Irrlicht Engine

So here's the situation. The artists at my company want to give me files in FBX format. Traditionally, we've used Polytrans to change them into the DirectX "x" format and use them that way.

What is the future of the "x" format? Is it going to change with DirectX 10 or 10.1, etc? Is there any good reason we should keep using that format?

People in my company think that FBX is the future. Is that true? Is FBX support planned for Irrlicht?

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just testing. I sware that wasn't what I typed. Interesting that it only changed the last one.

Because FBX is not an open format and there are no specifications available, it is unlikely to ever be supported natively by Irrlicht or any other non-commercial 3D engine. When we have finished rewriting the animated mesh format to support generic loaders, you could easily use the FBX API to create an external FBX loader for Irrlicht, but it will never become part of Irrlicht unless Autodesk release some source code or proper file format specifications (don't hold your breath!)
For the moment X and B3D are your two best options for importing animated meshes into Irrlicht. This is likely to expand to include Collada and other open formats in the future.
As for the future of FBX, it is unlikely to become as popular as X due to its closed nature. For the future, my money is on Collada, but don't expect X to go anywhere anytime soon.

FBX is an open format. See here:

http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/in ... id=6837478

In fact, it seems this would enable us to complete the Irrlicht Collada support, true?

But being practical, b3d is here (Luke) and md5(Sio) is comming (maybe after animation rewrite) .You can export both from Max. (ofc ourse, from blender and a collection more...)

I mean, development is already done there. And in my experience, md5 and b3d are waay capable for animated meshes.

I need a good route for going from Maya 7 on a Mac. Autodesk was nice enough to post plugins for exporting FBX from Maya 7 on the Mac, but it doesn't export a whole lot else that I recognize -- nothing listed in the supported formats section of the Irrlicht features page. What path would you recommend in this case?

Ok

I had some feel you were using Maya..don't ask me why, as is just...or maybe you said somewhere...

basically, Max already good exporters for md5, x and b3d. Somebody using fbx tends to be maya, max or xsi user...but xsi external free x plugin works...

In thelist of registered users of Maya i was told there was a working x plugin.

Anyway, while I've been a great defender of x for when was the most stablished and almost the only serious weights and bones format... I'd go now for b3d or md5... (I hope Sio will continue with it)

Maya can export as md5. But you need Doom III game installed...depends on your country, but the gameis being re-sold now legally at a ridiculous price...
The maya plugin for md5 what does is use the installed game to make the thingie.

My advice is...find an exporter for Maya 7 and x and use that with irrlicht for now...

Maya is a bit isolated in that...for md5 and maya, yes if you have the doom3 game...no b3d exporter that i know...

A way to do it is http://www.unwrap3d.com/ is 50$ but a freaking good converter and uvmap editor that ports animations... A nice nice tool.

It recently added Maya 7 support, I thing, but you wouldnt need if find an x exporter , indeed , with x u can play with irrlicht..I just recommend now better b3d (and md5 also in the future, both have their advantages).

here's talks bout maya 7 x export, but i havent read :

http://www.gamedev.net/community/forums ... _id=383794

yay!!
got collada support!!!