yet.

(https://i.imgur.com/OxpHkoW.png)

      Delete all of these vertices, and make sure that the head is still intact.

(https://i.imgur.com/kS0MHXu.png)

      Now, go through and delete any remaining portions of the neck or body, so that only the head remains. Again, don't delete hair or any other head protrusions just yet.

(https://i.imgur.com/1V9kbFX.png)

      If your character has long hair, you'll want to trim it down to a length just below their chin. Ponytails can be removed altogether, since they won't be seen. Leave any other elements (horns, helmets, etc) on the head.

(https://i.imgur.com/EjOJWAp.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/Nn4ffbO.png)

Positioning the Head
      After trimming the model, it's necessary to position the model appropriately. Here's how:

Expand to see steps
      To properly position the head, first go to the Hierarchy tab, select Affect Pivot Only, and Center to Object.

(https://i.imgur.com/8uBc1LH.png)

      Then, deselect "Affect Pivot Only" and move the head to 0,0,0 using the move tool.

(https://i.imgur.com/ZS6iWnU.png)

      Now, all that's left is to scale the model. Open the Front viewport, select the head, and, using the scale tool, scale it up so it's approximately 3 blocks tall.

(https://i.imgur.com/rm4ko5Y.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/zW1BsFw.png)

      Now, make sure the head is centered the way you like it, and then all that's left is to reset XForm and collapse it!

(https://i.imgur.com/sVAkOLM.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/RfUSI09.png)

Next Steps
      The next section to visit is Chapter 18 - Exporting Models (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,10797.msg197975.html#msg197975).

Summary
Title: Chapter 9: Mannequins - Ripped Posing
Post by: BaconWizard17 on February 09, 2020, 11:46AM
MARVEL  MODS  MODELING  TUTORIAL
CHAPTER 9: MANNEQUINS - RIPPED POSING

By BaconWizard17

Introduction
      This section covers how to make mannequins for Ultimate Alliance. These are the static models that appear in the character selection screen. This method covers mannequins that were ripped from the game, as shown in Chapter 4 (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,10797.msg197657.html#msg197657).

Orienting the Model
      This section of the tutorial is probably the easiest one there is. All you have to do to get your mannequin ready is rotate them 90 degrees, so that they face you in the Right viewport

(https://i.imgur.com/0ZSGdiL.png)

      Once you've done that, ensure that the head is centered, make sure the pivots of all your objects are at 0, 0, 0, and reset XForm on all of your objects. It's that simple! If you ripped with a scalefactor of 1, the size should be fine for your character, but sometimes it may be necessary to make them a tiny bit smaller. You can select all the objects in your scene and scale them up or down uniformly. Be sure to reset XForm after you do this.

Next Steps
      If you want your mannequin to have some sort of animation, like floating, visit Supplement 6 - Animated Models (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,10797.msg199723.html#msg199723). Otherwise, next section to visit is Chapter 18 - Exporting Models (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,10797.msg197975.html#msg197975).

Summary
Title: Chapter 10: Boltons
Post by: BaconWizard17 on February 11, 2020, 07:22AM
MARVEL  MODS  MODELING  TUTORIAL
CHAPTER 10: BOLTONS

By BaconWizard17

Introduction
      BoltOns are models that can be attached to a character through coding. Generally, they are weapons of some kind.
      Unlike skin segments, BoltOns are the same across every skin they're attached to. In Ultimate Alliance, you can do power coding with different BoltOns per skin, but any BoltOns not used in powers have to be the same for each skin. In X-Men Legends and X-Men Legends II, BoltOns can not be made skin-specific.
      BoltOns have some advantages. Since one BoltOn works for many skins, this can cut back on repetitively having to make the same skin segments for each new skin for a character. Using BoltOns over skin segments also keeps the total number of skin segments down, which is important because there is currently a limit to how many total skin segment entries can be present in the herostat. Lastly, BoltOns can be used to add elements to a default skin without having to completely re-rig it from scratch. With the ability to now make custom models for consoles, this is less necessary, but still a potential use.
      Note: if an image is too small, click to expand it

Acquiring a Model
      There are 3 different ways to make a BoltOn: from a model extracted from Ultimate Alliance (like in Chapter 3 (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,10797.msg197656.html#msg197656)), from a character model ripped from another game (like in Chapter 5 (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,10797.msg197742.html#msg197742)), or simply by getting a model of the object you want to make the BoltOn of. In any case, the process is the same, but I'll detail all 3. For the first case, I'll be using Deadpool's sword from his XML2 model, for the second, I'll be using Namor's trident from his Future Fight model, and for the third case, I'll be converting the pistol from Halo: Combat Evolved as a loose model.

Trimming and Preparing the Model
      In order to make a BoltOn, you'll need to make sure that only the weapon part of the model is present. Here's how:

Expand to see steps
     For Deadpool, the sword is currently in his hand, so I'll need to delete the body and other weapons he has. For Namor, the trident is already separate from his body, so I just need to delete his body. The Halo: Combat Evolved pistol is already its own model, so I'll just need to delete its various handlers

(https://i.imgur.com/YtmkxJs.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/gmCKa7C.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/HZR6BWP.png)

      Before moving on, it's worth noting that you need to make sure that your model is properly sized as a BoltOn, or it will be hard to see. If it came with a character, scale that character to the normal height described in Section 4 (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,10797.msg197657.html#msg197657). If you ripped it from Ultimate Alliance, it should be the proper size already. If you're taking a loose model from another game, you'll likely need to adjust the proportions when you test it. Alternatively, you can import the model into a scene with a model you ripped, and scale it to be a comparable size.
      For the Halo pistol, I'll import it into a scene with one of Bishop's pistols, allowing me to compare its size. This should be a good starting point, but I may need to adjust it going forward. Be sure to reset XForm if you're scaling the model.
      Note: The models found in these games are often larger than what would be considered "normal" size for the characters. Since the characters are primarily seen from afar (especially in combat), the weapons are made larger to have a greater visual impact.

(https://i.imgur.com/ub9EUBz.png)

      Additionally, be sure to properly name the model before continuing. If you're making a new mod, you can name it whatever you want to name it, but make sure it's descriptive. If you're making it for an existing mod, consult the mod's files to know how to name it. The naming can also depend on the positioning of the model. For instance, Deadpool's sword could be named dp_sword_r, dp_sword_l, dp_sword_l_back, or dp_sword_r_back, depending on where it will be positioned.
      Once I've gotten the model ready, it's time to start positioning it.

Positioning the Model - General
      In this section, I'll explain the general positioning practices for a BoltOn. In the next sections, I'll explain the positioning for BoltOns in the left hand, right hand, and back, which are the most common places for a BoltOn.
      When it comes to BoltOns, the first time positioning is always the hardest. For that reason, I always import my model into a file with another BoltOn that I know is properly positioned, and then match its positioning there. In each section below, I'll provide helpful template files to guide you.
      When positioning BoltOns, you have to take into account the bone of the skeleton that you're going to be attaching the BoltOn to. You imagine that bone in the center of the scene, and then you position the BoltOn according to that. Because of this, the BoltOn is generally not centered on the origin. Unfortunately, the orientation of the imaginary bones is somewhat counter-intuitive, so the below examples should help you.

Positioning the Model - Right Hand
      Positioning for the right hand is possibly the easiest bone, as it makes the most sense. Here's how:

Expand to see steps
From the top view, the hand-held part is close to the origin. It is almost on the x-axis, and about 0.25 blocks away from the y axis in the positive direction.

(https://i.imgur.com/jUChtGp.png)

      From the front view, the handle should cross the plane, and the top of the handle should be slightly lower than halfway between the origin and the first block. The front of the model should face you in the right view, and the top of the model should be up.

(https://i.imgur.com/rpqOEiD.png)

      Here are some pictures of the various example models oriented correctly:

(https://i.imgur.com/Y0Hm5HN.png)(https://i.imgur.com/euSPFVM.png)(https://i.imgur.com/iCMVsFM.png)

      And here are some .max files of properly oriented right hand models: Namor's Trident (https://www.mediafire.com/file_premium/cdlaj6ed1qf4o4q/Namor_Trident_Right.max/file)

Positioning the Model - Left Hand
      Left hand models are almost as easy as right hand models, with the only exception being that they need to be mirrored in the z direction. Here's how:

Expand to see steps
     If you've already positioned a model for the right hand, positioning it for the left hand can be easily done with the following procedure. First, select the model, go to the Hierarchy rollout, and select "Affect Pivot Only." Use the move tool to move the pivot to 0,0,0, the origin.

(https://i.imgur.com/gmJ8y8M.png)(https://i.imgur.com/6NyVnwf.png)

      Then, select the model, and apply the Mirror modifier. Select Z as your mirror axis. (If the model doesn't properly flip, make sure to reset XForm first). Now, you can just collapse the Mirror modifier, and the model is properly positioned!

(https://i.imgur.com/hGUhqSa.png)

      Here are some pictures of the various example models oriented correctly:

(https://i.imgur.com/BWGickb.png)(https://i.imgur.com/naOzKpa.png)(https://i.imgur.com/7bN2jWS.png)

      And here are some .max files of properly oriented left hand models: Namor's Trident (https://www.mediafire.com/file_premium/60cuuv24azk6imw/Namor_Trident_Left.max/file)

Positioning the Model - Back
      The most common BoltOn spot for the back is on the Spine2 bone. Here's how to position these types of BoltOns:

Expand to see steps
     The positioning of BoltOns here is a bit trickier to explain. The left-to-right center of the BoltOn is generally about half a block in the positive x direction. The top of the model goes in the positive x direction. The front-to-back position should be about half a block in the negative y direction. If you properly position the model in one direction, you can mirror across the Z axis to get the other direction
      Example images better clarify it. The first one is for a sword that sticks out to be grabbed by the right hand, and the second is for a sword that sticks out to be grabbed by the left hand

(https://i.imgur.com/KXba8U4.png)(https://i.imgur.com/jXEwcDm.png)

      And here are the .max files: left-handed (https://www.mediafire.com/file_premium/pq751uv6lkztzlb/Deadpool_Sword_Left_Back.max/file)

Positioning the Model - Forearm
      If you're creating a new mod, and you have a larger melee weapon and want to use different animations other than Thor's, Corvetterules has come up with a way to bolt a weapon to the forearm to use a larger melee weapon with animations such as Wolverine's. Here's how:

Expand to see steps
(https://i.imgur.com/sA0kDjW.png)

The .max file for this weapon (https://www.mediafire.com/file_premium/cnss40joh4654d2/soulScythe.max/file)

Next Steps
      If you want your BoltOn to have some sort of animation, visit Supplement 6 - Animated Models (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,10797.msg199723.html#msg199723). If you're making a BoltOn for X-Men Legends or X-Men Legends II, visit Chapter 15 - Skins (Outlines/Cel Shading) (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,10797.msg197945.html#msg197945) to learn how to add the outline. Otherwise, you can move on to Chapter 18 - Exporting Models (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,10797.msg197975.html#msg197975).

Summary
Title: Chapter 11: Other Models
Post by: BaconWizard17 on February 12, 2020, 04:12PM
MARVEL  MODS  MODELING  TUTORIAL
CHAPTER 11: OTHER MODELS

By BaconWizard17

Introduction
      "Other models" refers to any other 3D object found in the game. This includes models that are used with powers (such as the shield that Captain America throws), as well as objects found in maps.
     For the time being, I'm not able to thoroughly fill out this section. However, these types of models are very easy to make. Basically, all you have to do is place the model in the center of the scene, with the bottom at a height of 0. You may have to change the rotation around the Z axis depending on how the model appears in game. In the future, I'll update this section with more examples.

Next Steps
      If you want your model to have some sort of animation, visit Supplement 6 - Animated Models (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,10797.msg199723.html#msg199723). If you're making a model for X-Men Legends or X-Men Legends II, and you want it to have the black outline (only some models in the game do), visit Chapter 15 - Skins (Outlines/Cel Shading) (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,10797.msg197945.html#msg197945) to learn how to add the outline. Otherwise, you can move on to Chapter 18 - Exporting Models (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,10797.msg197975.html#msg197975).

Summary
Title: Chapter 12: Skins (Bipeds)
Post by: BaconWizard17 on February 22, 2020, 08:04AM
MARVEL  MODS  MODELING  TUTORIAL
CHAPTER 12: SKINS (BIPEDS)

By BaconWizard17

Introduction
      This section covers the first part of how to make skins for X-Men Legends, X-Men Legends II, and Ultimate Alliance: the biped. The biped (also called the rig or the skeleton) contains the bones that animate the model. In this section, you'll learn how to position the biped. In later sections, you attach the model to the biped and adjust it, which is what allows the model to actually move.
      Setting up the biped isn't too terribly difficult or time consuming, but it's important to do it correctly. If you don't, the model may not animate properly, or it may look strange or deformed in the game. Taking the time to make a proper biped is important.

Orienting the Model
      Before you begin, you must properly orient your model. Here's how:

Expand to see steps
     First, ensure that the pivot of each object is set to 0, 0, 0. Then, rotate your model so that it faces you in the right view, and reset XForm on all objects.

(https://i.imgur.com/4q7oWxV.png)

      Once this is done, save your file. Then, save it under a different name to indicate that you're going to add the biped. I usually go with filename_rig.max to help me distinguish between them. Save frequently to ensure that you don't lose any progress.

Biped Templates
      Before creating the biped, it's worth noting that for optimal model performance, it's best to match the default biped structure as closely as possible. The easiest way to do this is with a template. Here's how:

Expand to see steps
     It may not be possible for every model, but you should try to get your model's proportions to match the default biped as closely as possible. Here are the links for the biped templates for default skins. You can use these templates instead of creating the biped from scratch. If the template doesn't match up with your skin perfectly, you can follow the steps in this section to adjust the template, but you don't need to create a biped if you're using one of the templates.

Raven Biped Template - Female (https://www.mediafire.com/file_premium/v3cdj84n3cxnd9i/Raven_Biped_Template_Female.max/file)
Raven Biped Template - Male (https://www.mediafire.com/file_premium/lancsokxk7d43mh/Raven_Biped_Template_Male.max/file)
Raven Biped Template - Bulky Characters (https://www.mediafire.com/file_premium/vibybngilq2t756/Raven_Biped_Template_Large.max/file) (patterned off of Juggernaut, will work for other characters like Thing or Hulk for the most part)
     
      If you want to get your character to more closely match the proportions of these bipeds, you can visit Supplement 3 - Adjusting Model Proportions (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,10797.msg197990.html#msg197990). If your character uses some kind of complex biped (wings, tails, etc), visit Supplement 4: Advanced Bipeds (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,10797.msg199005.html#msg199005) to get pre-made bipeds that already have the proper bones laid out. It's recommended that you have some experience with skinning before using more advanced bipeds.
      Note: if you download one of these bipeds, you can save them in your shared folder as a separate file. Then go to File>Merge and choose the biped to merge it into the scene with your model.

      If you find that the hips of your model don't line up with the pelvis bone of the biped, you'll need to adjust the proportions of your model. You can try to scale it, but if that makes the model too tall, check out Supplement 3 (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,10797.msg197990.html#msg197990). An easy way to see where the hips are positioned is to select the model and press Alt+X, which will make it transparent. It is common for models from other games to not fit quite right, because XML1/XML2/MUA1 models have longer-than-average legs.
      Note: Default models from X-Men Legends, X-Men Legends II, and Ultimate Alliance won't have this problem, since they were designed with this limitation in mind.
Before going forward, it's a good idea to make sure that the pelvis bone is centered within the model's torso. Look at the side view of the model, and move the model forwards or backwards on the X axis until the pelvis is centered. Reset all the pivots of your model to 0,0,0 once you do. Captain America's already fits, but Scarlet Witch needs to be moved (the images show a new biped rather than the templates, but the concepts shown are the same).

(https://i.imgur.com/eLdCUYd.png)(https://i.imgur.com/hvbG8fa.png)(https://i.imgur.com/bNPaYKt.png)

      Lastly, to learn how to position bipeds, you'll need to know about Figure Mode. Figure Mode is what allows you to move and alter your biped in a permanent manner. You can find the button for Figure Mode when you select the biped and go to the Motion rollout. When Figure Mode is on, the button is blue-purple, and any changes you make to the biped are permanent, which is necessary for posing the model. When Figure Mode is off, the button is gray, and any changes are not permanent, which is necessary in later sections. When you turn Figure Mode back on, the biped resumes the position it was in before Figure Mode was turned off.

Figure Mode OffFigure Mode On
(https://i.imgur.com/FtEmzuY.png)(https://i.imgur.com/XfVOTKf.png)

Creating a Biped
      If you chose not to use one of the biped templates, you can create a biped from scratch. Here's how:
    
Expand to see steps
      Now it's time to place the biped. Go to the Create rollout, click the Systems button, and then select biped.

(https://i.imgur.com/FNzrM95.png)

      The bipeds for these games require a specific structure in order to properly work. First, the Body Type needs to be set to "Classic." Set 1 neck link, 3 spine links, 3 leg links, 0 tail links, 2 fingers, 2 finger links, 1 toe, and 1 toe link. If your character has long hair or a ponytail, give them 2 Ponytail1 links. Otherwise, leave it as 0. Add no other bones to the biped.

(https://i.imgur.com/4Qs9Cp8.png)

      In order to place your biped, click somewhere in the scene and drag up to place the biped. I usually like to place it close to the origin, and then scale it up to where its chin touches the top of the model's head.

(https://i.imgur.com/tLRS3L3.png)

      Now, with the biped still selected, go to the Motion tab and enable Figure Mode. Figure Mode is what allows you to move and alter your biped in a permanent manner. When Figure Mode is on, the button is blue-purple, and any changes you make to the biped are permanent, which is necessary for posing the model. When Figure Mode is off, the button is gray, and any changes are not permanent, which is necessary in later sections. When you turn Figure Mode back on, the biped resumes the position it was in before Figure Mode was turned off.

Figure Mode OffFigure Mode On
(https://i.imgur.com/FtEmzuY.png)(https://i.imgur.com/XfVOTKf.png)

      Once you've done this, select the Rotation track, and then rotate the biped so it faces forward in the Right view, the same as your model.

(https://i.imgur.com/dq5pLCG.png)(https://i.imgur.com/FUtIVuB.png)

      The positioning of the center of the biped is very important to prevent floating. Select the horizontal move track and enter 0.69 for the X coordinate and 0.0 for the Y coordinate.

(https://i.imgur.com/bktbWfL.png)(https://i.imgur.com/oIDe3Lm.png)

      and then select the Vertical move track and position the biped at a Z coordinate of 41.82. This value must be 41.82, or else your model will float in-game.

(https://i.imgur.com/A04mkvp.png)(https://i.imgur.com/hT6eT55.png)

      If you find that the hips of your model don't line up with the pelvis bone of the biped, you'll need to adjust the proportions of your model. You can try to scale it, but if that makes the model too tall, check out Supplement 3 (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,10797.msg197990.html#msg197990). An easy way to see where the hips are positioned is to select the model and press Alt+X, which will make it transparent. It is common for models from other games to not fit quite right, because XML1/XML2/MUA1 models have longer-than-average legs.
      Note: Default models from X-Men Legends, X-Men Legends II, and Ultimate Alliance won't have this problem, since they were designed with this limitation in mind.

(https://i.imgur.com/HNLt77E.png)(https://i.imgur.com/G7wyCEd.png)

      Before going forward, it's a good idea to make sure that the pelvis bone is centered within the model's torso. Look at the side view of the model, and move the model forwards or backwards on the X axis until the pelvis is centered. Reset all the pivots of your model to 0,0,0 once you do. Captain America's already fits, but Scarlet Witch needs to be moved.

(https://i.imgur.com/eLdCUYd.png)(https://i.imgur.com/hvbG8fa.png)(https://i.imgur.com/bNPaYKt.png)

      The last thing to do before positioning the biped is to rename the forearm bones. By default, they're called "Bip01 R ForeArm" and "Bip01 L ForeArm." However, the animations these games have those bones named "Bip01 R Forearm" and "Bip01 L Forearm" with a lowercase A. If you don't change that, the lower arms won't animate in Ultimate Alliance, and they'll disappear in X-Men Legends II. To fix this, simply select each bone and rename them from "ForeArm" to "Forearm".

(https://i.imgur.com/xwBlgbx.png)(https://i.imgur.com/8wGMJs1.png)

      Note: If your version of 3ds Max isn't in English, you may need to rename all of your bones to have the proper name.

Posing the Biped - Lower Half
      Now, it's time to pose the lower half of the biped. Proper posing is essential to make sure that your character animates properly. Here's how:
    
Expand to see steps
     Again, to be able to see the biped within the body more easily, select all parts of your model, and press alt+X, making the model transparent.
      To reduce the number of images, I'm going to show all the changes on Captain America's biped only. I'll show an image of Scarlet Witch before and after at the end of this section. The process is the same no matter which character you're using. Just make sure to line everything up, and don't be afraid to tweak it.
      I always begin with the lower body, and do the upper body after. The first bone to mess with is the pelvis. First, you want to make it vertically thin using the scale tool. Not paper thin, but much thinner than it is now. As needed, adjust its width to make sure that the thigh bones will go through the thighs. You may need to adjust it later, depending on the legs.

(https://i.imgur.com/y9IqeKN.png)(https://i.imgur.com/An5InmI.png)(https://i.imgur.com/8QpBWtr.png)

      After this, select either thigh. Go to the Track Selection and choose Symmetrical. This allows you to edit both thighs at the same time, mirrored from one another. Looking at the side, pivot the thighs so that they go through the knees, and looking at the front, pivot the thighs so that the leg bones go straight through the knees and ankles. At this stage, it may be necessary to adjust the Pelvis width to make sure the leg bones go through properly. Lastly, adjust the length of the thighs so that the joint is on the knees

(https://i.imgur.com/blrmQW7.png)(https://i.imgur.com/Rtrxeds.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/zHjLovm.png)(https://i.imgur.com/RpNTuvY.png)(https://i.imgur.com/7tqsXYq.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/428iCkO.png)(https://i.imgur.com/HRj4zIt.png)(https://i.imgur.com/zgGCGxo.png)

      You'll want to do the same with the calves. From the side (with the Symmetry track selected), pivot them so they cross through the ankles, and then shorten them to touch the ankles. Default XML1/XML2/MUA1 models have a slight bend in their knee, but other models may not necessarily.

(https://i.imgur.com/uUa6H7t.png)(https://i.imgur.com/PHn7l3W.png)(https://i.imgur.com/nFo8lkH.png)

      Once you've done this, select the thighs again, and pivot them in or out to make sure they line up with the direction of the knees (if necessary)

(https://i.imgur.com/FKEZXoW.png)(https://i.imgur.com/o5VsWB4.png)

      With the feet, select them with the Symmetry track, and pivot them to align with the feet of the model. The bottoms should stay flat. From the side, adjust the height of the feet so that they touch the plane. Then, for the length, look at the bottom of the feet with wireframe mode (enable by pressing F3). Find a place where there's a line across or at least a vertex on the side of the feet, and make the foot bone that long.

(https://i.imgur.com/oqKlVj4.png)(https://i.imgur.com/seUJVav.png)(https://i.imgur.com/edVlRuf.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/yzs96MC.png)(https://i.imgur.com/QaRW4WQ.png)(https://i.imgur.com/iXP7xY0.png)

      If the feet don't quite fit in the space, go back through and tweak the position of the upper bones, so that everything properly lines up.

(https://i.imgur.com/BJyp8ZG.png)(https://i.imgur.com/oH7AU7R.png)

      For the toes, just scale them until they fill the toe area of the character

(https://i.imgur.com/Bk70GZR.png)(https://i.imgur.com/v03foxw.png)

      Once you've ensured that the legs are properly placed, you can adjust their thickness so they fit the model. It's okay to make them thicker than the model, but make sure that the thighs and calves don't cross over one another

(https://i.imgur.com/aVqhBjY.png)(https://i.imgur.com/zJwOXfh.png)

      This completes the posing of the bottom half of the biped. Here are a few shots of Scarlet Witch to show how I posed her:

(https://i.imgur.com/TLrBJTT.png)(https://i.imgur.com/QAVQ7dm.png)(https://i.imgur.com/csEv2Kp.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/XVQfzRH.png)(https://i.imgur.com/npTbk6M.png)(https://i.imgur.com/XFRgZrk.png)

      Once you've gotten the lower half of your character posed, proceed below to learn about posing the upper half.

Posing the Biped - Upper Half
      After posing the lower half of the biped, you can continue by posing the upper half. Here's how:
    
Expand to see steps
      Before continuing, make sure to save your file if you haven't already. Save your work frequently while making skins to make sure you don't lose any progress.
      Once you've gotten the legs positioned, you'll want to get the spine in place. Begin with Bip01 Spine, the lowest bone. Before scaling it, you need to make sure it's in the proper position. Use the move tool to move it to X: 0.85, Y: 0, and Z: 42.1

(https://i.imgur.com/XuYyADm.png)

      Next, you need to scale the spine bones. Scale Bip01 Spine to be short, so that its top is roughly where you would expect the character's waist to be.

(https://i.imgur.com/vrlyLMe.png)(https://i.imgur.com/meWnZ3B.png)

      Next, move up to Spine1, the middle bone. Scale it down so that it's top touches the bottom of the latissimus dorsi muscle, which is the back muscle that sticks out of the sides.

(https://i.imgur.com/LJfWrcu.png)(https://i.imgur.com/4w1R5tR.png)

      From there, adjust Spine2, the highest bone. Scale it up so that it goes up to the base of the neck, and then from the side, tilt it back slightly so the base of the neck is in the correct place. Spine2 should be the longest of your Spine bones, with Bip01 Spine being the shortest and Bip01 Spine1 being in the middle.

(https://i.imgur.com/NVMQVkI.png)(https://i.imgur.com/K85xahP.png)(https://i.imgur.com/cS7gPVg.png)(https://i.imgur.com/AM5rR3F.png)

      If things aren't lining up quite right, you can go back through and re-adjust the spine bones, to make sure the neck will go through the center of the neck of the mesh, and that all the bones are the proper length. Be sure to fully adjust the spine before you move on to the arms. I always do the neck and head after the spine and before the arms, so that I can change the spine as needed.
      For the neck, pivot it so that it follows the neck of the model. Shorten it as needed, so that the chin of the head bone is even with the chin of the model.

(https://i.imgur.com/GV5t5qB.png)(https://i.imgur.com/aCHYzAe.png)(https://i.imgur.com/5ZCUNOd.png)

      For the head, scale it until it fits the bounds of your head. Try to keep from making it too big. For XML1/XML2/MUA1 default models, I also slightly tilt the head down, so the head bone lines up better. I did the same for Scarlet Witch, but you may not need to on every model.

(https://i.imgur.com/mUEyfpj.png)(https://i.imgur.com/BuASrgM.png)(https://i.imgur.com/FT2Oj2Y.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/f4m5LML.png)(https://i.imgur.com/dA1r0rB.png)

      Once you're satisfied with the spine and head, you can move on to the arms. Select the clavicles with symmetry mode, and scale them until they're thin like the Pelvis. Then, use the move tool to move them to the right place. You want to move Bip01 R Clavicle to X: -0.7, Y: -0.3, Z: 59.5 and move Bip01 L Clavicle to X: -0.7, Y: 0.3, Z: 59.5. If the Z coordinate doesn't work due to the proportions of your model, at least try to get the X and Y coordinates correct and get the Z coordinate as close as possible.
      Note: It seems that the X coordinate varies a bit from character to character. You may need to tweak it for your character. The images show X: 0.35, but I think that X: -0.7 is more common.

(https://i.imgur.com/vNuPBVs.png)

      Next, scale the clavicles so the joint with the upper arms is just slightly outside the line that goes down from the trapezius and deltoid, shown with the red line in the picture. Make sure they're not too long, so that the shoulder joint is in the right place. For female characters, the clavicles need to be slightly shorter.

(https://i.imgur.com/BX1lazb.png)

      Lastly for the clavicles, you need to tilt them down very slightly (just a few degrees) and also tilt them back so that the ends are in the correct place for the shoulder joints.

(https://i.imgur.com/zVXrdOf.png)(https://i.imgur.com/IkB6u11.png)(https://i.imgur.com/1sldKY6.png)

      For the upper arms, pivot them with symmetry mod, so that they line up with the flow of the arms, and then scale them so the joint is right at the elbow. Make any adjustments to the clavicles as needed, but try to keep them as close to default position as you can

(https://i.imgur.com/jNLTu4G.png)(https://i.imgur.com/5ZNl1nq.png)(https://i.imgur.com/iO9uhFM.png)

      For the forearms, adjust the angle so it continues to go straight through the arm. Arms are generally straight on models (especially XML1/XML2/MUA1 default models), but be sure to look closely at other models to determine what's best for you. Also, scale the lower arms so that the joint is at the wrist. In this case, I also needed to slightly rotate the clavicles forward to get the right line.

(https://i.imgur.com/kNq0XQ7.png)(https://i.imgur.com/T2oJVMZ.png)(https://i.imgur.com/51wozmr.png)(https://i.imgur.com/rQW4Vqo.png)

      Before moving on to the hands, check over the arms and make sure you don't need to tweak anything.
      For the hands, go into wireframe mode (press F3), and find the line where the fingers begin. Scale the hand bones with symmetry mode to get them the right length, and scale the width as needed. From the side, scale the thickness to fill the hand. If the hand bone isn't centered in the hand, adjust the height of the clavicles.

(https://i.imgur.com/7IF2wW0.png)(https://i.imgur.com/VLuApSF.png)(https://i.imgur.com/wD8yUij.png)(https://i.imgur.com/BLozrrT.png)

      For the finger bone closer to the hand (Finger1), scale the width to be as wide as all 4 fingers. If the character has attached fingers, scale the length to the next line of the fingers. If they have 4 individual fingers, scale the length to the first knuckle of the index finger. From the side, scale the thickness to be as thick as the fingers. If necessary, you can move the finger bones up and down.
      I've included Scarlet Witch's finger positioning here, to give an example of how to position with individual fingers. You can see that I had to adjust the positioning of the hands to get the fingers to work. Continual adjustment ensures you get the positioning right.

(https://i.imgur.com/rAwuc7H.png)(https://i.imgur.com/BVB35Js.png)(https://i.imgur.com/ct9LpFr.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/iHXNGT3.png)(https://i.imgur.com/xjZ8B60.png)

(https://i.imgur.com/BWV35m2.png)(https://i.imgur.com/r3waG5a.png)(https://i.imgur.com/YgVZRDU.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/OYLtXUe.png)(https://i.imgur.com/ksYF65n.png)(https://i.imgur.com/a2dTjU0.png)

      For the further finger bone (Finger11), the process is the same, but make sure you scale the length to slightly beyond the end of the fingers.

(https://i.imgur.com/Gj5zbaR.png)(https://i.imgur.com/CqnIk5e.png)(https://i.imgur.com/RZRqmsD.png)(https://i.imgur.com/NOtCK9R.png)

(https://i.imgur.com/1sNwzSJ.png)(https://i.imgur.com/XTAetBo.png)

      Now, adjust the thumb (Finger0). Move it so that its joint with the hand is where the base of the thumb of the model is, and then scale it to the proper length and thickness. Try to look for a joint in the thumb to line it up with. Wireframe mode is the easiest way to do this.

(https://i.imgur.com/USsrHQF.png)(https://i.imgur.com/iZClp0y.png)(https://i.imgur.com/0YbOdWp.png)(https://i.imgur.com/2bEYcKR.png)

(https://i.imgur.com/K0pcsqh.png)(https://i.imgur.com/g1aomNU.png)(https://i.imgur.com/8BitlXG.png)

      The lower thumb, Finger01, is the last one to pose. Just angle and scale it to fit the remaining thumb.

(https://i.imgur.com/QuwOk2Z.png)(https://i.imgur.com/voFegJc.png)(https://i.imgur.com/SX2jWXc.png)(https://i.imgur.com/wmO8PyJ.png)

(https://i.imgur.com/u7aP7MP.png)(https://i.imgur.com/lwbUJpP.png)

      You may notice that the fingers of your opposite hand don't look quite right. They're not lined up in the same way. The easiest way to do this is to select all the bones of the correct hand, go to the "Copy/Paste" rollout, and select "Copy Posture" under "Posture." Select the same bones of the other hand, and then select "Paste Posture Opposite." The other hand will assume the proper shape. This is also useful in any case where you forget to turn the Symmetry track on.

(https://i.imgur.com/J1T7eOV.png)(https://i.imgur.com/ArEycn1.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/eSNyN1z.png)(https://i.imgur.com/Xazlhzj.png)(https://i.imgur.com/6Qm3aPO.png)

      The only thing left to adjust on the body is to adjust the thickness of the Spine bones. Don't change the width of them, just the front-to-back thickness. Also make sure that the arm bones fill the arms fully.

(https://i.imgur.com/H5GMr3N.png)(https://i.imgur.com/A0J5zLn.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/sIkbUuU.png)(https://i.imgur.com/1kPK0Kd.png)

      If your character has long hair or a ponytail, adjust the two ponytail bones to fit the hair. Try to keep the base of the upper ponytail in the same place, and put the joint of the two ponytail bones in the middle. Avoid crossing the ponytail bones with the spine bones.

(https://i.imgur.com/zC3SxZq.png)(https://i.imgur.com/PPowsvB.png)(https://i.imgur.com/hhWjNHW.png)(https://i.imgur.com/yN1gn5g.png)

      Now your biped is all posed! I'm going to attach the .max files for these two characters. The Captain America I'm attaching isn't the one that I've done in this tutorial, but it's actually that mesh imported onto my template. The template is pretty much solid, so I trust it more greatly.

Captain America (https://www.mediafire.com/file_premium/gdqa3tp8q23xavq/Cap_Tutorial_2Rig.max/file)
Scarlet Witch (https://www.mediafire.com/file_premium/3m5h25vldhwd73t/SW_Tutorial_2Rig.max/file)

      I can offer .max files of any other skins I've made on request.

Next Steps
      Now that you've finished posing your biped, you can proceed to Chapter 13 - Skins (Physique) (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,10797.msg197941.html#msg197941).

Summary
Title: Chapter 13: Skins (Physique)
Post by: BaconWizard17 on February 22, 2020, 09:32AM
MARVEL  MODS  MODELING  TUTORIAL
CHAPTER 13: SKINS (PHYSIQUE)

By BaconWizard17

Introduction
      This section covers the Physique modifier, which is a modifier that attaches the model to the skeleton, allowing it to move. 3ds Max has preset ways to attach the model to different bones, which doesn't always correspond to the nature of the model. Because of this, it's necessary to make adjustments to the physique modifier once you've applied it.
      I'll begin this section by showing how to apply the physique modifier, and the general process for adjusting it. After that, I'll go through specific areas that cause problems, showing you how to fix each one.
      For advanced tips on the physique modifier, visit Supplement 5 - Advanced Physique/Skin Modifier Tips (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,10797.msg199722.html#msg199722).
      Note: if an image is too small, click to expand it

Applying the Physique Modifier
      The first step to the process is applying the Physique modifier. Here's how:

Expand to see steps
      After completing the positioning of your biped, save the file. Then, save it under a new name, like "filename_physique.max". Be sure to save consistently through the physique process, to make sure that you don't lose any progress in a crash. Max is particularly vulnerable to crashing during the physique stage. Saving a backup midway through doesn't hurt either, especially for high poly skins.
      Now, select all parts of the model (not the skeleton). Under the Modify rollout, pick the Physique modifier, and press the "Attach to Node" button. Then, press H on your keyboard to bring up the list selection. Select Bip01, and press "Pick." At the next dialog, just press "Initialize."

(https://i.imgur.com/3WokPcp.png)(https://i.imgur.com/JWnQQsG.png)(https://i.imgur.com/zK0hPqF.png)

      Once you've done this, go to the Motion rollout (with any part of the biped selected), and turn off Figure Mode. Figure Mode is off when the button is gray.

(https://i.imgur.com/FtEmzuY.png)

      Now, select any parts of your biped, and rotate them around. It's a good idea to move symmetrical parts (arms and legs) with the symmetry track selected. Generally, the way I position the model is by bending the upper arms down (pull them up if the arms are already lower), the lower arms forward, the thumbs up, the head back and to the side (forward and to the side for long hair), the thighs out, and the calves back. Rotate the ponytail bones up.You'll notice the model moves with the biped, but some parts get deformed. This is what we'll be fixing.
      Note: selecting any bone and turning figure mode back on will cause it to resume its initial position. Always turn figure mode off before moving again.

(https://i.imgur.com/COoI9vk.png)(https://i.imgur.com/dWRc4Uk.png)

      Next up, I'll show you the general process for adjusting the physique modifier

General Physique Process
      This section covers the general process for editing the physique modifier. After this, I'll go through specific areas that tend to have the most problems, and how to adjust them.

Expand to see steps
      To edit the Physique modifier, go back to the Modify rollout. Press the black plus sign by the Physique modifier, and select Vertex. All the vertices of your model become visible with little white plus signs.
      Note: If you have multiple objects that share a physique modifier, you can select them all at once and edit the physique modifier together.

(https://i.imgur.com/Q9wANUL.png)

      Editing the Physique modifier involves adjusting the "weight" of each bone on a vertex, which is the amount that it pushes or pulls the vertex when it moves. Each vertex can be affected by up to 4 bones.
      To adjust the weights on a vertex, select all the vertices you need to adjust in the same manner (for instance, if I was adjusting the thumb, I would select all the vertices of the thumb. In the specific sections below, I'll mention what to select and what not to select). Once you've selected them, scroll down on the physique modifier menu. Press the "Lock Assignments" button, and then "Type-In Weights." A small menu will pop up, showing all the bones affecting that vertex. If there's only one vertex, it will show the weight that each bone has on that vertex.

(https://i.imgur.com/JGHyoWx.png)(https://i.imgur.com/pjChcNW.png)

      When adjusting weights, if I say to "unweight" a vertex from a certain bone, that means to make the weight for that bone 0. If I say to fully weight it to a certain bone, then that means to make the weight for that bone 1, and the weight for all the other bones 0. Never make any weights greater than 1.
      An important thing to note is that proper skeleton setup makes the Physique editing process much easier. If you set it up right, you'll mostly just spend time unweighting vertices from certain bones, and not having to worry too much about messing with different weights trying to get a certain effect.
      There are a few ways that the weights menu (and the physique modifier) can be a little weird, so let me cover them all here at once:
  • If you have multiple vertices selected, and you go to the Type-In Weights menu for the first time, and there is a number listed for a certain bone (that you didn't put there), don't trust it. Almost all the time, that only means that only 1 vertex has that specific weight, and generally the rest have a weight of 0.
  • If the weight that you type into the box doesn't show up next to the bone after typing it in and pressing Enter, press the up and down arrows next to the weight once each. This will make the proper weight show up.
  • If your weights all appear to be correct, but the model still appears to be deformed in the preview, always trust the numbers over the preview.
  • If you can't find the bone you need, change the selection from "Currently Assigned Links Only" to "All Links"
  • Some bones are listed multiple times in the weights menu. If you're unweighting from a bone, unweight from all appearances of it. If you're weighting to a bone, only weight to the first one.
  • Bones will appear multiple times in the list if they have multiple bones connected to them in the hierarchy. Each instance of the bone will behave slightly differently. You can tell which bone that instance goes with based on what bone is beneath it in the "All Links" view.
    • For example, the first time that Bip01 Spine is listed, it's above Bip01 Spine1, which means that that's the "side" of Bip01 Spine closest to Bip01 Spine1. The next instance of Bip01 Spine is above Bip01 L Thigh, which means it's on the "side" of Bip01 L Thigh.
    • Depending on which instance of the bone you choose, it will animate differently. The second instance of Bip01 Spine, that's above Bip01 L Thigh, will slightly move with Bip01 L Thigh.
      With all that said, it's time to go on to the actual process. Be sure to look at each section that pertains to your model, as most of the sections should apply.

Physique on Solid Objects
      Solid objects are the easiest thing to edit with Physique, so I usually start with them. Here's how to edit the modifier for them:

Expand to see steps
      If you have a solid object, you'll want to weight every vertex to one bone. Solid objects can include things like weapons, pouches, large protrusions, logos, certain helmets, and the like. Each one is different, so look carefully to determine the best place. Often, I'll do this process before I even move the character
  • Hand-held weapons: weight fully to the hand that holds them
  • Hand-held arrows: weight fully to the Finger1 bone of the hand that holds them
  • Shields: shields generally look better fully weighted to the forearm of the character, but for Captain America (and characters that use his animations), the shield should be weighted to his hand to fit the menu animations
  • Weapons on the back: weight fully to Spine2
  • Weapons on the hip: weight fully to the correct thigh bone
  • Holsters: weight fully to the same bone the weapon is weighted to
  • Pouches: belt pouches are generally best fully weighted to Bip01 Spine. Chest pouches are best fully weighted to the nearest Spine bone. Arm and leg pouches should be fully weighted to the nearest arm or leg bone
  • Logos/symbols: follow the same rules as pouches (unless they appear to be "soft," in which case it's better to leave them alone)
  • Helmets: if the helmet is solid and allows them to move their head, weight the helmet fully to the head. If the helmet is solid and prevents them from moving their head (Juggernaut), weight the helmet fully to Spine2
  • Cuffs: cuffs (like on gloves or sleeves) should also be fully weighted to the nearest bones. For gloves, this is usually the forearm
  • Other solid objects: weight it fully to the nearest bone
      In the case of Captain America, I'll fully weight the vertices of the shield to Bip01 L Hand.

(https://i.imgur.com/5MCX0tu.png)(https://i.imgur.com/NCW38CJ.png)

Physique on the Arms
      I generally do the arms next after any solid objects. Here's how to edit physique for the arms:

Expand to see steps
      I prefer to do the arms in the default pose, since it's the same stuff that needs to be selected each time.
      Turn Figure Mode on to get the character back into their default pose, and then switch to the Right viewport. Turn on Wireframe mode (F3), and then go into the Physique modifier. Select all of the vertices of the arms that aren't on the deltoid (shoulder) muscle. Switch back to the 3D view and check to make sure you didn't select any wrong vertices, and then unweight them from any of the spine bones. If your character's arms rest in a downward position, also unweight from the legs, as they may grab some vertices. This keeps the arms from deforming when they're lowered and raised.
      In the case of Scarlet Witch, I had to ensure to do this on both parts of her model, because part of her arms are on the body model, and part are on the face model.

(https://i.imgur.com/ONTlOcE.png)(https://i.imgur.com/a5t3ZET.png)(https://i.imgur.com/Ty6F8Za.png)

      Especially if your character's arms start out at a default angle, move them up from their default position to check the trapezius (shoulder) muscle. You may need to adjust how much the vertices are weighted to Spine2 to make sure the shoulders move properly. Lastly, you should also select any vertices on the threshold between the trapezius and deltoid (shoulder and neck), and give them a weight of 0.5 to the nearest clavicle bone

Physique on the Legs
      After fixing the arms, I usually start at the bottom, at the legs. Here's what you should do:

Expand to see steps
     Turn Figure Mode back off, and move your character around again. After getting them into position, I usually hide the skeleton, as well as any detached objects I've finished working with.
      You'll notice that some of the vertices in the middle of the legs don't fully move with the rest of the legs, because they're stuck to one another. To remedy this, select the vertices of each leg one at a time (excluding the crotch), and unweight from the bones of the other leg.

(https://i.imgur.com/M0WokRA.png)(https://i.imgur.com/dQzQs2c.png)

      When you get to the crotch, select each side at a time. Don't worry about vertices that are too high up or too far forward or back, just get the ones close to the middle, where the legs and crotch join. Weight them fully to the thigh they're closer to, and do a weight of 0.5 to the thigh they're not as close to.

(https://i.imgur.com/HgFiGJX.png)(https://i.imgur.com/rIxI22h.png)

      If you have a problem where your knees look like they're curved rather than bent, unweight the calf vertices close to the knee from the thigh, and the thigh vertices close to the knee from the calf.

(https://i.imgur.com/SXfJHRi.png)(https://i.imgur.com/Fz1YiEI.png)(https://i.imgur.com/vtISSV4.png)

Physique on the Chest
      Sometimes, especially with female characters, the chest can get some light weight to the arms. Here's how to fix that:

Expand to see steps
     Select the portions of the chest that are affected (test by moving the arms), and unweight from the upper arms as needed.

(https://i.imgur.com/OXjVRzf.png)

Physique on the Fingers and Thumbs
      The fingers and thumbs almost always need some level of adjustment. Here's how to do it:

Expand to see steps
      Especially if the thumbs start close to the hand, the thumb and hand can end up pulling on each other. Select all the thumb vertices and unweight them from the hand (and Finger1 and Finger11). Select any hand vertices that are affected by the thumb and unweight them from the thumb (Finger0 and Finger01).

(https://i.imgur.com/WWS1nL9.png)(https://i.imgur.com/VPJ4qkI.png)

      If any of your fingers didn't connect to the bones, weight them to the proper bones

Physique on the Head
      The head can sometimes cause problems with the shoulders, and sometimes Spine2 can cause the head to deform. Here's how to fix it:

Expand to see steps
      Select all vertices of the head above the neck (ignore long hair). Unweight them from Spine2. Then, select all the vertices of the shoulders and chest area, and unweight them from the head (and neck). The head may still look a bit deformed, but trust the weights.

(https://i.imgur.com/yZFpAe0.png)(https://i.imgur.com/wi3IsqP.png)

Physique on the Hair
      Physique on the ponytail is easy in theory, but can be tricky in practice, especially on high poly models. Here's how to approach it:

Expand to see steps
      You need to unweight the body (and sometimes the arms) from the ponytail bones, and the ponytail/long hair from the body bones (and sometimes the arm bones). This can sometimes result in having to go one by one on the vertices, or a few at a time, to get it right, but the more you do it, the easier it gets. Use wireframe mode (F3) to your advantage. It's generally easier to get all the body vertices out of the way first, and then mess with the hair
      For hair closer to the head, leave it weighted to the head, especially at the front and top

(https://i.imgur.com/Bvf9Ytn.png)(https://i.imgur.com/y8sOXFk.png)

      Once you're done, select the lower half of the hair and weight it all again to Ponytail11, and select the upper half of the hair and weight it to Ponytail1. This ensures no vertices are left behind.

Physique on Capes
      Capes are a bit tricky to do, since they don't have their own bones. Here's how I approach them:

Expand to see steps
      Ideally, you should have separated your cape as its own object. Once you've done that, the most ideal way to weight the cape is as follows: All vertices higher than the hips are weighted completely to Spine2. Below that, the vertices are gradually weighted more and more to each calf. Vertices in the same row are given the same weight to Spine2. Vertices on the left are weighted to the left calf, vertices on the right are weighted to the right calf, and those in the middle are evenly split.

(https://i.imgur.com/xzlg2Vw.png)

Physique on Skirts
      On higher poly models, skirts can prove to be a challenge. CorvetteRules has put together a detailed explanation of how to adjust them:

Expand to see steps
    Alright, so here's how I choose to do it.  I'm gonna have to break this up into vertex types depending on location. But first, a pre-requisite - make sure to use a viewpoint that displays your model in such a way that it is facing the camera. Seeing as we're rigging skins for MUA, that'll most likely be the right viewpoint
      Now then, onto the actual vertices. Select the mesh which includes the skirt model, and then, the only vertices you will have to worry about are the ones that begin from the crotch down. So anything above the crotch and below the waist, you won't have to worry about
As for the vertices you will have to worry about, which are the ones below the crotch, I break them up into categories:
  • the vertices which reside in the middle in the Right viewport (again, assuming that the model is facing forward in that viewport). Select the vertices from the crotch down, which are located such that they're either in that gap between the thighs, or slightly overlapping with the thighs. To that end, I personally use a fence selection tool for precision. If you did this right, then the vertices in the front of the skirt, as well as the back, will be selected, in that middle region. With your vertices selected, you must now weight them to the right thigh as well as the left thigh with a value of 0.5
  • the vertices which are very close to one thigh and far from the other. Let's take, for example, the vertices which cross this middle territory and overlap entirely with the right thigh. You must select those, in the front as well as in the back through the aforementioned method, and weight them with a value of 0.5 to the right thigh and 0.3 to the left thigh. Closer thigh is 0.5, the further thigh is 0.3. Then you do the same on the other side - you select the vertices overlapping with the left thigh and weight those 0.5 to the left thigh and 0.3 to the right thigh
  • the vertices which are far from a thigh and very far from the other. Those are the vertices at the two ends of the skirt in the right viewport, and they cross the respective territories described at 2). Let's say you want to do this for the vertices that are kinda far from the right thigh, and very far from the left thigh. Select those, weight them 0.3 to the right thigh and 0.1 to the left thigh. Then do the same on the other side. Select vertices, weight them 0.3 to left thigh and 0.1 to right thigh
(https://i.imgur.com/QA4VeZD.png)

      In the example I used, the character also has a dress extension behind them, but this should do well enough for skirts in general.
      One thing I wanna point out, especially if the mesh has a ton of vertices - even after you do this, you may have leftover vertices that do not look quite right. You would actually be quite fortunate to get it all right in this bulk weighting process, so do expect a need to take individual vertices and handle them. Use the same judgement as when you selected multiple vertices for each individual vertex, depending on the area where they are situated
      And, well, I said you need to do this below the crotch. I want to amend that by saying that you should select all the vertices below the vertical half of the crotch, so to speak
      It took me some trial and error to discover this, and no doubt to this day there may be some refinement to be done for this method to improve the results, but it's a start

Next Steps
      Once you're finished, check over all parts of the model to make sure everything looks good. Once that's done, unhide the remaining parts of the model, turn Figure Mode back on, and save your file. Now, you're ready to proceed to Chapter 14 - Skins (Skin Modifier) (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,10797.msg197944.html#msg197944)

Summary
Title: Chapter 14: Skins (Skin Modifier)
Post by: BaconWizard17 on February 22, 2020, 10:51AM
MARVEL  MODS  MODELING  TUTORIAL
CHAPTER 14: SKINS (SKIN MODIFIER)

By BaconWizard17

Introduction
      The skin modifier is another modifier that deals with connecting the model to the skeleton. In this case, we will be converting the physique modifier to the skin modifier. Physique must be applied first, but the same editing that's done with the physique modifier can be done with the skin modifier. Some people prefer editing with physique, while some prefer editing with the skin modifier.
      You must always start with the physique modifier, and you must always convert it to a skin modifier after that. If you've done all your adjustments in the physique modifier, then you don't have to do any adjustments in the skin modifier, just convert to skin and move on. That's my preferred method. However, I'll still detail how to adjust vertices with the skin modifier.
      For advanced tips on the skin modifier, visit Supplement 5 - Advanced Physique/Skin Modifier Tips (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,10797.msg199722.html#msg199722).
      Note: If an image is too small, click to expand it

Converting to Skin
      The first step is converting the Physique modifier to the Skin modifier. Here's how:

Expand to see steps
      Before you start, save your model, and then save it again as "Filename_skin.max." Then, make sure that every bone has weight for at least vertex (most bones will do this automatically, but sometimes the clavicles and ponytail bones don't weight properly. If you've already adjusted weights in the previous step, you don't need to worry about this).
      To convert the physique to a skin, first make sure that Figure Mode is on. Select all parts of your model (not the skeleton). Go to the Utilities rollout, and select "Convert to Max Skin," and then press "Yes" for the popup. At the bottom, a progress bar will appear. It will flash through several times. For higher poly models, this can take longer, but not forever. Just be patient, and wait for it to finish. Once the bar is solid gray again, that means that it has finished.

(https://i.imgur.com/ntYg4wU.png)

      Now, when you go back to the Modify rollout, you'll see that the Physique modifier has been converted to the Skin modifier

(https://i.imgur.com/lxTydFA.png)

      At this point, it's a good idea to test your model again. Move it around and make sure it's correct. If you properly set things up with Physique, then you should be fine to move on to the end of this section. If you missed something, or prefer to edit with the skin modifier, I'll explain how to edit weights with the Skin Modifier.

Skin Modifier - General Procedure
      This section covers the general process for editing the physique modifier. I'm less familiar with the skin modifier and don't use it as often, so I won't go into all of the details on specific applications. However, the principles from Chapter 13 - Skins (Physique) (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,10797.msg197942.html#msg197942) all apply similarly with the skin modifier.

Expand to see steps
      To edit the skin modifier, you'll want to select your model. Go over to the skin modifier, and press "Edit Envelopes." This will make it turn yellow. There are a few things to configure to help you edit. Under "Select," make sure "vertices" is selected. Then, at the bottom, under "Display," make sure to turn off "Show Colored Faces," and turn on "Show All Vertices" and "Show No Envelopes."

(https://i.imgur.com/yIbpy38.png)(https://i.imgur.com/T7SwUyf.png)(https://i.imgur.com/R2mJSaf.png)

    Now, go to where your vertices are messed up. For this example, I messed up some vertices on Captain America's thumb to demonstrate how to fix it. On the right, select the envelope of the bone you want to edit. In this case, it's Bip01 R Finger01. Select the vertices you're trying to affect. They will be outlined in white. Then, scroll down to the box that says "Abs. Effect," and input the number there.
      The numbering process here is slightly different than physique, as all of the absolute effects must sum up to 1. If you want to fully weight to one bone, the abs effect is 1. If you want to weight evenly to two bones, the abs effect must be 0.5 for each one. For 3 bones evenly, it's 0.333 for each, and for 4 bones evenly, it's 0.25 each. You can do any numbers in between too, but they must all add up to 1. Look at the preview to verify it. If you want to fully unweight from a bone, input 0 into the abs effect, but make sure your vertices will still be weighted to another bone.
      If you're doing numbers other than 1 or 0, it's better to use the up and down arrows next to abs effect, because that way you can see the gradual change

(https://i.imgur.com/2gXJTpT.png)

      In this case, I want to fully weight to R Finger01, so I just type 1 into the abs effect box.

(https://i.imgur.com/fN0CSqi.png)(https://i.imgur.com/Z1MTSsM.png)

      The nice thing about editing with the skin modifier is that if you want to weight fully to one bone, you can do it in just one step. However, weighting to multiple bones can take more steps. It's up to you to decide which is more convenient for you

Next Steps
      Now that you've skinned your model, you can proceed to a few different places. If you're going to use the model for X-Men Legends or X-Men Legends II, proceed to Chapter 15 - Skins (Outlines/Cel Shading) (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,10797.msg197945.html#msg197945). If your skin needs to have skin segments, proceed to Chapter 16 - Skins (Segments) (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,10797.msg197948.html#msg197948). (If you're doing a model with cel shading and segments, go to Chapter 15 first, and then Chapter 16 after that). If you want to use your skinned model to make a mannequin with a custom pose, proceed to Chapter 17 - Mannequins (Custom Posing) (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,10797.msg197966.html#msg197966). If you don't need any of the above things, and are ready to export, proceed to Chapter 18 - Exporting Models (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,10797.msg197975.html#msg197975).

Summary
Title: Chapter 15: Skins (Outlines/Cel Shading)
Post by: BaconWizard17 on February 22, 2020, 11:17AM
MARVEL  MODS  MODELING  TUTORIAL
CHAPTER 15: SKINS (OUTLINES/CEL SHADING)

By BaconWizard17

Introduction
      Cel shading is a technique for creating an outline around a 3d character that adapts to them as they move. It's implemented on all of the character models in X-Men Legends and X-Men Legends II, so if you're making a model for either of those games, I highly recommend adding it. The described technique also makes it so that the cel shading will automatically be hidden in Ultimate Alliance.
      This technique for Cel Shading can also be applied to BoltOns
      Note: if an image is too small, click to expand it

Adding the Cel Shading
      Here's the process for adding the cel shading:

Expand to see steps
      To add the cel shading, select all parts of your model (after the skin modifier has been applied). Press Ctrl+V on your keyboard or go to Edit>Clone on the toolbar at the top to clone the meshes. A dialog box will pop up, asking what you want to name your cloned mesh. It doesn't really matter right now, so you can just press OK.

(https://i.imgur.com/zHW38mJ.png)

      Now, go over to the modify rollout, and select the Normal modifier (if it's not in your presets, you can find it under the Modifier List). Make sure that "Flip Normals" is selected. Then, apply the Push modifier, and set the Push value to -0.5.

(https://i.imgur.com/YurAKZN.png)(https://i.imgur.com/aTKeXp0.png)

      With the outline meshes still selected, press M on your keyboard to bring up the material editor. Create a new material that's a Phong texture. First, press the black X icon to clear the existing properties (if there are any). Then, set the Ambient, Diffuse, and Specular colors to be 0, 0, and 0 RGB values. You can press the "Lock Colors" buttons next to them to make sure that all 3 are the same. Then, apply this material to your outline meshes. If you have them all selected, you'll be given the option to "Assign to Selection." Select that, and press OK.
      Note: it is possible to make outlines in other colors. I generally do this if a character has some sort of energy quality to their skin. For instance, I give Iceman's icy skins a light blue outline; fiery skins for Magma, Human Torch, or Sunfire get orange outlines, etc. As the creator, it's up to you, but for most characters, black outlines work well.

(https://i.imgur.com/2TQpS5M.png)(https://i.imgur.com/HsAeI5k.png)(https://i.imgur.com/Sj1fdVr.png)

      Now, with the outlines still selected, right click in the viewport and go to Properties. Make sure "Backface Cull" is checked, and then also select "Vertex Color." Once you press okay, the outline will turn white. This is normal. Vertex color makes it so that the outline isn't affected by the lighting, allowing it to stay one solid color.

(https://i.imgur.com/ucni6oq.png)

      Now, hide the skeleton and inspect your model. You'll want to look for any places where the outline shows up strangely. Generally, the main places with problems are on the face. For some characters, you'll notice that a small amount of the outline is visible on the nose. Higher poly models will have lots of problems on the face, like how you can see on Scarlet Witch below. Some masks can also cause problems. To fix this, select an outline layer. Press the black plus sign next to Editable Mesh, and select Vertex. The outline layer will collapse down and be flush with the model.

(https://i.imgur.com/Ld4huhU.png)(https://i.imgur.com/wtbTLIN.png)(https://i.imgur.com/24c0yZ3.png)

      Now, you can go through and delete any troublesome vertices. Be careful not to delete too many, as you don't want to get rid of the outline. Only delete the vertices that prevent the model from looking right. Wireframe mode (F3) can be helpful in doing this. Since Scarlet Witch's face is contained within the mask, I can delete most of the face vertices above the chin without problems. I'll also delete the vertices along the interior of her mask. To view your changes, click on Editable Mesh on the right to make it turn gray, and then select the push modifier you've applied to it. This should make the outline go back to its place.
      Be careful when you're selecting multiple vertices. You don't want to select anything at the back of the model and delete it by accident. Be sure to orbit around the model before deleting to make sure you're only deleting the proper vertices

(https://i.imgur.com/tcTlXvN.png)(https://i.imgur.com/XoGvEbc.png)(https://i.imgur.com/Dp5Jc6B.png)

      All that's left is to rename the outlines. You'll want to name the outlines such that they have the same name as the object they are outlining, with "_outline" at the end of the name. For Scarlet Witch, it'll be "20501_outline" for the body, and "20501_face_outline" for the face. For Captain America, it'll be "0701_outline" for the body, and "shield_segment_outline" for the shield. As long as you do not reset XForm after creating the outlines, then you won't have any problems naming them this way (you generally shouldn't reset XForm at any point after applying Physique).
      Note: It's not common to do so, but if you really want your model in Ultimate Alliance to have cel shading, you can give your outlines some other name, such as "0701_shade" or something like that.

Next Steps
      Now that you have the outline on the character, you can unhide the skeleton and save them. From here, you can proceed to Chapter 16: Skins (Segments) (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,10797.msg197948.html#msg197948) if your skin has segments, or Chapter 18 - Exporting Models (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,10797.msg197975.html#msg197975) if you're ready to export.

Summary
Title: Chapter 16: Skins (Segments)
Post by: BaconWizard17 on February 22, 2020, 01:00PM
MARVEL  MODS  MODELING  TUTORIAL
CHAPTER 16: SKINS (SEGMENTS)

By BaconWizard17

Introduction
      Segments are portions of the skin that can be hidden and shown on a character. Usually they're weapons or similar objects that a character can take out or put away.
      If you're making a new mod and trying to decide whether to use segments or BoltOns, it's better to go with BoltOns, unless you need each skin to have a different appearance for the weapon. There's a limit to the number of segments that can be hidden in the herostat at once, and after that, they all stop hiding, so it's best to keep segments to a minimum
      If you're making skins for an existing mod, then keep to the original mod and make whichever segments are needed
      Note: if an image is too small, click to expand it

Applying the Segment Node
      Here's how to set up the segment properties on a model:

Expand to see steps
      To make an object function as a segment, you need to first make sure it's named correctly (which you should've done in Section 3 or 4). If you need cel shading, be sure to apply the cel shading first (as described in Section 13) before making the segment
      To make an object become a segment, select it (and its cel shading, if it has it). Then, under the Modify rollout, select Alchemy Object Properties. Once that's applied, select "Backface Culling" and "Segment Node." Now, you have the proper segment coding set up, and your object can be hidden! Do this one by one for each segment your model needs

(https://i.imgur.com/Eos4PMB.png)(https://i.imgur.com/1I136Y1.png)

Next Steps
      Now that you have the segment set up, you can finally proceed to Chapter 18 - Exporting Models (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,10797.msg197975.html#msg197975).

Summary
Title: Chapter 17: Mannequins (Custom Posing)
Post by: BaconWizard17 on February 22, 2020, 08:46PM
MARVEL  MODS  MODELING  TUTORIAL
CHAPTER 17: MANNEQUINS (CUSTOM POSING)

By BaconWizard17

Introduction
      Mannequins can be made in custom poses in cases where the pose their default animation has isn't from an easily accessible animation, or one that you know of. It can also be used to create any pose you want.
      To make a custom mannequin, you'll need to have a skin rigged up first. Follow the processes described for that first, and then go on for this tutorial
      Note: If an image is too small, click to expand it.

Posing the Mannequin
      Here's how to set up the custom pose for the mannequin:

Expand to see steps
      To pose the mannequin, start with your skin in its natural pose. Save it under a new name, like "Mannequin_FileName.max." Turn off figure mode. Now, you can move your character around to your heart's content. Rotate stuff. Move stuff. Move Bip01 around. You can do anything that you want to get your character into a position you want. If you're only making it for the mannequin, you can even give your character independent finger bones or more ponytail bones to create the proper pose that you want. If you have any detached elements you want to move around, you can delete the Skin modifier from them and freely move them. You can also import new objects if you want to do some decorating.
      If you're trying to achieve a pose of a default mannequin, but you don't have the proper animation for that pose, you can use 3D Ripper DX to rip the default mannequin in the character select screen. Then, you can pose your character alongside that mannequin to get the same pose.

(https://i.imgur.com/YmXCgcx.png)(https://i.imgur.com/O9X5aqX.png)

      Once you've posed the character, save the file, and then save it under a new name, like "Mannequin_FileName_Collapsed.max." This is so that if you want to adjust the posing later, you can. Now, go under the Modify rollout, and collapse the Skin modifier to your mesh, and delete the biped. Your model should stay in its pose.

(https://i.imgur.com/kqJVkmT.png)(https://i.imgur.com/Yd1QExf.png)(https://i.imgur.com/Fq97xe5.png)

      Now, all that's left to do is to move the pivots of all objects to 0,0,0, and reset XForm.

Next Steps
      If you want your mannequin to have some sort of animation, like floating, visit Supplement 6 - Animated Models (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,10797.msg199723.html#msg199723). Otherwise, the next section to visit is Chapter 18 - Exporting Models (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,10797.msg197975.html#msg197975).

Summary
Title: Chapter 18: Exporting Models
Post by: BaconWizard17 on February 23, 2020, 09:28AM
MARVEL  MODS  MODELING  TUTORIAL
CHAPTER 18: EXPORTING MODELS

By BaconWizard17

Introduction
      Below are the steps for exporting models for use in your game. This covers every model type discussed in the game.
      Note: If an image is too small, click to expand it

Adding the Alchemy Export Dialog
      The first time you export, you'll need to set up the Alchemy Export Dialog. Here's how:

Expand to see steps
      If the dialog isn't there, right click the toolbar at the top and select "Customize." Under the Alchemy category, choose "Open Alchemy Dialog" and drag it up to your toolbar.

(https://i.imgur.com/vFKFIHx.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/jU78AGK.png)(https://i.imgur.com/ZfSQF3z.png)

Skins - FX Bones
      If you are exporting a skin for MUA1 or MUA2 (any console or PC), and your character uses the animations of any of the following characters (Black Panther, Black Widow, Blade, Daredevil, Deadpool, Elektra, Green Goblin, Human Torch, Iceman, Psylocke, Ronin, Scorpion, Swordsman, Thor, or Wolverine), visit Supplement 6: fx Bones (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,10797.msg199723.html#msg199723) before exporting your skins. If you're making the skins for XML1 or XML2, skip that supplement; it doesn't apply.

Exporting Skins
      Skins have a unique export method that's different from other models. Static models (3D Heads, Mannequins, BoltOns, other models, and 2D assets) should not be exported with this method, because they lack the bones that make them animated. See below for exporting static models.

Expand to see steps
      To export your model, select all parts of the model (not the skeleton), and go up to the top of your screen, and select the Alchemy Export Dialog. There are a handful of settings you need to adjust in this dialog. First, under "Default Object Properties," choose "Backface Culling" under "Face Culling." If you want your model to be compatible with XML2 PC and all consoles," uncheck "Save Full IGB," and uncheck "Objects" under "Extract" under the"Export Settings. This is referred to as "cross-compatible." If you're doing a model for MUA1 PC only, skip this step. DO NOT ENABLE THE OPTIMIZER. LEAVE IT OFF

(https://i.imgur.com/VfFbagV.png)

      After that, make sure your model is still selected, and go down to the "Actor Editor." Press "Create From Selection." This will make a red box appear at your character's feet (igActor01), and add the model to the actor. If the pivots for all your objects were properly set to 0,0,0, then this will also be placed at 0,0,0. Otherwise, you'll need to move it to 0,0,0. Then, press H on your keyboard, and select Bip01. In the export dialog, press "Add Selection." Bip01 should now appear in the list. Once you've done this, select the entire skeleton and hide it. To hide the skeleton, press H on your keyboard, and select the skeleton (anything that starts with Bip01). Once it's selected, you can right click and choose "hide selection".
      Note: Sometimes, moving igActor01 can cause your mesh to move around as well. This is why I recommend to place all the pivots at 0,0,0 before beginning the Physique stage.

(https://i.imgur.com/TQJ3oAG.png)(https://i.imgur.com/bOGvJ3x.png)(https://i.imgur.com/kBRD92R.png)(https://i.imgur.com/KuPryr3.png)

      Once you've done that, scroll up to the top and select "Export As."
  • For the cross-compatible method doesn't matter what you name the file, because the one you name isn't going to be the one you use. I usually name it "ZZZZZ" so it goes to the bottom of the folder. Once you export, you'll see that two files have appeared: ZZZZZ.igb and igActor01_Animation01DB.igb. igActor01_Animation01DB.igb is the actual skin file. Unless you're using igbFinisher, you can rename that file to an appropriate skin number.
  • For skins that are MUA1 PC-only, you can name the file however you please. Only one will be exported, and it will have the name that you gave it.

(https://i.imgur.com/mnCJsXB.png)

      Now you can add your skin to your game files to test it. Always test skins before releasing them. That's why I recommend saving different files at different stages, so if you need to go back to, say, the Physique stage, you easily can to fix something, and then go back through again and export it with the fixes.
     But wait, you're not done yet! Before you release a skin or use it in a mod, it must be hex edited. If you're going to be using igbFinisher on the model after export, it does this for you automatically, so you can skip this step. Otherwise, you must do this now. Outsider put together a detailed explanation to show you how:
Expand to see steps
HEX-EDITING
Want to know why I said not to place the skins inside the actors folder yet? Because now comes the part that requires some technical work. It's called hex-editing. This is an important process, but I'll tell you why in a bit. To begin, you will need the XVI32 program. Open it up, press "File" then "Open." Look for skin #24309, and hit Enter, or press "Open."

Now, on this program, you will notice two sides -- a left side full of only numbers & letters, called the Hex side; and a right side full of all kinds of characters, called the Text side. Don't worry... this isn't complicated work. It's actually very simple. Click on any square on the Text side to make sure the Text side is highlighted. Next, press Ctrl + F. It'll open up the Find option. Make sure the text string is checked. Then, write in the bar igactor01appearance. Make sure "case sensitive" is unchecked. Then press OK.

If the skins were not hex-edited already, it will appear on the Text side with the first "i" highlighted. Now type in the skin number that you renamed the skin. In this case, that's 24309. When you're done, it will now read 24309or01appearance with the "o" highlighted. That's normal. Now notice on the Hex side that something was highlighted just as the "o" was highlighted on the Text side. See, when you change one side, you'll change the other. Now, click on the square that was highlighted on the Hex side, and keep pressing zero until the "or01appearance" part on the Text side is gone, as you're erasing it. It should now read 24309 on the Text side. Now press Ctrl + S to save, or click File then Save.

Congrats! You've just hex-edited a skin. Now you have to do the same to the character's other skins. If at any point you think you made a mistake, just click File, then Reload (or Ctrl + L). It will say that the skin has been modified. Click No -- that will undo any mistakes. Do not save if you think a mistake was made -- as it will make the skin unplayable. Once you are done hex-editing the character's skins, NOW you can place them in your project's actors folder.


IMPORTANT NOTE:
Why was the hex-editing part important? Because at some point in the game, you will play the Murderworld mission. There will be Arcade Androids that take the appearance of your heroes. If your skin is not hex-edited, the Arcade Android will just have a plain white skin, ruining the game. It is also helpful for shape-shifter mods like :mystique: Mystique and Mortal Kombat's Shang Tsung, as it tells the game the skin they are supposed to morph into.

DID YOU KNOW?:
I had created a tool just for hex-editing that people can use to check all skins of all mods to see if they are hex-edited. It's called the Hex-Edit Test and you can find it here -- http://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,8753.msg191895.html#msg191895. This way, any skins you find that are not hex-edited, you can hex-edit them yourself.
      After hex editing, there are a variety of post-processing steps you can do to your skin. See the section called "Next Steps" below for more information.
      Congratulations on completing your skin! Below are some pictures of the skins made throughout this tutorial. With Scarlet Witch, you can see a tricky element of skinning: proportions. Since her hips are very wide, and her forearms are very long, her hand ends up clipping through her hip. Sometimes with skinning, these are problems that you have to just accept. To make it work, I would have to make her hips narrower and shorten her forearms, which could make the model look weird. Sometimes, you just have to accept what you have.
      Note: After applying the skin modifier, you can change the length of your bones with figure mode on. This can be used to alter proportions. Be careful how much you do this though, because it can cause unintended deformation.

(https://i.imgur.com/BwOdUjL.png)(https://i.imgur.com/lUJaAm9.png)(https://i.imgur.com/7YPbpBy.png)(https://i.imgur.com/qeo21x5.png)

Exporting Static Models
      All static models (3D Heads, Mannequins, BoltOns, other models, and 2D assets) can all be exported with the same method. Skins should not be exported with this method, because they won't work in-game. See above for exporting skins.

Expand to see steps
      To export your model, select it all, and go up to the top of your screen, and select the Alchemy Export Dialog. Once the dialog is open, there's just one setting that you need to mess with. Under "Default Object Properties," make sure that "Backface Culling" is selected under "Face Culling." Then, select Export As, and export it with the same name you gave the main model. DO NOT ENABLE THE OPTIMIZER. LEAVE IT OFF

(https://i.imgur.com/TK0kqCf.png)

      After exporting, there are a variety of post-processing steps you can do to your skin. See the section called "Next Steps" below for more information.
      Congratulations on completing your model! Below are some pictures of the exported models made throughout this tutorial.

Captain America 3D Head
(https://i.imgur.com/qm1pgEf.png)

Scarlet Witch 3D Head
(https://i.imgur.com/1tGePEx.png)

Captain America Default Pose Mannequin
(https://i.imgur.com/BjOQM5p.png)

Namor Trident BoltOn
(https://i.imgur.com/MBwbDqJ.png)

Deadpool Sword BoltOn
(https://i.imgur.com/uQHhbjy.png)

Halo Magnum BoltOn
(https://i.imgur.com/KnbVYXo.png)

Captain America Custom Pose Mannequin
(https://i.imgur.com/tSCs3Kt.png)

Scarlet Witch Custom Pose Mannequin
(https://i.imgur.com/oIQEU3L.png)

Next Steps
      Although you can call your assets complete at this point, there are several optional post-processing steps that you can do on your assets before releasing them:

Supplement 8 - Alchemy 2.5 Tools (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,10797.msg200578.html#msg200578) and Supplement 9 - Alchemy 5 Tools (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,10797.msg200579.html#msg200579) cover some tools that are used during these operations. Supplement 9 also has some information on compatibility fixes to make a skin work with MUA1 PC and next-gen better, but these compatibility fixes are also automatically performed by igbFinisher if you're using that.
Title: Supplement 1: Kitbashing Models
Post by: BaconWizard17 on February 23, 2020, 10:03AM
MARVEL  MODS  MODELING  TUTORIAL
SUPPLEMENT 1: KITBASHING MODELS

By BaconWizard17

Introduction
      Kitbashing is the process of combining different models into one new model. It's a way to get a model that may not exist specifically. I use it on pretty much every skin that I do, to make sure it's accurate to what I'm doing. Originally, I was going to go step-by-step with an example, but since kitbashing is different every time, I'm just going to explain the general process and some tips.
      For this section, I highly recommend you have a good degree of familiarity with 3ds Max, as these concepts are a bit more advanced

Process

      That's the general process I use for kitbashing models. It can be as simple or as complex as you want it to be, from just adding a small element to completely changing a skin. Once you're finished, you can head back the previous chapter that you were reading to continue on your modeling journey
Title: Supplement 2: Poly Reducing Models
Post by: BaconWizard17 on February 23, 2020, 10:29AM
MARVEL  MODS  MODELING  TUTORIAL
SUPPLEMENT 2: POLY REDUCING MODELS

By BaconWizard17

Introduction
      Reducing the polygon count of models is very useful for getting models into spec for console applications. The process can be done easily through 3ds Max, but you have to be careful how much you do it.
      Note: if an image is too small, click to expand it.

Poly reduction
      Poly reduction can be done through the MultRes modifier. Apply it to each element of your model that you want to reduce. You may want to detach certain elements (faces and hands are usually good) before reducing, depending on the initial level of detail and the amount you want to take out.
      At the bottom of the MultiRes modifier, press "Generate," which will allow you to begin the poly reduction. Adjust the vert percent or vert count to reduce the model. I don't recommend going below 50%, as it will heavily degrade your model. The higher the polygon count, the greater tolerance the model has for reduction.

(https://i.imgur.com/JuWLV28.png)(https://i.imgur.com/tdzi8hy.png)(https://i.imgur.com/uRZr22h.png)

      Once you've finished, reset XForm on all objects and collapse the modifiers. You can now return to the previous chapter that you were reading to continue your modeling journey.
Title: Supplement 3: Adjusting Model Proportions
Post by: BaconWizard17 on February 24, 2020, 11:25AM
MARVEL  MODS  MODELING  TUTORIAL
SUPPLEMENT 3: ADJUSTING MODEL PROPORTIONS

By BaconWizard17

Introduction
      A lot of times, models of certain characters (especially really large characters) have proportions that don't quite line up with the default skeleton and height. Default models have longer legs than a lot of models from other games, which can make conversion tricky. Here's how to adjust the proportions
      Note: if an image is too small, click to expand it

Scaling the model
      Here's an example on how to adjust the model:

Expand to see steps
      For this example, I'll be using Hulk's Super War model, as Hulk models frequently have very short legs compared to their body
      Import your model into the scene, properly orient it, and, with the pivot at 0,0,0, scale it up so that it's about 7.25 blocks tall. Hulk's hips are about 3.5 blocks up, when they should be just above 4 blocks up. Setting up the skeleton like this would make him float a lot in the game.

(https://i.imgur.com/tHYea9V.png)

      Now, scale him up so that his hips are just above the 4th line. Now, he's 9 blocks tall, which would make him way too big, especially with his scalefactor of 1.3.

(https://i.imgur.com/43A47Vz.png)

      To remedy this, go to the "Hierarchy" rollout and select "Affect Pivot Only." Set the Z coordinate of the pivot to 41.82 (so its position will be 0,0,41.82), and then deselect "Affect Pivot Only"

(https://i.imgur.com/bPeyOZq.png)(https://i.imgur.com/pAd5epV.png)

      Then, scale the model so that his head is at about 7.25 blocks up. His legs will be floating, but he's the correct height now.

(https://i.imgur.com/Y9heRD3.png)

      Now, under the Modify rollout, press the black plus sign next to Editable Mesh, and select "Vertex." Select all of the vertices of his hips and legs from the waist down.

(https://i.imgur.com/SdjVBpa.png)(https://i.imgur.com/WUol5rn.png)

      Use the move tool to drag the vertices down until the feet are about halfway between the original position and the origin.

(https://i.imgur.com/seXmibN.png)

      Using the scale tool, expand the vertices vertically until the feet touch the plane. You may need to move them up or down slightly to make sure everything still looks natural

(https://i.imgur.com/QrTCpye.png)

      The legs are now the proper length, but they look a bit skinny. Use the scale tool to make the legs a bit wider and a bit thicker

(https://i.imgur.com/gHwjfIa.png)(https://i.imgur.com/Rn5Nat7.png)(https://i.imgur.com/F3vSd9b.png)

      And there you have it! Your model is now properly sized for XML1/XML2/MUA1 rigging. If you want your model to animate exactly like the default skins and match the proportions, I would recommend downloading the default biped templates. You can scale and adjust your model as necessary to fit them.

Raven Biped Template - Female (http://www.mediafire.com/file/v3cdj84n3cxnd9i/Raven_Biped_Template_Female.max/file)
Raven Biped Template - Male (http://www.mediafire.com/file/lancsokxk7d43mh/Raven_Biped_Template_Male.max/file)
Raven Biped Template - Bulky Characters (http://www.mediafire.com/file/vibybngilq2t756/Raven_Biped_Template_Large.max/file) (patterned off of Juggernaut, will work for other characters like Thing or Hulk for the most part)

      You can now return to the previous chapter that you were reading to continue your modeling journey
Title: Supplement 4: Advanced Bipeds
Post by: BaconWizard17 on June 15, 2020, 11:06AM
MARVEL  MODS  MODELING  TUTORIAL
SUPPLEMENT 4: ADVANCED BIPEDS

By BaconWizard17

Introduction
      Many characters within X-Men Legends, X-Men Legends II, and Ultimate Alliance don't have a traditional human skeleton. This is particularly found in NPCs. Some of them are simply just really tall, some have extra appendages, and some are completely non-human. Read all the information below before using these bipeds.
      Below, I have a list of non-standard bipeds that have been extracted from the game and converted for use. I recommend that only advanced skinners use these, as there is an added layer of difficulty from the complex biped.
      Many of these bipeds feature additional bones. I made as many of them out of standard bipeds as possible, but some had to be built completely out of plain bones. Non-biped bones don't follow the rules of figure mode, so you have to be careful when editing the physique. You can set the keyframe to the last frame to move your model and test it there and then move it back to the first frame to reset it. You can also just press "undo" a bunch of times, as using the "undo" button won't undo changes to physique.
      Some of the bones in these bipeds look like they're facing the wrong way. This is not the case, and they're facing the proper way so that they can animate properly. I don't recommend changing the positions or rotations of these bones; it's better to adjust your mesh to fit the bones instead. For every biped, I've included one variant with the original rigged model so that you can tell how everything needs to be laid out.
      Some of these bipeds feature fx bones. Fx bones aren't part of your physique/skin modifier. You can find more info in Supplement 6: FX Bones (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,10797.msg199723.html#msg199723).
      Lastly, I want to give a huge thank you to nikita488 for creating the tool that's allowed us to extract rigged models from the game. You're awesome!

The Bipeds
      Here's a list of all of the advanced bipeds that are available so far:

Expand to see bipeds
  • Angel
    • Angel's biped is pretty standard, but it features extra bones for his wings. I have included rigged variants of both his metal wings and his feather wings so that making new skins is easier for him.
    • Plain Biped (https://www.mediafire.com/file_premium/09z68a48jtkcl2g/Angel_Biped.max/file)
    • Feather wings biped (https://www.mediafire.com/file_premium/0lk08tukm6d7s03/Angel_Biped_Feather_Wings.max/file) and texture (http://www.mediafire.com/view/mowqfekdrsjfeya/Angel_Feather_Wings.png/file)
    • Metal wings biped (https://www.mediafire.com/file_premium/q3qqo8vcf04km8l/Angel_Biped_Metal_Wings.max/file) and texture (http://www.mediafire.com/view/ljsytp7qmy3bng4/Angel_Metal_Wings.png/file)
  • Blackheart
    • A standard biped, but he features a tail. He also has a longer neck than most conventional bipeds
    • Biped (https://www.mediafire.com/file_premium/w6h6caxdb52k119/Blackheart_Biped.max/file)
    • Rigged Model (https://www.mediafire.com/file_premium/836znqyn33o1hb7/Blackheart_Rigged_Model.max/file)
  • Fin Fang Foom
    • Fin Fang Foom is very tall. He has a tail, 4 fingers, fx bones on his fingers, multiple neck segments, and a ton of additional bones for his face and hands. His wings are a separate bolton from this model
    • Biped (https://www.mediafire.com/file_premium/tam1z9s8yryoq8d/Fin_Fang_Foom_Biped.max/file)
    • Rigged Model (https://www.mediafire.com/file_premium/7hjgw2g53q5dn5u/Fin_Fang_Foom_Rigged_Model.max/file)
  • Galactus
    • Galactus is also very tall. He has 5 fingers, each with 3 bones, and he also has fx bones on each finger, and an fx bone for each eye
    • Biped (https://www.mediafire.com/file_premium/26k35zu48nc396y/Galactus_Biped.max/file)
    • Rigged Model (https://www.mediafire.com/file_premium/q3msaxq5jo6u19o/Galactus_Rigged.max/file)
  • Lizard
    • Lizard has a generally standard biped, but he features extra tail bones. He also has a long neck
    • Biped (https://www.mediafire.com/file_premium/mt2m6v13m3ccbzl/Lizard_Biped.max/file)
    • Rigged Model (https://www.mediafire.com/file_premium/xwlrag46e51whuh/Lizard_Rigged_Model.max/file)
  • Lockjaw
    • Lockjaw has a very unusual shape, so I was not able to get him to work as a biped. He's just built out of regular bones. He has an extra bone for his jaw
    • Biped (https://www.mediafire.com/file_premium/18ek4giyaab3ban/Lockjaw_Biped.max/file)
    • Rigged Model (https://www.mediafire.com/file_premium/ja9ynyb0e70kyay/Lockjaw_Rigged_Model.max/file)
  • MODOK
    • Modok uses a regular biped, but in a very strange shape. He also features 2 extra bones that control the weapons beside his head
    • Biped (https://www.mediafire.com/file_premium/ky5186bjnb0ls37/MODOK_Biped.max/file)
    • Rigged Model (https://www.mediafire.com/file_premium/q1mwt560jnw8aty/MODOK_Rigged_Model.max/file)
  • Scorpion
    • Scorpion has a regular biped, but he has a series of bones for his tail. The tail bones are different from normal ones, since they come from Spine2. He also has an fx bone
    • Biped (https://www.mediafire.com/file_premium/bfdfgpot1wg1x82/Scorpion_Biped.max/file)
    • Rigged Model (https://www.mediafire.com/file_premium/p1ubezkhbx666bm/Scorpion_Rigged_Model.max/file)
  • Ymir
    • Ymir has a normal biped (aside from being very tall). He has 3 fingers instead of the usual 2
    • Biped (https://www.mediafire.com/file_premium/asipgiigk6v7uhm/Ymir_Biped.max/file)
    • Rigged Model (https://www.mediafire.com/file_premium/pr6tck6taad0cnh/Ymir_Rigged.max/file)
Title: Re: [All Games] Marvel Mods Modelling Tutorial
Post by: ak2yny on June 18, 2020, 01:21PM
Quote from: BaconWizard17 on June 15, 2020, 11:06AM
Note: It seems like this step isn't absolutely necessary, but you may get better results if you do an RGB-BGR swap. Feel free to test the results and let me know!

The first skin I worked on, after I read this tutorial and the colour-swap suggestion before converting the normal map, gave me problems that could be resolved with your method.

Note: I successfully applied over twenty normal maps without the RGB > BGR colour-swap, before I encountered this issue.

So here are the results and my opinion on them:



Original Skin (Cinematic Doom on MH model)   
(http://www.mediafire.com/convkey/81bc/2rhj0mdctfxkz5qzg.jpg) (http://www.mediafire.com/view/2rhj0mdctfxkz5q/Doom_Cinematic_Diff_Only.jpg)		No RGB>BGR colour-swap                               
(http://www.mediafire.com/convkey/e3ed/ufvlmisqv19hr8czg.jpg) (http://www.mediafire.com/view/ufvlmisqv19hr8c/Doom_Cinematic_Norm_RGB.jpg)		With RGB>BGR colour-swap
(http://www.mediafire.com/convkey/e826/pfhq2pxnkyavclnzg.jpg) (http://www.mediafire.com/view/pfhq2pxnkyavcln/Doom_Cinematic_Norm_BGR.jpg)




Original Skin:No normal map applied. As a reference only. The skin is by Julio Cabral (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,8986.msg183886.html#msg183886).
No RGB>BGR colour-swap:Note how the cape and armour have a chrome look and some distortions here and there.
The non-cape cloth parts have no bumps at all. No specular, environmental or gloss maps applied.
With RGB>BGR colour-swap:The skin looks as it should and the bumps show on all parts. Compare the bump details though:
The non-colour-swapped normal-map shows higher bumps and seems more detailed. Again, no other maps applied.

Conclusion: The RGB>BGR colour-swapped normal maps show a darker green than the normal maps with the red channel information. The red channel seems to preserve information in the alpha channel where it matters, giving the map more contrast (and bumps). The green and blue channel contain similar information and give the resulting normal map less contrast. If you extract the Iron Man example textures (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,10330.msg191403.html#msg191403), the normal map is in a lighter green too, which makes me think that the proper way is to skip the colour-swap. The results can be better with the colour-swap though, as shown in the pictures. And if time allows it, it's definitely worth checking out both versions.

Important edit: The skin shown above has an issue that can be avoided when it's exported correctly (needs to be updated when we know what's the actual issue). The right way to apply normal maps is without switching blue and red channels, because MUA Material Editor and the Raven: Setup MUA Material optimization apply the textures in the correct colours (it's more apparent if you use a diffuse map and assign it as the diffuse texture in Finalizer). Only the Alchemy 2.5 exporter from 3ds Max 5 with DDS (diffuse) textures needs the colour-swap.

For the curious, I added another script for GIMP that does the colour-swap. Actually, it copies the blue channel to alpha instead of red. It's the same result.
Get it here (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,10330.msg198616.html#msg198616).
Title: Supplement 5: Advanced Physique/Skin Modifier Tips
Post by: BaconWizard17 on September 11, 2020, 02:03PM
MARVEL  MODS  MODELING  TUTORIAL
SUPPLEMENT 5: ADVANCED PHYSIQUE/SKIN MODIFIER TIPS

By BaconWizard17

Introduction
      When editing the Physique and Skin modifiers, there are some extra things that you can do to make the process easier. The main one I'll be focusing on is saving the physique modifier as a .phy file/saving the Skin modifier as a .env file.

PHY and ENV Files
      Here's an overview of the process of saving these files:

Expand to see steps
      When editing the physique or skin modifier, you can save it at any point. The process for either is slightly different for each, but they do the same thing.
      For the Physique modifier, select it under the Modify rollout. Under the "Physique" section, select the save icon to save to a .phy file. You can name it anything you like. To load a .phy file, simply press the open icon next to it, and choose the correct .phy file. A dialog box will pop up. Keep all settings the same, and choose "all links" to be imported. For it to work properly, your current physique modifier must have the exact same bones in it as the .phy file (same names, but the sizes and positions can be different).

(https://i.imgur.com/7fQve7z.png)(https://i.imgur.com/n6FHZFO.png)(https://i.imgur.com/b4NN2jJ.png)

      For the skin modifier, the process is similar. Select the skin modifier, and scroll down to the bottom of it. Expand the "Advanced Properties," and then press "Save." You can now save it as a .env file. To load in a .env file, you simply select the "Load" button just under it. When the dialog box pops up, you can select "match by name" to make sure that the envelopes all match up, and then press "Okay." The incoming and current envelopes don't have to have the exact same bones, because the skin modifier will just match the ones that are in common.

(https://i.imgur.com/pRe8Da0.png)(https://i.imgur.com/sF2keIW.png)(https://i.imgur.com/IFpkrQX.png)

      You may be wondering why you would need to do this. You don't ever need to do it, but there are many instances where this process is helpful.
  • If you forgot to move the pivots of all your objects to 0, 0, 0, then you can save the physique/skin modifier and delete the physique/skin modifier. Then, move all your pivots to 0, 0, 0, and reset X-Form. After this, you can reapply the physique modifier. If you saved a .phy file, you can apply it here, or you can convert to a skin modifier and then load the .env file
  • You can also do the above process if you need to adjust your model and skeleton's proportions after beginning the physique process.
  • These files can serve as useful backups in case your save gets corrupted.
  • If you're doing multiple skins for a character that have similar structure/proportions, you can use the same physique or skin modifier for them and just adjust the physique/skin on elements that are different.
Title: Supplement 6: Animated Models
Post by: BaconWizard17 on September 11, 2020, 02:05PM
MARVEL  MODS  MODELING  TUTORIAL
SUPPLEMENT 6: ANIMATED MODELS

By BaconWizard17

Introduction
      For a lot of mods, it's common to have some of the models be animated. Mannequins can be animated to change their presentation. Boltons can be animated to make a power look more realistic. In this section, I'll be covering 4 types of animated models: floating mannequins, looping-animation boltons, complex-animated mannequins, and rigged boltons.

Floating Mannequins
      Floating mannequins are the easiest type to do, and they're also the most common. Here's how to make them:

Expand to see steps
     It's recommended that any mannequin that isn't touching the ground should float. For this example, I'll be using a Spider-Man mannequin.
      Start with the mannequin at a point above the ground. This is going to be the starting frame. For this, it's better to have your pivot centered in the object rather than in the world. To begin the animation sequence, press the bottom in the lower right that says "Auto Key." The screen will be surrounded in a red border, which indicates that keyframe mode is on. Along the bottom of the viewport there's a bar which can be dragged left and right. Make sure it's all the way to the left. It will say 0/100 on it. This indicates that it's on the first frame.

(https://i.imgur.com/vHUC81n.png)

      Now, press the key button to the left of Auto Key to set your starting frame. A small multicolored bar will appear above the "0" on the timeline

(https://i.imgur.com/oeO0Bn4.png)

      Now move the time bar to the middle frame, 50/100. Move your mannequin down 1 meter (subtract 1 from the Z coordinate). Moving the object will automatically set this frame. Move the time bar to the end frame, 100/100, and move the object back up to its starting height (add 1 to the Z coordinate). This will again set the frame.

(https://i.imgur.com/JFcTuAh.png)(https://i.imgur.com/ScyKVJo.png)

      Toward the bottom right, there's a small icon with a clock on it. It's called Time Configuration. Currently, the animation is set to last 101 frames (0-100). The animations run at 30 frames per second, so this animation will last a bit more than 2.5 seconds. You can change the duration if you'd like. When you open the Time Configuration dialog, there will be a button that says "Re-scale Time." Press this button. It will allow you to make the animation faster without cutting anything off.
      60 is generally a good end time to use. That means the animation will last 2 seconds. You can play around with the settings and find what's best for you. I've used end frames anywhere from 60 to 120. I do recommend trying to do slightly different numbers for different characters so that they aren't perfectly synced up with other floating characters. Once you've finished scaling the time, press "OK" on both dialogs.

(https://i.imgur.com/rrPvmMz.png)(https://i.imgur.com/3kjqrOt.png)(https://i.imgur.com/DGlehD8.png)(https://i.imgur.com/Pr43nAC.png)(https://i.imgur.com/s6z5R1S.png)

      Now your model is ready to export. You can export it the regular way for mannequins (as shown in Section 16 (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,10797.msg197966.html#msg197966)). The only difference is that under "Default Animation," you should select "Bounce"

(https://i.imgur.com/eVk7SDe.png)

Looping-Animated Boltons
      Making animated boltons is a very similar process to the floating mannequin, but with an animated bolton, you can change it just about any way you want. Here's how:

Expand to see steps
      You can move the object, scale it, rotate it, or even transform individual vertices, faces, and elements.
      Note: This same process can be used for non-rigged mannequins, as well as for any kind of animated power models or even items found in-game.
      Just like the floating mannequin, you want to start with frame 0 as your initial pose, and then put transitional frames in the middle. You can have as many key frames as you want and as many total frames as you want. Keep in mind that the first frame and last frame should be identical to one another for the animation to properly loop. To duplicate any key frame, you can shift+click it and drag it along the timeline.
      For this example, I'm using this gun bolton. It starts facing up, and then at frame 25, I rotated it 90 degrees. At frame 50, I rotated it around another 90 degrees (so that it's upside down), and then I also pulled some of the gun's vertices out. At frame 75, I rotated it another 90 degrees, and had the vertices back to normal (to do this, I duplicated frame 25, but rotated it 180 degrees). Frame 100 is identical to frame 0 (again, I duplicated the frame).

(https://i.imgur.com/xP0oPa2.png)(https://i.imgur.com/LA1bCYh.png)(https://i.imgur.com/DF02Q68.png)(https://i.imgur.com/DbevvrK.png)(https://i.imgur.com/gBEtse3.png)

      When exporting it, export again as you would a regular model. For the Default Animation, you can choose either "Bounce" or "Loop." Bounce will go back and forth along the timeline, Loop will continually loop through it. I'm not certain what Repeat or Clamp do.

(https://i.imgur.com/a0ca86q.png)

Complex-Animated Mannequins
      Complex-animated mannequins are a step up from looping-animated boltons. They're essentially the same process, but instead of just dragging the model or its vertices around, you use the skeleton to move the model around. For this process, you MUST have a rigged model, as shown in chapters 12-14. You can't use mannequins from section 17 for this part. You have to have a rigged skin to do this process. Here's how:

Expand to see steps
      The procedure here is again the same, but instead of moving the mesh itself, you move the bones, and the model will move with them. Before turning on Auto Key, make sure figure mode is OFF. This will allow you to freely move the model around. I also recommend saving this file separately from your skin so as not to create any conflicts.
      It's best to start from Bip01, since everything stems from that. Sometimes it doesn't actually show the keyframe for Bip01 when you set it, but it will generally still work even if it doesn't. From there, you can move out and adjust all the other bones.
      One handy thing you can do, under the Motion rollout in the Keyframing Tools section, you can anchor the hands or feet. If your character is standing/hanging in place but moving the other parts of their body, these are very handy. (Anchoring any of the limbs keeps them still even if the rest of the body moves). The locking doesn't always translate well to the mannequin's actual animation though.
      If the keyframes don't show up for a bone, you can add and then subtract 0.1 from the rotation to ensure that the rotation does happen
      For this example, I just did a simple up-and-down squatting animation with Spider-Man to demonstrate how to do it.

(https://i.imgur.com/L3iLXth.png)(https://i.imgur.com/X5CpFz3.png)(https://i.imgur.com/Rb0SzWt.png)

      I haven't done a whole lot of experimenting with this, but the animation tools start to branch into conventional 3ds Max content, which should be covered by a lot of mainstream tutorials.
      Once you have your animation the way you like it, you can export it. Export the mesh only as you would a regular mannequin. Do not create an actor or add any of the bones to the export. You can select Loop or Bounce for the default animation. When you export, you'll get a warning message that says you are exporting a joint graph. This is normal, so just press OK.

(https://i.imgur.com/7wHzndI.png)

Rigged Boltons
      Boltons can have bones too, the same way a skin can. Here's how they're set up:

Expand to see steps
     These are regular bones, which can be created under the Create rollout in the Systems section. There are a few approaches to making them: existing animations, single animations, and combined animations.
      For existing animations, you just need to replicate the bone structure of some existing bolton in the game. For example, if you wanted to make a tail bolton that uses Nightcrawler's tail animations, but you wanted it to have a different shape, you could use Nightcrawler's bones (you can find the download below) to make your own tail. For this process, you don't have to make your own animations, since you can use the ones from the game. I do believe you'll have to create an actor to export rigged boltons. As bones of rigged boltons are extracted, I'll add them here as convenient templates.
  • Nightcrawler's Tail
    • Bones only (http://www.mediafire.com/file/cnphw17riiid3uv/Nightcrawler+Tail+Bones.max/file)
    • Rigged model (http://www.mediafire.com/file/agt3wbyo8qs7uim/Nightcrawler+Tail+Rigged.max/file)
      Single animation boltons are very similar to the complex-animated boltons or the looping animation boltons above. The only difference is that the bolton has a series of bones in it, so you can create a physique modifier and edit it, and then convert it to a skin. This allows you to make more complex animations for your bolton rather than animating each vertex by hand.
      If you have a series of single animation boltons, you can make a new set of combined animations for your bolton. You can save several variants of the bolton, each with their own animation, and then export each one under a different name. You can then use the Alchemy 5 animation combiner to combine these into a new set that can be used with the rigged bolton. Keep in mind that this will only work for Ultimate Alliance on PC. I won't go into depth on the instructions for this process here, but you can find how to use the animation combiner in the animation tutorial (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,11012.0.html).

Conclusion
      Animated models aren't a necessity for any mods, but they can greatly enrich how a mod plays. Although I didn't really go into extreme depth on the process because of how different it can be for any item, I hope you understand how it all works. Feel free to ask any further questions as needed!
Title: Supplement 7: FX Bones
Post by: BaconWizard17 on September 11, 2020, 02:05PM
MARVEL  MODS  MODELING  TUTORIAL
SUPPLEMENT 7: FX BONES

By BaconWizard17

Introduction
      A lot of characters in MUA1 and MUA2 use what are known as fx bones. Fx bones are additional bones that are part of the model that allow effects to be connected beyond the regular skeleton. Usually, characters with bigger weapons have them. Here's a list of all known animation sets that use fx bones:
      Any character that uses these animations will also have fx bones. For example, Beast uses Wolverine's _4_combat animations, so Beast has the same fx bones that Wolverine does.
      Fx bones only work in Ultimate Alliance 1 and 2 (all versions). X-Men Legends 1 and 2 do not support them, so it's not necessary to include these bones for skins that are only for X-Men Legends or X-Men Legends II.
      For this tutorial, Corvetterules was gracious enough to write an explanation on how to set up the fx bones for characters that use Thor's animations. I'll paste that explanation here, and afterwards I'll explain which fx bones the other characters use, and where those bones fall in the hierarchy.

Setting Up fx01 for Thor's Animations
      Here's Corevetterules' explanation on setting up FX bones:

Expand to see steps
      This chapter will address a problem that often rears its ugly head when one bases their mod's basic attack animations on Thor's. Usually, when you use a basic attack (I.e. a light or a heavy attack), you might notice that there's a small whoosh-like silver effect, which originates from your character's hand, or their weapon and looks like a trail. However, specifically in case you intend for your mod to use Thor's basic attack animations, those effects will not appear. The solution to that issue involves a short and simple enough process which begins with the introduction of a new bone inside your scene.
      Note: Throughout this chapter, you might notice that there is no Biped when you look at the pictures. It's just hidden, until a later stage of this tutorial (doesn't need to be hidden to begin with, it just happened to be in the first steps). Make sure you unhide it for when we get to the Schematic View part, if you have yours hidden.
      Note 2: You might also notice a red-outlined cubic shape in the origin of the scene. That's just the "igactor" of the skin, which is obtained as a result of the process of exporting the scene as an .igb skin for MUA. Also irrelevant to the task at hand.
      First, what you will want to do is to go to the Create tab on the right side of your 3ds Max screen, with the cursor icon. There, you will want to click the button "Bones"

(https://i.imgur.com/KrCKPpx.png)

      Once you have clicked the button, it will appear selected, colored in orange, and a menu with a bunch of different customization options will appear further down this right side of the 3ds Max window. None of that will be necessary for this, so you can forget about it.
      Now, just click anywhere in your scene in order to spawn a new bone. A diamond-like shape will appear in your scene, and you will notice that after clicking the first time to make it appear, you can scale its length by moving the cursor around (if you have practiced with and gotten accustomed to 3ds Max on a basic level before starting this tutorial, as was recommended in the very beginning, then you might notice that this is the same thing that happens when inserting some of the basic geometric shapes).
      Click again in order to stop the shape's customization, and then right-click. You will notice that there are actually two shapes that came out as a result of this

(https://i.imgur.com/LU6rOF2.png)

      No sweat. Just go to the "Select Object" button in 3ds Max's toolbar on the left side, select one of the two diamond-shaped objects (simply click on the shape of your choosing in your scene) and delete one of them by pressing the "Delete" key on your keyboard

(https://i.imgur.com/p6eDLLi.png)(https://i.imgur.com/39VWRou.png)(https://i.imgur.com/JBItL65.png)

      Now, select the remaining diamond and rename it, in the text box on the right side of the 3ds Max screen, under the "Name and Color" tab, from "Bone01"/"Bone02" (depends on which shape you deleted) to "fx01."

(https://i.imgur.com/SdPpHem.png)

      The next step is to move your diamond-shaped bone so that it's in the very center of the weapon. In this case, it's an anime greatsword. It doesn't matter how it's pivoted, just make sure it's in the center of the entire thing.

(https://i.imgur.com/U4rddbn.png)(https://i.imgur.com/xBrvzCX.png)

      We're almost done. Now, in 3ds Max's toolbar, on the right side, click on the "Open Schematic View" button

(https://i.imgur.com/wM6qpX7.png)

      What you're going to see next is a gigantic schematic which depicts every mesh in your scene as part of a hierarchy. My particular character model is assembled from multiple meshes, so in your case, it may or may not have a ton of elements like it does in mine

(https://i.imgur.com/gibVwXM.png)

      Out of all of these tree nodes, the only one you care about is the one that says "Bip01". Expand it and its children, in the following order: Bip01 -> Bip01 Pelvis -> Bip01 Spine -> Bip01 Spine1 -> Bip01 Spine2 -> Bip01 Neck -> Bip01 R Clavicle -> Bip01 R UpperArm -> Bip01 R Forearm -> Bip01 R Hand

(https://i.imgur.com/t9QlBpG.png)

      You can zoom in or out in this schematic using the mouse wheel. With these expansions complete, now locate the node which says "fx01". Will usually be isolated from the now expanded tree. In my case, it's the one circled in red in the picture below.

(https://i.imgur.com/6Z9xPsK.png)

      Preferably, you should move this node so that it's closer, specifically, to Bip01 R Hand. Zoom in on it and click and hold on the top right corner of the node. Now move the cursor in order to drag it. Do so until you have brought it close to Bip01 R Hand.

(https://i.imgur.com/tAD6fBB.png)(https://i.imgur.com/T4dGkWb.png)

      In this Schematic View window, in the toolbar, click on Edit -> Link Tool.

(https://i.imgur.com/Digw1Tr.png)

      Now click and hold the mouse button down on fx01, then drag your cursor to Bip01 R Hand. This will link fx01 as a child node of Bip01 R Hand. Your schematic will now reset, as if no expansions had been done at all, but as you can see, fx01 is a child of Bip01 R hand, as it should be

(https://i.imgur.com/97GltgJ.png)

      You're done! Now you can just save your .max scene, then export as skin as usual. The silver whoosh effect will now show when you are basic attacking. For now, credit goes to UltraMegaMagnus, who taught me how to fix this issue, but I don't actually know who discovered this fix to begin with.

Continuation
      Below, I'll list out the known fx bones, and what they need to be children of to function properly. One thing to note, is that you can alternatively use a dummy for your fx bone as opposed to an actual bone, and it will work the same way. You just have to orient it correctly.

Expand to see where fx bones are used
  • Black Panther
    • fx01: parent bone is Bip01 R Hand
    • fx02: parent bone is Bip01 L Hand
  • Black Widow
    • Gun1: parent bone unknown (likely R Hand)
    • fx02: parent bone unknown (likely L Hand)
    • Note: These bones can be found in her animations if you search them in a hex editor, but they do not show up when you view the skeleton in Finalizer. Her skins do not have these bones.
  • Blade
    • fx01: parent bone is Bip01 R Hand
    • Gun1: parent bone is Bip01 L Hand
  • Daredevil
    • fx01: parent bone is Bip01 L Hand
    • fx02: parent bone is Bip01 R Hand
  • Deadpool
    • fx01: parent bone is Bip01 R Hand
    • fx02: parent bone is Bip01 L Hand
    • fx03: parent bone is Bip01 L Hand
    • fx04: parent bone is Bip01 R Hand
    • fx05: parent bone is Bip01 L Hand
  • Elektra
    • fx01: parent bone is Bip01 L Finger11
    • fx02: parent bone is Bip01 R Finger11
    • fx03: parent bone is Bip01 R Hand
    • fx04: parent bone is Bip01 L Hand
  • Green Goblin
    • fx01: parent bone unknown (likely R Hand)
  • Human Torch
    • fx01: parent bone is Bip01 R Hand
    • fx02: parent bone is Bip01 L Hand
  • Ronin
    • Gun1: parent bone is Bip01 L Hand
    • fx01: parent bone is Bip01 R Hand
  • Swordsman
    • Sword_left: parent bone unknown (likely L Hand)
    • Sword_right: parent bone unknown (likely R Hand)
  • Thor
    • fx01: parent bone is Bip01 R Hand
  • Wolverine
    • fx01: parent bone is Bip01 L Hand
    • fx02: parent bone is Bip01 R Hand

Conclusion
      Although fx bones aren't necessary, they're a nice addition to have, since they allow all the effects to properly show up. I highly recommend adding them, especially since they're so easy to do. Once you've added the fx bones, you can return to the previous chapter that you were reading.
Title: Re: [All Games] Marvel Mods Modelling Tutorial
Post by: BLaw on September 26, 2020, 02:56PM
One little comment on the "FX bones".

You can also use a Dummy for that instead of a bone. Just have to position it right through trial and error.
Title: Re: [All Games] Marvel Mods Modelling Tutorial
Post by: BaconWizard17 on September 27, 2020, 10:07AM
Quote from: BLaw on September 26, 2020, 02:56PM
One little comment on the "FX bones".

You can also use a Dummy for that instead of a bone. Just have to position it right through trial and error.

Thanks BLaw! I'll mention this
Title: Re: [All Games] Marvel Mods Modelling Tutorial
Post by: UltraMegaMagnus on October 01, 2020, 02:31AM
I concur with Blaw, dummies works, when "beambolt" are referenced, maybe it means that the fx must be in the bolton file sometimes, not the actor. Might be the same when you see beambolt point, attache point. Most of fx I've seen for bolton are: fx, gun1, grab1 (for staff for example).
grab1 or fx are also used to determined where handle of weapon is. All vanilla holdable weapon have incorrect handle positioning.
A non exhaustive list of bolton with fx:
ALL THE GUNS BOLTON (to display muzzle effect at desired position) AND MOST OF HOLDABLE WEAPON
nickfury_smg
nickfury_sniperrifle
blade_shotgun
tank_turret
sent_grenade
mp5
missile_launcher
m_nullifier
lightning_gun
laser_gun
Title: Supplement 8: Alchemy 2.5 Tools
Post by: BaconWizard17 on February 15, 2021, 09:21AM
MARVEL  MODS  MODELING  TUTORIAL
SUPPLEMENT 8: ALCHEMY 2.5 TOOLS

By BaconWizard17

Introduction
      The Alchemy tools are a series of tools that can perform various functions on exported .igb files. The most important among them are Finalizer and Insight Viewer, but there are a series of other community tools that go with them.
      There are currently 2 different versions of Alchemy tools that have been discovered by the community: Alchemy 2.5 and Alchemy 5. This section will cover Alchemy 2.5, but it's important to understand the distinctions between the versions.
      The 3ds Max exporter provided in the virtual machine uses Alchemy 2.5. All files exported with that software will be in the format for Alchemy 2.5. The games themselves, however, use later versions of Alchemy.
      Since Alchemy 2.5 is before all these versions, the Alchemy 2.5 tools will only work on files that have been exported with the Alchemy 2.5 exporter. These tools can't open any game files.
      Since Alchemy 5 is later than any of the game versions, it can open and edit many default game files as well as any Alchemy 2.5 files. However, files edited with Alchemy 5 can only be made to work with Alchemy 4.0 and some versions of Alchemy 3.5. So using Alchemy 5 can limit cross-compatibility. The two versions also have different functions from one another.

      Long story short: if you're making cross-compatible models, then you should use Alchemy 2.5 for any post-processing. If you're making models for Alchemy 4 only, then you can use Alchemy 5 for post-processing. Post-processing generally isn't necessary for most models, but it can be helpful.

Installing Alchemy 2.5
      Here's how to install the program so that you can use it:

Expand to see steps
      Alchemy 2.5 comes in a pre-installed form in this download here (https://www.mediafire.com/file/fkclh44hyq9i7f4/Alchemy_2.5_and_Tools.rar/file). Within the folder called "2 Paste contents of this folder to Alchemy directory," you can find the files. Simply move these files to C:\Alchemy\ and you're good to go! You must install it to this folder for the tools to work
      In the event that the above link goes down, or there is some issue with the pre-installed files, you can download the installer here (http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?fak7yp0a5hyt8jf). Run Alchemy25-ArtistPackMax-030218.exe to install it to C:\Alchemy. When you get to the "Customer Information" page in the install, you can use any email to register (it doesn't matter what you use, since it doesn't communicate with the servers anymore). The company name doesn't matter, and the serial number is "alchemy4max25".
      Note: the Alchemy 2.5 tools come pre-installed on the virtual machine, but for certain tools, you need to install them on your main PC as well. If you want to switch between the Alchemy 2.5 and Alchemy 5 tools, all you need to do is delete one from C:\Alchemy\ and extract the other in its place!

Using the Alchemy Tools
      The Alchemy 2.5 tools can be used on any .igb file that was exported with the Alchemy 2.5 exporter (which is the one used by the virtual machine). Here's how to use them:

Expand to see steps
     The two main default tools are Finalizer and Insight Viewer. Finalizer can be found in C:\Alchemy\ArtistPack\Finalizer\sgFinalizer.exe, and Insight Viewer can be found in C:\Alchemy\ArtistPack\insight\DX\insight.exe.
      Finalizer is a very powerful post-processing tool that allows you to make modifications to .igb files after exporting them. It wouldn't be possible to cover all its processes here, but I'll explain how the program works. There are 5 different panels within Finalizer 2.5, and each has a different process
  • At the top left is a tree of the various properties of the model. You can expand the categories here to see how the model is broken down and what properties are assigned where.
  • At the bottom left is the Optimizer Palette. You can choose various optimizations to run on the model. Double clicking them will put them in the list of "Optimizations to Run"
  • The list of Optimizations to Run is in the bottom middle, and it shows the optimizations that you've chosen to run on your model. Some optimizations have additional properties that can be edited here by double-clicking them.
  • The top right is a schematic view, where you can see the elements of your model and the child elements associated with them. Double clicking elements will expand them. Note that XML2/console-compatible custom skins will not show anything here.
  • The optimization processes are shown in the bottom right when they are being run. At the very bottom right of this section, you can find the "Run Optimizations" button, which will run any optimizations you've chosen for your model.

(https://i.imgur.com/VfSIuUV.png)

      Insight Viewer is a tool that allows you to view models that have been exported with Alchemy 2.5. Note that XML2/console-compatible skins will not show up in Insight Viewer. Certain models will also not show their textures when viewed in Insight Viewer. The Alchemy 2.5 version of Insight Viewer won't be able to view any default game files.

Conslusion
      The Alchemy 2.5 tools can perform many functions on files that have been exported with the Alchemy 2.5 exporter (which is used by the virtual machine). The default Alchemy 2.5 tools have been listed here, and you can learn about other processes in later supplements.
Title: Supplement 9: Alchemy 5 Tools
Post by: BaconWizard17 on February 15, 2021, 09:28AM
MARVEL  MODS  MODELING  TUTORIAL
SUPPLEMENT 9: ALCHEMY 5 TOOLS

By BaconWizard17

Introduction
      The alchemy tools are a series of tools that can perform various functions on exported .igb files. The most important among them are Finalizer and Insight Viewer, but there are a series of other community tools that go with them.
      There are currently 2 different versions of Alchemy tools that have been discovered by the community: Alchemy 2.5 and Alchemy 5. This section will cover Alchemy 5, but it's important to understand the distinctions between the versions.
      The 3ds Max exporter provided in the virtual machine uses Alchemy 2.5. All files exported with that software will be in the format for Alchemy 2.5. The games themselves, however, use later versions of Alchemy.
      Since Alchemy 2.5 is before all these versions, the Alchemy 2.5 tools will only work on files that have been exported with the Alchemy 2.5 exporter. These tools can't open any game files.
      Since Alchemy 5 is later than any of the game versions, it can open and edit many default game files as well as any Alchemy 2.5 files. However, files edited with Alchemy 5 can only be made to work with Alchemy 4.0 and some versions of Alchemy 3.5. So using Alchemy 5 can limit cross-compatibility. The two versions also have different functions from one another.

      Long story short: if you're making cross-compatible models, then you should use Alchemy 2.5 for any post-processing. If you're making models for Alchemy 4 only, then you can use Alchemy 5 for post-processing. Post-processing generally isn't necessary for most models, but it can be helpful.

Installing Alchemy 5
      You can find a full tutorial for installing and using Alchemy 5 in the Alchemy 5 Tutorial (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,11158.0.html)

Fixing MUA1 PC Skins Turning Black
      With Alchemy 5 (specifically Finalizer), there are a few important processes that can (or must) be performed on certain models in order to improve how they work on MUA1 PC and next-gen versions. The first process is a cosmetic change for MUA1 PC and next-gen. You'll notice that any custom models, when attacked, will briefly turn black. The default models don't do this. This only happens on MUA1 PC and next-gen, and isn't an issue on the older consoles or XML1/XML2.
     Note: If you're using igbFinisher, this process will be done for you automatically.
      To fix this, open your model in Finalizer 5. In the optimizer palette on the bottom left, choose the "Generate Global Color" optimization. Then, click "Run Optimization" to run this optimization. Now the black issue won't occur! You can now save your model.
      Ak2yny created a batch-executed version of this process, which can be found here (https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/746836473424117832/817450601130229780/GlobalColor_fix.rar). Place your skin (or multiple skins) in the same folder as genGColorFix.bat and genGColorFix.ini, and then double click genGColorFixPS2.bat to run the process! You can also drag you igb files and drop them on the bat file to only perform the operation on certain igb files.

Fixing Skin Compatibility with Next-Gen MUA1
      Models exported with Alchemy 2.5 won't automatically be compatible with MUA1 on Steam, XBOX 360, or PS3. There is a way to fix this, however. This method has only been tested with the Steam version, but it should theoretically work with XBOX 360 and PS3. This method is not necessary for MUA1 PC, but it will work with it.
     Note: If you're using igbFinisher, this process will be done for you automatically.
      To fix the compatibility, open the skin in Finalizer 5. In the optimizer palette on the bottom left, choose the "Convert igGeometryAttr to igGeometryAttr2" optimization. Double-click the optimization to edit its properties, and change "Access mode for igVertexStream" to "IG_VERTEX_ACCESS_WRITE_ONCE". Click OK, and then click "Run Optimization" to run this optimization. Save your file, and now you can use it in next-gen versions of MUA1!

(https://i.imgur.com/ayTQ8hW.png)


Conclusion
      The Alchemy 5 tools can perform many functions on files that have been exported with the Alchemy 2.5 exporter (which is used by the virtual machine), as well as many default files. The default Alchemy 5 tools have been listed here, and you can learn about other processes in later supplements.
Title: Supplement 10: Post-Processing for Transparency
Post by: BaconWizard17 on February 15, 2021, 09:33AM
MARVEL  MODS  MODELING  TUTORIAL
SUPPLEMENT 10: POST-PROCESSING FOR TRANSPARENCY

By BaconWizard17

Introduction
      For textures that have full transparency (see Chapter 7 (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,10797.msg197744.html#msg197744) for more information on the meaning of this), there are some necessary processing steps that need to be taken after the model is exported to ensure that it appears correctly in-game.

Creating Transparency with Alchemy 2.5
      With Alchemy 2.5, you have to do some slight trickery to get transparent textures to work correctly. Be sure that you do this right after export, because it won't work if you do any processing on the model with Alchemy 5 tools.
      Once you've exported your model, open it with a hex editor (like HxD or xvi32). Search for "igBlendStateAttr" and change it to say "igAlphaStateAttr". Then, search for "igBlendFunctionAttr" and change it to say "igAlphaFunctionAttr." After this, open the model in Alchemy 2.5 Finalizer.
      Expand the skinList in Finalizer, and then continue to expand until you get to the list of attributes with "igAlphaStateAttr" and "igAlphaFunctionAttr". You'll then need to mess with the settings of "igAlphaFunctionAttr". You can right click the name and select "Edit Object Fields." If the value for "_func" is 6, the value of "_refValue" should be around 0.5, and if the value for "_func" is 4, the value of "_refValue" should be around 128. You can adjust these values as needed to see how the game reacts to them. When you're done editing the model, you can save it and it's ready to go!

(https://i.imgur.com/CjDvcik.png)(https://i.imgur.com/pllOD0r.png)

Creating Transparency with Alchemy 5
      With Alchemy 5, it is possible to create transparency in exactly the same way as with Alchemy 2.5. However, there is also a more eloquent way to do it through finalizer. This method only works on skins that have been exported using the MUA1 PC method, and will not for XML2/console/cross-compatible skins.
      Once you've exported your model, open it in Alchemy 5 Finalizer. In the schematic view, expand the categories all the way down to the igAttrSet, where you'll see things like igBlendStateAttr and igBlendFunctionAttr, among other things. Right click the igAttrSet and choose "create new attribute for item." Create igAlphaFunctionAttr and igAlphaStateAttr attributes for the igAttrSet. To properly navigate the dropdown menu, you may need to press and hold it. Right click the new attributes to edit their fields. For igAlphaFunctionAttr, set "_func" to 4 or 6, and set "_refValue" to 0.5 (can be adjusted). For igAlphaStateAttr, make sure "_enabled" is set to "Yes". Once you've done this, you can save your model and use it in-game! For the Steam version, the only value for "_func" that it will accept is 6. This is likely the case for Xbox 360 and PS3. Once you add the igAlphaFunctionAttr and igAlphaStateAttr attributes, delete the igBlendFunctionAttr and igBlendStateAttr attributes by right clicking on them and choosing the option to delete. Then, save your model again.

(https://i.imgur.com/70lw4Ef.png)(https://i.imgur.com/FFYDO9w.png)(https://i.imgur.com/jDqoGf9.png)(https://i.imgur.com/O8weIO0.png)(https://i.imgur.com/QG7YANR.png)

      UltraMegaMagnus has created a video tutorial (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWchdxiJNPU) that explains this process as well.

Conclusion
      Transparency in models can be created in several different ways. In Alchemy 2.5, it must be done with some clever trickery using hex editing, but in Alchemy 5 it can be created naturally in the schematic view. Either option works well, and it depends purely on which console/game you're using it with.
Title: Supplement 11: igbFinisher
Post by: BaconWizard17 on February 15, 2021, 09:35AM
MARVEL  MODS  MODELING  TUTORIAL
SUPPLEMENT 11: IGBFINISHER

By BaconWizard17

Introduction
     igbFinisher is a program that I created to run finishing operations on igb files after exporting them from 3ds Max. It helps juggle all of the different console formats and various optimization steps. It takes in an exported igb file, hex edits it (if applicable), performs Alchemy optimizations (if applicable), and copies the file with a proper name to folders based on the compatible console.

What igbFinisher Does
     Before getting started, here's a high-level overview of what igbFinisher does, so that you can understand if it's right for you:

Expand to see overview
     igbFinisher will take an igb file, and then it will ask you several questions about it, including the texture format. Other questions are asset-specific. Then, based on your answers to the questions, as well as the settings that you input, it will make copies of the files, rename them appropriately, hex edit them if needed, run Alchemy operations if needed, and send the files to a destination folder of your choosing. With the way that the textures and operations are set up, it's possible to get up to 10 console-specific versions of an asset across all 4 games (XML1-MUA2) with just a single exported file. XML1 and XML2 releases will be grouped together if applicable, and MUA1 and MUA2 releases will be grouped together if applicable. Consoles that share the same format will also be grouped together.
     igbFinisher can be used to create assets for all consoles or just the PC versions.

Necessary Model Setup
     In order for your model to work properly with igbFinisher, there are some important things that need to be done. Here's what to do:

Expand to see steps
  • General:
    • When exporting textures, the PSP format should always be PNG8 and not PNG4.
    • DXT3 and DXT5 textures are also not supported.
    • RGB-BGR swapped .dds textures do not need to be added to the material editor window, since they can be created through alchemy optimizations.
    • Texture folders for 3D assets need to match. Transparent textures are supported, and so are environment maps that are set up in 3ds Max. Only one folder for each texture type (opaque diffuse texture, transparent diffuse texture, environment map) may be used. For a list of acceptable texture folders, see the tables below.
    • All assets should be freshly exported from the Alchemy 2.5 exporter script in 3ds Max.
    • Models should not be processed through Alchemy 5 prior to using this program, as this will break compatibility.
    • If applicable, Alchemy 2.5 transparency optimizations (covered in Supplement 10 (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,10797.msg200580.html#msg200580)) must be done before using igbFinisher. This is the only type of operation that can be done prior to running igbFinisher.
    • If applicable, adding advanced textures (covered in Supplement 12 (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,10797.msg200582.html#msg200582)) must be done after using igbFinisher.
  • Skins:
    • Skins must be exported in the console-compatible/cross-compatible method.
    • The original file name, igActor01_Animation01DB.igb, should be used. Don't change it.
    • All numbered internal model portions should use character number 123, regardless of the character's actual number. For the example models used in this tutorial:
      • Captain America's body model would be called "12301" (and the outline would be "12301_outline" if the model had cel shading), but his shield should still be called "shield_segment" (and the outline would be "shield_segment_outline" if the model had cel shading).
      • Scarlet Witch's body model would be called "12301" (and the outline would be "12301_outline" if the model had cel shading), and her face model would be called "12301_face" (and the outline would be "12301_face_outline" if the model had cel shading).
  • Mannequins:
    • The model should be exported with the name 123XX (Mannequin).igb. If you want to have a custom pose name for your mannequin (for example, "OCP Pose"), you can export it with the name 123XX (Mannequin - OCP Pose).igb, and the resulting file will have that pose name in its name.
    • All numbered internal model portions should use character number 123, regardless of the character's actual number. For the example models used in this tutorial:
      • Captain America's body model would be called "12301", but his shield should still be called "shield_segment".
      • Scarlet Witch's body model would be called "12301", and her face model would be called "12301_face".
  • 3D Heads:
    • The model should be exported with the name 123XX (3D Head).igb
    • All numbered internal model portions should use character number 123, regardless of the character's actual number. For the example models used in this tutorial:
      • Captain America's body model would be called "12301", but his shield should still be called "shield_segment" (although the shield model would be deleted for the 3D head, but I just want to reinforce the point).
      • Scarlet Witch's body model would be called "12301", and her face model would be called "12301_face".
  • Boltons and Other Models:
    • The file name doesn't matter.
    • Internal naming doesn't matter.
  • Conversation Portraits:
    • The model should be exported with the name hud_head_123XX.igb
    • The internal naming of the model in 3ds Max should be "12301_conversation.png"
  • Conversation Portraits:
    • The model should be exported with the name 123XX (Character Select Portrait).igb
    • The internal naming of the model doesn't matter.

     Below are tables to help with picking the right texture folders if the model uses a mix of opaque diffuse textures, transparent diffuse textures, and/or environment maps.
PC ONLY
Environment Map FolderOpaque Diffuse Map FolderTransparent Diffuse Map Folder
PCPCPC and MUA1 Steam
XML2 PCXML2 PCPC and MUA1 Steam
MUA1 PC and SteamMUA1 PC and SteamPC and MUA1 Steam

ALL CONSOLES
Environment Map FolderOpaque Diffuse Map FolderTransparent Diffuse Map Folder
XML2 PCXML2 PC, Xbox, and WiiPC, PS2, Wii, Xbox, MUA1 Steam, PS3, and 360 OR PC, Wii, Xbox, MUA1 Steam, PS3, and 360
PC and MUA1 360PC, PS2, Xbox, and MUA1 360 OR PC, Xbox, and MUA1 360PC, PS2, Xbox, Wii, MUA1 Steam, PS3, and 360 OR PC, Wii, Xbox, MUA1 Steam, PS3, and 360
MUA1 PC, Steam, 360, and PS3MUA1 PC, Steam, 360, and PS3PC, Wii, Xbox, MUA1 Steam, PS3, and 360
XboxPC, PS2, Xbox, and MUA1 360 OR PC, Xbox, and MUA1 360PC, PS2, Xbox, Wii, MUA1 Steam, PS3, and 360 OR PC, Wii, Xbox, MUA1 Steam, PS3, and 360
WiiWiiPC, PS2, Wii, Xbox, MUA1 Steam, PS3, and 360 OR PC, Wii, Xbox, MUA1 Steam, PS3, and 36
Xbox and WiiXML2 PC, Xbox, and Wii OR WiiPC, PS2, Wii, Xbox, MUA1 Steam, PS3, and 360 OR PC, Wii, Xbox, MUA1 Steam, PS3, and 360
Xbox, Wii, and XML2 PCXML2 PC, Xbox, and WiiPC, PS2, Wii, Xbox, MUA1 Steam, PS3, and 360 OR PC, Wii, Xbox, MUA1 Steam, PS3, and 360
PS2PC, PS2, Xbox, and MUA1 360 OR PS2PC, PS2, Xbox, Wii, MUA1 Steam, PS3, and 360 OR PS2
GameCube, PSP, and MUA2 PS2GameCube, PSP, and MUA2 PS2GameCube, PSP, and MUA2 PS2

Installing and Setting Up igbFinisher
     Here's how to install and set up igbFinisher:
     
Expand to see steps
     You can download igbFinisher here (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,11440.0.html). Follow the installation instructions on that page to properly install it.
     Once you've installed the program and the other necessary prerequisites, you need to set up the settings to run the program. To do this, open settings.ini in a text editor. You'll see several settings. Here's how to fill out each one:
  • xml1num: Can be None to skip exporting for XML1, Ask to ask each time the program runs, or a pre-populated 2 or 3 digit character number for XML1 to automatically process.
  • xml2num: Can be None to skip exporting for XML2, Ask to ask each time the program runs, or a pre-populated 2 or 3 digit character number for XML2 to automatically process.
  • mua1num: Can be None to skip exporting for MUA1, Ask to ask each time the program runs, or a pre-populated 2 or 3 digit character number for MUA1 to automatically process.
  • mua2num: Can be None to skip exporting for MUA2, Ask to ask each time the program runs, or a pre-populated 2 or 3 digit character number for MUA2 to automatically process.
  • xmlpath: Can be None to skip exporting for XML1 and XML2, Ask to ask each time the program runs, or a pre-populated file path for the XML1/XML2 release to automatically process.
    • If both xml1num and xml2num are set to None, exporting will be skipped anyways.
  • muapath: Can be None to skip exporting for MUA1 and MUA2, Ask to ask each time the program runs, or a pre-populated file path for the mua1/mua2 release to automatically process.
    • If both mua1num and mua2num are set to None, exporting will be skipped anyways.
  • pconly: Choose if the assets should be for PC only. Put True for PC only, or False for all consoles.

(https://c.l3n.co/i/7HCftr.png)

     After populating the settings, save the file. You're now ready to run igbFinisher! Any time you want to edit these settings, simply close igbFinisher and change them.

Using igbFinisher
     With igbFinisher set up and your assets exported, you can run igbFinisher! Here's how:

Expand to see steps
  • To start, double click on the igbFinisher icon to launch the program.
    (https://c.l3n.co/i/78QXoQ.png)
  • Two windows will open: A command window (which is igbFinisher itself) and the queue.
    (https://a.l3n.co/i/78Qw2a.png)
  • Drag and drop the exported file into the queue.
    (https://b.l3n.co/i/78QxJe.gif)
  • If the file was named correctly (see "Necessary Model Setup" above for more information), igbFinisher will automatically recognize it. If it's not named correctly, or if you dropped in a BoltOn or other model, you'll be asked about the asset type. You can navigate in the program with the arrow keys and the enter key.
    (https://a.l3n.co/i/78Qyek.png)(https://b.l3n.co/i/78Q5xx.png)
  • igbFinisher may ask you additional questions depending on your settings.
  • igbFinisher will then scan the file to identify the texture format and other information about the file. For other models, you will be asked additional questions.
  • After you've successfully answered all the questions, igbFinisher will begin running operations. It will rename the files, hex edit them, run the Alchemy operations, and then copy them to the destination folder. Based on the texture format and the other settings, the program will create assets for all possible games and consoles that the asset is compatible with.
    (https://b.l3n.co/i/78Qh71.png)
  • Once the operations are complete, the program will say so. You can then drag and drop another igb file into the queue and repeat the process!
    (https://a.l3n.co/i/78V2Fc.png)

     After running your files through igbFinisher, they're ready for release!
Title: Supplement 12: Adding Advanced Textures
Post by: BaconWizard17 on February 15, 2021, 09:37AM
MARVEL  MODS  MODELING  TUTORIAL
SUPPLEMENT 12: ADDING ADVANCED TEXTURES

By BaconWizard17

Introduction
      This section covers MUA material editor for Alchemy 5. MUA Material editor is a fabulous program created by nikita488, which allows you to apply advanced maps to a model, such as normal maps, specular maps, environment maps, and the like. They can be applied to any static model for MUA1 PC, or for skins that were exported using the MUA1 PC method. XML1, XML2, last-gen MUA1, and last-gen MUA2 don't support these types of maps.

Using MUA Material Editor
      To export advanced textures, see Chapter 7 (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,10797.msg197744.html#msg197744).
      In order to use MUA material editor, you must first install the Alchemy 5 tools, which are covered in Supplement 9 (https://marvelmods.com/forum/index.php/topic,10797.msg200579.html#msg200579).
      To use MUA material editor, load your skin in Alchemy 5 Finalizer. Load the optimization called "Raven: setup MUA material." Double click this optimization to edit it. I will first cover how the program works, and then I will discuss what each type of texture is and how to configure it.
      In the first box, enter the name of your diffuse texture with the file extension (such as "0701.dds"). For the other maps, type the full file path for the new map (for example, "C:\users\BaconWizard17\Desktop\0701_n.dds" for a normal map, etc).

(https://i.imgur.com/UE54iFK.png)

      Ak2yny created a batch-executed version of this process, which can be found here (https://www.mediafire.com/file/3wlmg44rsdvrjpq/Maps.rar/file). Place your skin in the same folder as Maps.bat, and then edit Maps.ini with notepad to change the file paths for your maps. When you've gotten the file paths, you can double click Maps.bat to run the process.
Title: Re: [All Games] Marvel Mods Modelling Tutorial
Post by: BloodyMares on September 14, 2023, 05:45AM
Here are the latest discoveries about some of the Alchemy attribute functions and how they impact transparency and lighting:

1) If the model has transparency applied via igBlendState, then it will fade into background when near very bright glowing effects or shadows. To prevent that, you can add the "igDepthWriteStateAttr" attribute in the Finalizer and set it to "Yes" (credits to MrKablamm0fish for finding it). This will allow you to keep the transparency, but light or shadows won't impact the visibility of the model.

Here's the result:

(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1142227033460584478/1149843844385476628/Advanced_Lighting_Off.png)(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1142227033460584478/1149843844611985458/Advanced_Lighting_On.png)

2) If the transparent model is supposed to glow (has emissive map), then it can be achieved by setting igBlendFunctionAttr::_dst = 1 under "igBlendFunctionAttr" tree (it needs igBlendStateAttr to also be enabled). It also makes the model look much brighter. It can be used to imitate glowing textures if you're playing without advanced lighting.

Here is how "igBlendFunctionAttr_dst = 1" looks in the game mixed with the previous fix:
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1142227033460584478/1149844685108551790/Norma_lighting.png)(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1142227033460584478/1149844685423116321/Advanced_lighting.png)

3) Finally, if you want to keep the original color of the diffuse map even with Advanced Lighting on, then you can add two more attributes. The first is "igGlobalColorStateAttr" set to Yes, and the second is "igLightingStateAttr" set to "No":
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1142227033460584478/1148379243437363230/image.png?width=960&height=527)

That way, the model will have its original vibrant color and won't look gray. Combined with all of the previous attributes, it makes the transparent glowing models look very appealing:
(https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1142227033460584478/1149847099660324914/game_2023-09-09_02-20-13-36.jpg)

Here are some of the examples of the models that this method can be used for:
- Holographic glowing objects
- Objects that consist of pure energy or light
- Fire-looking objects. Useful for mannequins that rely on fire textures such as Ghost Rider or Human Torch.

IMPORTANT: It's not recommended to use "igLightingStateAttr" for non-glowing models, because it makes it so the model is unaffected by any light source or shadow (or renderfx). So, your regular skin or mannequin can end up looking bland: As you can see, regardless of the Advanced Lighting settings, the model keeps the original diffuse colors but doesn't have any shadows rendered on it.
(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/854285801278144512/1151857275988881499/game_2023-09-12_22-57-53-82.jpg?width=267&height=640)(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/854285801278144512/1151857275653333052/game_2023-09-12_22-56-40-77.jpg?width=267&height=640)
Title: Re: [All Games] Marvel Mods Modelling Tutorial
Post by: BaconWizard17 on December 01, 2023, 03:43PM
I've fixed the link to the VM, which had been down for a while.
Title: Re: [All Games] Marvel Mods Modeling Tutorial
Post by: BaconWizard17 on March 02, 2024, 06:29AM
The Marvel Mods Modeling Tutorial has been updated with some significant updates:
Text only | Text with Images