Adding of Animated Textures

[Alfred]

How it works
You take or 'rip' a tvertexanim from a model (for instance: Water Elemental).
Then you apply it to a mesh, in which it will be the 'layer' of animated texture.

Tools needed:
Notepad/Wordpad
YobGuls' Fileconverter Get it here
One model with animated texture in which you want to 'rip' from
... and some patience if you want a layer of animated texture which is above the original geoset.

How it can be done
Convert the 2 models(one with animated texture, one you want to add on) to MDLs. In this tut, we will rip
the tvertexanim from water elemental(Of course, there are different models with different movement of
the texture.) We will call the model you want to add animated texture on as model A, and the other one
as model B, which will be a Water Elemental.
Now open model B.

Code:

TextureAnims 2 {
	TVertexAnim {
		Translation 2 {
			Bezier,
			GlobalSeqId 1,
			0: { 0.0997751, 1.72412, -0.0260519 },
				InTan { 0, 0, 0 },
				OutTan { 0.0665167, 1.14942, -0.0173681 },
			2767: { 0, 0, 0 },
				InTan { 0.0332584, 0.574708, -0.00868383 },
				OutTan { 0, 0, 0 },
		}
	}
	TVertexAnim {
		Translation 2 {
			Bezier,
			GlobalSeqId 12,
			0: { 0, 0, 0 },
				InTan { 0, 0, 0 },
				OutTan { -0.107482, -0.210476, 1.13849 },
			3333: { -0.322445, -0.631428, 3.41546 },
				InTan { -0.214963, -0.420952, 2.27698 },
				OutTan { 0, 0, 0 },
		}
	}
}

Now look for this, then copy the entire section.
Open model A, then paste this below the materials section

Code:

			}
		}
	}
	Material {
		Layer {
			FilterMode Blend,
			static TextureID 4,
		}
	}
}
TextureAnims 2 {
	TVertexAnim {
		Translation 2 {
			Bezier,
			GlobalSeqId 1,
			0: { 0.0997751, 1.72412, -0.0260519 },
				InTan { 0, 0, 0 },
				OutTan { 0.0665167, 1.14942, -0.0173681 },
			2767: { 0, 0, 0 },
				InTan { 0.0332584, 0.574708, -0.00868383 },
				OutTan { 0, 0, 0 },
		}
	}
	TVertexAnim {
		Translation 2 {
			Bezier,
			GlobalSeqId 12,
			0: { 0, 0, 0 },
				InTan { 0, 0, 0 },
				OutTan { -0.107482, -0.210476, 1.13849 },
			3333: { -0.322445, -0.631428, 3.41546 },
				InTan { -0.214963, -0.420952, 2.27698 },
				OutTan { 0, 0, 0 },
		}
	}
}

So it looks somewhat like that. Now you will remove one tvertexanim away, so making only
one tvertexanim in the section.

Code:

TextureAnims 2 {
	TVertexAnim {
		Translation 2 {
			Bezier,
			GlobalSeqId 1,
			0: { 0.0997751, 1.72412, -0.0260519 },
				InTan { 0, 0, 0 },
				OutTan { 0.0665167, 1.14942, -0.0173681 },
			2767: { 0, 0, 0 },
				InTan { 0.0332584, 0.574708, -0.00868383 },
				OutTan { 0, 0, 0 },
		}
	}
}

Now, make a duplicate of the mesh in which you want animated texture on. As for the crypt fiend,
it will be the main body, aka mesh 1 and 2. So CnP the ENTIRE of the 2 geosets and put them as
the last 2 geosets(Just above the set of geosetanims)

Code:

	MaterialID 3,
	SelectionGroup 0,
} < Press enter here to create a new line and paste omg.
GeosetAnim {
	Alpha 8 {
		DontInterp,
		40267: 1,
		100100: 0,
		113600: 0,
		176667: 1,
		177667: 0,
		178000: 0,
		180000: 0,
		180033: 1,
	}
	GeosetId 0,

Now, create 2 new materials(One for the duplicate of 1st mesh, one for the other.) below the last
material.

Code:

Materials 4 {
	Material {
		Layer {
			FilterMode None,
			TwoSided,
			static TextureID 0,
		}
	}
	Material {
		Layer {
			FilterMode None,
			Unshaded,
			static TextureID 1,
		}
		Layer {
			FilterMode Blend,
			TwoSided,
			static TextureID 0,
		}
	}
	Material {
		Layer {
			FilterMode Transparent,
			static TextureID 2,
			Alpha 7 {
				Linear,
				40267: 0,
				47100: 0,
				48933: 1,
				100267: 1,
				113600: 1,
				171933: 1,
				173600: 0,
			}
		}
	}
	Material {
		Layer {
			FilterMode Blend,
			static TextureID 4,
		}
	}
	Material {
		Layer {
			FilterMode None,
			TwoSided,
			static TextureID 0,
		}
	}
	Material {
		Layer {
			FilterMode None,
			TwoSided,
			static TextureID 0,
		}
	}
}

I CnP the first material in this case, so I have a template to start with. Now, change the filtermode
to AddAlpha, or Additive. (Since I'm guessing the effect you want should be 'magical' kind.) Then add
the TvertexAnim ID x by CnPing from the Water Elemental's materials, and change the value to 0.

Code:

	Material {
		Layer {
			FilterMode Additive,
			TwoSided,
			static TextureID 0,
			TVertexAnimId 0,
		}
	}
	Material {
		Layer {
			FilterMode Additive,
			TwoSided,
			static TextureID 0,
			TVertexAnimId 0,
		}
	}

Once this is accomplish, now choose a texture you want. In this example, we will make a fire effect.
The path of such texture is Textures\EQ_Rock2.blp. You can also make new textures yourself, but to save
space, I usually use textures in war3. Give it the wrapwidth and height values, like the water elemental's.

Code:

Textures 5 {
	Bitmap {
		Image "units\Undead\CryptFiend\CryptFiend.blp",
	}
	Bitmap {
		Image "",
		ReplaceableId 1,
	}
	Bitmap {
		Image "Textures\gutz.blp",
	}
	Bitmap {
		Image "Textures\Dust5A.blp",
	}
	Bitmap {
		Image "ReplaceableTextures\Splats\BurrowSplat.blp",
	}
	Bitmap {
		Image "Textures\EQ_Rock2.blp",
		WrapWidth,
		WrapHeight,
	}
}

Now detect what nth position is the new texture added. It is the 6th texture in this case, so we will
minus one to it, since counting starts from 0 in MDL. Enter 5 to the 2 new materials you made to their textureIDs.

Code:

	Material {
		Layer {
			FilterMode Additive,
			TwoSided,
			static TextureID 5,
			TVertexAnimId 0,
		}
	}
	Material {
		Layer {
			FilterMode Additive,
			TwoSided,
			static TextureID 5,
			TVertexAnimId 0,
		}
	}

Now create some GlobalSequence by adding a new section. Right after the animation names, and before the textures,
CnP from the water elemental its GlobalSequence section. Then remove all except one. Then replace its value as 3333.
This affects the speed because the longer time you take to travel the same distance = slow speed, shorter time in
same distance = fast speed. I choose 3333 as it is moderate.

Code:

GlobalSequences 20 {
	Duration 3333,
}
Textures 5 {
	Bitmap {
		Image "units\Undead\CryptFiend\CryptFiend.blp",
	}
	Bitmap {
		Image "",
		ReplaceableId 1,

Now go to the TvertexAnim you had, and update its information to

Code:

TextureAnims 2 {
	TVertexAnim {
		Translation 2 {
			Bezier,
			GlobalSeqId 0,
			0: { 0.0997751, 1.72412, -0.0260519 },
				InTan { 0, 0, 0 },
				OutTan { 0.0665167, 1.14942, -0.0173681 },
			3333: { 0, 0, 0 },
				InTan { 0.0332584, 0.574708, -0.00868383 },
				OutTan { 0, 0, 0 },
		}
	}
}

Time to update your 2 geosets, change their material IDs to 4 and 5 respectively. (I made 2 materials so you can add
different stuff to each materials next time).
Apply new geosetanims to the 2 new geosets. So they:
1) will not appear on decay
2) will be orange by applying vertex coloring(that would look like fire)
3) are a must for a REAL MDL edited model.
CnP the first 2 geosetanims(Since they refer to the first 2 geosets, and we have 2 copies of those geosets.) and put
them as the last geosetanims. Change their IDs to 4 and 5 respectively. Now CnP

Code:

	GeosetId 5,

so you can get the 'spaces' which are created by tab right. Then delete that value, leaving the 'spaces' then enter

Code:

	static Color { 0, 0.5, 0.9 },

This is the vertex coloring, in BGR form. Do that to both of the geosetanims.
So you get

Code:

GeosetAnim {
	Alpha 8 {
		DontInterp,
		40267: 1,
		100100: 0,
		113600: 0,
		176667: 1,
		177667: 0,
		178000: 0,
		180000: 0,
		180033: 1,
	}
	static Color { 0, 0.5, 0.9 },
	GeosetId 4,
}
GeosetAnim {
	Alpha 8 {
		DontInterp,
		40267: 1,
		100100: 0,
		113600: 0,
		176667: 1,
		177667: 0,
		178000: 0,
		180000: 0,
		180033: 1,
	}
	static Color { 0, 0.5, 0.9 },
	GeosetId 5,
}

You are done! Now for the little addition, you can make the geoset bigger so it appears as a seperate layer above
the original mesh(like Cookie's Fire Infernal). Go to both of the geosets, Add 3 to EVERY coordinates of every vertices.
If the value is negative, make it -3, so they will go further from the origin by 3 units in xyz axis. That will 'enlarge'
the model. It is tedious and time consuming, I know. That is why patience is needed! :) I've done this before so many times
lol. So anyways here's an example
From

Code:

	Vertices 455 {
		{ 96.2245, -29.1532, 69.6575 },
		{ 89.1451, -22.9421, 74.3438 },
		{ 95.8924, -29.1638, 61.5637 },
		{ 91.8675, -22.9966, 61.723 },
		{ 24.1103, 0.37503, 84.9669 },
		{ 24.7768, 0.37503, 94.0652 },
		{ 31.6054, 9.09599, 79.764 },
		{ 42.4421, 17.8187, 95.3328 },
		{ 21.3428, 0.37503, 105.891 },

To

Code:

	Vertices 455 {
		{ 99.2245, -22.1532, 72.6575 },
		{ 92.1451, -25.9421, 77.3438 },
		{ 98.8924, -32.1638, 64.5637 },
		{ 94.8675, -25.9966, 64.723 },
		{ 27.1103, 3.37503, 87.9669 },
		{ 27.7768, 3.37503, 97.0652 },
		{ 34.6054, 12.096, 82.764 },
		{ 45.4421, 20.8187, 98.3328 },
		{ 24.3428, 3.37503, 108.891 },

and apply it to every vertices. Now you are truly done!

I've added the finished product, so you can use it as reference. :) Yes, the Chaos Spider in RoTD was done this way.

Here's a screenie of it:



And my old avatar, with TToR's crystal dragon done the same way:



EDIT 19/2/08:

If you want a smooth texture animation, then you can use a Linear translation. Example:

Code:

	TVertexAnim {
		Translation 2 {
			Linear,
			GlobalSeqId 0,
			0: { -1, -1, 0 },
			7000: { 0, 0, 0 },
		}
	}

1 will be basically the largest X or Y coordinate in your image, while -1 will be the outside of the image (if you imagine your image being tiled up), opposite of 1. Etc a 0.5 on a 256x256 image will be the 128 of X or Y in it, while -0.5 will be -128.
The translation basically moves ALL coordinates in the TVertex (the unwrapping) by the amount it states. I'm not sure if rotation will work or not, never tried it before.

EDIT 21/2/08:

It's tested that Rotation works as well. I've only tested rotating around the Z axis (because that's the only one that's useful, assuming you unwrapped your mesh flat down.)

Code:

	TVertexAnim {
		Rotation 2 {
			Linear,
			GlobalSeqId 0,
			0: { 0, 0, 0, 1 },
			1750: { 0, 0, 0.707107, 0.707107 },
			3500: { 0, 0, 1, 0 },
			5250: { 0, 0, 0.707107, -0.707107 },
			7000: { 0, 0, 0, -1 },
		}
	}

This will rotate the texture 360 degrees (around).
Thanks to Oinkerwinkle for the calculator to get the angles :P.

[RodOfNOD]

Extremely cool shit. One minor thing is there are 3 tiny places both the top/inside of spideys knees and just the right/back side appear to have been missed.

Once again though COOL SHIT!

[Vexorian]

Oh no!, now everyone will know the secret!

[BlinkBoy]

Originally Posted by Lord Vexorian

Oh no!, now everyone will know the secret!

well i alrdy knew it and actually i'm trying to make a program to add them, to bad i can get the proper codes in visual basic to do that.

[Alfred]

Originally Posted by BlinkBoy

well i alrdy knew it and actually i'm trying to make a program to add them, to bad i can get the proper codes in visual basic to do that.

Well great achievement then. I knew this thing like in november last year.

[Armel]

That's one of the few things in mdl editing I had never tried to learn, thank you very much, this is cool. Just one suggestion: for the rescaling, use Oikerwinkle's vertex modify program: this should make it easier (use of markers + scaling). Moreover, as you can see on the cryptfiend, there are bugs in some parts, mainly the legs: the new and old ones don't overlap in the right way. So I suggest using vertex modify to finis it so as to make a perfect job.
One question: I'm working on a jellifish, what material effect do you suggest I use (the one I used makes it look too much like a ghost).

[Alfred]

Probably a blend material with a static alpha value of 0.5 perhaps?

[Armel]

I'll try this, thanks

[Jarock]

Hey I can't access that page with the program converter.

"YobGuls' Fileconverter Get it here"

It says do not have promission to access page.

How do I get it?

[BertTheJasser]

Same problem, plx update the link. Thx.

[TheSecretArts]

this will help me with my Ragnaros im making . GJ!

[Alfred]

Updated, but obviously link isn't fixed yet.