$Define bone Qc question

[Mr Shadowblood]

Working on my first export of a model that has a skeleton and moves but also using a QC that was used to export other Skyrim models to SFM like the one I am working on.

Only part I am really confused is the Define Bone part which there are numbers already typed in but don't know if I have to erase them or leave them there.

Also if someone can explain what is a VTA since that is listed in the QC.....I am used to porting props not models that actually move

[Pte Jack]

Define bones is used to define the bones in a model. Only the Bones defined in the QC will be added to it on compile, so if you define 1 bone, you have to define them all. There are 2 Define bone uses. One to read a model to find the coordinates by running the QC sith the -definebone command line and the $definebone command (with coords) in the QC itself.
If I have bones I want in the model like weapon bones, or bones to be used as attachment points and they don't deform mesh, I'll add an object and weight paint the non deform bones to it. Then I run the QC with the -definebones command line. This will result in a response that has all the bones that will be added to the model with their coords, I just have to copy and paste the result into the QC.
I remove the weight painting and the extra object, and because the bones are defined, they'll be in the model when I compile it.

https://steamuserimages-a.akamaihd.net/ugc/1464185885775780318/230C559710B55D60274C85E746C5EAEAEC13D705/

[Mr Shadowblood]

Originally posted by Pte Jack:

Define bones is used to define the bones in a model. Only the Bones defined in the QC will be added to it on compile, so if you define 1 bone, you have to define them all. There are 2 Define bone uses. One to read a model to find the coordinates by running the QC sith the -definebone command line and the $definebone command (with coords) in the QC itself.
If I have bones I want in the model like weapon bones, or bones to be used as attachment points and they don't deform mesh, I'll add an object and weight paint the non deform bones to it. Then I run the QC with the -definebones command line. This will result in a response that has all the bones that will be added to the model with their coords, I just have to copy and paste the result into the QC.
I remove the weight painting and the extra object, and because the bones are defined, they'll be in the model when I compile it.

https://steamuserimages-a.akamaihd.net/ugc/1464185885775780318/230C559710B55D60274C85E746C5EAEAEC13D705/

Thanks again Pte Jack

[Zappy]

Originally posted by Mr Valrek:

- Only part I am really confused is the Define Bone part which there are numbers already typed in but don't know if I have to erase them or leave them there. -

As far as I'm concerned, when in doubt, it's best to not use $DefineBone at all.


If you have any occurrence of $DefineBone in a QC, StudioMDL (the model compiler) will only use those bones (plus any other bone chains necessary for $Attachment or $BoneMerge), with those given coordinates, for the model.


Meanwhile, if $DefineBone is not anywhere in the QC, StudioMDL will automatically use the bone setup(s) of the mesh file(s) used for the model (although any bone chains that don't affect the mesh at all will be removed, unless marked important using $Attachment or $BoneMerge), which greatly simplifies the process if you're not using the exact same armature/skeleton/bone setup as another model that you already have the $DefineBone statements from.