Posted on 2024-03-05 | Last edited 2024-03-08
lots more than prep than usual for video but should finally get the huntsman videos going.
main demo sort done
the big step of the main quality sort for huntsman demos done, still slight sorting to include best clips when it comes time for video but should be much easier to decide. sorted more than usual late 2021 to start of 2024 (~1200+ demos reviewed). more than i'll use in a single video but gives more more idea of which huntsman clips to include, saving time and reducing reluctance for future huntsman videos to be made, especially with better viewmodel.
viewmodel tweaks
the huntsman fix mod i use is ok but could use some fixes + improvements:
arms should be extended to not look disembodied for melee animations and lower and upper arm bones animation need to be offset and tweaked to not stick out due to the extension
coloring could be improved - will borrow texture from another mod
(default) melee critical animation has too abrupt a movement in middle
not completely sure how this huntsman flip fix mod works, but have more of an idea. there are 2 sets of arms, first seen when manipulating camera with Lawena + HLAE in demo sort.
i assume it's something to do with how tf2 is hard-coded to flip the originally left-sided huntsman viewmodel animation and this mod compensates for it with some assigning stuff so the watch and glove ends up appearing correctly on the left hand. although interesting, more focused on getting these tweaks done.
most likely there's a more efficient way to do the offsetting and bone moving with IK rigs but i haven't figured out how to make it not mess up the existing rig, but i found a way that mostly works (graph editor and keyframes). almost a week into this to figure out to decompile, edit and recompile. will link relevant tutorials i used in blogpost.
i tried to figure out how to port the TF2 Classic huntsman animation (gameplay example) but couldn't figure it out and doing it manually with not enough blender knowledge and no less doing it on this specific sniper viewmodel mod with some strange workaround to compensate for the huntsman flip: too much for now, not worth to delay further. besides, more accurate to what i'm looking at in the demos in firstperson, but still would like a more accurate viewmodel since the enemy sees are more obvious pulling of the bow which affects their behavior.
will upload finished edit of mod on gamebanana with credits to original mods (making sure to remind myself).
conclusion
after finishing up the viewmodel tweaks, have to decide how to display the charge bar of the huntsman in the HUD, important to see bow power, can't see it clearly in corner. might not necessarily need to edit HUD, maybe custom made element in editing like the crosshair. maybe something like my existing charge meter on my gameplay HUD with a damage guide (see below) but more clean with a color gradient with a triangle mask. you'll see result in future post.
then that should be the bulk of the most tedious legwork, along with the demo quality sorting. looking forward to the recording/editing stage - i've been in this stage too long.
