Custom Characters

TODO: Put these links graciously provided by Markuss in their appropriate section:
https://cdn.wolfire.com/techsupport/ExampleMan.zip
https://cdn.wolfire.com/techsupport/Blender-Overgrowth-Win.zip

TODO: Write introduction

Overview

All required files and what they contain

Characters in overgrowth consist of the following files.

Name	File format	Description
Script	XML	Links the character xml with an AI script
Character	XML	Links an object xml with rigging data, animations and attacks
Object	XML	A regular object xml file, links to a model and textures
Rigging data	XML	Links a model and a skeleton together so the model can be animated
Textures	TGA	The textures used by the character
Model	OBJ	The 3D mesh used by the character
Hull	OBJ	The simplified collision to use for the character
Skeleton	PHXBN	The bone structure used by the character for animation
Ragdoll collision	FZX	Convex hulls used for ragdoll physics

TODO: Link all the below steps to parts of this page

To create a character for Overgrowth you need to..

1. Model and texture the character
2. Create a simplified hull model for collision TODO: Is this required?
3. Rig the character using one of the included skeletons
4. TODO: What do you need to export? The skeleton? Only the weight painted mesh?
5. Create an object XML linking the model and the texture
6. Create a rigging data XML linking the model and the skeleton
7. Create a character XML linking the rigging data XML and the object XML with a set of attacks and animations the character should use
8. Create a script XML linking the character XML with an AI script

The final script XML is the file that's actually loaded in the game to create the character. This article goes through all the above steps.

XML Files

TODO: These files should be gone through later on when they are more relevant

File 1

- Links to the .OBJ and .PHXBN files that the engine needs to rig the character.

<?xml version="1.0" ?>
<rig bone_path = "Data/Custom/Markuss/ExampleMan/Models/ExampleMan.phxbn"
     model_path = "Data/Custom/Markuss/ExampleMan/Models/ExampleMan.obj"/>

File 2

- A regular object file as described in the 3D reference guide.

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<Object>
	<Model>Data/Custom/Markuss/ExampleMan/Models/ExampleMan.obj</Model>
	<ColorMap>Data/Custom/Markuss/ExampleMan/Textures/ExampleMan_Color.TGA</ColorMap>
	<NormalMap>Data/Custom/Markuss/ExampleMan/Textures/ExampleMan_Norm.TGA</NormalMap>
	<ShaderName>cubemapobjchar</ShaderName>
</Object>

File 3

- Links to the first 2 files, and a load of animation files for each action.

<?xml version="1.0" ?>
<character>
    <appearance obj_path = "Data/Custom/Markuss/ExampleMan/XMLFiles/ExampleMan_Object.xml"
                skeleton = "Data/Custom/Markuss/ExampleMan/XMLFiles/ExampleMan_RigFiles.xml"/>
    <animations idle = "Data/Animations/r_idle2.xml"
                jump = "Data/Animations/r_jump.xml"
                roll = "Data/Animations/r_roll.xml"
                movement = "Data/Animations/r_movement.xml"
                wall = "Data/Animations/r_wall.xml"
                ledge = "Data/Animations/r_ledge.anm"
                medrightblock = "Data/Animations/r_activeblockmedright.anm"
                medleftblock = "Data/Animations/r_activeblockmedleft.anm"
                highrightblock = "Data/Animations/r_activeblockhighright.anm"
                highleftblock = "Data/Animations/r_activeblockhighleft.anm"
                lowrightblock = "Data/Animations/r_activeblocklowright.anm"
                lowleftblock = "Data/Animations/r_activeblocklowleft.anm"
                blockflinch = "Data/Animations/r_activeblockflinch.anm"/>
    <attacks moving_close = "Data/Attacks/haymaker.xml"
             stationary_close = "Data/Attacks/thrustpunch.xml"
             moving = "Data/Attacks/spinkick.xml"
             stationary = "Data/Attacks/frontkick.xml"
             moving_low = "Data/Attacks/soccerkick.xml"
             low = "Data/Attacks/sweep.xml"
             air = "Data/Attacks/legcannon.xml" />
 </character>

File 4

- Links to the third file and an AI script, this is the file you choose when loading a character.

<?xml version="1.0" ?>
<Actor>
	<Character>Data/Custom/Markuss/ExampleMan/XMLFiles/ExampleMan_AnimList.xml</Character>
    <ControlScript>enemycontrol.as</ControlScript>
</Actor>

Model and Texture Considerations

Character Model Faces Z-axis and has reset

The model and textures for the character have the same requirements as when creating any other 3D Object, but with a few extra considerations.

It's extra important for characters that the model is centered to the middle of the scene, standing on the grid floor with location and rotation set to zero, and scale set to one. It should loosely match the pose and proportions of the Overgrowth characters, you can use the following file for pose and size reference: ../Overgrowth/Data/Models/Characters/Rabbit/rabbit.obj.

There is no character shader that supports tangent space normal maps. If you want to use a tangent space normal map anyway, the cubemap shader can be used. Though doing so will make the object look a bit different in the engine. More information about these shaders can be found in the 3D Objects article.

This is what a Blank/Flat object-space normal map might look like

Rigging the Character

Overgrowth uses a custom skeleton format for characters with the PHXBN (Phoenix Bone TODO: Is this correct?) file ending. To create this file you need to use Wolfire's custom export addons for Blender. A repackaged version of Blender for Windows with the export addons and with the UI set up for this task can be downloaded here. You may need to restart the program once to get the export options to show up.

TODO: How do you set this up yourself, if you're not using Windows for instance?

This article won't teach you how to use Blender, it only gives the information essential to get a character into the game. If you need to learn the basics of Blender, CG Cookie has a good free video tutorial series that introduces you to the software.

Here are the steps you need to take in Blender to create the PHXBN file:

1. TODO: What file is supposed to be used as a base? It's probably already loaded by default in the custom Blender version that can be downloaded above, but what file is that actually? So people can set this up on their own if they want.
2. Replace the white rabbit
   • Press File > Import > Wavefront (.obj) to import an obj file.
3. Bind your own mesh to the skeleton
   • First select the mesh, then shift-select the skeleton to add it to your selection before you press Ctrl + P to bind them.
4. Paint weights
   • You may want to look up a tutorial on painting weights in blender.
   • It is recommended that you test your character in engine with automatic weights to check that you have no errors before you start working on a final weight paint. It won’t look pretty, but will let you know early on if the character is going to work in the engine.
5. Export your files
   • With skeleton selected in object mode, export as .PHXBN, same for mesh but as .OBJ. Your model needs to be in rest position when doing this.

How to create a character

TODO: Make sure all these headings are covered in this or some other article that we link to

Character XML files

TODO: Description of XML format

File path conventions

TODO: Description of where to add files in mods so they don't conflict. Ala Hotspots#File_path_conventions

Modeling

TODO: Links to or docs on modeling, graphics features like fur fins, various texture channels and what their components (alpha etc) mean, UVs, object space normals, etc. Also, any export info that would be necessary.

Rigging

TODO: Links to or docs on rigging and rig export

Hull

TODO: Links to or docs on character hulls

Animations

TODO: Links to or docs on animations and export, tagging, etc

Morph targets

TODO: Links to or docs on morph target animations for hands, face, etc

Eyes

TODO: Links to or docs on morph target animations for eyes (might roll this up into other sections/other pages?)

Attacks

TODO: Links to or docs on attacks system and export, tagging, etc - related partly to animations.

TODO: Possibly also scripting attacks and animations, and character-bound input, etc - though maybe that should be in a different section?

How to add a character to the spawner menu

Short version:

• You must add it in a mod.
• You can add as many characters to the spawner menu as you want in a single mod, you just need to follow the below instructions for each, and add multiple <Item> tags to your mod.xml file.

In your mod.xml file, add this xml tag: (TODO: Make these paths more specific to characters)

<Item category="My Custom Mod Characters"
      title="Some Character To Spawn"
      path="Data/Objects/example_item_pack/mod_item_example.xml"
      thumbnail="Data/UI/example_item_pack/thumbs/mod_item_example.png" />

• category is the top level category where the character will show up, in the Load menu.
• title is the name of the character, as it will show up in the spawner menu.
• path is the path to the character XML that will get spawned. See the How to create a character section for which XML file to target (either the character XML itself, or a version you saved off that has modified default parameters). TODO: Be careful to advise which character XML to add to the spawner - there are multiple character XML files!
• thumbnail is the image that will be used for a tooltip when you hover over your character in the spawner menu.

See GameInstallDir/Data/ExampleMods/mod_xml_specification.txt for full information.