Iris Valve. Help to get Collada Animation into T3D
by Scott Warren · in Artist Corner · 01/17/2013 (5:45 pm) · 6 replies
I used Lightwave 9.6 to make this Iris Valve and exported in Collada format.
I then used a command line dae2dts --dsq-only IrisValve.dae to export the "ambient" DSQ file.
Afterwards, I placed the DAE, Texture, and the DSQ file into ../art/shapes/Iris directory.
Finally, I opened the Shape Editor for final editing.
I must be missing a some sort of step to get this to animate in the editor.
In the Properties section: "Sequence" Tab, next to "Source" I load the DSQ file from the same location.
What I see in the editor, is the Iris Valve opened beyond the start frame 0... it's spread outward.
The animation ping-pong shows me no indication of animation.
Would anyone mind assisting me with a method to get animated objects from Lightwave into T3D?
I can provide the files if it would help to solve this.
Here is a video sample clip of what it should look like, fully open and animated closed.
youtu.be/jIELZHpI7lU
I then used a command line dae2dts --dsq-only IrisValve.dae to export the "ambient" DSQ file.
Afterwards, I placed the DAE, Texture, and the DSQ file into ../art/shapes/Iris directory.
Finally, I opened the Shape Editor for final editing.
I must be missing a some sort of step to get this to animate in the editor.
In the Properties section: "Sequence" Tab, next to "Source" I load the DSQ file from the same location.
What I see in the editor, is the Iris Valve opened beyond the start frame 0... it's spread outward.
The animation ping-pong shows me no indication of animation.
Would anyone mind assisting me with a method to get animated objects from Lightwave into T3D?
I can provide the files if it would help to solve this.
Here is a video sample clip of what it should look like, fully open and animated closed.
youtu.be/jIELZHpI7lU
#2
Please download the file IrisValve.zip
I've included a T3D logo folder in the zip file. It's what I used to test the Collada export from Lightwave 9.6
01/18/2013 (5:43 pm)
www.filedropper.com/irisvalvePlease download the file IrisValve.zip
I've included a T3D logo folder in the zip file. It's what I used to test the Collada export from Lightwave 9.6
#3
The T3D logo model you also included rotates and I can see the bones transforming inside the shape editor. I can also import the T3D logo model into 3DSMAX via the *.OBJ format while for the Iris I wasn't able.
The only thing I can think of is that something went amiss during the export process. Unfortunately I don't use Lightwave, but I do know that in the OpenCollada export plugin for 3DSMAX it gives me an option to exclude animation exporting, perhaps a similar setting is enabled within Lightwave?
One last little thing: your texture for the model is 800x519, I'm not sure if you just slapped it on for testing but just in case: it's highly recommended to use textures within the power of 2 for the sake of the GPU.
Hope you find out what the problem is soon. Wish I could help more.
01/18/2013 (6:50 pm)
Thanks Scott, I loaded the model both into 3DSMAX and T3D and ran into the same problem: while the mesh and bones are present, the bones aren't animating.The T3D logo model you also included rotates and I can see the bones transforming inside the shape editor. I can also import the T3D logo model into 3DSMAX via the *.OBJ format while for the Iris I wasn't able.
The only thing I can think of is that something went amiss during the export process. Unfortunately I don't use Lightwave, but I do know that in the OpenCollada export plugin for 3DSMAX it gives me an option to exclude animation exporting, perhaps a similar setting is enabled within Lightwave?
One last little thing: your texture for the model is 800x519, I'm not sure if you just slapped it on for testing but just in case: it's highly recommended to use textures within the power of 2 for the sake of the GPU.
Hope you find out what the problem is soon. Wish I could help more.
#4
If I could figure out how to make "Followers" in Max, i'd do it with the 2013 student edition.
The whole point of this little test, is 2 part:
Be sure the Collada animation gets into T3D and It's part of a larger concept to include gears, chains and pistons.
01/18/2013 (6:58 pm)
Thanks for confirming. The texture I threw into the folder was the wrong size, I apologize for that. The file was resized to 512 x 512 and is in my T3D folder.If I could figure out how to make "Followers" in Max, i'd do it with the 2013 student edition.
The whole point of this little test, is 2 part:
Be sure the Collada animation gets into T3D and It's part of a larger concept to include gears, chains and pistons.
#5
The problem lies in figuring out how T3D wants that animation saved in the COLLADA file. If you're exporting animation sequences try to ensure that each one is exported separately and arranged so that the sequence starts at frame 0. This means that it's a lot of extra work to export character animations because you essentially end up having to make a whole MAX file for each animation sequence (in MAX - for some reason the animation sequence tags are not exported as sequence names using either OpenCOLLADA or Autodesk's exporter). Sorry I can't be much more help than that - I only started fiddling with this a week or two ago with the help of one of the GG animators, and now that's been cut short.
01/20/2013 (11:55 am)
Well, COLLADA animation definitely gets imported - the soldier was never exported as a .DTS model, it has always been COLLADA. And the Zombie Pack.The problem lies in figuring out how T3D wants that animation saved in the COLLADA file. If you're exporting animation sequences try to ensure that each one is exported separately and arranged so that the sequence starts at frame 0. This means that it's a lot of extra work to export character animations because you essentially end up having to make a whole MAX file for each animation sequence (in MAX - for some reason the animation sequence tags are not exported as sequence names using either OpenCOLLADA or Autodesk's exporter). Sorry I can't be much more help than that - I only started fiddling with this a week or two ago with the help of one of the GG animators, and now that's been cut short.
#6
I tried the same file as an FBX export to Unity, and it simply works.
I also tried the Collada file export to Unity, and I get the same error as I do in T3D.
01/20/2013 (12:09 pm)
I know what you say is correct, it's been my thought all along. This is why I ask for somebody to check the files and show me what I am not doing correctly.I tried the same file as an FBX export to Unity, and it simply works.
I also tried the Collada file export to Unity, and I get the same error as I do in T3D.
Torque Owner 000
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If you export the animation separately you'll have to add it to the objects properties.
If you like you can email me your appropriate files (DAE, DTS, DSQ, textures) and I'll take a look at it.