The Witcher 3 Modding

[SystemShock7]

The expert arrives

I wouldn't call myself an expert, but I've been modding stuff for a long time, including doing things like this, new clothing, etc.

OK, so what I was thinking... Simplest version: You can remove the heels as a simple texture mod. There'd be a problem with the underside of the flat heel, but it's probably not seen very often.

Correct.

Better version:
1. Use tools to morph the model (push up the heels, stretch the legs so that any adjustment you make to the foot don't change her upper-body position). I'm assuming here that stretching the legs would automatically stretch the rigging accordingly. I'm also assuming you'd definitely need 3rd party tools to make these changes, but it may need REDkit to handled exporting and importing the model after the change.

You wouldn't stretch the leg, just reshape the heel to make the sole of the shoe flat. It would require a 3D program like 3DMax, Maya, Blender, etc... with whatever plugin CDPR used to create the models. You'd need the REDkit if you want to make an entirely new asset, that is, having an option to have the same outfit, one with high heels, one with flat heels. Otherwise just dropping it in the override directories will replace the current model.

2. Fix the animations so that her feet are at the correct angle relative to the ground and her legs. This is where I don't know how it works in this environment. From what I've read, they mocapped the women separately, presumably wearing high heels, so you would just be able to swap it for the male animation? Otherwise, how would it work? Layering a foot animation on top to get the correct angles? This is still just an academic exercise for me, but I'd be interested to know how you'd do it.

First, disclaimer: I cannot speak specifically for CDPR's models or format, since I didn't go that deep into modding W1 or W2; that said: you don't have to fix the animations. You can assign different animations to the same skeleton that would only play in certain conditions, as in your character being male or female. As long as the meshes are properly rigged to the skeleton, there is not need to re-animate, because the animation will play against the skeleton, and the meshes will conform to the skeleton. What you may have to do is re-weigh the new mesh to the skeleton's bones, but normally I only do that when I am using a mesh from one skeleton to a different one.

Let me give you a very relevant example to the high heel issue, with pictures of something I did in Fallout: I was looking to make a modified combat armor model, using the wasteland doctor's fatigues. I didn't like the default fatigues used in the female models: the shape of the legs was weird, the boots were too high up the leg, and they had big heels.

Rather than reshape the female's fatigues, since it was easier, I copied and pasted the male fatigues onto the female model as a test, and it look good to me, so I kept them. And they work just fine. I didn't need to reanimate anything.

And here's an example of using meshes on a different skeleton they were made for, with no re-animation required, but had to re-weigh the meshes.

 

[dragonbird]

Thanks, that makes sense. The only reason I was wondering about stretching the legs was to get her to the correct height for interacting with other characters, but the engine may handle that anyway.

 

[UhuruNUru]

As for Skyrim's main selling point being modding, that's plain wrong. It was first and foremost a console game for PS3, XB1. Modding was considered of very little importance by the Publisher Zenimax Media which uses the misleading name of Bethesda Softworks as a protective shield for fan boys to rally behind.
The developers Bethesda Game Studios may support modding, but the publisher cared little, if at all and tried to control and limit it using the Steam Workshop.
The poor graphics and 32-bit engine were a result of the limited abilities of the consoles and when the Dragonborn DLC still wouldn't run on the PS3 they throttled the engines memory access to force it into PS3.
The throttle was also applied to the last PC patch, even though the PC didn't need it. but it only affected mods, not the vanilla game.

Modding is also much more than just upgrading graphics and bug fixing and even though, there are other games to mod, none are in the Sandbox fantasy RPG genre, the simple fact is CD Prokect Red say they want to support modding and they have stated the intention to release a Dev Kit.

They did mae a basic mistake with the Witcher 2, they released the Dev Kit long after most people had stopped playing the Witcher and as a result few mods were made for the Witcher 2.

Skyrim modding exploded because the Creation KIt was available whilst most users were still playing the game and long before any Expansions were released, sure an existing community alrteady existed but that was a lot smaller and most Skyrim Modders were new to modding.

Thje only actual comparison I made with Skyrim is that to potentially have a thriving modding scene, releasing the tools ASAP is vital, that was all that Bethesda did to support Skyrim modding and it thrived as a result.

CD Projekt Red can also have a thriving modding community if they provide the tools to do so quickly, that's all that matters.

 

[Phalzyr]

CD Projekt Red can also have a thriving modding community if they provide the tools to do so quickly, that's all that matters.

That and the tools are easy enough that they don't scare off new modders.

 

[Khaos-51]

Number 1 dream

I wish the modders to make possible to play with Ciri on the open world

 

[Elegast7]

I wish the modders to make possible to play with Ciri on the open world

Playing as Ciri is going to be difficult because you have a set character, It would create problems in conversations, people reacting to you and most of all voice acting. Just replacing the model will be easier I presume. If that satisfies you. Altough even with that you could also run into animation problems which are set for a manly character.

 

[JacobWitcher]

Playing as Ciri is going to be difficult because you have a set character, It would create problems in conversations, people reacting to you and most of all voice acting. Just replacing the model will be easier I presume. If that satisfies you. Altough even with that you could also run into animation problems which are set for a manly character.

There are animations specifically made for Ciri as you are to play as her occasionally for the story's sake and she will fight and move in the open world.

 

[Elegast7]

There are animations specifically made for Ciri as you are to play as her occasionally for the story's sake and she will fight and move in the open world.

I know, but I think that's going to be way more difficult than just swapping the model if the previous redkit is an indication. Though we have yet to find out the extend of the functionality of the redkit ofcourse.

 

[SystemShock7]

As for Skyrim's main selling point being modding, that's plain wrong.

It was one of the main selling points for the PC game.

It was first and foremost a console game for PS3, XB1. Modding was considered of very little importance by the Publisher Zenimax Media which uses the misleading name of Bethesda Softworks as a protective shield for fan boys to rally behind.
The developers Bethesda Game Studios may support modding, but the publisher cared little, if at all and tried to control and limit it using the Steam Workshop.
The poor graphics and 32-bit engine were a result of the limited abilities of the consoles and when the Dragonborn DLC still wouldn't run on the PS3 they throttled the engines memory access to force it into PS3.
The throttle was also applied to the last PC patch, even though the PC didn't need it. but it only affected mods, not the vanilla game.

Thats a load of ... " information" there lol

Modding is also much more than just upgrading graphics and bug fixing

You don't say..

They did mae a basic mistake with the Witcher 2, they released the Dev Kit long after most people had stopped playing the Witcher and as a result few mods were made for the Witcher 2.

A stated many, many times, the SDK is not necessary to mod the game.

Skyrim modding exploded because the Creation KIt was available whilst most users were still playing the game and long before any Expansions were released, sure an existing community alrteady existed but that was a lot smaller and most Skyrim Modders were new to modding.

Skyrim didn't explode because of the Creation Kit being available. You need only to see the amount of mods that do not require the Creation Kit, and all of the issues the Creation Kit had at time of launch.

Thje only actual comparison I made with Skyrim is that to potentially have a thriving modding scene, releasing the tools ASAP is vital, that was all that Bethesda did to support Skyrim modding and it thrived as a result.

When the Creation Kit was released, it had very significant bugs; an a number of the more sought after mods could not be made, such as player housing. When the game released, none of the modding tools the modding community makes - which are actually more important to modding than the SDK itself - were ready. They are still not ready, or lack the functionality that they have in previous iterations of the game's engine.

CD Projekt Red can also have a thriving modding community if they provide the tools to do so quickly, that's all that matters.

They are not going to release the toolS.

 

[Khaos-51]

Playing as Ciri is going to be difficult because you have a set character, It would create problems in conversations, people reacting to you and most of all voice acting. Just replacing the model will be easier I presume. If that satisfies you. Altough even with that you could also run into animation problems which are set for a manly character.

Well i dont want Ciri to be in cutscenes and stuff like that i just wanted to be able to play as her in the open world i dont care if im Gerald on cutscenes i just want her playstyle
I know we havent seen her gameplay yet but i feel like im going to love it

 

[Elegast7]

Well i dont want Ciri to be in cutscenes and stuff like that i just wanted to be able to play as her in the open world i dont care if im Gerald on cutscenes i just want her playstyle
I know we havent seen her gameplay yet but i feel like im going to love it

True, I wish cdpr did an expansion of 10 hours with just Ciri. But of the 2 announced it isn't the case, so I guess unfortunately your only hope is mods.

 

[minicrom]

Steam make pay for mods now. You think CDPR should say something about that in the next few days?

 

[GuyNwah]

Since mods for TW3 aren't actually in the frame at this time, and the viability of Valve's plan to offer pay-for mods is yet to be determined, I think it would be premature for them to comment.

Pay-for mods are an affront to the developers and the modder community. The modder community, especially as it developed around Bethesda games, is about creating content at no charge for the love of the game. In doing so, they have an informal agreement with the developers: they can use the game resources as they need to, at no cost and within rules established to protect the creators' intellectual property and creative integrity. Monetizing mods flies in the face of that tradition.

 

[wichat]

Pay for mod n Steam?

Nexus will be collapsed!

 

[gogmeister777]

Well i dont want Ciri to be in cutscenes and stuff like that i just wanted to be able to play as her in the open world i dont care if im Gerald on cutscenes i just want her playstyle
I know we havent seen her gameplay yet but i feel like im going to love it

Hmmm, I can actually see where you're coming from. I thought it was pretty neat the way you could just roam around Arkham as Catwoman with her slightly different style and techniques.

Seeing as though Ciri will probably play more differently to Geralt than Catwoman did to Batman I guess having control over her in the open-world just to feel the difference in monster slaying and general combat would be even better.

 

[Phalzyr]

Pay for mod n Steam?

Nexus will be collapsed!

IF that happens everyone who usually buys on steam will switch to GOG (so if they do it they are...)

 

[gogmeister777]

Steam make pay for mods now. You think CDPR should say something about that in the next few days?

What? That sounds terrible.

If they're charging for a service that implements mods so the user doesn't have to configure anything then that's.....ok, I guess. However, if they want to actually control and charge for the actual mod content and not allow users to mod games they have on Steam without paying then, without wanting to put too fine a point on it, they can stick it!

Besides, it'll probably drive people away from Steam or encourage them to pirate.

 

[lord_blex]

What? That sounds terrible.

If they're charging for a service that implements mods so the user doesn't have to configure anything then that's.....ok, I guess. However, if they want to actually control and charge for the actual mod content and not allow users to mod games they have on Steam without paying then, without wanting to put too fine a point on it, they can stick it!

Besides, it'll probably drive people away from Steam or encourage them to pirate.

that's not what they are doing. modders can monetize their mods. they don't have to. nor do you even have to use steam to get your mods.

 

[gogmeister777]

that's not what they are doing. modders can monetize their mods. they don't have to. nor do you even have to use steam to get your mods.

Well, ahem, that's ok then. Grrrrr

 

[GuyNwah]

that's not what they are doing. modders can monetize their mods. they don't have to. nor do you even have to use steam to get your mods.

That's right, but providing any facility that allows or encourages modders to monetize is going to contribute to a huge fight over copyright infringement, one that modders who do so should lose at ruinous personal expense. Basically, no charging for mods unless you own the intellectual property you're modding.