Space Engineers 2 | Guide: Character Model Modding

This tutorial provides a guide to adjusting the model and skin of the player’s character.

Prerequisites

⏱️ Time to complete: ~12 mins

Please ensure you have followed the section on “Tool Setup and Mod Creation” in the VRAGE3 Modding Overview guide prior to starting this guide.

If you are not interested in the creation process of your own character models please skip to the VRAGE3 Mod Editor section and use the example files provided which can be found here: “Steam\steamapps\common\Space Engineers 2 - Mod SDK\ExampleMod1\CharacterModel”

Art Process

1. Nesting Make sure the Rig is not nested in any folder like in the image below:
   
   
   
   
2. LOD Naming: Make sure that the mesh names in each LOD have different suffixes, such as _LOD1, _LOD2, etc., as shown in the image below:
   
   
   
   
3. Meshpart hiding: In certain scenarios, such as when the character enters the cockpit, we need to hide parts of the model, e.g backpack. It's essential to assign a dedicated material to things we want to hide like the backpack. This will be used later to define what to hide
   
   
4. Magboots: On the character's boots, add extra geometry on the emissive areas, as shown in the example below.
   
   
   
   Assign a new material to the Magnetic Boots geometry and name it ‘MagBootsEnabled’.
   
   
   
   
5. Export: The below is an example of export settings from Maya 2022 but these can be applied to other modeling softwares.
   
   

Color Masks

To make the suit colorable

Hex #818181 and its tones will be suitable for colorable areas.



Create a black and white mask map for the colorable gray areas, as shown in the example below:



Save the image with the name corresponding to the material, using the format: 'MaterialName_ColorMask'

For example, if your material is called ‘Boots’, save the mask as ‘Boots_ColorMask’.

VRAGE3 Mod Editor

Adding Source Files and making .Model and material assets

1. Drag Folder: Drag the “CharacterModel” folder` from `ExampleMod1\` in your operating system's file explorer to the Editor.
   
2. Import Utility: When the VRAGE Assets Import Utility appears:
   • Ensure all folders and files have a tick mark next to their name.
     
   • Press Import
     On import the editor will automatically generate the model and material files this could take some time to process
3. Select Material: Open the “Backpack” folder and select Backpack.def
   
4. Change Default Material State: In the inspector pane change the selected item in the Default State dropdown list from PBR.def to PBR Skinned.def
   
5. Repeat: Repeat steps 3-4 for the all the other folders that contain materials in them

Overriding Default Character Model and Materials

1. Search for Vanilla Definition: Press the magnifying glass and in the search bar enter ModelCharacter.def
   
   
2. Create Override Definition: Right click on ModelCharacter.def, select Create Partial Definition (Override)
   Overriding this definition allows your mod to update existing and new saves that use the original model, applying your changes automatically.
   
   
   
   
3. Select location: An explorer window will appear, choose where you want to create the override.
   
   
4. Name Override Definition: Either name the file something of your choosing or leave it as “Override of……..” and press enter
   
   
5. Select Override Definition: select the newly created definition
   
   
6. Update Character Model: Drag the ModdingGuideCharacter.model to the inspector panel where it says MiroslavSokol in the model field.
   
   
7. Search for Vanilla Definition: Press the magnifying glass and in the search bar enter CharacterKeenSkin.def
   
   
8. Create Override Definition: Right click on CharacterKeenSkin.def, select Create Partial Definition (Override)
   Overriding this definition allows your mod to update existing and new saves that use the original model, applying your changes automatically.
   
   
9. Select location: An explorer window will appear, choose where you want to create the override
   
   
10. Name Override Definition: Either name the file something of your choosing or leave it as “Override of……..” and press enter
    
    
11. Select Override Definition: select the newly created definition
    
    
12. Replace: Drag materials from each of the folders in your mod to their matching Value field in the overridden definition of CharacterKeenSkin
    E.g UpsuitLOD1.def to UpsuitLOD1 in the value field

Overriding Default Render Model

1. Search for Vanilla Definition: Press the magnifying glass and in the search bar enter ModelMiroslavSokol.def
   
   
2. Create Override Definition: Right click on ModelMiroslavSokol.def, select Create Partial Definition (Override)
   Overriding this definition allows your mod to update existing and new saves that use the original model, applying your changes automatically.
   
   
3. Name Override Definition: Either name the file something of your choosing or leave it as “Override of……..” and press enter
   
   
4. Select Override Definition: select the newly created definition
   
   
5. Update Model Handle: Drag the ModdingGuideCharacter.model to the inspector panel where it says MiroslavSokol in the Model Handle field.

Updating Jetpack Particle Position

1. Search for Vanilla Definition: Press the magnifying glass and in the search bar enter PrefabCharacterClient_CharacterMovementEffectsComponentDefinition.def
   
   
2. Create Override Definition: Right click on PrefabCharacterClient_CharacterMovementEffectsComponentDefinition.def, select Create Partial Definition (Override)
   Overriding this definition allows your mod to update existing and new saves that use the original model, applying your changes automatically.
   
   
3. Select location: An explorer window will appear, choose where you want to create the override
   
   
4. Name Override Definition: Either name the file something of your choosing or leave it as “Override of……..” and press enter
   
   
5. Select Override Definition: select the newly created definition
   
   
6. Adjust Thrust Bone Offset: In the Jetpack Thrusts section adjust the Y transform on the first Thrust Bone Offset field to 0.055,
   
   

You should now be able to start your game by going to the menu bar → Project → Start Game, and on starting a new game have the character be a new model.

Video Guide

Support & Links

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