File formats

[Ionic Wind Support Team]

I've just begun adding Wavefront .OBJ loading capabilities.  Any others you think would be beneficial? 

Perhaps we should have our own format as well.  While it's nice to have loaders for various formats I can do a lot more with a native one such as complete scene managament.

[Steven Picard]

I've just begun adding Wavefront .OBJ loading capabilities.ÂÃ,  Any others you think would be beneficial?ÂÃ, 

Perhaps we should have our own format as well.ÂÃ,  While it's nice to have loaders for various formats I can do a lot more with a native one such as complete scene managament.

That sounds like a good idea.  I wish I knew more about the different formats but I've heard of the format *.scene.  It's used for terrrain generators?

I figure the more formats supported the better and the easier it is use any 3D modelor and 3D Terrain builder out there.

[Kale]

I've just begun adding Wavefront .OBJ loading capabilities.  Any others you think would be beneficial?

The OBJ format would be beneficial, nice one! I also think that it may be an idea to include support for the Blitz 3D object format to try and encourage B3D users to try Aurora. Supporting the blitz format would make people more likely to switch as they wouldn't need to re-convert models or buy new modelling programs, etc. Not only this but it also makes the 'blitz only' utilities available to the Aurora community.

An Aurora only format would be cool too as long as an exporter is coded for Milkshape, etc...

[kryton9]

I think if directx support could be better than it currently is in Aurora that would be better.

For example in my other model viewer in another language I can bring in a direct x file that has multiple elements saved as one mesh, but each with their own textures and simple animations, mostly transform animations and they load and play fine. In aurora, only the first element gets loaded and you lose all the transform animations. Also not being able to play any animation wether boned or transform, from a start  frame to an end frame is currently not working in Aurora If those could be addressed. I think for now it would be perfect and good enough as most applications have exporters for directx already.

Your own format, a good idea but then we would need to write plugins for modeling apps. But I can see Aurora taking off in the future with all the cool things you are doing so planning for your own format is probably not a bad idea when that happens.

[Steven Picard]

...support for the Blitz 3D object format to try and encourage B3D users to try Aurora...

Excellent idea!!

[Ionic Wind Support Team]

I would.  If I could find any .b3d meshes anywhere.  The format is easy enough to follow from blitz's website

[Ionic Wind Support Team]

I think if directx support could be better than it currently is in Aurora that would be better.

Feel free to send me any meshes your having trouble with.  I can load multi textured X meshes that have multiple elements just fine.  There are two X loaders to choose from, you have to be sure your using the right ones.

The skinned X loader is from Microsoft themselves.  And it seems to work OK with the limited amout of models I have.

[Todd Riggins]

http://www.psionic3d.co.uk/cgi-bin/imageFolio.cgi?direct=Free%20Stuff/3D%20Models

I know the ninja model there is an animated .b3d object.

[kryton9]

Ok this is a directx object, 3 elements into one mesh. You will see a brick block, an eye that moves up and down and sort of elongates and contracts when moving and a cylinder acting as a shadow.

I will send the code I wrote in the other language and you can see I only open up the one directx file that is included in the zip.
I will attach a jpg too so you can see what you should see once the object is rotated properly in the model viewer.

Sorry the executeable even zipped was too big too attach.

[Ionic Wind Support Team]

OK I do have the loader displaying all models in the .X file now.  It was loading them, just not doing anything with any extra frames.

Getting it to animate is another matter.  The skinned X loader was designed for boned/skinned animations only.  I'll have to create a separate interface to handle framed animations.

[J B Wood (Zumwalt)]

B3D attached including all files needed for it.
I gened this in T.Ed (one of my terrain editors, I love this program)

[kryton9]

Frame animations are a lot easier to put together, so that will be great.

On the tiny model, I couldn't get it to play within a range of frames either. That is a start and end. That might need some checking also, but I am not sure if I was sending the right info in the parameters either, but thought I would mention it

[Ionic Wind Support Team]

Skinned animations are in tracks.  There isn't a start and end, just a time.  The 'end' parameter is ignored and the 'start' parameter is used to specify the track to play.

[kryton9]

So you would just pass it the name of the track you want to play in the start? THat is if there was a walk set, fall set, idle set. You would just send it the name of the set?  'walk', 'fall','idle'  ?

[Ionic Wind Support Team]

The ID of the animation.  They start at '0'.  Or use '-1' to stop the animations.

Right now the engine has better support for MD2.  You can refer to the animation by name.

[kryton9]

Thanks, for the info and efforts. I also saw the reply about features that will be coming in another thread and was drooling. Definitly lots of fun things to play with now and in the coming future!!

[John S]

Has anyone used Blender?
Is it compatible with DirectX9c?

http://blender.org/cms/Home.2.0.html

There is also a sale on Truespace4.3 ($19.95 US) - how about TrueSpace4.3?

[kryton9]

I wrote to caligari, that version doesn't have support for direct x format.

[Steven Picard]

Has anyone used Blender?
Is it compatible with DirectX9c?

http://blender.org/cms/Home.2.0.html

There is also a sale on Truespace4.3 ($19.95 US) - how about TrueSpace4.3?

I downloaded Blender3D and I am trying to learn basic modelling right now.  It says it exports to .x format so I am assuming it should be fine.

[John S]

I have lots of 2D AutoCad experience, but now 3D experience.  I downloaded Blender too and hope to find time to work on it.

[kryton9]

they have lots of tutorials, both written and video, recommend you watch them and go through them.

[Ionic Wind Support Team]

I will attach a jpg too so you can see what you should see once the object is rotated properly in the model viewer.

.X file animation is now working like it should.  Your eyeball is happily bouncing away.

[kryton9]

Great Paul will check it out when the next update is out. Will it support start and end frames too? The reason am asking is going to work on the mech model and was wondering if I should plan it out or just do one whole cycle. Thanks.

Since got you into direct x more, will ghosting and fading be supported for models, this way can get nice looking glass effects and such.

[Ionic Wind Support Team]

One step at a time .  The .x format is simply a nightmare to work with.

[kryton9]

I can imagine Paul, thanks for all done so far!!