Which file format to use for models

freeagle · Post by **freeagle** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 5:44 pm

Hello all

can someone please suggest which file format/formats should I use for storing models with skeletal animations? Also one that is nor proprietary, so I can use it in a commercial application without a worry about potential law problems. I think .x should the job, but if there are any other formats with more features or that are better in a different way, please let me know.

Thank you

freeagle

kburkhart84 · Post by **kburkhart84** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 8:30 pm

.x, .b3d, and .ms3d are the ones that fully support animation right now. .md2 is supported, but that is keyframe animation, not skeletal. Luke added some stuff to the .b3d type, so it should be better as of now, though soon enough, the changes should implemented within the other formats as well. Supposedly, .b3d is easier to get out of modeling programs and .x can work, but has issues that need to be worked out, but either should work fine. .ms3d isn't bad, but the program that uses it isn't as high quality as blender(free) or 3dstudio/maya. Overall, .b3d is usually the recommended format for animation.

freeagle · Post by **freeagle** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 9:07 pm

Thanks for the quick reply. But, is it safe to use that format in a commercial app?

freeagle · Post by **freeagle** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 11:53 pm

Hmm, i was looking more into the various options, and this is what i've found out:

.x file format:
- able to export to it from blender, also with animation
- long loading time of the meshes in irrlicht
- many people claim there are some issues

.b3d file format:
- seems to support all i need, except the only fully functional exporter plugin for it seems to be only for 3d studio max, which is windows only, and I'd like to develop under Linux

.ms3d file format:
- again, no fully functional exporter for blender, but there is one in maya, which runs also under linux, but the licence costs a fortune

so I assume that the only possible solution for now is .x format. I dont have money for commercial modelers which could export to supported file formats. Or I could design my own format, but that would be really time consuming, and I'd like to be at least a bit productive as soon as possible

freeagle

kburkhart84 · Post by **kburkhart84** » Fri Mar 23, 2007 3:40 am

freeagle wrote:Hmm, i was looking more into the various options, and this is what i've found out:

.x file format:
- able to export to it from blender, also with animation
- long loading time of the meshes in irrlicht
- many people claim there are some issues

.b3d file format:
- seems to support all i need, except the only fully functional exporter plugin for it seems to be only for 3d studio max, which is windows only, and I'd like to develop under Linux

.ms3d file format:
- again, no fully functional exporter for blender, but there is one in maya, which runs also under linux, but the licence costs a fortune

so I assume that the only possible solution for now is .x format. I dont have money for commercial modelers which could export to supported file formats. Or I could design my own format, but that would be really time consuming, and I'd like to be at least a bit productive as soon as possible

freeagle

For your situation, I would use Blender and figure out the work arounds to get the .x exporter working. It has been said that you have to resave the models with the MViewer that used to come with the DX SDK, but I've never tried it since 3dsmax is what I usually use. I have used blender and exported to obj and had it work perfectly, but for animation, you need to use the workarounds presented in other posts, or find an exporter that works. Either, .x is probably your best option given your situation, especially the Linux bit because I don't think Milkshape 3d works in Linux, and it costs around $30 US money, and isn't near as good as Blender, and Anim8or is supposed to be OK too, but I would learn Blender instead. I have used it myself and sometimes prefer it over 3dsmax anyway.

freeagle · Post by **freeagle** » Fri Mar 23, 2007 2:13 pm

Yes, .x seems like the best option, at least for now. Thanks for the advice

freeagle

xDan · Post by **xDan** » Fri Mar 23, 2007 4:51 pm

Just a note, that I only managed to get .x working in blender by modelling with only a single mesh. (with more meshes they would be exported in wrong positions + not animated)

Even with this there appeared to be a flicker at the end of the animation sequence in irrlicht. So then I used Fragmotion to convert to .ms3d format.

kburkhart84 · Post by **kburkhart84** » Fri Mar 23, 2007 5:29 pm

xDan wrote:Just a note, that I only managed to get .x working in blender by modelling with only a single mesh. (with more meshes they would be exported in wrong positions + not animated)

Even with this there appeared to be a flicker at the end of the animation sequence in irrlicht. So then I used Fragmotion to convert to .ms3d format.

That could work, but wouldn't it be better to get the export working properly from Blender? I have tried both, and I don't remember the exact numbers, but the .x animator was giving me higher FPS that .ms3d format for some reason, using the same models. That may have changed with version 1.3, but that is what I have expierenced in the past. I've never seen a flicker effect either though. Maybe that changed in 1.3 as well.

bitplane · Post by **bitplane** » Fri Mar 23, 2007 7:00 pm

Luke uploaded his b3d exporter for blender to the plugins project, here.

If anyone wants to help out by testing or bug fixing, let me know and I'll add you to the project

Luke · Post by **Luke** » Fri Mar 23, 2007 11:23 pm

- seems to support all i need, except the only fully functional exporter plugin for it seems to be only for 3d studio max, which is windows only, and I'd like to develop under Linux

Unwrap3d, flagmotion, and milkshape also have good exporters to b3d, but sorry windows only.

But, is it safe to use that format in a commercial app?

Yeah, b3d is public domain, (by the way it's not related to brilliantdigital in anyway) it was made for blitz3d

Luke uploaded his b3d exporter for blender to the plugins project

But that exporter is not yet bug free, and I'm not sure if I upload the right version

xDan · Post by **xDan** » Sat Mar 24, 2007 5:42 pm

Luke wrote:
Luke uploaded his b3d exporter for blender to the plugins project
But that exporter is not yet bug free, and I'm not sure if I updated the right version

Wow! It's amazing to have a blender animation exporter that works!!

Thankyou. ^_^

But I have one question: will you be adding material colour exporting?

EDIT: Ok, so I looked in the exporter and it seems the colour exporting was there just disabled! So it works now. At least for diffuse colours.