Shantae for SFM and GMod (Version 2.0)

A character model of Shantae from the "Shantae" series by WayForward that I made as a learning experience. This is essentially the second "official" version of my personal model, hence version 2.0. Numerous enhancements and improvements have been made to this model since its previous iteration. Some of the biggest changes include the ability to now be used in GMod (yay), completely redone vertex-weighting, improved eye rig, more detailed textures, additional props, and an entire set of embedded skeletal animation sequences based on sprite animations within the games. Details on all the enhancements/improvements can be found within the attached README file.

Modeled and rigged entirely in Blender. The model's design is most heavily derived/influenced from the game "Shantae and the Pirate's Curse". In-game screenshots and Steam card illustrations were used as a main reference. Contains 5 different skins and multiple facial flexes, both mono and stereo. Also utilizes Source's procedural/"jiggle" bones (has 20 total), and can be used as a ragdoll in GMod. The model's skeleton also follows the conventions of a TF2 bipedal character model, and therefore can be used with both rig_biped_simple and Doc/Revzin's puppet script (steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles…).

Please feel free to offer any feedback/suggestions or report any bugs you find with these models. I'd sincerely appreciate it as (believe it or not) this will not be the final release. At this juncture I wish to go "whole hog" with this learning experience/personal project, and there will be an enhanced third (and most likely final) release of this model. The major difference between this and the enhanced version will be the addition of alternate costumes from the games, most likely as additional bodygroups.


Special Thanks:
Pte Jack (www.youtube.com/user/PteJack1 , steamcommunity.com/id/PteJack/ ) whose series of YouTube tutorial videos taught me pretty much everything I now know regarding how models behave and are exported in the Source Engine. I cannot thank him enough.

The Valve Developer Wiki (developer.valvesoftware.com/wi… ).

WayForward for making a great game (store.steampowered.com/app/345… , www.humblebundle.com/store/p/s… )

Py-Bun (py-bun.deviantart.com/ , steamcommunity.com/id/pybun/ ), whose QC file for her Papyrus model helped me figure out how stereo flexes are exported and complied.

Mr. Prawn (prawnboy101.deviantart.com/ , steamcommunity.com/id/PrawnBoy/ ), who reached out to me and helped me figure out how to properly implement an eye rig in Source. He's also ported an alternate Shantae ragdoll model on the GMod workshop that you may want to check out.

BeardedDoomGuy (beardeddoomguy.deviantart.com/ , steamcommunity.com/id/Doomx93/ ) for some modeling tips and reminding me of that backer costume from the ½ Genie Hero Kickstarter campaign.

LegoGuy9875 (legoguy9875.deviantart.com/ ), for leaving some constructive feedback on DA, all of which was later implemented to improve this model. Also for beta-testing version 2.0.


Includes:
Radioactive_DK\magic_lamp.mdl
Radioactive_DK\pirate_hat.mdl
Radioactive_DK\pistol.mdl
Radioactive_DK\riskys_hat.mdl
Radioactive_DK\scimitar.mdl
Radioactive_DK\shantae.mdl


Notes:
In order for this model to work within SFM, files and directories must be copied/moved into the game folder maintaining the same file hierarchy as in the downloadable zipped archive.

In order for this model to work within Garry's Mod, you will need to subscribe to Rubat's Extended Spawnmenu script in the Steam GMod Workshop (steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles…). Then place the files and directories in a custom folder (say named "Shantae") within the "garrysmod\addons\" folder, maintaining the same file hierarchy. The models can then be found and spawned from the "Legacy Addons" section in the spawn menu (Q) when launching GMod. Check the workshop page for additional details.

I did not create the normal map for the hair. This was copied from the files for an EqG model originally modeled by user creatorofpony.deviantart.com/. All other textures were created by me using GIMP.


Known bugs:
Not a bug with the model per se but with SFM. The jiggle/procedural bones will not bake properly when the model is spawned in a current session. Instead of baking the dynamic animations, the process will bake the jiggle bones' default positions. For the baking to properly work, you must save the session after spawning the model, close the current SFM session, and then reopen it. Baking the procedural animations will then work properly now that the model is saved within the SFM session.


Potential plans for updates and future releases:

Bodygroups for alternate costumes (magic mode, pajama, swimsuit). Plus anything new revealed by S:½GH.

Possibly an external phoneme file. I would use MaxOfS2D's video tutorial on the subject (www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHNZgn…).