How to combine parts of a model?

[Goblin_Wizard]

I'd like to combine parts of a model (like torso, head, helm, arms, weapons, etc.) into one figure/model. I need to take a series of screenshots (animation frames) to make an animated sprite (I'm working on Medieval: Total War mod). I tried different options but OpenBRF usually says something about different number of frames or rigged vs not rigged, etc. The best I can do looks like this:



How to combine all those parts together and export it with an animation to be usable for Max or Poser? I'm pretty new to this stuff. Please, if know any good tutorial about it just post a link.

 

[mtarini]

I'm not sure about the general problem, but, as for the combination part:

See how the read only (grayed) "Vertex Anim" box is a square, i.e. not checked, nor unchecked:
this is because a few of the selected meshes have Vertex-animation frames, others do not.

OpenBRF is probably complaining about that when you try to [combine] them.

Here's the reason (my guess): the body armour has multiple "frames", one for the feminine, one for the masculine version.
If you pick only it, you should be able to switch between one and the other with the [time of frame] Up-Down controls.
That's easily fixed: pick the frame you like best, [Selected] (or, right click) --> [discard] --> [vertex animation]

But, you will have other potential problems, including that the meshes might be using different materials, thus different textures (not sure).
If so, the result will be wrong when they will be combined, as they will all go with the same texture.
Edit: actually, not, you can see they all use the same material: lamellar_armour_a

When you'll try to combine gloves and heads (which will also need be mounted on respective bones, and ripped of the vertex animations as well), that problem will get worse.
There are solutions, but they imply to manually combine the textures and to modify the UV mappings (the latter part can be done in OpenBRF, by translating+scaling UV coords).


[*] info: you can preview the combination of meshes if you pick [multi-view]: [combo] at the bottom

 

[Goblin_Wizard]

Thanks for the answer. I found another way to combine parts. I just mount a part on a bone and export it. If all parts are exported as rigged, Max automatically put them in the right place on a model and glue them together. My mistake was to assume that Max is not smart enough and I've tried to build the whole in OpenBRF.