You must be kidding me..

[Tasmanian_tiger]

I'm not sure if this is the correct topic. And to pop up out of nowhere. Today I went to the store to get ZT2 EA... I was playing ZT2 for a while, on and off, allthough, I was neglecting the forums and such. But for some bizarre reason, I thought, 'hey, let's check up on how they are standing on converting nif's'.

 

Guess what? Apparently they are able to convert them now?! So yeah, laugh, you probably all heard and read about this years ago. But I wasn't really interested in the design side of ZT2 since when the game came out, I discovered I could only change skins. I love making skins and models. Animations, the whole stuff. So I was kinda dissappointed. I went all nuts back then, looking for a way to convert. But found nothing. After that, I didn't check up anymore.

 

So, can you bring in new models/meshes and such now? And animations?

 

I kinda need to check it out again though, since it's late here, I'm sick and in fact I ought to be laying in my bed. :P

 

P.S. I'm sorry for spamming if this has been repeated endlessly. I'm not thinking rationally at the moment.

[(Trustee)genkicoll]

Hi, Tas, I'm happy to see you! Rant away~ I don't understand ZT2 design, but I've been extracting ZT2 animals for ZT1 use, but only as statues. As far as I know it's a take a screen, carefully turn to get the exact right angle, take another screen, turn again... you get the idea. If there's an easier way, I'd sure love to hear it! :D

[Tasmanian_tiger]

I was looking at this site: I still have to test it out though:

 

Link

 

They mention ZT2 at the top. ZT2 has all its meshes in .nif format, though not the animations. The problem when ZT2 came out, was that there were .nif convertors, but not for the newer format ZT2 used.

 

I'm not sure how it will work for animations, since animations in ZT2 are .bf files.

 

*edit* Succes!

 

I didn't export or try animating yet, but importing the mesh correctly, could mean designers can now alter shapes. I never programmed a ZT2 thing though...

 

I use 3Ds max (an outdated old version though), gmax (free download) should work too.

[(Trustee)genkicoll]

Yes, the shape can be altered. 2 sites that I know of have made unicorns that way :)

[Tasmanian_tiger]

My apologies about posting this then. Like I said, when ZT2 came out, this was entirely impossible. (I know, because I searched high and low, also asking programmers and such). I had no idea when a nif importer/exporter was made after that.

 

:whistilin: Dang, there is Taz again with the old news.

 

Has anyone build something up from zero? I wonder if this is possible? I searched around and noticed people making a spinosaur, I'm not sure if it is an altered mesh or a complete new thing. I ought to ask there I guess. ;P *Is too inquisitive.* :D

[(Trustee)genkicoll]

No such thing as a designer who is too inquisitive! :vishenka_34: I don't think it's possible to make an animal entirely from scratch, I've never seen it done. I am not a ZT2 designer, however, so I can't say for certain. Animalover44 is our resident ZT2 designer, but I think he's busy with school, as I've not seen him lately.

[Guest ShenTirag]

So far no one has made anything completely from scratch that I am aware of, the problem is that Blue Fang uses proprietry animation files, it uses .bf instead of the typical .kf files for animation so no one is really sure how you could successfully rig and animate a model from scratch that ZT2 would "accept". Most new animals are just edited meshes, some quite ingenious (combining altered meshes with animations for different animals!).

[taysha]

Over at ZTUF a few meshed animals have been released. And I know that Papa Panda, who recently joined the ZTUF staff as a designer, are doing a minipack with pirates, including a submarine. The preliminary screenshots are truly awsome. I know nothing about programming or designing, so please forgive me for not being able to answer any questions....

[(Trustee)genkicoll]

Oh, I forgot about the submarine! Yes, it truly IS amazing from the screens I've seen :wub: