Geoset Merging
Without a Modeling Program
Overview
A geoset is a chunk of vertices and faces that a model is made up of. Geoset merging is the process of sticking part of one model onto another. For example, you could give a weapon to the villager, attach a package to a horse, or replace a head of a unit with the head of another. In this tutorial, we'll replace the footman's head with the paladin's.
Tools
WinMPQ - Extracts the MDX model files from the MPQ Warcraft archives.
Yobguls' File Converter - Converts the compressed MDX format into the simpler MDL format.
Warcraft 3 Viewer - Useful for seeing the results of modifications without having to go through the process of importing.
Vertex Modifier - Substitute for a modeling program that allows you to delete and manipulate vertices.
Geoset Merger - Puts finished geosets together, avoiding more complicated manual MDL editing.
The above two are temporarily found
here.
Visual Basic Run Time Files - Required for WinMPQ, Vertex Modifier, and Geoset Merger to work. You could vert possibly already have these; only download them in WinMPQ doesn't work.
The Process
1) Extracting the MDXs
Open WinMPQ.
Go to File->Open and browse to select war3.mpq.
Change the filter (the text box in the upper right) to "*.mdx" (without the quotes). This makes it so only MDX model files will show up.
Scroll to find the footman in the long list that is generated. Right click on the name and choose "Extract".
Extract the paladin using the same method.
2) Converting to MDL - Makes the model files able to be modified by VertexModify and GeosetMerge.
Open Yobguls' File Converter.
Click "Load File", change the filter to *.mdx, and browse to select the extracted footman. Click "Convert to MDL.
Repeat for the paladin.
3) Modifying the models - Gets the geosets ready to merge.
Open VertexModify.
Read everything in the help menu.
Go to File->Open and select the footman.
Choose geoset #1.
Delete all the vertices of the head.
In the front viewport, move your mouse to where the neck would be and make a note of the coordinates (displayed in the three boxes at the bottom). Write them down somewhere.
Go to File->Save As and choose Footman_headless as the name.
Open the paladin.
Delete everything but the head.
Select and move all the remaining vertices so that its neck is at approximately the same spot as the one you wrong down.
Go to File->Save Geoset and choose Paladin_head as the name.
4) Merging - Assembles the separate pieces into one model.
Open GeosetMerge.
Click the [...] next to the base file field and choose Footman_headless.mdl.
Click the [...] next to the geoset file field and choose Paladin_head.mdl.
Click the [...] next to the output file field and choose FootmanPaladin.mdl as the new file name.
Under the texture path, you need to put the path of the geoset's texture. To find a texture, open the MDX model (the original paladin that you extracted will work) in Warcraft 3 Viewer and click "Extract (and convert) all textures". Don't actually extract them, but look at the paths listed on the left and choose the one that has the unit's name, or something else suspiciously main, in it. In this case, it is FIND ME.
Choose "None" as the texture type and uncheck the "two-sided" box.
For the joint to attach it to, choose Bone_Head for obvious reasons. This will make it so instead of just floating there, separate from the body, it will follow where the old head was.
Click "Merge".
5) Converting back to MDX - Gets it ready to be used in a map.
Open Yobguls' File Converter again.
Click "Open File".
Select your new FootmanPaladin.mdl and click "Convert to MDX".
That's all.
