Animation Examples with .ms3d & .x

[John T]

Hi,

Can anyone direct me to some web examples of importing skeletal animation meshes in the .ms3d & .x formats? We have imported some Morph target .md2 files using the Irrlicht tutorial and we would like to see the difference between that and the skeletal formats.

In addition, we would appreciate any opinions on these three different formats.

Thanks,
-j

[Richard T]

I am John T's main artist. We are using either Maya 5.0, 3dsMax 6, or Milkshape to create characters and game art. Any tips on how to rig a character for animation? What can and what can't be used in rigging characters for this engine?

For Maya Should I stick only to bones and foward kinematics? Iks? Set Driven Keys? RelationShip editor? What will and won't work?

For 3ds Max should I stick to character studio or bones?? Will my envelopes have to be rigid?

How would we get animated characters into the game?

[vermeer]

yay!

Another artist Great, I was feeling a bit alone here...though here there are loads of coders that can do art... hybrids... (JOKE)


Well, basicly with all those tools you can do whatever you want

One by one..

"Any tips on how to rig a character for animation?"

Euh...you don't mean the art proccess, do you? I mean, assign vertex the weights, in the manner you prefer...


"What can and what can't be used in rigging characters for this engine?"

basicly, seems it can use a boned and rigged character, exported in the form of *.x files (those from MS SDK for Directx) .And for vertex animation, md2 or, hopefully, waiting for a small fix for md3 loader, md3 too.They can be loaded even as md2, that is, not using tags, but full piece interpolation, like md2.

Anyway, I prefer weighted skeletal .

Maybe sometime later we will have md5 loader, but this is only a possibility.

Seems an md3 made by me with npherno compiler, which indeed is only a bunch of snapshoted 3ds frames(*.ASE, better), worked in the r2d2 md3 loader. So, for what I need, it already works.

The x format though is in a bit picky way yet. But seems it use to work, specially if re-written in a tool I have here DOWNLOAD HERE as you will need it sooner or later. basicly, when you open an x file there, and save as x again, it gets more "irrlicht compliant".

If you have Ultimate Unwrap, its x exported files are also of the likes of Irrlicht.


"For Maya Should I stick only to bones and foward kinematics?"

I don't know a word bout Maya animation. I only have used Max(and cs), Blender and Character Fx (well, and Anim8or if that counts) for rigging and animating

Iks? Set Driven Keys? RelationShip editor? What will and won't work?

hmm..basicly, u should download the tool I posted u above ...as..what u need is the Maya x exporter here:

http://www.quest3d.com/index.php?id=102

Once it gets exported as x, check in mview.exe, as you will see what does not get well exported, and what does. Also, re save there if Irlicht does not read it directly the maya exported x file.


"For 3ds Max should I stick to character studio or bones?? Will my envelopes have to be rigid?"

The Max exporter...use Panda exporter. It works after some tweaks. read the posts in my signature. And the URL of the site is also in my signature.

I know it has to work well. Low down...---> the Panda exporter do not deal with BIPED. For this, a method I discovered with Trial... If ur Using Max 6, you "export" as FBX (filmbox format, (Kaydara)) , and then "import" as FBX. that will convert BIPED into standard Max bones seamlessly.

With Max 5... there was another trick, but I keep forgetting my own tricks...well, having Ultimate Unwrap, is easy, export there, and export as x from ultimate unwrap.

I think there was a free plugin or maxscript to convert biped to bones.

You can use Skin of Physique with Panda Exporter. I prefer Skin modifier, though.

"How would we get animated characters into the game?"


With Maya and Max, you have it easy...

Oh, Maya 6 exporter for MD3 :
http://www.fileplanet.com/dl.aspx?/plan ... _maya6.zip


Max md3 exporter for Max 6 (and previous versions I think), a good one :

http://mojo.gmaxsupport.com/


a very good md2 exporter for Max, the version which was freeware and non limited. Yet though, I really don't like the quality lost with md2 format...I'd advice at least md3. And better if you stick with the skeletal x :

http://www.worldzone.net/games/azrael_d ... /GMAX.html


x format in irrlicht support weights, so no worries. No need the influences to be rigid. Just weight it at your desire. There could be advanced stuff non transferrable from Maya to *.x. basicly: x supports: weights, bones, animation, spline interpolation between keyframes, vertex colors, smoothing info (probably not smooth groups) , materials (but irrlicht may not yet, as neither support uv channel 2, I think (lightmaps, which seems for now ppl creat by BSP compiled thing (using Quark editor)))


You speak about envelopes...I hope you know you'd better work also at vertex level...envelopes are non accurate way to weight...

After all this, x format has its issues, but are learnt with trial and error.

[Richard T]

Thanks. Lots of good stuff here.

[Richard T]

Or actually we're going to use .x format for maya.