Can someone help dig me out of Sketchup hole (LOD-related) [SOLVED]
by Keith G Wood · in Artist Corner · 05/28/2011 (9:47 am) · 4 replies
I've managed to get myself into something of a hole by creating a lot of model artwork in Sketchup, and now whatever route I follow to add LOD into T3D, I hit problems.
I tried to use the "LOD using separate models" - but that didn't work, so much so I've raised a bug on that one: http://www.garagegames.com/community/forums/viewthread/126081 - there has been no response to that yet.
Someone then kindly posted me a method to get LOD working in Sketchup using named components. I eventually managed to get a simple coloured cube example working. But (although I retain the working coloured cube model) I can't seem to repeat it; and I certainly can't get more detailed models working (I seem to get random rotations of the different components and the names with the detail number suffix rarely seem to actually make it into Torque). Maybe it's me missing something but I've spent hours getting nowhere. A summary is at: http://www.garagegames.com/community/forums/viewthread/126060
So then I thought I'd follow the advice (& tutorials) that say use blender to do LOD. But to do this I need to port my models to blender. If I just port collada all that manages to get across is the geometry - all the materials/textures get lost. If it was just one model this wouldn't be a problem - but I now have so much that I would have to redo it is depressing to think I can't port them intact.
I did find www.babel3d.com which works from sketchup V7 files to 3DS which can then be imported to blender - but it only works if the model doesn't contain textures (simple colours do seem to make it).
I am now very bleary-eyed, very depressed, and totally at a dead end. I need a sympathetic shoulder to cry on, and someone to say "you pillock - all you need to do is....."
Ideally, I'd like someone to say that LOD from separate (sketchup sourced KMZ) models will be made to work OK in 1.1 final (& I'll defer the LOD work til that is available). Or, tell me what vital step I am missing in the Sketchup "naming components" LOD method. Or lastly (because it will be the most effort) a way to successfully port all the SKetchUp models into blender (retaining the texture/material information).
Failing the above, I'm pretty much going to have to throw away several weeks of model making work, and start again in blender (which is too horrible to contemplate at the moment).
So if someone can throw a lifeline for this I will be eternally grateful.
I tried to use the "LOD using separate models" - but that didn't work, so much so I've raised a bug on that one: http://www.garagegames.com/community/forums/viewthread/126081 - there has been no response to that yet.
Someone then kindly posted me a method to get LOD working in Sketchup using named components. I eventually managed to get a simple coloured cube example working. But (although I retain the working coloured cube model) I can't seem to repeat it; and I certainly can't get more detailed models working (I seem to get random rotations of the different components and the names with the detail number suffix rarely seem to actually make it into Torque). Maybe it's me missing something but I've spent hours getting nowhere. A summary is at: http://www.garagegames.com/community/forums/viewthread/126060
So then I thought I'd follow the advice (& tutorials) that say use blender to do LOD. But to do this I need to port my models to blender. If I just port collada all that manages to get across is the geometry - all the materials/textures get lost. If it was just one model this wouldn't be a problem - but I now have so much that I would have to redo it is depressing to think I can't port them intact.
I did find www.babel3d.com which works from sketchup V7 files to 3DS which can then be imported to blender - but it only works if the model doesn't contain textures (simple colours do seem to make it).
I am now very bleary-eyed, very depressed, and totally at a dead end. I need a sympathetic shoulder to cry on, and someone to say "you pillock - all you need to do is....."
Ideally, I'd like someone to say that LOD from separate (sketchup sourced KMZ) models will be made to work OK in 1.1 final (& I'll defer the LOD work til that is available). Or, tell me what vital step I am missing in the Sketchup "naming components" LOD method. Or lastly (because it will be the most effort) a way to successfully port all the SKetchUp models into blender (retaining the texture/material information).
Failing the above, I'm pretty much going to have to throw away several weeks of model making work, and start again in blender (which is too horrible to contemplate at the moment).
So if someone can throw a lifeline for this I will be eternally grateful.
About the author
The perverse mind behind Bad Taste Software: http://www.badtastesoftware.co.uk
#2
I know a bit about COLLADA and TSShapeConstructor; if you can provide me an example of the models that you are having trouble with (eg. 1 or 2 detail levels, along with how you want it to look/work) I'll see if I can get them working. Email is in my profile, don't forget to remove the NULL.
05/28/2011 (10:43 pm)
Hi Keith,I know a bit about COLLADA and TSShapeConstructor; if you can provide me an example of the models that you are having trouble with (eg. 1 or 2 detail levels, along with how you want it to look/work) I'll see if I can get them working. Email is in my profile, don't forget to remove the NULL.
#3
05/30/2011 (10:43 pm)
A big thank you to Chris for his help off-forum. Will attach the solution to http://www.garagegames.com/community/forums/viewthread/126081 
#4
06/01/2011 (1:32 pm)
Ehi Keith, did you see my last reply to the original thread with the screencast about exporting from sketchup with working lods?
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