Hero swap part 4: add AnimGraph 2 and compile

Copy your model to CS2 Workshop Tools

1. Close CSDK 12.
2. Start CS2 Workshop Tools and create a new addon. Give it the same name as your CSDK 12 addon.
3. Open the new addon's content folder, content/csgo_addons/<addon>/, inside your Counter-Strike 2 folder.
4. Copy the models folder from Reduced_CSDK_12/content/citadel_addons/<addon>/ into it. Keep the same folder structure.

The copy holds viper_work.vmdl, your DMX files, and your material sources. The DMX files must sit in this addon. ModelDoc cannot load meshes from another addon.

Add the skeleton and graph references

1. In the CS2 Asset Browser, find viper_work.vmdl and open it in ModelDoc.
2. Ignore the error and the red checkerboard materials. CS2's shaders differ from Deadlock's.
3. If ModelDoc reports a bad content path for animations, disable AnimationList.
4. In Source 2 Viewer, open the original hero's .vmdl_c. Go to the Data tab and scroll to the bottom.
5. Note the skeleton path and the two graph paths there.
6. In ModelDoc, choose AddNmSkeletonReferenceAdd, then NmSkeletonReference. When a file picker opens, close it and choose Keep.
7. Paste the skeleton path into the new node.
8. Choose AddDefaultAnimGraph2Add, then DefaultAnimGraph2 and paste the main graph path.
9. Choose AddAnimGraph2Add, then AnimGraph2. Name it ui, in lowercase, and paste the UI graph path.
10. Click Compile.

For Vyper, the three values look like this:

NmSkeletonReference   models/heroes_staging/viper/viper.vnmskel
DefaultAnimGraph2     animgraphs/animgraph2/hero/hero.vnmgraph+viper.vnmgraph
AnimGraph2 (ui)       animgraphs/animgraph2/hero/hero_ui.vnmgraph+viper.vnmgraph

Other heroes follow the same pattern, but not always with the same name. Kelvin and Viscous share one skeleton, and Ivy's skeleton sits under her old name tengu. Always copy the paths from the Data tab.

Take only the compiled model

1. In the CS2 Asset Browser, right-click your model and open the folder of its compiled file.
2. Find viper_work.vmdl_c in game/csgo_addons/<addon>/models/heroes_staging/viper/.
3. Copy that one file. Take nothing else from this folder.

Need to change something later? Make the change in CSDK 12, copy the changed nodes into the CS2 copy, and compile there again.

Build the staging folder

1. Make a new folder for your mod, such as myskin_pack.
2. Copy the models folder from CSDK 12's game/citadel_addons/<addon>/ into it. It holds your compiled materials and textures.
3. Delete the CSDK 12 build of viper_work.vmdl_c from the copy.
4. Paste the CS2 build of viper_work.vmdl_c in its place.
5. Rename it to the original name, viper.vmdl_c.
6. Remove every file the mod must not ship. The list is below.

Never ship:

• the hero's .vnmskel_c skeleton;
• .vnmclip_c animation clips;
• anything in scripts/, such as .vdata_c files;
• compiled files you did not change.

These files break other mods for the same hero, and they break after game updates.

Pack and test

1. Pack the staging folder into one VPK. Follow Pack your mod into a VPK.
2. Name it like pak05_dir.vpk and put it in game/citadel/addons/.
3. Close CSDK 12 and CS2 Workshop Tools.
4. Start Deadlock and load a private map. Test your mod in game shows how.

Then check every item:

• Walk and run. The hero animates and turns with the camera.
• Aim down sights. The camera sits behind the hero like on the normal hero, and the zoom matches.
• Use every ability. Parts that switch on or off still do.
• Die once. The ragdoll falls without stretching.
• Look at the health bar. It floats above the head.
• Listen for footsteps and ability sounds.
• Look at the hero select and shop screens.
• Walk far away from the hero. The LODs keep the same shape.

Something looks wrong? Model and skin problems lists each symptom and the part that fixes it. Before you queue for a real match, follow Before you queue again.