model sequences

OK, I'm going to try and finish the castle map. I have a really ace cannon model that mazemaster made for me, and that works great. I am putting a skeleton in using the same method with a cycler_sprite. The question I have is how do I set the cycler_sprite to show the 's_sitting' sequence for the skeleton model as opposed to the 's_onback' sequence? Neither of these are actually sequences, they are just two states that the model can have. Is this even possible (for a DM map)?

can't you use a monster_generic instead? then you'd be able to get the skeleton to sit by setting the Animation Sequence (in the properties for monster generic) to 1

hammer still crashes on me whenever i try to use a .mdl as a sprite/cycler_sprite, meh :sad: , so it's the option i'd use.

Thanks, I'll try that now.

A solution to that crashing problem came up when I searched for an answer to this question. I can't find the thread now, but basically you open your fgd file, and change the bit that says sprite() in the first line of the env_sprite and cycler_sprite definitions to studio().

[edit] monster_generic didn't show up in multiplayer :sad: I tried setting 'body' to 1 instead of 0 (couldn't see an animation sequence setting), but this didn't work either. It could be a bug in the model so i'll wait for some other replies before marking that one wrong. It's just the standard skeleton model that comes with HL [/edit]

You will not see a monster_generic in Multiplayer, thats right... Just when mp_allowmosters is set to "1" - But I think it is impossible to load the map with this mp_allowmonsters 1 automatically - You have to set this to "1" and than you have to restart the server (or changelevel to the same map...)

Maybe there is a solution that lets HL starts automatically with mp_allowmonsters 1, but only when you load this map...

Another possible solution, albeit it a cheap hack, would be to re-compile the model with only the sequence (or position) you wish it to have. It's not the most efficient way, but a guaranteed way to ensure the proper animation plays.

That sounds OK. The model is only ~50K, so it isn't a problem to redistribute it if this would be legal. I'm not sure how I would go about it though... the closest thing to modeling I have done is opening something with hlmv and changing one of the skins.

KungFuSquirrel said:
Another possible solution, albeit it a cheap hack, would be to re-compile the model with only the sequence (or position) you wish it to have. It's not the most efficient way, but a guaranteed way to ensure the proper animation plays.

the cheap hack doesn't work. at least not with milkshape. it appears that the model doesn't use the standard reference.smd and sequence.smd's, and won't compile again. i've seen a few standard hl models that seem to be like this. they decompile fine, but wont re-compile.

another, even hackier, solution would be to reposition the model in milkshape, and export it as new reference and sequence .smd's. then recompile it.

If you can guarantee to place the model in a position where it cannot be damaged (by gunfire etc.), then you can use a cycler. You should probably build a couple of layers of invisible-but-solid walls around it, to protect against gauss tunnelling.

Then all you have to do is to damage it (using a trigger_hurt) a second or so after the map loads. The cycler will switch animations when damaged.

Thanks for all the ideas.

Does anybody know where I can find out how to recompile and reposition and things like that? I looked at a few milkshape tutorials, but they seemed to focus more on creating a model from scratch than editing an existing model. I won't mark answers right/wrong until I have been able to try doing what is suggested in them.

Wow, milkshape crashes a lot.

I could not recompile the skeleton model properly, I think because decompiling didn't result in any joints/vertex asignments. Now I'm halfway through doing my own bones to attatch the vertices to, so that I can then reposition and export.

Marked Gollums answer right as well - not what I needed though.

lol... I actually feel bad marking suggestions wrong. Sould I mark KFS answer as correct, as it would work if it were a normal type of model?

Mark it wrong if it's wrong, it doesn't penalise people in any way.

It's wrong for my particular questrion, but could work for a similar question where the model in question was one that decompiles properly.

scary_jeff said:
It's wrong for my particular question, but could work for a similar question where the model in question was one that decompiles properly.

i have not tested it fully yet, but i think the search does not restrict its params to correctly marked answers.. so.... if a future person searches, at least do not mark them wrong.. as soon as you mark an answer correct/blue.. the rest go to green..

red answers may throw off future questions.

hope that made sense..

scary_jeff said:
Now I'm halfway through doing my own bones to attatch the vertices to, so that I can then reposition and export.

you only need to reposition the vertices so that the skeleton is in the position you want. then tie them all to only one joint, and export as both SKELETON_Template_Biped1 (reference) and s_sitting (sequence) then all you need to do before you re-compile is edit out the 'on-back' line of the .qc.