Animating mob model... Can you move pivot points easily?

[Flenix]

Hey guys,

 

So I've been working on a model in Techne for a mob I want to add. It's pretty big, so I've been making the arms/legs in two parts so its elbows and knees can move.

 

But, I just had a thought; is that going to be a huge challenge when I try and animate it in the code? Is there a way I can set, for example, the lower leg's pivot point to follow the movement of the upper leg? I know it's very easy in normal animation (eg in 3DS Max) but because we're animating within the game code, it just occured that might be a challenge.

 

 

Anyone tried something like this before, or know anything that might be helpful?

[Mazetar]

If you create a model from techne and export it to java then all it's parts will be of type ModelRenderer.

So if you open the class ModelRenderer inside eclipse you can see that variables for it's rotation point's offset are all public and can therefore be changed by the main model class or by other methods

 

Read the ModelRenderer.java file, I think it will answer you're questions better than anyone else can

[Eastonium]

Try reading this:

http://schwarzeszeux.tumblr.com/post/15772700951/minecraft-modeling-pieces-and-subparts-part-3-of-x

It's by the creator of Techne, so It should be of some help. I believe he talks about pieces. (Groups of blocks) so I think that's what you're looking for.