can anyone load up Poser .obj files? Meshviewer can't.

Wolf Dreamer · Post by **Wolf Dreamer** » Fri Dec 09, 2005 3:26 pm

I just tried the meshviewer example. It says you can load up .obj files, but I can't seem to get any to load.

Is anyone else having problems?

I can't load any through the regular program either, so I tried the meshviewer, and found to my dismay it can not.

Some programs do save .obj in a slightly differant than standard format, such as Poser, so that might be my problem.

dhenton9000 · Post by **dhenton9000** » Fri Dec 09, 2005 3:46 pm

I run all my obj files through poseray

http://mysite.verizon.net/sfg0000/

Maybe that will help.

Wolf Dreamer · Post by **Wolf Dreamer** » Fri Dec 09, 2005 4:37 pm

Thanks, but I already tried that.

After you use that on an .obj file, can you get the meshviewer.exe that came with Irrlicht to load it up? What about for files 5mb or higher?

bearSoft · Post by **bearSoft** » Sat Dec 10, 2005 10:00 am

Wolf, for some reason poser obj is -extremely- low scaled. Any poser obj in irr is only drawed as a 'dot'.
Try to scale the mesh some 50 times or more and u will have ur poser obj visible
One problem though, only the low poly obj (p1/2) make sense because the high detailed is several 1000 polys and thats simply to steep

-Do u know of a way to export poser animations??

vermeer · Post by **vermeer** » Sat Dec 10, 2005 11:24 am

hard task young padawan (ehm...I woke up with the silly joke in mind )

I mean, besides is not legal to export ina 3d format an animation from poser, and that poser models are not optimized for games, made of pieces, and with some weird things, like pieces /groups for browses, etc, you don't have an easy way...

being not legal, I'd have the barrier there. But to do what u mean, maybe expoting isolated OBJs as keyframes during the animation, importing in npherno md3 compiler,(in my sig, I think) exporting an md3 from there, using then the md3 loader(dunno if works with latetst irrlicht) in case compatible with 0.14 irrlicht or whatever you are using...

cool would be that once irrlicht supported some sort of mesh interpolation animation but in the kind of: you import a series of OBJs (the "key frames") and irrlicht cares for interpolation between them(alla md2 or md3, but full piece meshes! no weird tags or chunks...better md3 way to interpolate, as md2 is linear, and is uglier, less natural )...provided it didn't make a weird morph between them, it'd be quite interesting, as tools like these, and many others, besides monsters transformations, effects, etc, etc, could be done, opening a whole world of possibilities, specially in fantasy games... the more "mesh keyframes" you provided, the better...I have seen it done with some engines, even using OBJ as the format, as is the most known and most supported by even non animating softwares where you CAN model thekeyframes if you don't have animation features.

BTW, wings soon will probably have a bone system, and allways can export OBJs, anim8or does, and many others that are closed to be used for character animations in irrlicht, would be open with this...

An idea.

edit: being same meshes, same vertex number, etc. Between two different meshes would be a morph (remember volmorph free tool?you can watch at it, but that's not the idea) But I run from morph solutions, it will deform weirdly and while is cool for monster transformations, what i was meaning is md3 like interpolation, only.

Wolf Dreamer · Post by **Wolf Dreamer** » Sat Dec 10, 2005 1:00 pm

I tried the meshviewer again and saw this

Could not draw triangles, too many primitives(67026), maxium is 65535.

Got to reduce those primitives somehow.

Anyway, why would it be illegal to export animation? You can not copywrite a file format, as the case between Microsoft and somebody to product their Excel format proved. We had that discussion early last year when discussing md2s.

If I find a free editor out there that can reduce the triangles somehow, then it should load up.

There are a lot of great models out there in the .obj file format. I guess professional artist use it a lot.

Using Irrlicht to make a renderer that would allow such high quality things to be done... bah... yet another impossible dream I suppose. Oh well.

I'll go google around and see if I can find a polygon/triangles/whatever reduction program somewhere.

vermeer · Post by **vermeer** » Sat Dec 10, 2005 5:16 pm

65000+ primitives? way too much.Can kill many PC machines..

"Anyway, why would it be illegal to export animation? You can not copywrite a file format, as the case between Microsoft and somebody to product their Excel format proved. We had that discussion early last year when discussing md2s."

is not for the format. OBJ is free. Is the rules of Poser company...
is the meshes them selves, the models.

"If I find a free editor out there that can reduce the triangles somehow, then it should load up."

vizup.

but in the site there's not the latest freeware version.I will upload now fo ryou (I feel generous today...again

)

"There are a lot of great models out there in the .obj file format. I guess professional artist use it a lot."

yeah. Obj format is not the issue, is a free format. Is the work made by poser company...the 3d human itself...You are allowed to use Poser renders, in avi, or bitmap renders. Has allways been the Poser policy. If changed, dunno, but I expect not. read their EULAs.

"I'll go google around and see if I can find a polygon/triangles/whatever reduction program somewhere."

Better avoid the hassle :

VIZUP 1.8 freeware(not easy to find, you can tell, I got it some time ago was latest to be free) :

http://www.savefile.com/files/7093181

Wolf Dreamer · Post by **Wolf Dreamer** » Sun Dec 11, 2005 12:05 am

It only loads up the .wrl format, with no possible way to do anything else apparently.

*sigh* Off to the chaotic halls of sourceforge to dig through the vast heap of free programs, and hopefully find something that works.

If there is no way to use animation from the .obj files in a game though, I suppose its pointless. Then again, I can use Wings3D to convert it, after a significant amount of delay, to the .x format. It losses its textures though.

Anyway to avoid that?

Can Wings 3D reduce the ... are they called triangles, primitives, or polygons, or are all of these basically the same thing? Sorry, my brain is mush today.

And how do I preserve the textures?

I can take a model, and add in skeletal animation through any number of programs, and uh.... well... just cut off parts of it and reattach it as joints perhaps? I don't know. Does anyone have any suggestions?

jam · Post by **jam** » Sun Dec 11, 2005 6:15 am

Wolf Dreamer wrote:It only loads up the .wrl format, with no possible way to do anything else apparently.

You could get a 3D model converter to convert your model to wrl format and vice versa

Perhaps something in the irrlicht wiki can help you? http://www.irrforge.org/index.php/Main_Page

vermeer · Post by **vermeer** » Sun Dec 11, 2005 12:24 pm

It only loads up the .wrl format, with no possible way to do anything else apparently. Crying or Very sad

WRL <---> OBJ is possible in a bazillion ways. you are just not aware, but is not your fault. I will see to post bellow now some of the several flavours to do that.

*sigh* Off to the chaotic halls of sourceforge to dig through the vast heap of free programs, and hopefully find something that works.

You'll have a hard time for that. It's sylphis tool probably using pure obj, but I am afraid it may not support textures.But I think yep OBJ.
http://devnet.sylphis3d.com/node/21

Definitely, by all means...go for Vizup. I love it. The percentage of loss graphical thing is sweet and u preserve textures and uv mapping! No reason not to use it, specially 1.8 I sent u!!

If there is no way to use animation from the .obj files in a game though, I suppose its pointless. Then again, I can use Wings3D to convert it, after a significant amount of delay, to the .x format. It losses its textures though. Confused

Anyway to avoid that?

Legally is were the impossible thing lays. Physically is possible as I mentioned.Convert witha converter to wrl, Reduce at Vizup, export as wrl. Convert to 3ds or ASE, or ASC. Import into npherno MD3 compiler (in my signature...) , rebuild normals there. Export as md3. Use the existing md3 loader for irrlicht if it works. Pre pay the lawyers to fight against Curious Labs's Poser

Imho. best way is...use dhenton(irrlicht user here) Blender pre rigged models(maybe modify the meshes as u need for ur project, if that's allowed in dhenton license), and animate your own in Blender as you would need.

Other way I TESTED, import an obj in GMAX, create an skeleton there, export as md3 AND md2.There are available plugins, surely also in my sig...

Other way, import an OBJ (better NOT a poser model but a real free human model, or do your own,or have some friend make it for u) in Blender, or as WINGS file (works better in latest Blenders) provided you triangulated or quadrangulated in WINGS!! . Then, add it an armature (is an skeleton) asign the weights, make the animations. You have available free md3 and md2 exporters. (surely in my sig, too.Updates of the plugins happens often, but most of that stuff worked perfect with Blender 2.36, which was quite good enough)

Other way use max and export as md2 and md3. There are plugins, md2 one is harder to find. I have an old free one that works fully.

Other way if you purchased Character Fx, that one exports md2.Or 3ds keyframes that can be imported in npherno md3 compiler to make and md3 out of it.Withthesmoothing seam problem of md3. You may or not mind that.

Can Wings 3D reduce the ... are they called triangles, primitives, or

I do reduce by hand, but vizup is faster and does not require knowledge.

quote[]polygons, or are all of these basically the same thing? Sorry, my brain is mush today.[/quote]

Lol. Polygons are...Triangles, quads, or n-gons(any number of sides polygon). You reduce polygons. usually makes tirangles out of it. Vizup does so.

And how do I preserve the textures?

Vizup. Use Vizup.

I can take a model, and add in skeletal animation through any number of programs, and uh.... well... just cut off parts of it and reattach it as joints perhaps? I don't know. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Don't cut it. Is ugly and you don't need it. In blender, you add bones, asign weights and tweak it till bend well. Download dhenton's blender irrlicht models so u can have a taste of what I mean. Indeed, make a full coding test with that till u can ouput something really by ur own in blender.

Converters surely supporting perfectly wrl format towards other formats :

comercial, but u can use for tests...unlimited.
http://micromouse.ca/

a 3d exploration unlimited beta. A rare thing that stayed in some places on the net.It can open wrl files and convert to whatever.Dig for "File Format Conversion Tools" , and where it says deep exploration, not that one, but the older converter, a "download it here" link.
http://www.davidhsmith.net/Essential_Tools.htm

A totally freeware converter used for eons. Crossroads 3d :

http://www.animatricity.com/pages/downl ... sroads.htm

Not easy to find. Site died. I have it many copies. I seem to have anything that is not anymore in the net bout graphics. Lol.

But is a bit of a hassle to upload to a temp place. It was a bit almost as hard to find that link, though...

To do what you want to do, you have a dozen ways.

Totally doable.

Wolf Dreamer · Post by **Wolf Dreamer** » Sun Dec 11, 2005 1:41 pm

Thanks for all your help.

I couldn't import into blender though, even after using poseray. Of course I had a lot of problems with Blender, it giving me all sorts of errors. The people on their forum said to just install an older version of python, and go through various steps... guess I need to get around trying that.

Anyway, since you've been so helpful, can you tell me about Gmax? I had it working for one day only, getting a regesteration thing by email and everything, but then it simply stopped. Everytime I try to run it, it loads up, then the program closes. I uninstalled and then reinstalled it, but its the same thing. Any ideas?

vermeer · Post by **vermeer** » Sun Dec 11, 2005 3:50 pm

in fact the other day saw anounced the stop of autodesk support to gmax, and possibly the death of it.

Is easier to learn than blender, and has smooth groups, but in the long run, blender has more life and has no restriction...

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Dec 27, 2005 5:46 am

Thanks for the post. I had the same question. I tried it out using the hi-res "jessi" model from poser 6.0.

VIZup shows the original model exported from Poser 6.0 to have 221,423 triangles! It Achieved a reduction down to 8,855 triangles! But looking at the most reduced model leaves a lot to be desired.

I'll try with a low-res model next time.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Dec 27, 2005 5:48 am

Doh! I didn't install the low-res models!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Dec 27, 2005 6:04 am

Pics of VIZup in action:

Jessi original (221,423 triangles):

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a175 ... ginal.jpg

Jessi 90% reduced (22,142 triangles):

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a175 ... duced.jpg

Jessi 95% reduced (11,071 triangles):

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a175 ... duced.jpg