Utility request: Softimage plugins

[eezstreet]

Yeah, having MD3View or ModView serve as a two-way import/export for FBX would be the best option tbh. FBX seems to be the most common format out there, and ModView and MD3View both need the raw vertex data, so it'd be a simple matter of translating these vertices into the FBX format. I think, anyway.

[minilogoguy18]

Well if that works then it should be good enough, that way I guess it could either save as md3 or glm depending whether you're making a map object or a weapon.

[eezstreet]

Well if that works then it should be good enough, that way I guess it could either save as md3 or glm depending whether you're making a map object or a weapon.

Yeah, I don't know much about ModView. I don't think it actually exports to GLM, but I know that MD3View does.

 

I think @@Xycaleth's FBX importer is program-agnostic is it not? Should convert FBX->GLM. A modified ModView would be nice to convert GLM->FBX, and then a modified MD3View could import FBX. So...two steps total, and everything would be program-agnostic.

[minilogoguy18]

Well then, I guess the next question is, who's up for the challenge?

 

I'd rather not bother Xycaleth with it since he's working on rend2 again and that is far more important and probably the best thing he could possibly be devoting time to JA wise.

[eezstreet]

Well, taking a look at the OpenJK ModView source code, I'll need to convert it to use CMake. That shouldn't be too difficult in and of itself. After that, I'll probably poke it a little this weekend. 

[minilogoguy18]

Bad ass, lmk if you need any test models, I will be leaving town Sunday though and wont be back until Friday.

[eezstreet]

Bad ass, lmk if you need any test models, I will be leaving town Sunday though and wont be back until Friday.

I'd actually try and work on exporting, rather than importing. So if anything, I'd need anyone to check out whatever the program spits out, based on something simple like Kyle. That's supposing I get anywhere though.

[minilogoguy18]

Well opening a FBX file is what we need most, md3View exports both md3 and glm, I'm not worried about modview, don't know how that got mentioned up there or why.

[eezstreet]

In which direction? Importing a GLM or exporting?

[minilogoguy18]

The md3View program can save md3 models as GLM, what DT is saying would be best, to program md3view to open FBX files so that they could be saved as MD3.

 

In short I really just want some way to go from Softimage->MD3, don't really care about GLM since people who rip or frankenstein models find a GLM importer useful.

[eezstreet]

Hmmk. I don't know specifically how MD3View works, I haven't examined it yet, but ModView looks like it acts very, very similar to how the base game works.

[minilogoguy18]

ModView cannot load MD3 models though, all I want is MD3 support without having to use outside programs, ideally being able to export a MD3 model from Softimage would be best but the other method of getting md3View to load FBX files seemed easier.

[eezstreet]

hi

 

I have started work on getting MD3View to load FBXes, here is my progress so far.

 

 

 

 

 

no textures or animation supported yet (might not even support animations in the final product as it looks like FBX doesn't do vertex based animation, might just have to import the frames one by one)

[Xycaleth]

no textures or animation supported yet (might not even support animations in the final product as it looks like FBX doesn't do vertex based animation, might just have to import the frames one by one)

 

it does support vertex animations.

[eezstreet]

it does support vertex animations.

aha, you are correct indeed, I had to look through the samples a bit further to find it

[minilogoguy18]

Awesome, this will help a ton, that way just about any 3d software user will be able to generate MD3 files.

[eezstreet]

would be great to get some sample fbxes with textures

[eezstreet]

(WITH RELATIVE PATHS NOT ABSOLUTE ONES THX)

[mrwonko]

(WITH RELATIVE PATHS NOT ABSOLUTE ONES THX)

But that's actually one of the main things your importer should handle, it's bound to happen a lot.

[DT.]

The way the MD3 exporter for Max works is, you apply the texture to the mesh that has a path X:\blah\blah\blah\models\blah\model.md3. The exporter detects the 'models' part and removes everything before it and you're left with what I've highlighted in bold.

 

I'll send you an FBX to test with.

[eezstreet]

I can probably fix the relpath issue now that I think about it.

I'll need an FBX, but here are some restrictions:

- Cannot use quads, only tris

- UVing has to be done either in "ByControlPoint" or "ByPolygonVertex"

- TGA/JPG/PNG textures only

- One material per object (might be fixable but not sure yet)

- Only diffuse material is accepted

[minilogoguy18]

I don't think MD3 or GLM support more than 1 material per object, probably safe to say that only 1 should be used.

[eezstreet]

I don't think MD3 or GLM support more than 1 material per object, probably safe to say that only 1 should be used.

Yeah, as I understand it most of these limits are also in the game as well (with the exception of -i think- everything being in tris, and obviously the UV method)

[DT.]

No idea what "ByControlPoint" or "ByPolygonVertex" is, but I don't do anything weird when making UVW maps so it should be fine. The model was built in quads, but I exported it with the triangulation option checked. This also has an animation, may or may not work as I haven't done vertex animation in a very long time. I animated the actual mesh objects, one table leg should be on top of the table and the other should be moved to the centre of the table. Animation is only 10 frames. The format is FBX 2013 ASCII, Z axis up.

 

Included is the folder structure & texture:

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ylv5c0s1bg0k6ak/table%20fbx.zip

[eezstreet]

No idea what "ByControlPoint" or "ByPolygonVertex" is, but I don't do anything weird when making UVW maps so it should be fine. The model was built in quads, but I exported it with the triangulation option checked. This also has an animation, may or may not work as I haven't done vertex animation in a very long time. I animated the actual mesh objects, one table leg should be on top of the table and the other should be moved to the centre of the table. Animation is only 10 frames. The format is FBX 2013 ASCII, Z axis up.

 

Included is the folder structure & texture:

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ylv5c0s1bg0k6ak/table%20fbx.zip

could you provide a screenshot as to how its supposed to look?

 

also i haven't added anything in terms of animation yet so it's guaranteed to look messed up