Adding bones and rigging a model in mdl.

This is what I've learned with the help of RDZ and Guesst. I can't be arsed to make a tutorial with pics and stuff, so here it is.


Step #1: Creating a bone.

Open the model with Magos' model editor.
- Go to windows -> node manager. Right click on the parent bone -> add bone; enter the right coordinates and give it a name.
Now the bone is there. To link it to the mesh there are still two things to do:




Step #2: Making a new vertexgroup:

- Open the model in the vertex modifier;
- Select everything all the geoset's mesh (shortcut is ctrl+a);
- Go to "tools -> vertex group of selection"; you'll see a list of the current geoset's vertexgroups. Take note of the last number.
- Now select the vertices you want to assign to the new bone, and then go to "tools -> assign vertex group". Type the number subsequent the last vertexgroup.
Save and exit.




Step #3 Making a matrice (sp?) for the new vertexgroup.

-Open the model in notepad.
-Search for "matrices"; you'll find something like this:

Matrices { 10 },
Matrices { 19 },
Matrices { 18 },
Matrices { 17 },

These are the matrices of the geoset, in order (the first matrices is used by the first vertexgroup, and so on). The numbers represent the objectid of the bones that they are following.
- Just make another line with the objectid number of the bone you created (the bones data is stored near the end of the mdl).
- Save and test.

NOTE: if the mesh you want to reassign is divided in multiple geosets, you have to make step 2 and 3 for every geoset.

If you have a question or want to elaborate this further, go ahead.

Singular: Matrix. Plural: Matrices.