Use attachment command to connect two models on pre-determined coordinates?

[_MaZ_TeR_]

Hey, I have a huge model which requires it to be put into multiple pieces because it has too many bones and otherwise would probably lag out everything.

I was wondering if I can make the model work by using the attachment command in the QC files of those models and then on SFM attaching those models together so that they automatically snap together on certain coordinates.

So, for example, I want to connect a seperate eye model which has its own bone structure to a bse model, which has also its own bone structure, but the base model has certain end points for other models which act as connector points for the other models. I'd make these connector points then into the attachments.

[Zappy]

No. What you'll want to do instead is use locks, then have same-named bones (for example, model A could have the legs and torso, then stop at the bip_spine3 bone or something, and then model B would start at the bip_spine3 bone and have the chest, arms, and head).

To lock models together, either drag a parent bone (model A's bip_spine3) to a child bone (model B's bip_spine3), which works regardless of bone names, or if the bones have the same name, drag a parent animationset ("modela1") to a child animationset ("modelb1") to automatically locke bones of the same name. To then "bone-merge" them, select the locked bones (bones that have lock icons beside them), and fully apply the "Zero" preset through all time.

This is just like you'd do to make a Team Fortress 2 character wear cosmetics or hold weapons, except not all of the bones will be locked (and thus not all of them have to be "Zero"-ed).

[_MaZ_TeR_]

Originally posted by Zappy:

No. What you'll want to do instead is use locks, then have same-named bones (for example, model A could have the legs and torso, then stop at the bip_spine3 bone or something, and then model B would start at the bip_spine3 bone and have the chest, arms, and head).

To lock models together, either drag a parent bone (model A's bip_spine3) to a child bone (model B's bip_spine3), which works regardless of bone names, or if the bones have the same name, drag a parent animationset ("modela1") to a child animationset ("modelb1") to automatically locke bones of the same name. To then "bone-merge" them, select the locked bones (bones that have lock icons beside them), and fully apply the "Zero" preset through all time.

This is just like you'd do to make a Team Fortress 2 character wear cosmetics or hold weapons, except not all of the bones will be locked (and thus not all of them have to be "Zero"-ed).

So, if I use the parent + child bone trick you explained to attach a seperate eye model to a base model like this:
https://imgur.com/tEh4deS

The end result will be this:
https://imgur.com/RdI4k0M

And I presumably don't have to manually move the seperate model to that rootpoint in the base model with XYZ coordinates, right?

[Zappy]

Originally posted by ^1MaZ_TeR_:

So, if I use the parent + child bone trick you explained to attach a seperate eye model to a base model like this: -Image- The end result will be this: -Image- -

Yes, that should be right.

Originally posted by ^1MaZ_TeR_:

- And I presumably don't have to manually move the seperate model to that rootpoint in the base model with XYZ coordinates, right?

The "Zero" preset sets all selected controls to 0. For bones, this includes the X, Y, and Z position, as well as the X, Y, and Z rotation. Since bones are offset relative to their parent, using the "Zero" preset on a locked bone will make the locked bone have the exact same X, Y, and Z position and rotation as its parent bone (the bone it's locked to).

TL;DR: Correct. The "Zero" preset takes care of that.

[_MaZ_TeR_]

Originally posted by Zappy:

Originally posted by ^1MaZ_TeR_:

So, if I use the parent + child bone trick you explained to attach a seperate eye model to a base model like this: -Image- The end result will be this: -Image- -

Yes, that should be right.

Originally posted by ^1MaZ_TeR_:

- And I presumably don't have to manually move the seperate model to that rootpoint in the base model with XYZ coordinates, right?

The "Zero" preset sets all selected controls to 0. For bones, this includes the X, Y, and Z position, as well as the X, Y, and Z rotation. Since bones are offset relative to their parent, using the "Zero" preset on a locked bone will make the locked bone have the exact same X, Y, and Z position and rotation as its parent bone (the bone it's locked to).

TL;DR: Correct. The "Zero" preset takes care of that.

Alright thanks, that saved me a lot of time figuring out how to make my model work properly.