SFM/Blender | Need help with bones.

[Zwei]

So, I've been modifying models for a long time now, but still some things elude me.

How the hell do you add models to a pre-existing armature? By this, I mean decompiling the model, loading the .qc up in Blender, and just extruding the bones/naming them/etc, and then recompiling with no $definebone data.

I've done this multiple times to limited success. The bones I've extruded and named appear when reloading the .qc in Blender (through a new save file), but do not appear in the "Unknown" section of the model in Source Filmmaker or HLMV.

They've been fully weightpainted and seem to be working completely fine in Blender, but disappear when recompiled and put into SFM. Even viewing them under HLMV doesn't show any results.

If possible, could anyone give me a guide to adding bones to a pre-existing armature in Source? I've searched around, but something that specific doesn't seem to exist.

Another thing to mention: they're not regular ValveBiped bones. They're bones that would be considered "Unknown."

[episoder]

In cases where things 'don't update' i usually advice to check if you're loading the correct model, means the recompiled model. make sure the compiler is setup to compile to the correct folder, whether by adjusting the qc or folder on the commandline or the correct game setup in crowbar (in case you use that).

[Zwei]

Yep! I've been extremely careful to make sure I've been replacing the old models and all that. I've done the entire process about three times now, all without success.

[episoder]

Okay. Then... this may be stupid to ask. Did you re-export the model in blender before compiling? And are you recompiling the correct dmx or smd?

[Zwei]

I have, yes. Although, I've just done it again the exact same way... and it worked. Either I must have messed up somewhere or Source is spergier than I originally thought.

[Marco Skoll]

Various check points:

- You're sure that these bones are weight painted?
- You've updated the reference animation to include these bones?
- These bones don't have particularly weird names, such as including bizarre letters?
- These bones do not have a name that SFM automatically hides? (e.g. "righteye")
- You're definitely loading the right model, including checking that it's not been overridden by a higher priority mod?
EDIT:
- You don't have any $definebone sets that don't include these bones?

[Zappy]

Originally posted by Marco Skoll:

- You've updated the reference animation to include these bones? -

Except in most cases where $DefineBone (or similar?) is being used, StudioMDL.exe (the model compiler) and the Source engine don't really care about this. (It's still a good idea to do, though.) If a bone of a model is not part of a sequence, the bone will just be in its "default" position relative to its parent bone during that sequence.

[Marco Skoll]

True, but it's good practice, and fairly easy - just a case of setting Blender to export everything you need. If you've updated the skeleton, it's probably wise to re-export all the meshes and the reference animation to ensure that everything agrees about the skeleton of the model.

(I've certainly had some weird cases where two meshes thought that the same bone should be in different places...)

That said, you've reminded me that I'd left $definebone off my list, so I've added that in.

[Zwei]

I have figured it out. Unfortunately, it was due to me not being careful enough in the process; I forgot to replace the model's previous ragdoll.smd file with the new outputted one.

Just for reference, if anyone else is looking for some tutorial or guide on how to do it, just follow this:

1. Unpack the model as necessary

2. Load the .qc in your choice of 3D Modeling/Editing software

3. Select the armature, and if in Blender, go into the 'Edit' mode (or equivalent for other software).

4. Select the bone in which you would like to extrude from.

5. Extrude the bone to desired position

6. Weight paint the bone to your mesh, change the name of the bone to fit.
(If the bone is not named after a ValveBiped structure, and is not recognized as a specific bone of that syntax, it will appear under the 'Unknown' section of the animation set editor.)

7. Export both the modified armature and the mesh into the desired folder.
(Make sure you have completely replaced the model's original animation file with the exported ragdoll.smd file of the modified armature).

8. If your .qc contains the $definebone command, remove every trace of it. To my understanding, any bone not named and specified under this command will not appear in general - no matter if it's on the armature or not.

9. Compile. It should work.