Hi, is there a way to get something animating on a loop all on its own within the world editor? I have a windmill built and animated appropriately within 3DS Max and successfully imported it into the model editor, where the animation is doing what it's supposed to do, but I cannot figure out how to get it animating when I update and play within the world editor.

All I really need to test at this point is just how the animation looks "in the game" relative to other objects. The animation just needs to start running/looping and won't be interacting with other objects. Edit: Like how you can get grass and trees to animate easily.

Hopefully there's a simple solution? Many thanks in advance.

I think this is not possible in the Editor. The grass' and trees' animations are vertex shaders, not bone animation sequences.

I figure there must be a way as the character's are animated in the world editor even when not under the control of obj_player - for example if you toss in a character (say, Warrior) then when you 'play' the world editor, the character has his standard 'breathing' animation he just does - those are bone animations.

I'm just missing a critical conceptual piece i'm sure to figuring this out.

I need to figure a way to turn on this default animation from the get go for something else and control what it is.

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i suppose there's no "easy" way to do this, time to start coding i suppose...

I believe you would need access to the Programmable World Editor, which requires either the Professional or Ultimate license. http://www.esenthel.com/?id=buy

okay, fair enough, can someone confirm Driklyn's response that has the license?

Can't you just load up the game once to check how the animation looks and then just not bother with it again? :/

just seeing if its easily possible

Hello!

It's possible since the latest SDK update.

Just use OBJ_ANIMATABLE object type

setup mesh+skeleton
and add parameter "String animation" with value having path to your custom animation (.anim) file, use ".." button to set file name

(however OBJ_ANIMATABLE doesn't by default create physical body, I may change that in future release)

Awesome! Trying now!

Edit: I assume it would be in the drop-down box along with the other "obj_*" types, but it is not. Just updated everything.

You ran autoupdate.exe?

If yes, please delete data\enum\*.*

and again run autoupdate

deleted all files in enum folder, ran autoupdate as administrator, it put new files in that folder, ran editor64, removed and re-added building, still no obj_animatable under drop-down.

perhaps you have chosen custom data path for your game? (during startup of the Editor, path.txt)
in any case you need to copy the enum folder from SDK data to your custom Data path.

It should work, as I've just tested deleting+autoupdating. and it downloaded enums with animatable.

yep, custom data path to another directory...

bingo, it shows up now, many thanks, great feature!

are there other folders i should be copying over after each update in addition to the enums?

Edit: some feedback, after building, under two Access types that have the animation working after 'Update Visible and Play' (Default, Constant) there is no physical body although I have one defined. Under 'Grass' and 'Embed into Terrain', the animation will still play in the editor, but not after '...Play', however the physical body is in effect. I assume this's what you meant by obj_animatable not creating a physical body by default.

How do I get it to create a physical body?

Hi, typically you don't need to copy anyother data than the one mentioned in doc\engine updating

yeah, that's what I meant that phys body is not yet available, but will be in the next release as Static Actor!