(**) HVA editing Options

[Aztek985]

Originally posted by Stinger:

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Here I have a (hopefully) good made tutorial of how to make a nice HVA on your voxel.

HVA's I mention here will mainly be the one for mechs, because they are the most complicated ones.

Before you start:

1. Download OS HVA builder 1.8 (or higher if there is)
2. Install it

Getting to work:

1. Open HVA builder
2. Open the voxel file you wish to edit

Now it's getting tricky. For a mech to work you first need to change the offset for the legs to the body. Try a little around with the offset and soon you will find out what is the best way to put the legs onto your mech. If you are happy with the result, first save the model so your work stays intact if anything goes wrong. It's also recommended always to make a backup of the voxel incase something goes wrong with it.

When you are done with this you're going to add frames. These frames work basicly the same way as a movie. It depends on the size of the mech or the wish to make it go fast or really slow how many frames you add. For a medium sized mech I normally take 15 frames or so.

When you added the frames you can begin to make the mech move. You do this with the HVA position button.

Always start with the feet first

In every next frame you put the foot a little more forward or backward then you did in the frame before. Mention the fact it will look weird when you first do a little move (like 10 cm forward) and then like 1 meter forward . Try to make equal moves because it will look better.

Always notice the start position of the feet (first frame) because in the last frame this position has to be almost the same so it will look like its walking.

When you are satisfied with the way the feet move you go try to rotate the lowerlegs so they follow the movements of the feet. Work in the same way like you did with the feet, but now in a rotating manner. For now you just have to rotate the lowerleg and not alligning the leg to the foot. (that's a part for the end.)

When you are done with the lowerlegs you do the same with the upperlegs. Try to figure out how they move exactly and work your way trough.

Now your HVA is almost done. Only thing left to do is alligning the joints together (with HVA position NOT OFFSET)

Here you have your walking mech

[Team Black]

I've got an issue with a voxel/hva...
It is in two sections, the body and the top part (which is animated)
It doesn't have a turret or barrel or anthing
(It's for the voxel competition, so I don't want to say exactly what it is...)

The top section is obviously supposed to be over the main body, but in the game it displays that section as if it were behind the main body section..the main body section overlaps the top section.



This post has been edited by Team Black: Dec 7 2006, 05:23 PM

[Stinger]

I've got an issue with a voxel/hva...
It is in two sections, the body and the top part (which is animated)
It doesn't have a turret or barrel or anthing
(It's for the voxel competition, so I don't want to say exactly what it is...)

The top section is obviously supposed to be over the main body, but in the game it displays that section as if it were behind the main body section..the main body section overlaps the top section.

I think I know what your problem is. Your upper section touches your lower-section. You should set the offset of the uppersection a little higher, so there is some space between the two (just take a space of 1 or 2 pixels) You wont notice it ingame and the two won't overlap. A smart thing to do also is to set the hierachy right. if two sections touch eachother the game has problems displaying them right, since it doesnt understand which one has to overlap the other.

Top to bottom order in HVA builder:

1. Main body
2. Turret
3. barrel (if there is any)

And remember to put space between the objects. It doesnt have to be much space, just a tiny gap.

greetz, Sting

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