[TEC] Import/export 3D models to/from game using S3D.

[skwasjer]

Take note of this walkthrough:

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=135177

This walkthrough applies to an 'experimental' release of S3D which I do not distribute on my site, or through the auto update feature. So please use with a little care, back up your own mods (which you should be doing regularly anyway) before using it and test your mods carefully before releasing anything.

If you have any problems, please let me know. If not, let everyone know as well so everyone can be assured it is stable enough.

Link to release v0.8 post:
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=119571&page=28#550

Have fun... :up:

[Graf Paper]

Swkas, where it comes to creating useful tools for SH3, if Jaesen is DaVinci with his JSGME and SH3 Commander, you are most certainly Raphael with your creation of Silent 3ditor!

Despite your troubles with the disunity of commercial 3D formats, I just know your talents will eventually overcome this hurdle. :up:

Perhaps there's an open source format out there that supports the features you need. I know that, despite the seeming ubiquity of Direct X with its Direct 3D API, the OpenGL API is universally supported, although not completely implemented among hardware and software vendors .

Surely a similar situation exists somewhere among open source 3D modeling with applications such as Blender and Wings 3D gaining so much in popularity and functionality?

Or am I missing the boat entirely in assuming any model format will do, that meets your specs, instead of a format specific to the import/export library used in S3D?

[skwasjer]

I've investigated many different formats, and there's just not one good solid interchange format, fully supported, by all the major 3D studio's. I have done many tests with formats like FBX, Collada, X, 3DS, Max, OBJ, U3D, Web3D, ASC, ASE, LW, MA, and XSI over the past year and there was always something that was causing problems, be it a closed or undocumented format, difficult to implement (ie. weird compression algorythms, or overkill of required features), missing features, or just not supported by the popular tools.

I ended up with Collada, which still is one of the better formats, but again, I ran into some problems I have not overcome yet. So I decided to throw all that research out the window, and just implement the OBJ format (which I dislike alot :88) ), which doesn't meet the requirements either, but I have provided a workaround for that. You can read how in that link I posted. It was an idea I had close to a year ago, I'm sure DivingDuck will remember ;) I just should have done that right from the start and save us all the trouble of listening to my whine every month or so:rotfl:

For now, this is as good as it gets. I don't plan to work a whole lot more on model i/e and other formats (other than improving what we have now). I just don't have an incentive right now to spend more weeks if not months on this again. I want to implement a couple of other interesting features in S3D, after which I'm done with the project. There's other stuff I want to do... like playing the game :arrgh!:

[Tomi_099]

That is great, X, 3DS, max, OBJ, - very important format
-!!! THANKS:up:
I hope that it with the animations also functioned (X)

[Rubini]

Hi skwasjer,

Thanks again for this great tool! All my last mods were done with it. In the beginning I yet had the necessity to use eventually a Hex editor or even Pack3D (clone)...but now that I am more skilled with Sh3 files and S3D I made all them without *any* other tool! It's just awesome!

Two things that I more need during my mod with S3D work are cut/copy/paste and 3D models import.

Really, now with S3D only our imagination could be the limit! Thanks again!:rock:

I will try this new version and will let you know any comment.

Rubini.

[Graf Paper]

Although my knowledge of the technical points of modding amounts to as much as you could fit on the head of a pin, I do appreciate the care you've taken to implement the features that S3D has thus far, Skwas.

Even a clueless "noob" like me found that merging a couple of unrelated mods into one that includes the features of both was a snap with S3D! :rock:

I wish I were as talented a programmer as you so obviously are, Skwas. I'd devote that skill towards helping you by creating a "universal" model format so S3D could do its thing with elegance and simplicity and for the sake of all the modelers working on projects here.

Once there's a completed manual/help file, I'm looking forward to learning the true power of your creation and have great anticipation for features you have planned in future versions. :yep:

Thank you again for devoting your time and skills toward helping the community to open up a world of possibilities that many thought were closed doors even just a few months ago.

As the younger people would say...
U RAWK! :rock:

;)

[FloydRoses]

Repet my one million dollar question, Can I forget PACK3d if i want clone, port,modify, a PLayable unit, using this great tool (S3d)?
Thanks.

[skwasjer]

Repet my one million dollar question, Can I forget PACK3d if i want clone, port,modify, a PLayable unit, using this great tool (S3d)?
Thanks.
S3D can do FAR more than Pack3D. The only real benefit that Pack3D had over S3D until now was that it could import 3D models. With v0.8, I finally sorted this part out as well. That doesn't mean it will be an easy task to create a playable unit, but Mikhayl (S-boot mod) sure proved it was very doable with S3D, in a 'fairly' short amount of time (it was still a bucket load of work). :up:

Then there's the hex editor of course :rotfl: Respect!

[sh3rules]

Awesome! It means that making units would be easier! :rock:

[Philipp_Thomsen]

No words, man... no words... :up: