Problems with animated MS3D mesh

[Guest]

Hi there,

I'm totally new to the Irrlicht engine and run into troubles just at my first attempt to do anything

I have created a very simple animated MS3D object (a bending cylinder) an load it into the HelloWorld example instead of the default model (no further modifications to the code). But what I get as result is far from what I expected.

First the number of frames is not identical to the number of frames I have in Milkshape. Instead it is n * 1000 / fps (with n = number of frames in Milkshape, fps = FPS set in the milkshape preferences). Playback in the program is therefore way too slow, I have to set the playback rate to 1000 frames per second.

Furthermore the animation is disturbed by a number of frames preceding my defined animation where the cylinder is not animated but looks like a train had rolled over it The amount of frames where this happens is dependant on the FPS rate I defined in Milkshape.

Any idea what I am doing wrong here? Thanks in advance for any tip.

[Guest]

Come on,

nobody here who ever had problems with animated MS3D models? In the meantime I tried something even smaller (a cylinder with only one joint and an animation where it is just moved a bit in one direction) and I still have the same problem: Wrong number of frames and the mesh is heavily distorted.

What I'm doing here is so basic, someone just must have encountered a similar problem.

If not, does someone have any animated MS3D model that works in the Irrlicht engine so I can check if perhaps something else is wrong on my system?

[saigumi]

So, your having problems because your including the frames before your animation with the previous animation? Did you correctly set the start frame?

There was some discussion about the 1000 frames per 1 MS frame discussed somewhere in here. Let Search be your guide.

Also, patience. The time between your first post and the "Come on..." complaint message was only shortly over two hours which is a really small portion of time to expect un-paid for assistance. That, and 50% of the Irrlicht user base is currently asleep. If you would like personal attention within a shorter timeframe, you can pay me $500 per month with an additional $20 per hour retainer fee.

[Guest]

So, your having problems because your including the frames before your animation with the previous animation? Did you correctly set the start frame?

Hmm, there are no previous frames. The model is really simple, it has only this one animation which is spread over all frames defined in the Milkshape file. However, played back in the hello-world-example there appear frames that are defined nowhere in my model.

There was some discussion about the 1000 frames per 1 MS frame discussed somewhere in here. Let Search be your guide.

OK, i found a thread concerning Milkshape and frames where Niko explains he did this to make animations smoother. He also said he should include a hint in the API docs. I must aggree with that. But I've still no idea where these extra frames come from. I do not set the frame loop at all which should per default lead to an animation loop reaching from the beginning to the end. And indeed, if I set the loop from 0 to FrameCount - 1 the result is the same.

Also, patience. The time between your first post and the "Come on..." complaint message was only shortly over two hours which is a really small portion of time to expect un-paid for assistance.

Sorry, this wasn't meant as a complaint at all. I was just irritated, because the problem seemed so basic to me that I expected at least some reaction from anybody, but the thread walked down the topic list unanswered. And hey, at least I waited more than a day, don't you think it's a little bit unfair to call this "shortly over two hours"?

Nevertheless, many thanks for your answer

[[dx/x]=HUNT3R]

And hey, at least I waited more than a day, don't you think it's a little bit unfair to call this "shortly over two hours"?

He just misread your post dates. I woulda offered some help... 'cept I haven't done enough model animation to know what I'm talking about

[madinitaly]

I've seen there's a number of posts on this argument, but I still have some ananswered questions.
I created two .ms3d meshes: one for a human body and another one for the hair.
Loaded it, displayed, all OK.
Now I went back to Milkshape3D and added a simple animation (both already had a skeleton).
Loaded the body, adjusted the frame numbers and the animation plays correctly.
The hair mesh was already attached to the body with:

Code: Select all

    ISceneNode *headJoint = bodyNode->getMS3DJoint ("Head");

    if (headJoint)
        headJoint->addChild (hairNode);

...but now it is not diplayed in the correct place! It looks rotated and translated. It moves accordingly to the other mesh animation, but it's kinda disturbing to see a floating scalp moving far from its corresponding head...

I've tried to adjust the skeletons, to change the animation, to add the same animation to the hair mesh... nothing ever changed. Also, I tried to attach the mesh to another join (a hand): it appeared far from it, again rotated and translated.
I removed the animation from the models, saved them, and I had them displayed correctly again. So the problem is in the animation. Looks like joints are not in their correct positions. Anyone can help?

[madinitaly]

Ehm... maybe two little screenshots can help...
Exactly same code, just different .ms3d files

First, the file saved without keyframes (no animation at all):


Then the same file with a little animation (60 frames on ms3d @ 24fps, will be 2500 for Irrlicht):



So what's wrong?!