How to import Faceposer VCD files.

[Rantis]

Since some people like myself still believe that old faceposer still has a place in machinima I have provided this tutorial for porting faceposer scenes to SFM.
[highlight]Note: You may not be able to import facial animations from vcds into SFM, If you just want to import facial animation from vcds then you are better off re doing them in SFM, if you want ANIMATION from VCDs then please read on[/highlight]

[quote][IMG]http://puu.sh/K0Y8[/IMG][/quote]
[B]1) Make a map with an NPC in it[/B]
I would recommend [highlight]generic_actor or npc_furniture[/highlight],
Give it a name (sniper1, core1, actorA etc.)

[QUOTE]Note: If you plan on using an official map decompile it and recompile (preferably under a different name) with the NPC. [/QUOTE]
[quote][IMG]http://puu.sh/K3wW[/IMG][/quote]

[B]2) Fix Faceposer[/B]
Although Faceposer is not in the Source Filmmakers SDK launch menu is [B]IS[/B] in the Source Filmmakers SDK

Find it in [highlight]Steam\steamapps\common\sourcefilmmaker\game\bin\hlfaceposer.exe[/highlight]

If you click on it it will launch but you will notice that it will not be able to load models, this is because it is not being launched from the SDK because it is not listed in the SDK window so by default is points to Alien Swarm. We need to tell it where the game is manually.

To do this create a shortcut, Right-Click and click Properties.

In the Target box [B]ADD[/B] the game parameters for SFM
these would be:
for 32 bit

-game "C:\Program Files\Steam\steamapps\common\sourcefilmmaker\game\usermod"

for 64 bit

-game "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\sourcefilmmaker\game\usermod"

So your Target box should look like:

"C:\Program Files\Steam\steamapps\common\sourcefilmmaker\game\bin\hlfaceposer.exe" -game "C:\Program Files\Steam\steamapps\common\sourcefilmmaker\game\usermod"

[quote][IMG]http://puu.sh/K3yb[/IMG][/quote]

[B]3) Set up your vcds[/B]

Now launch hlfaceposer.exe [B]FROM THE SHORTCUT.[/B]

You should be able to load models and do all your normal faceposer thngs now.

[highlight]Give the Actor the same name as the entity you made in your map.[/highlight]

Import or create your vcd scenes and put them in your [highlight]usermod/scenes[/highlight] folder

Now rebuild the scenes.image
[quote][IMG]http://puu.sh/K3Ca[/IMG][/quote]

[B]4) Implementation[/B]
Now that you have all of your scenes and your image file safely stored inside your usermod folder it is time to implement them

Create a new session

Now load the map with the NPC you made earlier

[highlight]Right-Click on the Viewport and Select Draw Game Entities and then tick NPCs[/highlight]

Extend out your shots so you do not cut off the scene.

Hit record then [B]IMMEDIATELY[/B] open console

to play your scene use the scene_playvcd command

[QUOTE]Note: [B]DO NOT[/B] use the viewport console, Use the ingame console [B]AFTER[/B] you have started recording, if you use the viewport console your scene will start without you and any sound inside the vcd will not play.[/QUOTE]

scene_playvcd can play any scene that is in your scenes.image file given it can find an NPC with the same actor name as the scene selected in your map.

[B]Syntax:[/B]

scene_playvcd <string>

[B]Example:[/B]

scene_playvcd sniper_taunt1    would play scenes/sniper_taunt1.vcd
scene_playvcd npcs/core_flirt1  would play scenes/npcs/core_flirt1.vcd

[QUOTE]Note: It is recommended that you bring to the player over to somewhere where you can see the NPC just to make sure everything fires right.[/QUOTE]

After you have fired your scene just sit back and watch your NPC act

When it is finished stop recording.

Now when you inspect your work you will notice that it will look something like this:

don't be alarmed [highlight]Right-Click on the Viewport and Select Draw Game Entities and then untick NPCs[/highlight]

You should now only be seeing your recorded footage.
[quote][IMG]http://puu.sh/K2ZL[/IMG][/quote]

[B]5) Make it a puppet[/B]
Click the Plus button up at the left corner

Click Create Animations Set(s) For Existing Element(s) and find the model of your npc
[quote][IMG]http://puu.sh/K3mW[/IMG][/quote]

[B]6) Done![/B]
You should now see your npc and all of the animation in your vcd as normal SFM animation curves.
[quote][IMG]http://puu.sh/K3nS[/IMG][/quote]

Now you can use SFM to convert vcds to dmx animations to compile into models or import to Maya.

Enjoy.
[video=youtube;i7charAHJAE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7charAHJAE[/video]

[MaxOfS2D]

As far as I'm aware, this will /not/ work with the TF2 models as they cannot be used with generic_actor or npc_furniture — those are HL2 entities and are expecting FACS-driven models, and not any newer scheme.

npc_kleiner was missing last time I checked — however, if it's there, you can use pretty much any model with it (this is what my 3ds > SDK > Gmod pipeline was relying on).

note that you should be able to use ent_fire [name of entity] setexpressionoverride [path to vcd] as opposed to having to use a choreo entity.

[Smashman]

Hacky...

[cra0kalo]

Useful for sure! but when these .dmx plgunis come out for 3dsmax we will be able to just import our 3dsmax animations

[MaxOfS2D]

[QUOTE=cra0kalo;36850884]Useful for sure! but when these .dmx plgunis come out for 3dsmax we will be able to just import our 3dsmax animations[/QUOTE]

you can already do that by compiling them.

(which offers more flexibility as you can set them as delta.)

[Rantis]

[QUOTE=MaxOfS2D;36851089]you can already do that by compiling them.

(which offers more flexibility as you can set them as delta.)[/QUOTE]

It's more of a hassle to compile them.
For some reason starting an animation in SFM and recompiling a model breaks the animation curves in the scene already (the sequences will be fine it's just the curves in the dmx that are broken)