.X model has a few probs

Tyn · Post by **Tyn** » Sat Jun 05, 2004 1:59 pm

Hey all

I'm having a few problems displaying the mesh and I just wanted to know if what I am doing is something that Irrlicht is doing or a mistake I am making. I'm learning a bit of animation right now and am so making use of Character Studio. I assigned all the bones to my mesh, got the envolopes set up so the model moves correctly and I got it in an idle pose so it isn't in the star jump position

I tried to export it to .X and load it into Irrlicht, but, well, take a look:

The skeleton loaded correctly but that isn't much use when I don't want to see the skeleton and only see my mesh

Does anyone know if this is how I am exporting the mesh or is it just a bug in the .X loader? Also, how do you hide the bone system?

jox · Post by **jox** » Sat Jun 05, 2004 3:11 pm

Normaly you only see the skeleton with node->setDebugDataVisible(true). And then it's made of only 3d lines. Seems that CS is exporting the skeleton as mesh, which is not very useful... Did you try to load it into DirectX mesh viewer?

arras · Post by **arras** » Sat Jun 05, 2004 3:14 pm

I use diferent software than you so just sugestion:

Irrlicht is capable to load x files in text format only ..not binary ...as much as I remember.

vermeer · Post by **vermeer** » Sat Jun 05, 2004 4:07 pm

tyn, I had thi sproblem when testing with trial, but I solved it.

As I have a mess in my head on all the packages I use to solve conversions, I may be poitning to the solution of othe rpackage, but must be one of these two (no need a coding solution , but is great to know there's one, as sometmes you will need it for specific ideas.)

a) just hide the bipped. Steps: Right click wherever and choose unhide all in rightclick menu. That will show u the nubs (if that was the name) .Kindda terminations by default hidden in a biped. Ok, now, hit H, and from list, select all that starts by BIP, leaving only the mesh. Bang. It exports not the biped skeleton and yet yes mesh , animation and x joints.

b) in Panda Exporter dialog, select not to export bones. But put yes animation.I may be messing with some other converter, though...

I'd bet is a) option, not b)...

The fact is I made the test with a biped, and worked...

hmm...no...wait...biped is not supported by panda...how I did it then? ...oh...yes...If u have Max 6, is the only I would trust this to work... as I think fbx in 5 is wrecked...u export with an included format called fbx from export list in max... then import afain the fbx, using the import in max...bang..now is just bones and skin, but they way it performs is just the same (after all is always converted to joints and weights in engine...)

This way is also solved for Blitz3d users to export with b3d pipeline, as it does not support physique, so to export b3d format, this is also a way to export to that engine.As u see, a pretty trick

(btw, one of this days I gotta remember to tell em there's a phy2skin free plugin..)

Irrlitch only open ascii files, yes.

I recommend using Max 6+cs 4.2 if you can.

Anyway, I dunno..is an ascii file...and all biped beguins by "Bip..." ...I think...

Other solution, ultimate unwrap users can export into it and export there as x files...I finally found loads of ways to get an x file...

Sorry, Im almost asleep now, dunno if I'm to dense , if I explained the right thing...

Tyn · Post by **Tyn** » Sat Jun 05, 2004 4:34 pm

Yeah, I tried the second option. Seems to be OK in 3DSM, but trying to export to .X with any bone system seems to not show up. The conversion system I was using to get around this was to export to .X, load the file in the DX Mesh Viewer and resave it with the viewer, but it refuses to load the file now. The DX viewer does actually load in the bone system doesn't it? Unfortunaly I think .X is the only format I can use for animation within Irrlicht that 3DSM6 will export to.

I know I could use Milkshape but that thing requires I register now and I refuse to give them any money for what should have been sharware anyway. Maybe if they raised the poly limit I would consider it but Blender isn't that far behind Milkshape, only the files it can view is lagging behind. Oh well, looks like .X is my only option for animations.

vermeer · Post by **vermeer** » Sat Jun 05, 2004 6:01 pm

Max6...good news.(also as it has mirror weights at vertex level...if u use skin modifer which I prefer...with biped(easier than bones) ) try this:

1- top menu. "File" ..."Export" ...Choose FILMBOX FBX. ok, now an *.fbx gets created... ok.

2- files...Import...Filmbox FBX... choose the file you exported before...Now you should have a perfect bones and skin file. Instead of a biped an physique file. Physique is supported by Panda. Biped is not. That's why i strongly suggest.

One thing I remembe r well... DO NOT install and FBX version from Kaydara...DON'T do anything. As the one included with max6 (like a native format) is good to go. Is perfect.And others often don't work.

Also, VERY important...please...try to: ensure th emesh is attached to the biped (well, seems you applied th ephysique, so it must be good) ..and even more important...CREATE 2 keyframes at least, an animation.Or it wont work. mark animation to be exported. But previous to all settings in Panda dialog...do create these 2 keyframes... that is, in frame 0, like keyframe all biped bones (you know how to do this, I guess

) , and...well, I like to set autokeyframing on in max, so that all I do in a frame gets saved as keyframe. But if not, just go to frame 30 anyway, and once you have made your pose, do select each joint changed, hit the key shaped icon to keyframe that, and do so with all bones that changed in location or rotation (way easier autokeyframing, huh...

)

After doing this (or better, BEFORE doing this) ..please, I know is a long thread... hehe...but please , read the thread in my sig...I suppose you did so already, but is in th etiny bits where very key info is needed to know...

You have Max 6, and FBX I know works perfect with this method. Do so , as a tested with trial, and solved a physique problem with b3d pipeline with other user. But i know this actually works. So it must for you...

If I see again this thread, post your results, and I'll see if there's some thing I can spot...

BTW, Milkshape does not have weights.

(cfx (www.insanesoftware.de) does but i supose the 15$ is not an issue, but more a decission from you to not buy anymore software..i can understand it very well. ) Anyway, is thousand times harder and less powerful than Max, but what is only 15

IMHO, it'd be a pitty if u don't iron the problems with max, as with Panda I know it works.

A last chance u have...is just use Max bones, but are way harder to learn than cs, and imho not so quick to handle. But can do also.

Tyn · Post by **Tyn** » Sat Jun 05, 2004 7:59 pm

Yeah, will do. Like you said, it is a matter of priciple rather than money. I don't like paying money to companies unless the software is really good and since I got MAX on the sly from my bro's Uni course I'd rather use that

If Milkshape didn't have it's limits on poly count ( not having weights is pretty outragous considering they are charging for it as well ) I would consider putting the money down, but as is it's just Blender with a limits and more export/import functions. If I didn't manage to blag MAX it would be blender all the way.

I only had the one key frame for an idle position which could have been the problem, cheers m8.

vermeer · Post by **vermeer** » Sun Jun 06, 2004 1:19 pm

Glad to help u, Tyn..euh..please, comunicate so if it worked...is kind of curiosity...