JKA modding question: Using Autodesk Maya to edit models?

[battle111]

Hello!

Recently l've been wondering is it possible to edit JKA and JKO models in Autodesk Maya 2014? l am highly skilled in Autodesk Maya modeling and animating models and l was wondering can l edit JKA and JKO models in Autodesk Maya?
l always liked playing JKA and JKO.

[Tempust85]

In theory, you can use noesis to convert the md3 or GLM to fbx for maya. I've never tested exporting a model to fbx with maya though as it's not my software of choice.

 

I'd like to work with you on this to see if it can be done.

[battle111]

Okay well l sometimes use 3dsMax l known 3dsMax is a great software but l'm more of a pro in Maya  ​ and okay l'll try your idea l will see how will it turn out.

[Tempust85]

I have a maya JKA skeleton for download on here but I'm on my phone so I can't link it. The skeleton is experimental as I'm a noob with maya.

[Asgarath83]

@@battle111 some years ago i have upload all animation of JKA, except someone, + the JKA skeleton into FBX format. i hope you can import the skeleton into maya for your jobs

 

Download: http://jkhub.org/files/file/1739-jka-animation-fbx-format/

[battle111]

@@Asgarath83 okay l will try to use the JKA skeleton thanks for the link and l believe this will be very useful

[Asgarath83]

@@Asgarath83 okay l will try to use the JKA skeleton thanks for the link and l believe this will be very useful

Good luck contact me if you got some issue. but shoul be work.

[battle111]

l hope the skeleton will work in the new version of Autodesk Maya 2016 but if so l will post the results  of editing models in this topic and two days l will not be at home because l'll be going on a trip  and when l return home l will resume working with JKA models in Autodesk Maya. l hope everything will turn out to be great.

[Tempust85]

Try mine http://jkhub.org/files/file/1862-maya-2014-jedi-academy-skeleton-tags/

[battle111]

Okay l'm back from my trip and now l'm ready to resume working and l think l will try both skeletons and l will see how things will turn out. Thank you for the links.

[Tempust85]

Let us know how you go, would be great to officially add maya to the list of 3d packages that can make JKA content.

[Archangel35757]

@@battle111 some years ago i have upload all animation of JKA, except someone, + the JKA skeleton into FBX format. i hope you can import the skeleton into maya for your jobs

 

Download: http://jkhub.org/files/file/1739-jka-animation-fbx-format/

IIRC, You imported the original dotXSI files using 3dsmax5 and then you exported it from Max5 to FBX format... but it is critical to know which axis system you used for FBX export (+Z up or +Y up) because if you chose the wrong one they could all be "invalid". And by that I mean that the local coordinate axes are all off by 90 degrees X-axis rotation... the local axes of the "FBX" bones must align with the Original Raven skeleton pose

[Asgarath83]

IIRC, You imported the original dotXSI files using 3dsmax5 and then you exported it from Max5 to FBX format... but it is critical to know which axis system you used for FBX export (+Z up or +Y up) because if you chose the wrong one they could all be "invalid". And by that I mean that the local coordinate axes are all off by 90 degrees X-axis rotation... the local axes of the "FBX" bones must align with the Original Raven skeleton pose

Originally i maked this conversion for help a friend to make a fangames into unity3d, because make animation for few persons was too expensive and long, we choose to use JKA animation into FBX format. and so i convert all animation of JKA + a special version of skeleton with bones parented to shapes. in that version of JKA skeleton the shapes of the animation make the movement into unity3d, and they moves the bones, that deform the rigged faces of models. we have tested all stuff into unity3d and that work perfectly. no deformation and no errors, so i think i exported the skeleton in the correcty way.

i downoloaded my old file and i importing into my 3d max the FBX file. also i ever merged the JA original skeleton to the fbx imorted skeleton and they match pretty wells. the unique issue i see are the tags. they are a little offsets in they position >_>

mmm, maybe is better if use your skeleton. strange. on unity 3d all worked fines ...  maybe he can have some tag problems. i am not sure. o.o

 

Checked options of exporting: i have making a standard exporting without any specific setting about axis,. also my exported not contain any option about the setting of axises.

Here a pic of  my fbx exporting: http://postimg.org/image/p3zf9p38d/

[Tempust85]

Might work for unity, but JKA requires bones to be a specific axis due to the torso pitching done in the code. My maya skeleton is transferred from 3ds max which hasn't been tested so won't know until both are tried.

[Archangel35757]

@@Asgarath83, @@DT85 -- Maya uses a +Y up coordinate system (same as Softimage). Therefore the Maya skeleton local axes need to exactly match the dotXSI root.xsi file (either the original Raven XSI files or dotXSI files exported from 3dsMax using the new 3dsMax dotXSI v1.8 exporters that @@DT85 and I fixed.

 

@@battle111 -- If Maya supports importing dotXSI v3.0/3.5 files then you just import and use the dotXSI files instead of the FBX files (so as to avoid yet another conversion process).

 

@@DT85 -- your Maya skeleton bone axes need to match the orientation as they are in a valid dotXSI file.

[Asgarath83]

@@Asgarath83, @@DT85 -- Maya uses a +Y up coordinate system (same as Softimage). Therefore the Maya skeleton local axes need to exactly match the dotXSI root.xsi file (either the original Raven XSI files or dotXSI files exported from 3dsMax using the new 3dsMax dotXSI v1.8 exporters that @@DT85 and I fixed.

 

@@battle111 -- If Maya supports importing dotXSI v3.0/3.5 files then you just import and use the dotXSI files instead of the FBX files (so as to avoid yet another conversion process).

 

@@DT85 -- your Maya skeleton bone axes need to match the orientation as they are in a valid dotXSI file.

Oh, damn, i understood. i never used maya. i am a max \ blender user. pity. well, almos for unity my animation are fine.

okay @@battle111 , sorry for my mistakes,  not use my FBX, use their job   sorry, i not knew that's issue of Yaxis offesetting of Maya and softimage. :S

[Archangel35757]

Oh, damn, i understood. i never used maya. i am a max \ blender user. pity. well, almos for unity my animation are fine.

okay @@battle111 , sorry for my mistakes, not use my FBX, use their job sorry, i not knew that's issue of Yaxis offesetting of Maya and softimage. :S

Please read carefully: I did not say your FBX files were "bad" ...because I have not had time to verify them. What I explained to you above is how you can verify that your FBX files have the correct pivot transforms (local axes)-- and if they do... then great! But if they don't comply with what I said above then... yes they would be bad and should not be used for any JO/JA animations.

 

Is that clear?

[Asgarath83]

Please read carefully: I did not say your FBX files were "bad" ...because I have not had time to verify them. What I explained to you above is how you can verify that your FBX files have the correct pivot transforms (local axes)-- and if they do... then great! But if they don't comply with what I said above then... yes they would be bad and should not be used for any JO/JA animations.

 

Is that clear?

Yes. they could be wrong file because should be an exporting issue about pivot coordinates of axes. understood. but i have not maya in any case, softimage too. so i cannot rig a model into maya for testing my FBX skeleton. :\ so i cannot know 100% if they works until someone not use for rig a test model, or check their correct axis alignment into softimage or maya. i haven't these programs. my exporter have not options about axises , because is an old fbx exporter. i working on the oldest max 5 version. so i hope really they works. depends all about is configured my exported  for convert the axis orientations. :\

[Archangel35757]

Simply re-import your FBX file for the root pose and compare to the 3dsMax skeleton. If the X, Y, and Z local axes match... then they're good... if not-- then they're bad. You could also import it into Softimage Mod tool and compare to @@minilogoguy18's rig.

[Tempust85]

I exported my skeleton from Max for maya using Y, so it should be ok.

[Archangel35757]

I exported my skeleton from Max for maya using Y, so it should be ok.

 

I wouldn't be too sure... just like how the Softimage Company's dotXSI importer/exporter only rotated the master scene node + or -90 degrees about the X axis (which is not a proper coordinate transformation for a linked hierarchy) ...the FBX exporter could have done the same bad method. We should check... I'll see how it looks in Maya.

[Archangel35757]

@@battle111 (or anyone with Maya2014), please load up @@DT85's Maya Skeleton and post a screenshot showing the local bone "joint" transform axes...

 

Inside Maya they should match this image (which depicts the Softimage +Y up coordinate system):

 

[Tempust85]

Ok, did another transfer from Max this time using my EP7 Stormtrooper. It works fine, BUT you can't have * in any object names so the tags do not get set as tags by noesis. @@RichW, possible workaround to convert objects starting with bolt_ to *?

 

Example: bolt_l_hand becomes *l_hand like carcass does.

 

 

P.S

 

LOD's do not work for Noesis properly. I get weird surface renaming and other various issues.

 

 

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@@battle111

 

Until there is a fix for Noesis, you can just rename anything starting with bolt_ to * using a text editor. Here's my Maya 2014 file: https://www.dropbox.com/s/l2vj7hzt71fppw8/EP7%20Stormie%20-%20Maya.ma?dl=0

 

VERY quick tutorial for exporting:

 

(not covering making a model here)

 

1. Make sure the scene's working units are in Inches, and the axis is Y

2. Export All, then choose FBX

3. Make sure you have axis set as Z, units as Inches (should say scale factor 1.0)

4. Click Export All button

5. Open up your FBX in a text editor. Do a replace all for everything starting with bolt_ changed to *

6. Open up the FBX in Noesis

7. Export as a GLM with this in advanced options: -scale 0.64 -g2exforceskeleton 53 -g2extagtrivertshift 4 -g2exorderbonesfromgla _humanoid.gla

8. Change the output name to model. Click Export and you're done

 

Notes:

 

Make sure you have the GLA in the exporting directory, so Noesis can read it.

[battle111]

Hello again! sorry for beeing out so long l had lot of work to do and l've been wondering can l use lightwave 3D for editing JKA models?

 

Just wondering l'll be using maya ofcourse for the JKA models editing too.