Watch_Dogs - Importing and exporting models with Zmodeler

Discussion in 'Game Tweaks and Modifications' started by HeySlickThatsMe, Jul 4, 2017.

  1. HeySlickThatsMe

    HeySlickThatsMe Master Guru

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    Watch_Dogs - Importing and exporting models with Zmodeler TUTORIAL

    Hello! this is an tutorial which will explain you how to properly import and export models with use of Zmodeler
    This will allow modding Objects (Propably) , weapons , vehicles and characters
    So , lets get started:
    1.Make a new folder somewhere and Extract windy_city.fat in it
    2.Open zmodeler and click "Import"
    3.Select the file type as .xbg
    4.Now look down , look at the "Root Folder" and "Mod Folder"
    [​IMG]
    5.Set your Root folder to that unpacked windy_city.fat
    6.Set your mod folder to...Anything? (This is unconfirmed , i set it to the folder where i have all the gibbed tools)
    7.Now click import and you are done! you imported the model
    8.After importing look for L0 , L1 etc , it should be here
    [​IMG]
    Click on any of these to show any of the LOD Levels so you can start editing the model
    L0 is the xbgmip
    L1 is the default model (This is what do you want to edit)
    L2 is the lower quality model (Level of detail setting - Low or Medium)
    L3 and L4 are other low quality models , these don't need changing but do so if you want to edit any of the NPC Faces
    ---Now how to export?
    1.Simply press the "export" , remember that YOUR MODDED FILE needs to have the same name as the FILE YOU ARE EDITING
    for example if your model is named char01_head.xbg or in zmodeler its called "char01_head.mesh" "char01_head.skel" then you need to name it exactly the same , so while exporting char01_head.xbg you need to name it char01_head and select the .xbg as the filetype
    [​IMG]
    ---LOD (Importing Aiden's models)
    You already know how to import and export models , but what about models that only have 2 LOD's and crash ingame?
    Or you don't have the xbgmip and you use the dummy one?
    This tutorial will teach you fix the crash
    1.At first import your .xbg 2 times
    2.Rename one of them so you don't get lost
    3.Delete the second .skel
    [​IMG]
    ^ it should look like this
    Now from the second renamed mesh (in my zmodeler its export) you need to "Delete" the Lod
    [​IMG]
    then you need to unfold it
    [​IMG]
    You should have an object with no name , rename it to something clever
    then drag and drop it to the lower part of the GUI
    [​IMG]
    Then you can edit this model (Its named "John cena" in my zmodeler)
    Now time for adding the LOD
    [​IMG]
    Then simply drag and drop it
    [​IMG]
    You can delete the "export" and export the file
    Remember! it changes the LOD's
    LOD 1 will be LOD 0 and LOD 2 will be LOD 1
    so always import a new object as LOD 2

    ---Weapons, Objects and vehicles----
    When importing any of above untick "Merge models" and you are free to do whatever you want
    You should have various parts that correspond to various bone's (Weapons and vehicles) or simply one model with LOD's (Objects)

    Note: Some weapons crash from unknown reasons
    List of confirmed working models:
    PX4
    416

    ---Painting weights---
    Painting weights is a method that moves certain object part with selected bone , this allows for editing the coat movement (Making upper parts move togeher with the lower ones) or simply Rigging Peds
    TBA
     
    Last edited: Sep 4, 2017
  2. HeySlickThatsMe

    HeySlickThatsMe Master Guru

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    Result of Modified XBG
    [​IMG]
     
  3. HeySlickThatsMe

    HeySlickThatsMe Master Guru

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    Nevermind
     
    Last edited: Jul 4, 2017
  4. The Silver

    The Silver Guest

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    Congrats for the tutorial, the ZModeler author never explained it clearly in his thread here (http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=396672) so I faced your same challenges when I exported the custom Beretta 92FS model to replace the Px4, but I never took the time to write such a good tutorial so great work. :)
     

  5. HeySlickThatsMe

    HeySlickThatsMe Master Guru

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    Thanks , here's a question
    because when i edit the model the game crashes (Yes , kinda ironic since im the author of the tutorial lmao) how should i edit the model properly? or atleast try to tell me how to convert a weapon so i can do M468 , or i can give you the model if you want
     
  6. The Silver

    The Silver Guest

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    I have the model, but as I said to AjGamer I have very little time lately so I can't be very helpful sadly.
    Also I remember that both ZModeler and the game itself are very sensitive to the model edits, I wasn't able to replace other pistols for example, somewhat only the Px4 didn't crash afterward. That's all I managed to learn and do in the 2 weeks trial period anyway...
     
  7. HeySlickThatsMe

    HeySlickThatsMe Master Guru

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    Interesting , thanks for response
     
  8. HeySlickThatsMe

    HeySlickThatsMe Master Guru

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    Added LOD Fix Tutorial
    it might not be 100% clear but its hard to say it right
     
    Last edited: Jul 8, 2017
  9. HeySlickThatsMe

    HeySlickThatsMe Master Guru

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    Added weapons , vehicles and objects and prepared painting weights category
     
  10. konner_oldman

    konner_oldman Guest

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    I write in this very old topic, because it is as close as possible to the problem that I encountered.
    I wanted to import a gun model, replace the model, and export under the same name. But there is a problem. The model that is obtained after export does not open in ZModeler. It got to the point of absurdity when I import the model and DO NOT EDIT it, and then export it under the same name and get the same xbg and xbgmip files. I try to open them again in ZModeler but error appears: Failed to load High-detail geometry file : (null)pistolpart.high.xbgmip. file:WatchDogsGeometry.cpp line:423.
    While the .xbgmip file is in the folder and has the size of the source .xbgmip
    I also opened xbg and xbgmip files through Notepad ++ and after export they are very different from the source files. I tried to do this with two different pistol models, including the PX4, but always got the same result.

    Has anyone managed to replace the weapon model?
     

  11. huckleberrypie

    huckleberrypie Guest

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    Also, has anyone here had any luck getting alpha transparency like hair to work with their custom models? I tried porting Anna from Frozen Free Fall for the heck of it but while she does appear fine ingame, I couldn't for the life of me get the hair to show up right and the vanilla DriverHair material.bin files I tried didn't work either.
    [​IMG]
    Here's the project files in case there's anyone here who's willing to help out:
    https://www59.zippyshare.com/v/n73KXsDe/file.html
     

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