Which animation?

Tyn · Post by **Tyn** » Fri Oct 15, 2004 10:35 am

Thanks, I'll try that too. Would this make my mesh invisible or is this just another bug that isn't effecting me ATM?

Tyn · Post by **Tyn** » Sat Oct 16, 2004 12:46 am

Their exporter for Cal3D only goes up to Max 5, is there one around for Max 6? Not on their website that I can see.

Captain_Kill · Post by **Captain_Kill** » Sat Oct 16, 2004 4:19 am

Weird... I've used Max 6 with Cal3D with no problems. I think the Max 5 exporter works with newer Max versions too.

vermeer · Post by **vermeer** » Sat Oct 16, 2004 8:10 am

it should work with x....also with cal3d.

Hmmm...biped stuff is not, as you already said you are using the FBX trick...

You can do one thing if you want.

Got through the proccess of exporting, as I suppose you have you mesh animated in Max (I suppose it animates well already in max!

) and thi stime, be careful writing down in a paper, or in notepad, every setting you set in , first the fbx exporter, then fbx importer (can't remember if it had too) , and of course, every and all settings you see (like in the others, I wanna know everyone, not only the ones you change, but all) in the Panda x exporter tabs, ok. Write em with the names it says, so I don't get messed.

Provided that also you :

don't use a number or a strange symbol at beguining of material names, don't use symbols at all, and please, no ".", standard Max materials (don't use multi subobject materials, or weirder) u asigned an UVW modifier to make the uv mapping, your mesh is just one object, you appplied just one object with one texture, you set at least 2 keyframes in 2 different frames of the animation, you didn't add any other modifier (or if so, collapsed before adding skin modifier) than edit mesh, or edit poly...if is edit poly, just right click on selected mesh, convert to edit mesh. And then apply skin modifier, or physique. If you are already instead after fbx import, indeed, is when it really matter that u only see there an edit mesh modifier with skin modifier above.Don't use mesh smooth, and as I said, any other extra modifier.You can model entirely a character with right click commands and edit mesh/edit poly (convert to edit mesh at last) buttons.

I think doing this all well, you have eliminiated possible errors on the scene.

Well, if all is done like above, then, posting a text list here of all the setting you put in fbx exporter and importer, and then all the panda settings you have, will spot the x problem. Ok? I mean, when you know how it works, there's not a single reason for it not working. There's soemthing wrong with your settings or scene.

Tyn · Post by **Tyn** » Sat Oct 16, 2004 10:24 am

FBX Export:

Geometrics - Checked
Support normal per polygon vertex - Unchecked
Cameras - Unchecked
Lights - Unchecked
Geometrics used as bones, exported as bones - Checked
Shape ( Morph modifier ) - Checked
Skins ( Skin modifier and Physique ) - Checked
Animation - Checked
Resampling rate - 30.000000
Show Warnings - Checked
Embed textures in export file - Checked

FBX Import:

Import take - No Animation
Bones - Greyed out check:
- Width - 10
  Height - 10
  Locked width and height - Checked
  Taper - 0.9
Geometrics - Checked
Cameras - Unchecked
Light - Unchecked
Markers - Unchecked
Shape ( Morph modifier ) - Checked
Animation - Checked:
- Constant key reduction filtering - Checked
  Gimble lock killer filtering - Checked
  XYZ FCurve synchronisation filtering - Unchecked
  Resampling rate - 30.000000
Human IK - Greyed out check
Rescale scenes root node to unit size - Checked
Y-up to Z-up root node rotation - Checked

Panda X exporter:

3DS Max Objects:
- Mesh definition - Checked
  Materials - Checked
  Inline - Unchecked
  Include Animations - Checked
  Bones - Checked
  Optimise Mesh - None
  Geometric - Checked
  Dummy - Checked
  Mesh normals - Checked
  Flip normals - Unchecked
  Mapping coordinates - Checked
  Vertex colours - Unchecked
Animation:
- Anim-1:
  Start 0 - End 100
  Key options - Matrix
  Timeline - Keyframes
  Animation sampling rate - 30
Textures & FX
- Texture Conversion - None
  White diffuse override ( texture ) - Checked
  Format - PNG
  Overwrite - Do not overwrite
  Include FX file - Unchecked
X File Settings:
- DX File Type - Text
  DX Frame - Sub frame hierarchy
  Left Hand Axis - Checked
  XFile Animation Options:
  Include Animation options - Unchecked
  Type - Closed
  Pos. Quality - Spline Positions

Heh, I hope you enjoy reading all that as much as I enjoyed writing it

Here's the .MAX file in case you want to try and see if you can see any probs with that:

http://www.spacecolonization.net/spacechar.max

Tyn · Post by **Tyn** » Sat Oct 16, 2004 10:28 am

Oh yeah and the Cal3D exporter comes up with the exporter is for an older version, not loading error.

JoeWright · Post by **JoeWright** » Sat Oct 16, 2004 2:27 pm

I've got two fixes threads listed in the bug list forum and a third thread outlining another problem.

If you still get problems it may have to do with any of those issues.

Joe

Tyn · Post by **Tyn** » Tue Oct 19, 2004 10:09 am

Tried the bug fix that I found but it didn't help, hmm. Anyone manage to see the problem from either the list I posted or the .Max file?

vermeer · Post by **vermeer** » Tue Oct 19, 2004 5:27 pm

I'm sorry, Tyn, hadnt see your reply...

let's see that list...
I can't test the max file.

(btw, in what is max, I am being told problems, and seems mostly all get from that: no real keyframed frames, export to the whatever the formats in figure mode instead of animation mode, several meshes instead of one and only one, several materials, weird material names starting with numbers...typical things that allways are reported in forums to give problems with panda exporter and engines.... )

So , let's see at least your hardworked list...

****
FBX Export:

Geometrics - Checked
Support normal per polygon vertex - Unchecked
------------
No? why not. Leave that one checked. Is normals.
--------------

Cameras - Unchecked
Lights - Unchecked
Geometrics used as bones, exported as bones - Checked
Shape ( Morph modifier ) - Checked
------------
not sure, you may try to uncheck this if u get too stuck...
------------

Skins ( Skin modifier and Physique ) - Checked
Animation - Checked
Resampling rate - 30.000000
Show Warnings - Checked
Embed textures in export file - Checked
-----------
in the trial, this gave problems, can't remember if checked or unchecked: perhaps is better leave unchecked, but no sure.

FBX Import:

Import take - No Animation
---------
HEY Animation yes!! how if not u're gonna keep it?
-----------

Bones - Greyed out check:
---------------
greyed out as u select no animation above..It's a guess.
------------

Width - 10
Height - 10
Locked width and height - Checked
Taper - 0.9

------
bleh, they'll become un greyed, but don't needda touch those values, iif it's not broken, don't fix it, they say.
----------

Geometrics - Checked
Cameras - Unchecked
Light - Unchecked
Markers - Unchecked
----------
not sure what was markers for fbx dialog. If it's helper objects, dummies, those are key to keep...so, check that...
------------

Shape ( Morph modifier ) - Checked
Animation - Checked:

Constant key reduction filtering - Checked
---------
in cs, there's key reduction it tends to make anim more uniform..I suppose is the same...leave it set, I think is good.
-----------

Gimble lock killer filtering - Checked
XYZ FCurve synchronisation filtering - Unchecked
-----
no idea
---------

Resampling rate - 30.000000

Human IK - Greyed out check
-------
that sounds bad. But maybe is not greyed out with the options I told you.
------------

Rescale scenes root node to unit size - Checked

------
u sure u want it to rescale? surely u wont mind...unless u modelled already in scale with world, probably , and scaling by hand later on a rigged model..is not problem free. Try not let the IO plugins change ur scale.
-------

Y-up to Z-up root node rotation - Checked
-------------
that one could be dangerous, but like all, I'd test isolatedly. Only a few I am saying may need some test to see what they really do.
----------------

Panda X exporter:

3DS Max Objects:

Mesh definition - Checked
Materials - Checked
Inline - Unchecked
Include Animations - Checked
Bones - Checked
Optimise Mesh - None
Geometric - Checked
Dummy - Checked
Mesh normals - Checked
Flip normals - Unchecked
Mapping coordinates - Checked
Vertex colours - Unchecked

Animation:

Anim-1:
---------
can't remember what the -1 stands for...
------

Start 0 - End 100
Key options - Matrix
(some times keyframes instead of matrix is better eaten by game engines. If all above said (as I think there was huge error in fbx operation) fails, try this...matrix is more...like accurate to what's seen in max..but i'd bet irrlicht likes better "keyframes", well the other option...)
----------

Timeline - Keyframes
Animation sampling rate - 30

Textures & FX

Texture Conversion - None
White diffuse override ( texture ) - Checked
Format - PNG
Overwrite - Do not overwrite
Include FX file - Unchecked

X File Settings:

DX File Type - Text
DX Frame - Sub frame hierarchy
-------------
this one had several options. Is supposed to create problems if not th right one. I think there were 3 options, but can't remember which was the good one.
--------------

Left Hand Axis - Checked
----------
another one that can have problems, but I think left handed is more usual.
----------------

XFile Animation Options:
Include Animation options - Unchecked
-----------
checked, it's tested to work.
-----------

Type - Closed
Pos. Quality - Spline Positions
------------
I think I did put open , and spline.
-------------

Heh, I hope you enjoy reading all that as much as I enjoyed writing it
----
hehe
------

btw.That rescale option set to yes maybe doing uber tiny or uber huge in scale, that ca lead to sensation of is invisible once in theengine.

also, I remember the one to work really well was max6..max5 gave problems with fbx and panda I think was not so well.

BTW, the 90% of errors I have allways been reported by coders making artwork is in scene problems, mostly not adding the actual keyframes of animation, not even animating at all..this causes a big bang in the engine, or simply an error...as the Panda exporter wont export stuff well. (besides...if tehre's no animation..)

But depending on how could be your scene, there might be much more other problems. This happens with many tools exporting bones and weights, is the most complex kind of 3d data, usually, so that's why. Blender has its issues too for this.

ANyway, first try and make the suggested change since fbx setting till the last of the proccess...and review very well the keyframes thing I mention. One mesh, one material asigned to the only mesh. Standard material, no weird things. Those use to be golden rules for most engines, most formats.(at least in game characters)

Tyn · Post by **Tyn** » Wed Oct 20, 2004 8:57 pm

I found out that when I export and import from and to Filmbox it doesn't actually export an animation and that is why I can't bring it back in. How do you export animations with Filmbox then? I'm not an animator really, programming keeps me busy enough

When I click the play button in Max it plays through the animation, he is making use of frames 5-100 for the walk and 0-4 for the idle, how do I declare this as two animations?

This part:

Import take - No Animation
---------
HEY Animation yes!! how if not u're gonna keep it?
-----------

Is from a listbox where I presume there should be some list of animations but there is only No Animation to choose from. It looks like we are getting closer to the problem. Any idea's?

I changed the material name as it seems they were named with the number first, modelling is harder than programming it seems to me

Edit: Have sorted out the import take part, it now has an animation but it is still invisible, even with material name sorted out. Any idea's?

Tyn · Post by **Tyn** » Thu Oct 21, 2004 12:01 am

The animation works now, I did everything you said and updated the Irr DLL with the fixes posted by Joe but updated NX and didn't update the changes again. Doh! It seems ok now apart from one problem:

I haven't even enabled shadows so I don't know why this is happening, any idea's? ( again

)

Tyn · Post by **Tyn** » Sat Oct 23, 2004 10:21 am

*bump*
Anyone know why the mesh would be half in shadow as is happening here? Thanks.