good news on the x file export thing... :)

vermeer · Post by **vermeer** » Sun Jul 04, 2004 9:33 pm

..Blender exporter now , as I see it , in my tests , fully functional

There are some use advice to mention, but I am seeing it basicly seamless.

I don't know how it will deal with the engine, yet, though...

I am tired now, but tomorrow or so I will post here a download with an x file to see if anyone is kind -and knows how to load an x file in irrlicht

- to test it in Irrlicht

I did a VERY BAD rig of my well known model, just a very quick thing, with terrible weighting, as I only wanted to check all goes as expected, and looks like it is so..!

avi screen capture

[oh, you need avi divx codec to see it]

that is an screen capture on how it is seen the exported file in realtime 3d viewing...

There's two big errors of rigging of mine in the arm, the chest, etc...not exporter's fault, but mine.

Is not oficially released yet, we're making the tests yet, and I don't know the Ben's plans. But i suspect this is gonna be out soon

Tomorrow I'll put the x file for you to check it loads ok in Irrlicht

jox · Post by **jox** » Sun Jul 04, 2004 11:03 pm

Good news! But what's that?

skipping: test_n2.avi
unsupported compression method 9

vermeer · Post by **vermeer** » Mon Jul 05, 2004 6:06 am

That is divx codec 5.02 (if you have a newer version you should be able to open it...) Is just that with that codec I get more compression and still much fluid motion... is a windows codec, I don't know if there's a linux version of it....

I could have used xvid, but then, most windows users would not have it....

several hours later I'll output an x file for any of you (if sveral people, better

) to test in irlicht...

bal · Post by **bal** » Mon Jul 05, 2004 8:34 am

Oh thx³ vermeer. I've been trying to export my gun model whole day yesterday. It didn't want to open in MeshView. Blender 2.33a, tried all plugins (last one didn't work, exported nothing but headers).

Please advice me because it's turning me mad

jox · Post by **jox** » Mon Jul 05, 2004 12:05 pm

uhm, I get this error while trying to unpack the zip file. Doesn't work neither with winrar nor with winzip...

vermeer · Post by **vermeer** » Mon Jul 05, 2004 1:13 pm

the version I'm helping him for is 2.34 based I think.

But...I already had exported much older versions of the exporter, my OBJ models imported into blender (objiomodified script) , exported as x, opened in every single x viewer I have around , no probs, and I have many...

SO I guess there's some specific problem with you rmodel, or you had bad luck and did chose a "problematic" version of the exporter, after all , it has been for long time a wip, now I think it's gonna see the happy end

Let's do this if u can :

upload to somwhere and put me the link here to ur gun in a zip, I'll download it and see if there's some problem with the mesh, as could be. It happens in many softwares.

I have now installed the very latest version, so I'll export it as x and upload a link for you..

hmmm...or post ur email if u don't want everybody grab ur model...

In relation to me, don't worry, I'm a modeller and for pride I never use any other person models in my projects...

I have a load of other converters: in worse case I'll make an x conversion, but I have all the sdk dx viewers, so I ' think I'll get ur gun perfectly exported with this latest version of x exporter.

vermeer · Post by **vermeer** » Mon Jul 05, 2004 3:25 pm

ok...

maybe some problem with the zip...

though I had downloaded and opened fine...but one never knows.

So I uploaded a new file...it has:

-the avi I captured yesterday
-the x file I want you all to test

-a tiny bmp texture which is not the same name that the one was originally in the blender file, so you may have to link your self...well, if have trouble, don't link it at all...is for the mesh and animation mainly.
As I already know that the mesh exported keeps correctly the smoothing, the UV coords too. And usually in any engine linking the bitmap is a minor stuff.

Take in account that :

- the model was terribly rigged in a few seconds, for testing it quickly , as I always do in these cases.(problems u'll see: bad weighting(deformation) in chest, bad weighting in forearm in the arm without shoulder plate...and several more)

- The texture is bad and unended, as I already had said.

Please, is very good if u report here that it went ok, but it'd be GREAT if even could compile an exe for me to download and see it in realtime, so I can check -as I did the model and rig and know where it has errors, and which errors may be done by the engine...so to spot things quickly.. - it all...

I hope at least one experienced "irrlichter" makes a test so I can find the problems in the import...

Thanks!

ZIP FILE

It's just 1 MB

a last note...it was rigged in Blender 02 July 2004. With that TEST BUILD, I mean. That is, I think, a non final version of Blender 2.34.

And of course, with the very latest x exporter plugin Ben sent me.

bal · Post by **bal** » Mon Jul 05, 2004 4:03 pm

vermeer, sent the particular file.

vermeer · Post by **vermeer** » Mon Jul 05, 2004 4:29 pm

sorry if I answer here, I loose track easy of PMs, so I'd continue here (I wont reveal nothing of that model here)

The problem is in the mesh itself.

Ultimate unwrap and other universal readers didn't read it, nor even in other format.

I am not very familiar with Blender mesh editing, but confirmed what was suspecting in a first look in Blender...

weird geometry

You extruded a plane not building the left-behind faces.
mixed also with cilinders (too tesselated for a game)

The result: a mesh with normals pointing some inside, some outside. Not unified.

I tried to unify in Metasequoia, but then I realized the only solution is go selecting each face or multi0ple selection, and invert those. As they're not inverted, only some.
And is a complex mesh for me to go one by one...

My advice is start anew, sorry

besides, there was some problem with the mesh object name or something...

and it had no UVs.

But it must have something really weird inside as no viewer wanted it...

Don't worry, these things happen...

If I had more time I'd patiently fix it for you....

The model itself is cool. Seems you used some good reference.

bal · Post by **bal** » Mon Jul 05, 2004 6:31 pm

vermeer, do you have any tips how to model good? How do you have to begin modding that weapon? Now I just added vertices and then conntected them (which is not good like you say). And without cilinders, how can you make round shapes then?
Srry for these questions but I'd like to remodel it

Reference image was just found on google: http://images.21dnn.com/mmsource/image/ ... ak47-3.jpg

vermeer · Post by **vermeer** » Mon Jul 05, 2004 7:37 pm

you probably were making good...

But when you closed the shape, you made some faces inverted, and probably othe rthings which I don't know...

also, for videogames, it should not be used cilinders if you leave them unconnected.Or better said: join them at vertex level with the rest of the object. Not attach only, but actually weld th evertices. This involves quite amore knowledge of low pol modelling as new teselation will appear in the borders...

Do cilinders, yep, but not so high count. Less sides. Smooth shading wil make them look hi res.

Also, when so tiny, it is even less noticed.

never let geometry that is not seen inside the model .Each polygon counts for performance, but also to avoid weird conversions or engine problems...

if a piece of the weapon is gonna be animated -in reload, for example- that part must not be welded, but independent. But as a block itself, not made of ino joined tiny parts itself.

The tracing u did was good and u traslated good to 3d. You need more experience to close the meshes: the nitty gritty of editing the mesh, but you have good ideas on how to do it.

Also, care to jon vertices that are exactly coincident.

Some stuff you still can't control for probably not too experienced: you learn that in the way.

You exported it with no UV coords, so you would not be able to texture it.

An easy way for you to UV it in Blender is map from window from side view (numeric pad key "1" in ur scene , if I remeber well)

But in the Blender.org doc you should go to that section.

i also like a lot Metasequoia LE for modelling (not for uv mapping)
It's here :

http://www21.ocn.ne.jp/~mizno/main_e.html

remember, the LE is the only to export as an X file. The shareware one, does not allow export.

But Blender is also capable. I just like both.

Wings is great, also. www.wings3d.com

vermeer · Post by **vermeer** » Wed Jul 07, 2004 3:20 pm

hey.

what happens. no one is capable of loading it?

it'd be Blender, bones and weights traslated to the engine.. Argh.

I'm waiting to report to Ben...

bal · Post by **bal** » Wed Jul 07, 2004 3:40 pm

It works, but it's kind of beyond repair ...

vermeer · Post by **vermeer** » Wed Jul 07, 2004 4:43 pm

ehm...have you tried to re-save in mview?

i forgot to do that...

bal · Post by **bal** » Wed Jul 07, 2004 5:10 pm

vermeer wrote:ehm...have you tried to re-save in mview?

i forgot to do that...

Woops, did it, now it's perfect

Any ideas when Ben is gonna release that version?