WIP Fixing the dotXSI 3.0 Exporter for 3ds Max...

[Archangel35757]

Sounds like a good idea for both the *off & the material name. I remember a MD3 exporter from ages ago that used the material editor slot name, it worked good.

I'm not liking the idea of using the material editor slot name for the relative texture path... but it's the simplest... I may look into something else...

 

In the JO root.xsi files the SI_Material template is named the mesh object name, e.g.:

 

SI_Material Davinci_Male01_TrueBones.hips      //(LOD 0)

 

SI_Material Davinci_Male01_TrueBones.hips_1  //(LOD 1), etc.

 

But in my exporter the SI_Material matches the 3ds Max Material Editor slot name (and I kind of like this...)

 

In the JO root.xsi file the SI_Texture2D template uses the mesh object name as well... (I'm fine with doing the same here...)

 

...but because you can assign different materials from different folders-- like the caps texture coming from the stormtrooper folder... I don't see a better way than by using the Material Editor slot to name the relative path.

[Archangel35757]

The JO and JA root files use the following for SI_GlobalMaterial:

 

                    SI_GlobalMaterial {
                        "ISIS2_Maquette_kyle_MeshPose",
                        "INHERITED",
                    }

 

 

...whereas the current dotXSI code has:

 

                    SI_GlobalMaterial {
                        "Scene_Root",
                        "NODE",
                    }

 

I think I'll change it from "Scene_Root" to "Scene_Default" -- any other suggestions?

[Archangel35757]

Update:

 

So I have the XSI_CustomPSet template being written out... but I'm having a problem getting the data populated into it... should have been straightforward-- not sure what I'm doing wrong.

    *
    *
    *
    
    SI_Visibility  {
        1,
    }

    SI_GlobalMaterial  {
        "models/players/jedi_malak/body.tga",
        "NODE",
    }

    XSI_CustomPSet hips.Game {
        "NODE",
        0,
    }
    
    *
    *
    *

[Archangel35757]

Update:  Ok... so I have the XSI_CustomPSet template now exporting out correctly ( I was misinterpreting the template... but finally I saw the light! :blink: ).

 

Here's the new template output for the hips mesh:

XSI_CustomPSet hips.Game {
     "NODE",
     1,
     "Shader","Text","models/players/jedi_malak/body.tga",
}

Much thanks to @@DT85 for finding the missing template that was causing the .skin file to fail being written!

 

In my test file I deleted the caps... but here is the resulting model_default.skin file:

hips,models/players/jedi_malak/body.tga
r_leg,models/players/jedi_malak/body.tga
l_leg,models/players/jedi_malak/body.tga
hips_belt,models/players/jedi_malak/body.tga
torso,models/players/jedi_malak/body.tga
r_arm,models/players/jedi_malak/body.tga
r_hand,models/players/jedi_malak/basic_hand.jpg
l_arm,models/players/jedi_malak/body.tga
l_hand,models/players/jedi_malak/basic_hand.jpg
head,models/players/jedi_malak/head_jedi.tga
head_face,models/players/jedi_malak/head_jedi.tga
head_eyes_mouth,models/players/jedi_malak/head_jedi.tga
hips_flaps,models/players/jedi_malak/body.tga

 

It's a straightforward matter now to add a check to see if the mesh is hidden at the time of export... and if so, replace the relative texture path with the *off flag.

 

A note on how to properly use this new feature:  In order for Carcass.exe to properly make a .skin file, you must now name your Material Editor slots with the relative path to your texture (e.g., models/players/jedi_malak/body.tga ), instead of the typical "xx - Default" name that 3ds Max gives it.

 

Thanks to everyone for their patience.  There are a couple of other things I want to investigate this weekend, but  I should have updated plugins submitted to the utilities section soon.

[Archangel35757]

@@minilogoguy18 -- do bones in Softimage have a default material assigned to them when they're created? Bones in 3dsMax do not... but the dotXSI exporter gives them a global default material (which I could modify/eliminate if necessary).

[minilogoguy18]

That material you're seeing is just one in the library under Davinci_Male01_TrueBones which is a Softimage Model.

 

Using Model's you can have multiple scene objects organized containing the same names in a scene without having naming mismatches. They more than likely worked with large scenes but to answer your question, no, in Softimage bones do not have a material.

 

I also believe @@Corto knows how to get proper .skin files as well as .shader files automatically written using Softimage.

[Archangel35757]

That material you're seeing is just one in the library under Davinci_Male01_TrueBones which is a Softimage Model.

 

Using Model's you can have multiple scene objects organized containing the same names in a scene without having naming mismatches. They more than likely worked with large scenes but to answer your question, no, in Softimage bones do not have a material.

 

I also believe @@Corto knows how to get proper .skin files as well as .shader files automatically written using Softimage.

Did you not see my earlier post about the successful .Skin file creation? It imports into ModTool as well... but if you are working natively in Mod Tool, Then all you have to do is add a custom property onto your mesh nodes-- called "Game" then add a parameter to that called "Shader" and the value is the relative texture path.

 

 

Do characters use .Shader files?

[minilogoguy18]

Anything that uses a texture can use a .shader file.

[Archangel35757]

Anything that uses a texture can use a .shader file.

While I know that a savvy user could create this file in any 3D app, I thought ShaderED was the de facto tool, no?

[minilogoguy18]

Most people use Notepad but ShaderED is meant to be a UI interface that's easier to understand although it doesn't come with a manual so most people don't know how to use it.

[Archangel35757]

Most people use Notepad but ShaderED is meant to be a UI interface that's easier to understand although it doesn't come with a manual so most people don't know how to use it.

I believe you'll find a ShaderED manual in the SoF/SoF2 SDK assets... called SoF2_Shaders.doc which talks about using ShaderED2.

[DT.]

Seriously though, we shouldn't have to dive through SoF2's SDK just to find help for JKA's tools. Everything we need and all the documentation should be with JKA's tools that Raven released, guess they were either lazy or did a rush job.

[Archangel35757]

So this is the design I made, using the respective logos, that will go into the new "About" dialog:

 

 

Any comments or suggestions?

[Circa]

Is that Comic Sans I see? 

[Archangel35757]

Is that Comic Sans I see? 

Yes... on the words: "Exporter for"

 

It's the Photoshop font that best matches the Softimage|XSI font. Is there a problem?

[therfiles]

Is that Comic Sans I see? 

 

Yes... on the words: "Exporter for"

 

It's the Photoshop font that best matches the Softimage|XSI font. Is there a problem?

 

Not a big deal, more of a picky cosmetic thing, but font...  "enthusiasts" recognize that certain fonts are overused. Comic Sans is just one of those fonts that make people cringe when used in a non-comic book situation. It's almost as bad as papyrus.

 

Again, not a problem, but if you are interested in fixing it, here are some other fonts that may look better!

[Circa]

The font they use is actually just Lithos Pro, but I think they added a 1 pixel stroke to it or something.

[Circa]

@@therfiles @@Circa... I don't see Lithos Pro in CS2.

http://www.fontpalace.com/font-download/Lithos/

 

[Archangel35757]

Perhaps this is a little better for you Comic Sans haters

 

 

I didn't crop it out evenly... but you get the picture.

[Archangel35757]

 

 

Feedback?

[Circa]

Looks good to me. 

[Archangel35757]

May add a release date...

[Archangel35757]

@@DT85 -- the way the "Remove helper bones (CS Biped)" works is...

 

It checks the node if ( (type == max bone node && is biped class ID) || (contains string "Bip") )

 

...so you could add a "Bip" prefix on your JO bone nulls and use that method to get rid of them... or just do "Export Selected"

[minilogoguy18]

You should change it though since the software is no longer called Softimage|XSI, should maybe just do dotXSI 3.x exporter or something.

[Archangel35757]

You should change it though since the software is no longer called Softimage|XSI, should maybe just do dotXSI 3.x exporter or something.

Where were you a few days ago?

 

Well, it's still called "Softimage" and the extension is still "XSI"... so I think it still works-- plus I've already submitted it.