Converting FBX to GLM and rigging a model

[ShenLong Kazama]

I need advice regarding converting models and rigging them, since i'm trying to convert a fbx file to glm and rig the model to an already existing skeleton. What i wanna do is convert a specific fbx file into glm, with correct UV mapping and textures and make it use the skeleton of a model that's already using the fitting animations. I couldn't find a tutorial, and some of the tools i found only work if some of the first working steps are done, so i would appreciate any assistance anyone can provide.

[ooeJack]

Heya ShenLong Kazama.

 

 

Do you mean 'convert a specific fbx file into glm' that you have a "modelname.fbx" and want to simply export it as a .glm? Or doing the steps required to get it to that state?

You'll need to do a whole bunch of extra steps than just converting to glm and changing skeleton to get this to work.

 

Have you seen these tutorials? These should help you out.  

- http://psyko3d.50webs.com/tutorials/jk2_guide.htm

- http://psyko3d.50webs.com/tutorials/spacemonkey/jk2.htm

 

Also, what 3D program are you using?

 

 

ooeJack

[ShenLong Kazama]

Heya ShenLong Kazama.

 

 

Do you mean 'convert a specific fbx file into glm' that you have a "modelname.fbx" and want to simply export it as a .glm? Or doing the steps required to get it to that state?

You'll need to do a whole bunch of extra steps than just converting to glm and changing skeleton to get this to work.

 

Have you seen these tutorials? These should help you out.  

- http://psyko3d.50webs.com/tutorials/jk2_guide.htm

- http://psyko3d.50webs.com/tutorials/spacemonkey/jk2.htm

 

Also, what 3D program are you using?

 

 

ooeJack

 

Blender, though i barely know what i'm doing. I'm trying to convert his model to glm and attach it to the AT-AT skeleton. http://www.mediafire.com/file/05d0rqtxqkh9cq5/AT-ACT.rar

 

While the model is larger than the AT-AT skeleton, the skeleton could be edited perhaps.

[mrwonko]

If you barely know what you're doing, learn to use Blender first. There are plenty of tutorials on that. You need to learn about basic navigation, modelling, uv mapping and skeletal animation at least, I reckon.

 

I believe Blender can retarget animations from one skeleton to a different one, which you could use if the model doesn't quite fit the AT-AT's skeleton. I don't know how exactly to do that though.

[Kualan]

If you barely know what you're doing, learn to use Blender first. There are plenty of tutorials on that. You need to learn about basic navigation, modelling, uv mapping and skeletal animation at least, I reckon.

 

I believe Blender can retarget animations from one skeleton to a different one, which you could use if the model doesn't quite fit the AT-AT's skeleton. I don't know how exactly to do that though.

 

Can not reiterate this enough. When I was starting out I tried to focus on just learning how to do the very specific process I wanted to achieve, figuring I could just follow some step-by-step tutorial for that and not worry about the other stuff. But the truth is it's practically impossible without first learning the basics of Blender.

 

It might seem inconvenient if you're just trying to do one thing, but just invest a couple of hours in following a basic Blender tutorial series (of which there are loads on YouTube) and it will make life SO much simpler for you when you then try to learn how to do things with specific formats or plugins like .GLMs. Trust me, it will pay off.

[ShenLong Kazama]

Can not reiterate this enough. When I was starting out I tried to focus on just learning how to do the very specific process I wanted to achieve, figuring I could just follow some step-by-step tutorial for that and not worry about the other stuff. But the truth is it's practically impossible without first learning the basics of Blender.

 

It might seem inconvenient if you're just trying to do one thing, but just invest a couple of hours in following a basic Blender tutorial series (of which there are loads on YouTube) and it will make life SO much simpler for you when you then try to learn how to do things with specific formats or plugins like .GLMs. Trust me, it will pay off.

 

Since your knowledge of modeling is far above mine, what's your opinion on the model? Is it possible to place the textures correctly, convert it to glm and make it usable in ModView and ingame? Because some models are more or less impossible to get them to work.

[Kualan]

Since your knowledge of modeling is far above mine, what's your opinion on the model? Is it possible to place the textures correctly, convert it to glm and make it usable in ModView and ingame? Because some models are more or less impossible to get them to work.

It should be possible, since the really difficult part (making the custom animations) already exists in the form of the current AT-AT model available for JKA. 

 

Once imported, in theory you would just need to delete any existing weights/rigging in the .FBX file and re-do them (this time aligning the weights to bones that exist in the original JKA AT-AT's skeleton). The proportions between the old and the new model is what will determine the success of this (scale doesn't matter, just the proportions of the model's individual parts in relation to each other and how these have been modelled with the intended animations in mind).

 

For textures, importing the .FBX file should retain its UV mapping so you won't need to re-map the UV for .glm.

 

 

But on the other hand, I would say this is a particularly involved choice to do for your first Blender .glm edit. A lot of it is very specific and different to standard humanoid skeleton editing, you may want to familiarize yourself with those processes first as at the moment you're sort of trying to achieve the 'exception' without first learning the 'typical' if that makes sense?

[ShenLong Kazama]

It should be possible, since the really difficult part (making the custom animations) already exists in the form of the current AT-AT model available for JKA. 

 

Once imported, in theory you would just need to delete any existing weights/rigging in the .FBX file and re-do them (this time aligning the weights to bones that exist in the original JKA AT-AT's skeleton). The proportions between the old and the new model is what will determine the success of this (scale doesn't matter, just the proportions of the model's individual parts in relation to each other and how these have been modelled with the intended animations in mind).

 

For textures, importing the .FBX file should retain its UV mapping so you won't need to re-map the UV for .glm.

 

 

But on the other hand, I would say this is a particularly involved choice to do for your first Blender .glm edit. A lot of it is very specific and different to standard humanoid skeleton editing, you may want to familiarize yourself with those processes first as at the moment you're sort of trying to achieve the 'exception' without first learning the 'typical' if that makes sense?

 

Yeah sort of, how long would it take? Atleast the model doesn't need to be made from scratch.

[Kualan]

You could also just cut out the main 'body' part of the AT-ACT and kitbash that to the existing AT-AT model instead, which would save you all the hassle of re-weighing the legs, etc. I imagine the 'body' is weighed to just one or two bones so would be pretty quick to do.

[ShenLong Kazama]

You could also just cut out the main 'body' part of the AT-ACT and kitbash that to the existing AT-AT model instead, which would save you all the hassle of re-weighing the legs, etc. I imagine the 'body' is weighed to just one or two bones so would be pretty quick to do.

 

Well i only need the head, body and container, the legs of the AT-AT suffice. But i still need to convert the model and place the textures properly. I tried to attach said parts to the AT-AT skeleton, oh boy that didn't work at all.