Author Topic: [WIP] Furzball's Zack Project (small download and youtube vid)  (Read 22536 times)

Furzball

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** Updated file:http://www.filefactory.com/file/c0f7f1f/n/Zack_package.7z
***New file contains working field model (basic one, wont work for kid flashbacks and such.) and battle model: need help fixing white texture background trouble described below (near bottom).

Alright so I've been going back over how to use the communities tools. Reading the tutorials I can find. Etc. Trying to figure out how much I can do for my Zack project I have been promising for.... 5+years aroundabout XP

Basically this mod is to replace cloud in game with Zack. Still figuring out the story on that but I do have my ideas.

Anyways started from scratch tonight and decided to get the base field model out of the way. So I go play with highwind and kimera.
Now in Kimera, I took zack's head .P file and substituted it in place of cloud's head. Then used image2tex to fix the eyebrows. And managed to decently get it.

Other things I'm up to on the project
Just got grimmy's help in figuring out how to change the FMVs. Going to see if I can edit all 14 (0_0) movies cloud appears in. Yes I did count c_scene3.avi in that (just clouds arm. Handing black materia over to sephiroth). And the Jairo (tiny bronco) movies. Anyways I'm going to test the process with my teaser trailer from youtube and see if it works in game.

going to try to script it so it makes sense. The only other character changer I've played was the old sephiroth mod. While it was cool to play sephiroth, story wise it didn't make sense. This I will try to make the mod match up with the story so while it is a new experience, it will be close to what it would have been if the zack mod was part of the original game in terms of the world role rules and such. For example. If you remember that hojo said cloud was a failed sephiroth clone. Well what if hojo was trying to make a clone of sephiroth like the clones of genesis in crisis core. However samples got mixed up and he became zack instead. Hence why he is a failed sephiroth clone.

Along with the script I might have to change out some of the main party if I get to it.

As for starting off small, my first planned demo of the project will be the first reactor. Pretty much after the explosion, all you'll have is a field model and battle model zack until I get the project updated. Certain scenes will be messed up (flashbacks and scenes using other models of cloud, ex. him using sword at ancient city).

For the project I'll mainly concentrate on
-models
-movies
-script

After I finish the initial demo, I'll most likely take comments and suggestions on how I should update the project.

Anyways if members can help answer any questions that pop up, I'd be grateful. Current questions are
-Current opinions on how I should update the project? Get such and such out of the way first, update it by game area, etc.?

And yes, progress on this will be slow but there will be actual releases. Not like my past promises. Mainly I'll be working on it during breaks (learning my programming at home and then going to work. Breaks consist of hours between teaching myself programming and an hour or two after work).

Edit:
-Just finished doing the battle model. Zacks field head on battle model. Yes I fixed the colors. However texture spots still white, even after I tried to fix it through the ol pcreator method. Eyes and mouth still show over white spots though just like in kimera pic below.
- about to dive into changing menu portraits and default names. Don't know how so will be researching. If anyone wants to point out the process, thank you for any help.
-last upload of the night unless I find a way to fix the battle model.
« Last Edit: 2011-12-23 05:45:19 by Furzball »

xLostWingx

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Instead of trying to devise a new story with Zack as the hero; couldn't you just have them swap places:  Cloud is the SOLDIER 1st Class that accompanied Sephiroth to Nibel, and Zack is the weakling that assumed Cloud's identity?  Place all the models in the correct places, switch every reference to 'Zack' with 'Cloud and vice versa?  Or you could just pretend that when Zack and Cloud escaped from Nibelheim, Zack survived and Cloud got shot to death by the MPs.  So instead of Cloud wanting to help a childhood friend, Zack could join AVALANCHE to get revenge on Shinra.

Furzball

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Instead of trying to devise a new story with Zack as the hero; couldn't you just have them swap places:  Cloud is the SOLDIER 1st Class that accompanied Sephiroth to Nibel, and Zack is the weakling that assumed Cloud's identity?  Place all the models in the correct places, switch every reference to 'Zack' with 'Cloud and vice versa?  Or you could just pretend that when Zack and Cloud escaped from Nibelheim, Zack survived and Cloud got shot to death by the MPs.  So instead of Cloud wanting to help a childhood friend, Zack could join AVALANCHE to get revenge on Shinra.
Part A will be putting all the models in. However I do want the story to make sense. There are other Zack mods, if I remember correctly, that do pretty much what you are asking. I'm just wanting to go a pace beyond that. I want to stick as close as possible to the FF7 background. But as I said, this will be a big project and will require alot of changes. Which is why, as I said, I planned to release sections at a time. Pretty much it is going to go
- zack models+first reactor demo released.
-movies/fmv updates released
-script plus any other models released (if party members need to be changed)

Furzball

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Still having issues with the battle model. Just doesn't seem to want to do the eyebrow textures right. Even tried a few cheats and tricks in so far as to get even a blank face. Bah.

Minor victory though. Used flash and converted my youtube video to run 15fps and only go for 1min59 seconds for opening movie. And it worked. A simple test though. Some bugs to work out of it yet and I need to fix the vid to match up with the train parking and such. But holy cow I can add new movies in. How about that! fun fun! alas I am a couple hours without sleep so I bid you all adiue until after christmas. If I can figure out the battle model over the weekend you all may wake up with a christmas morning package of fun demo download.
« Last Edit: 2011-12-25 23:39:06 by Furzball »

PitBrat

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You need to set the eye texture to have a transparent color.
Use a tool like Img2Tex to load the eye texture and check the box by 'Color 0 as transparent.'
Then save the texture and the eyes should look normal on the model.


img2tex04_bin.7z                                                Tool to convert textures                Qhimm FILE


Furzball

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alas didn't work so like the field model, going to grab my backup, reset to default cloud and start the process over again, baring img<=>tex in mind. I was using the older version that didn't come with that option.

PitBrat

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I hope you fix the problem soon!
Just a heads up for when you do complete the model, make sure that in Kimera you configure the correct alpha settings for the head.
I'm stunned at how often models are released with the incorrect alpha blending settings.
You'll notice that some models have dim pink eyes.
Changing the alpha to normal fixes that problem.

Furzball

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I hope you fix the problem soon!
Just a heads up for when you do complete the model, make sure that in Kimera you configure the correct alpha settings for the head.
I'm stunned at how often models are released with the incorrect alpha blending settings.
You'll notice that some models have dim pink eyes.
Changing the alpha to normal fixes that problem.
Somebody hates me T_T
I havent had alpha setting problems. But as soon as I have fixed the battle model head, field head does the white out thing T_T.
 20 minutes till I get ready for work so I'm going to take a break for tonight.
These models and the movies are the biggest pain in my butt for the project. And I was considering other models lol. Yeah, now I'm not so tempted. Not to mention I'll still have to do alternative field models (wheelchair, fix the flashback models, etc.) and downgrade the high rez final battle model to regular.

Furzball

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Inquiry meat bags.
Should I leave clouds classic outfit on or go full soldier uniform for zack?

( inquiry meat bags is a joke from star wars knights of old republic game. Take it as the joke it is)

In other news, this project is has cost me five bucks in headache medicine. Also thinking about uninstalling ubuntu from my laptop, putting windows seven back on, and modding while I am at work. That way I am granted an extra seven hours daily to the mod. Or just modding while I am at work so I can put all my time at home into learning programming. More effective use of my time so to say... At two hundred gigs though, may haps I could split my laptop between windows seven and ubuntu. Anyone with better knowledge of the ubuntu and windows setup not recommend this?

Kuroda Masahiro

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Okay, me and Furzball somewhat joined forces so to speak and I'm handling most of the modeling aspects of this.

In the initial version, I accidentally messed up the field textures, but I fixed them and now the battle and normal field models are now entirely Zack.

In the next update, I'll include the menu icon and the world map model/texture.

screenshot of the models. (outdated, I changed aspects of them)


Inside the rar is a folder with a picture of every single model thats included.

link
http://www.mediafire.com/?f82c9jvhz24kyqz

edit: I revised the mini release to also include the menu icon and the world map model.

included in the picture folder are screenshots of the various things ingame.
link
http://www.mediafire.com/?h85pddkds872quq
« Last Edit: 2011-12-27 02:23:12 by kuroda masahiro »

Furzball

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Also to let everyone know I am highly thankful to kuroda. While there is a part of me that wants to do this project on my own on personal pride, I had to reconsider. If this mod was for me or for the community. All in all I think it is best to consider it for the ffvii modding community since that was my intent originally. And the less I have to do of the modeling, the quicker I can do other aspects like the movies. Kuroda will also be helping me with the story which is likely to change as we get more models and details changed into the mod.

For now though kuroda is getting mainstay of models and menu stuff. I am handling the movies and writing a rough draft of the story. Then me and kuroda will put our heads together to flush out the details.

Kuroda Masahiro

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Just consider me a means for you to have to worry about fewer aspects of your mod.

If you wanted to include say... a 9 tailed fox, then I'd find a way to fit it in with the battle system, this is your project, I'm just helping with some of the graphical and internal aspects.

personally, I think your aspects are much more annoying than what I have to do, and I'm pretty quick at making models and if I get an OK on a design, I can usually have it fully working as a all over replacement within 2 hours. (provided I'm not doing something else or forget a step.)

If you have a list of new models you want done, I could pretty much get started on them, and provided they aren't too complicated, I can make a dent in them when I'm on break from my own things.

(I have the FF7 Redesign, work and my newest novel on my plate right now.)

edit:
For the project, we're including some other character swaps, and Cissnei/Shuriken appears in it.

For her, I also did a basic version of her weapon from Crisis Core.

Her wip


The pic shows her current version, and its set up to automatically update based on the pic on deviantart.

and I did the menu icons and the default names for each.

« Last Edit: 2012-01-03 12:29:52 by kuroda masahiro »

Covarr

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That profile art is nice, but it doesn't match the originals at all. If you're gonna keep ANY of the original playable party members, I strongly suggest making/finding matching art for them as well.


Kenshi2510123

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Uh huhhhh looks great. Awesome!!!

Kuroda Masahiro

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okay, some small updates.

The soldiers are updated (and using the crisis core colour scheme, but in crisis core, only the 3rd class has LONG gloves... why?) but, I did consider giving Zack and co studs, but I realized that would make them look overly similar to the Bloodshot redo and I don't want anyone to say that I ripped those details. ¬_¬



differences in colours:
3rd - PALE blue
1st - black

and I included a mini soldier sword, and I might add that the original FF7 soldier sketches had them using traditional swords and not lances.

and this is Katana's V1


Katana so far is being decided if his weapons are going to have gimmicks to them, ie, all of his weapons deal relatively the same damage, but have different elements or status ailments.

all of his weapons are modelled and named as well.

and other things for the mod include the turks and other character using the crisis core colours.

-another edit-
for Zack's final battle, I created a hairstyle for him from scratch based on his Crisis Core hairstyle.



also, Katana (a human) replaces Cait Sith, who works 100% on the field and in battle using a human skeleton.

I think if anyone desires to make something similar to that, they might want to get the mod and have their own human replacing Cait Sith.

failing that, I can provide a list of every single animation the field models of Cait Sith use and people can attempt to do their own.

(there's 65 animations to change.)
« Last Edit: 2012-01-11 09:19:26 by kuroda masahiro »

Furzball

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Just wondering if I should post updates? Pretty much story spoilers though.

Timu Sumisu

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so just put a spoiler tag on it ;p

also, for zack's hair, is it possible to add grey highlights to certain vertices?

Kuroda Masahiro

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It was decided that the Zack hair shown would not be included in this, and if it was, I'm not touching it again.

If you want to, be my guest.

Furzball

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So quick update:
With school and everything I've gotten about halfway through the script. If I could use my laptop to play I'd be working on it at night but alas, my laptop is being all screwy. Apart from that, I'm working about 2 to 4 hours on it one day a week. Was monday till my late start classes but luckily wednesday opened up (ditched regularly...dating... a girl to get my wednesdays off. So know I'm suffering for making you all wait lol). Sorry it's taking so long. Having to make edits and such for the story. Writing up new profiles for the characters and whatnot.

Spoiler: show
Like Tifa being more of an android then Barrett was. Mainly to explain her arms Zack being drawn more to Cissnei after Aeris. Tifa's search for Cloud and being adoptive mom for Marlene. Introducing Aerith and Cissnei to Zacks' parents. Less crazy Sephiroth, moreso out for revenge. Like when up North Crater the first time, replays some scenes from Cloud's past, I put in more of Sephiroth's thought's on his state of mind, losing his friends, etc. leading up to his "madness". Cissnei revealing her real name. :)

Ultimoore

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Just a quick question. Are you able to provide a new download link for this mod? I really want to play this.