Exporting XSI Files

• General

  • Models are imported into the game via god files.  God files are created in the Mesh Viewer tool from xsi or x files.  Each model needs at least one base xsi file and can  be combined with any number of animation cycle xsi files.

    • The base model should not animate and should be positioned in the desired rest pose.
    • You should keep your base model and each animation cycle in separate scene files in your modeling package.

     

  • The name of the base xsi file should contain no dashes ('-').  Each animation cycle xsi file name should start with the base file name followed with a dash then the cycle name.

  • Standard animation cycle names are hard coded into the engine.  The names used are:

  • Cycle name	Description	Animation Type	Example
    default	non-animating base pose	NA	rumbler.xsi
    move	move the unit around the map	loop	rumbler-move.xsi
    prefire	transition from base to fire	1 way	rumbler-prefire.xsi
    fire	fire weapon	loop	rumbler-fire.xsi
    postfire	transition form fire to base	1 way	rumbler-postfire.xsi
    preprocess	transition from base to process	l way	voodun-preprocess.xsi
    process	perform process (heal, etc.)	loop	voodun-process.xsi
    postprocess	transition from process to base	l way	voodun-postprocess.xsi
    idle	do something interesting	1 way	voodun-idle.xsi
    idle2	alternate idle	1 way	voodun-idle2.xsi
    consume	cycle for constructors when constucting a building	1 way	constructor-consume.xsi

     

  • Other custom cycles can be triggered in mission scripts.

• SoftImage

  • Make sure 'freeze' the transforms of each piece in your hierarchy before exporting.

    • You should freeze the hierarchy before animating your model.
    • Make sure the model is positioned in the desired at rest pose before freezing.

     

  • Objects that function together but need to be exported separately can be kept in one Soft scene and hidden/unhidden at export.

  • Switching Soft from vertex color mode to material/phong before export disables vertex colors in the xsi file.

• 3D Studio Max

  • Make sure you 'reset' the transforms of each subobject in your hierarchy before exporting.

    • You should reset before animating your model.
    • Make sure the model is positioned in the desired at rest pose before resetting.
    • Start by selecting the root of the hierarchy, open the IK dialog, then click the Reset Transform and Reset Scale buttons.  Repeat the Reset for each subobject, working your way down the hierarchy.  Make sure all parents are reset before resetting a child.