This animated model stuff consumed all my life. I have spent very very much effort on learning, practising and applying 3d animation stuff and integrating them to irrLicht.
I have tried many methods for exporting either and X or a B3D file from 3D Studio Max then import them to irrLicht. None of them worked. I have tried Panda Exporter, kwExport, mview in all DirectX SDK's produced and distributed in 2004. None of them worked for my 4192 poly model. Then I have tried the only remaining alternative: MS3D, but it made eveyrthing worse.
First problem was exporting model from 3D Studio to Milkshape. It didn't support mirrored objects and many more modifiers. I have striped all modifiers into one model and mapped coordinates. Then coordinates were jumbled and I had to retexture the model in Milkshape after many wasty trials of proper texturing in 3D Studio MAX. After successfuly opening it in the milkshape, I have adjusted bones and animation (although I have wasted a lot of time with doing the same in 3D MAX) then I have saved the file in MS3D format. When I import it in irrLicht, result was even worse then the result of my effort at trying directly export from 3D Studio MAX to irrLicht.
This animated model staff of irrLicht annoyed me, I have spent too many time and effort on exporting a simple 4K poly model for irrLicht. In some other engines like Panda, I didn't have any trouble, I have exported all models in OGG format and they were in the engine 1 minute later without any extra effort. I have made my program in irrLicht, it is very very difficult to port it to another engine now, but unless soon animated character import stuff doesn't get better or someone doesn't show me a practical way that I am missing, I will have no other option but performing this final effort to quit irrLicht forever. I could write a 3rd party loader in the time I have spent for using the premade ones. I don't want to sound rude, or I never intend to disrespect the people who has done this system, but preparing an animated model for irrLicht is a nightmare.
I would be incredibly glad if someone can show me some direction to recover my project, because I am stuck here and I need to get this project working very very soon.
Animated Models Consumed My Life
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hybrid
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Just go on uploading your files, this will definitely help us. However, you cannot expect to export some fancy tool specific stuff into a general file format and see this working in any other tool later on. Most of these special effects (like most modifiers) are simply silently dropped when exporting the mesh. You need to obey to certain modelling conventions for a specific artwork pipeline. That's why it's important to check those things first, and model just the first mesh in several ways until everything works. After that you should know how to proceed any you'll get success much earlier.
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hybrid
- Admin
- Posts: 14143
- Joined: Wed Apr 19, 2006 9:20 pm
- Location: Oldenburg(Oldb), Germany
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Just make a bug tracker entry here:
https://sourceforge.net/tracker/?atid=5 ... unc=browse
You can upload files to that place (if you have the legal rights for them) and you can also monitor the activities for your items (and also others...)
BTW: Did you see that the b3d loads ok, just animations are broken (see other thread).
https://sourceforge.net/tracker/?atid=5 ... unc=browse
You can upload files to that place (if you have the legal rights for them) and you can also monitor the activities for your items (and also others...)
BTW: Did you see that the b3d loads ok, just animations are broken (see other thread).
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fmx
if you search around in the forums, you will realise you're not the first to have problems with getting animated files working with Irrlicht 
there's a tool called UltimateUnwrap ( http://www.unwrap3d.com/ ) which vermeer has suggested many times that could solve practically all your conversion needs from 3DSMax -> ... (insert any Irrlicht compatible format here)
its not free, but it does guarantee a working solution.
or maybe try COLLADA? I'm not sure how much progress has been made on Animated mesh support, but I'm sure it will be supported in the not to distant future
good luck!
there's a tool called UltimateUnwrap ( http://www.unwrap3d.com/ ) which vermeer has suggested many times that could solve practically all your conversion needs from 3DSMax -> ... (insert any Irrlicht compatible format here)
its not free, but it does guarantee a working solution.
or maybe try COLLADA? I'm not sure how much progress has been made on Animated mesh support, but I'm sure it will be supported in the not to distant future
good luck!
Solution
I have found a solution!
Although a very similar tutorial is present deep in that forum, but I will state the versions with correct methodology.
I saw that the reason of most of the troubles do come with old version software. When I have first tried the things I have written above, I was using 3D Studio MAX version 7 with service pack 1 (although I didn't see any benefit of that so-called service pack). But when I have used the trial version of 3D Studio MAX 2008, I saw that there is also a different version of FBX exporter, which solved all of my problems. Again it didn't make animated mesh issue easier for irrLicht, but at least it has provided a working solution. I would like to summerize how I have found a solution to my problem:
1.Design your animated model under 3D Studio MAX. I did not use biped or Physique, but I suppose if you obey the principles below, it would succeed.
2.Convert all of your models to "editable mesh". But BE WARE! If you have used any groups, you have to UNGROUP them first, then convert them to editable mesh ONE BY ONE! I have designed a character at one side only, then I have mirrored for the other side and grouped them together. This way, whole algorithm collapsed and texturing went strange. Also one side's polygons always seemed fliped. I have searched the 3D Studio forums for that issue, and I have realized that the fancy 3D studio scales the mirrored mesh with factor -1 around the selected axis, which conflicts with 3D hardware's scaling algorithm. So be careful about groups!
3.Export them with FBX exporter, but it has to be in 200611 format! older ones (like I have experienced in 3D Studio 7 and 8 ) fail to export model and texturing correctly under all circumstances. FBX exporter of 3D Studio MAX 2008 gives you an opportunity to select the version to export, but the older ones (like 3DS 7's and 8's) do not have this opportunity and they save in old format, which messes up most of the time
4.Reset your scene
5.Import the FBX file you have exported
6.Export it with Panda Exporter to .X format. Settings may depend on whether you will export animation or not, but I have used these settings (settings which do not present in the list are unchecked):
[3DS Max Objects]
-Mesh definition
-Materials
-Geometric
-Dummy
[Mesh]
-Mesh normals
-Mapping coordinates
-Vertex colors
[Animation]
I have deleted frame duration from the list since I will not export animation
[Textures&.fx Files]
-Texture conversion:none
-Include fx file
-Include .fx parameters
[.x File Settings]
-DX File Type:Text
-DX Frame:No frames
-Corrdinate system:Left handed axis
This is all. Note that Panda exporter for MAX 2008 was cleaned out of many bugs, but version for MAX 7 and 8 do still have many bugs. This may be why my previous work has failed.
4.Open your .x file with MView, which you can find appropriate downloading places provided by hybird and other members of this forum in many posts. It has to be looking EXACTLY like as you designed in 3D Studio. If it seems different, you have to start from scratch. Again save it with MView, but I recommend you to save it to another file in case you need to return to that point later on.
5.Import that .X file from MilkShape (I have used the version 1.8.2) From "tools" menu, "DirectX Mesh Tools..." is the tool which you can import it. This is a critical part too, if you see a blank window after you import .X file, it means you have to strip your model out of modifiers from 3D Studio MAX or you have done something wrong during these steps.
After that, adjust all of your bones and animation in MilkShape and save your work as MS3D file. But NEVER export or save in ANIMATION MODE when you are using MilkShape. Also you have to assign bones to your model FROM ONE ROOT ONLY! Otherwise animation seems good in MilkShape but messes up in irrLicht.
These worked for me, I believe will work for you too if you use these versions. Exporting an animated mesh shouldn't be THAT tricky, but I believe by the time we can come up with better tools and easier ways to do it. Now I am trying to write a universal animated mesh format for irrLicht with plugins from 3D Studio MAX and MilkShape. I will let you know if when I make some progress.
Happy coding!
Although a very similar tutorial is present deep in that forum, but I will state the versions with correct methodology.
I saw that the reason of most of the troubles do come with old version software. When I have first tried the things I have written above, I was using 3D Studio MAX version 7 with service pack 1 (although I didn't see any benefit of that so-called service pack). But when I have used the trial version of 3D Studio MAX 2008, I saw that there is also a different version of FBX exporter, which solved all of my problems. Again it didn't make animated mesh issue easier for irrLicht, but at least it has provided a working solution. I would like to summerize how I have found a solution to my problem:
1.Design your animated model under 3D Studio MAX. I did not use biped or Physique, but I suppose if you obey the principles below, it would succeed.
2.Convert all of your models to "editable mesh". But BE WARE! If you have used any groups, you have to UNGROUP them first, then convert them to editable mesh ONE BY ONE! I have designed a character at one side only, then I have mirrored for the other side and grouped them together. This way, whole algorithm collapsed and texturing went strange. Also one side's polygons always seemed fliped. I have searched the 3D Studio forums for that issue, and I have realized that the fancy 3D studio scales the mirrored mesh with factor -1 around the selected axis, which conflicts with 3D hardware's scaling algorithm. So be careful about groups!
3.Export them with FBX exporter, but it has to be in 200611 format! older ones (like I have experienced in 3D Studio 7 and 8 ) fail to export model and texturing correctly under all circumstances. FBX exporter of 3D Studio MAX 2008 gives you an opportunity to select the version to export, but the older ones (like 3DS 7's and 8's) do not have this opportunity and they save in old format, which messes up most of the time
4.Reset your scene
5.Import the FBX file you have exported
6.Export it with Panda Exporter to .X format. Settings may depend on whether you will export animation or not, but I have used these settings (settings which do not present in the list are unchecked):
[3DS Max Objects]
-Mesh definition
-Materials
-Geometric
-Dummy
[Mesh]
-Mesh normals
-Mapping coordinates
-Vertex colors
[Animation]
I have deleted frame duration from the list since I will not export animation
[Textures&.fx Files]
-Texture conversion:none
-Include fx file
-Include .fx parameters
[.x File Settings]
-DX File Type:Text
-DX Frame:No frames
-Corrdinate system:Left handed axis
This is all. Note that Panda exporter for MAX 2008 was cleaned out of many bugs, but version for MAX 7 and 8 do still have many bugs. This may be why my previous work has failed.
4.Open your .x file with MView, which you can find appropriate downloading places provided by hybird and other members of this forum in many posts. It has to be looking EXACTLY like as you designed in 3D Studio. If it seems different, you have to start from scratch. Again save it with MView, but I recommend you to save it to another file in case you need to return to that point later on.
5.Import that .X file from MilkShape (I have used the version 1.8.2) From "tools" menu, "DirectX Mesh Tools..." is the tool which you can import it. This is a critical part too, if you see a blank window after you import .X file, it means you have to strip your model out of modifiers from 3D Studio MAX or you have done something wrong during these steps.
After that, adjust all of your bones and animation in MilkShape and save your work as MS3D file. But NEVER export or save in ANIMATION MODE when you are using MilkShape. Also you have to assign bones to your model FROM ONE ROOT ONLY! Otherwise animation seems good in MilkShape but messes up in irrLicht.
These worked for me, I believe will work for you too if you use these versions. Exporting an animated mesh shouldn't be THAT tricky, but I believe by the time we can come up with better tools and easier ways to do it. Now I am trying to write a universal animated mesh format for irrLicht with plugins from 3D Studio MAX and MilkShape. I will let you know if when I make some progress.
Happy coding!
fuego2008: I feel your frustration, getting models to work (right) is real pain in the ass. Irrlicht has too many file formats too choose from. Picking the right file format is like having to eat a box of candy just to find the one flavor you like
I've used panda, MD2 export, md3 export, b3d export, gmax and milkshapes md2 export, and all were lacking in some area
I then switched to Blender and B3D. Using blender after 3Dmax is jumping in the deep end, but once you learn blender you'll never look back.
I've used panda, MD2 export, md3 export, b3d export, gmax and milkshapes md2 export, and all were lacking in some area
I then switched to Blender and B3D. Using blender after 3Dmax is jumping in the deep end, but once you learn blender you'll never look back.
I agree with you b@z, I am planning to improve my skills on blender. It is cross platform and free of charge. It would definitely be an incredible choice against very buggy and very expensive old 3D studio. I have tried to export my model from 3D Studio to B3D format with B3D PipeLine but result was a mess. This was because my skills did not improve to understand and do good enough with blender stuff. But my future works will definitely be in blender.