Game Development Community

Blender: 0.964 Exporter: LODs Mangle Animations

by Steve Acaster · in Artist Corner · 01/25/2010 (11:50 pm) · 0 replies

Note: This is probably only relevant to pre-0.97 DTS Exporter because of it's multi-armature export (but I haven't tested 0.97).

Issue:
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When exporting animations with a model that has multiple LODs (tested with 5 LODs), animations (DSQ files) which are created will be corrupted, and appear terribly mangled in-game.

Solution:
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Un-parent the extra LODs from Shape node, then export the animations. To get an "animation empty" model (smaller file size, uses the external DSQs so that way multiple models can share the same animations if they have the same armature structure) re-parent the LODs and export without exporting DSQs (which you will now already have seperate and functioning correctly).


Issue discovered when tweaking/adding animations to a fully LODed/completed model. Usually I create all relevant animations after completing just mesh LOD_0, then create remaining LODs as the final job - hence why I had never encountered this before despite 2 years of Blender DTS. Many hours of annoyed embafflement ensued before Holmes-esque deduction brought about a successful conclusion to the matter.

"Eliminate all other factors, and the one which remains must be the truth, my Dear Watson ... now make fast with the laudanum!"