Best file format for importing?
by Mark Barner · in Artist Corner · 07/31/2005 (9:49 am) · 7 replies
Was wondering what is the best file format to use when importing objects into Gamespace? Wavefront .obj or .X ? When I import a .x file it is huge and have to scale it down. Was also wondering which will import animations better. I am also wondering if there is some importer for 3dsmax files into Gamespace. Most of the content packs do not include Gamespace files. Mostly 3dsmax files.Thanks.
edit: spelling
edit: spelling
#2
you need to watch the version of the .X format you are using.
Some programs do have some sort of .cob file exporting available.
Another way is to use a program like Ultimate Unwrap 3d
It supports many file formats and would work well.
As Rex says, gamespace and milkshape can work together. In fact, the original version of gamespace used milkshape to save files into different formats.
07/31/2005 (2:24 pm)
Obj's dont have animation support.you need to watch the version of the .X format you are using.
Some programs do have some sort of .cob file exporting available.
Another way is to use a program like Ultimate Unwrap 3d
It supports many file formats and would work well.
As Rex says, gamespace and milkshape can work together. In fact, the original version of gamespace used milkshape to save files into different formats.
#3
To bad, as it would be a great way to use programs that don't have native dts support.
07/31/2005 (3:35 pm)
Actually, scratch the Unwrap3d idea. It doesn't export well between formats. Generally, you can get the mesh and uv's to export, but the rest, bones, animation, etc. is not supported or supported with severe limitations.To bad, as it would be a great way to use programs that don't have native dts support.
#4
Is there a Torque skeleton setup for Gamespace? I know one guy has it for 3dsMax and Maya. He is working on one for Bleender. Several people asked if he was going to make one for Gamespace and he said if someone wanted to help him he would work with them.
07/31/2005 (4:01 pm)
I don't have 3dsMax nor can afford it(that's why I bought Gamespace)...so the exporter will do me no good. I have unwrap 3d and already saw the limitations of the animations and bones. I was able to import one sequence at a time in... but it does not do 3dsMax files. Is there a Torque skeleton setup for Gamespace? I know one guy has it for 3dsMax and Maya. He is working on one for Bleender. Several people asked if he was going to make one for Gamespace and he said if someone wanted to help him he would work with them.
#5
Who is working on the skeleton?
I've been working off and on with a skeleton, trying to make it work well with the gamespace environement, (puppeteer, etc)
Of course, I want to have a compatible skeleton so we can use the default animations.
Also, I want to have as much as possible ready for the exporter, the notes, etc. (the updated version, 2, of the dark industries exporter)
gameSpace has a fairly painless ability to assign a skeleton to a mesh, so it would be nice to be able to build your mesh and drop in the skeleton.
My efforts are on hold right now, as I am moving across the country. I have little time right now to do any serious work.
07/31/2005 (4:38 pm)
Hi Mark,Who is working on the skeleton?
I've been working off and on with a skeleton, trying to make it work well with the gamespace environement, (puppeteer, etc)
Of course, I want to have a compatible skeleton so we can use the default animations.
Also, I want to have as much as possible ready for the exporter, the notes, etc. (the updated version, 2, of the dark industries exporter)
gameSpace has a fairly painless ability to assign a skeleton to a mesh, so it would be nice to be able to build your mesh and drop in the skeleton.
My efforts are on hold right now, as I am moving across the country. I have little time right now to do any serious work.
#6
Here is the link to his plan.
edit: missed quote bracket.
07/31/2005 (6:30 pm)
Jeff Gran talked about about his TorqueSkeleton Generator in his plan. Quote:Mark Barner (Jul 24, 2005 at 20:37)
Possible for for a Gamespace version?
Quote:Jeff Gran (Jul 25, 2005 at 06:08)
Aaron and Mark - I hope so. I want it to be fully cross-platform/cross-application. Gamespace is low on the priority list for right now though, since I don't know the first thing about it, don't have access to it, and don't think it's very widely used.... That said, if you or anyone you know is interested in helping me by adapting my script for Gamespace, I'd be happy to help in whatever way I can.
Here is the link to his plan.
edit: missed quote bracket.
#7
GameSpace decided to be very 'unique' in the way it dealt the Schema of Bones/Hingejoints. After exporting a shape from GameSpace, if you view the skeletal rig inside a Node exposing viewer, you will immediately notice something major: Your rig is allllll different.....and not what you constructed inside GameSpace environment.
.....All the HingeJoints that you used for a rotation reference point inside GameSpace, are missing! They don't seem to be recognized as that object anymore, instead the Bone object[between every 2 hingeJoints] in now the Rotational driver and appears as the Node in the exported shape and is how every Node is linked. An example: the Right Upper Leg[Thigh] HingeJoint is now actually located halfway down the thigh between the original lcation[top of leg] and the knee[exactly where the Bone object's COM is....;)]. This is the way in which gS figured the vertex weighting. And kinda explained why there was no example Rigged-player file to accompany the documentation, merely a StaticShapeMesh with textures.....
Now, when you export and read the .DMP file you'll notice that as the exporter begins culling unneeded Nodes from the shape, all the Joints cull and what's left in the chain moves to the Bone objects. You 'might' be able to use the .CFG file to manually reconstruct the rig back to it's orignal shape, and this may prove the way to get a rig out of GameSpace that is exactly the same as a Max,Maya,Milkshape rig that works perfectly with those sequences....like the TorqueSkeleton script or the SDK defaults, or the DTSPlus! example Scene/file[MrBox]. I wonder if that script is capable of producing a shape that loads the defaults, or is it a new defacto, default??
The closest I've come to reproducing my rigs is to build them inside GameSpace and then export the object to Milkshape3D[MountpointNode orientation may be off, but my new OnlineGuide should be able to fix that!]. If you name the BONES objects to a unique name, when exported to the Milkfarm, you'll get a linked skeleton[if not, they all are children of the Scene root! very bad], as this is mini example of what will happen when exporting to DTS format.....;). Forget about the HingeJoints once you leave GameSpace, worry about your Bones, seems everyother program out there is recognizing this object and not GameSpace's native "HingeJoint" as a Node.....they[Caligari] promptly painted themselves into a very small corner with this move.....ah well. Amazing, Bones leave the environment, but don't arrive....ahem. Which is why I have so much admiration for Mete C. and Milkshape[and always will]; a very 'lowend' program that does some fairly amazing things, while a program that costs X10 as much bogs down and cries and Borks hard work, please don't blame the woodsman here, it is the axe that aint' that razor sharp...........Bottom line is: Milkshape produces a player that loads Max produced DSQ files....and it cost $25, while GameSpace falls very short.
I hope this made some sense, and I don't want to crush expectations on seeing a working result anytime soon, I certainly hope I'm wrong....
...I have however; produced DSQ files from Milkshape that my GameSpace shape loaded...! So I ain't that bad a woodsman, ;). That is a whole different Process, I've not outlined yet, ;)....heh, heh.
08/01/2005 (8:38 am)
Hmmmmmm.....I use GameSpace and I am fairly certain you will never see a rig export out of GameSpace that can work with any other platform's results. I've outlined this in another Thread, but the basic reasoning is thus:GameSpace decided to be very 'unique' in the way it dealt the Schema of Bones/Hingejoints. After exporting a shape from GameSpace, if you view the skeletal rig inside a Node exposing viewer, you will immediately notice something major: Your rig is allllll different.....and not what you constructed inside GameSpace environment.
.....All the HingeJoints that you used for a rotation reference point inside GameSpace, are missing! They don't seem to be recognized as that object anymore, instead the Bone object[between every 2 hingeJoints] in now the Rotational driver and appears as the Node in the exported shape and is how every Node is linked. An example: the Right Upper Leg[Thigh] HingeJoint is now actually located halfway down the thigh between the original lcation[top of leg] and the knee[exactly where the Bone object's COM is....;)]. This is the way in which gS figured the vertex weighting. And kinda explained why there was no example Rigged-player file to accompany the documentation, merely a StaticShapeMesh with textures.....
Now, when you export and read the .DMP file you'll notice that as the exporter begins culling unneeded Nodes from the shape, all the Joints cull and what's left in the chain moves to the Bone objects. You 'might' be able to use the .CFG file to manually reconstruct the rig back to it's orignal shape, and this may prove the way to get a rig out of GameSpace that is exactly the same as a Max,Maya,Milkshape rig that works perfectly with those sequences....like the TorqueSkeleton script or the SDK defaults, or the DTSPlus! example Scene/file[MrBox]. I wonder if that script is capable of producing a shape that loads the defaults, or is it a new defacto, default??
The closest I've come to reproducing my rigs is to build them inside GameSpace and then export the object to Milkshape3D[MountpointNode orientation may be off, but my new OnlineGuide should be able to fix that!]. If you name the BONES objects to a unique name, when exported to the Milkfarm, you'll get a linked skeleton[if not, they all are children of the Scene root! very bad], as this is mini example of what will happen when exporting to DTS format.....;). Forget about the HingeJoints once you leave GameSpace, worry about your Bones, seems everyother program out there is recognizing this object and not GameSpace's native "HingeJoint" as a Node.....they[Caligari] promptly painted themselves into a very small corner with this move.....ah well. Amazing, Bones leave the environment, but don't arrive....ahem. Which is why I have so much admiration for Mete C. and Milkshape[and always will]; a very 'lowend' program that does some fairly amazing things, while a program that costs X10 as much bogs down and cries and Borks hard work, please don't blame the woodsman here, it is the axe that aint' that razor sharp...........Bottom line is: Milkshape produces a player that loads Max produced DSQ files....and it cost $25, while GameSpace falls very short.
I hope this made some sense, and I don't want to crush expectations on seeing a working result anytime soon, I certainly hope I'm wrong....
...I have however; produced DSQ files from Milkshape that my GameSpace shape loaded...! So I ain't that bad a woodsman, ;). That is a whole different Process, I've not outlined yet, ;)....heh, heh.
Torque Owner Rex
BrokeAss Games