SH3 ignores smoothing-groups

[pontius]

Hi all,

a 3dmodel i made looks nice in Wings3D but ugly in Silent-Hunter3 because it is ignoring smoothing-groups giving the model the right shape. Is there a way to get them working in SH3? Maybe Wings3D can't export them into obj.-files?
Would be very thankful for some help
pontius

[TheDarkWraith]

Originally Posted by pontius

Hi all,

a 3dmodel i made looks nice in Wings3D but ugly in Silent-Hunter3 because it is ignoring smoothing-groups giving the model the right shape. Is there a way to get them working in SH3? Maybe Wings3D can't export them into obj.-files?
Would be very thankful for some help
pontius

Wings3D can export them into obj files no problem. Wings3D is what I used to make the Halyard and Pennants for the combat flag mod. How are you importing the OBJ files back into the game files? Do you have any screenies of the problem(s) you speak of? :hmm:

[pontius]

Hi Racerboy,

I tested it again right now and it seems to be a problem with my Wings3D. Exporting as obj. and reimporting again, the smoothing goups are lost. I checked my export-settings but they seem right, "export smoothing groups" is checked....
I tried the same with 3ds files (exporting,importing) and it worked
I gonna try a different version now.

Thanks,
pontius

[TheDarkWraith]

Originally Posted by pontius

Hi Racerboy,

I tested it again right now and it seems to be a problem with my Wings3D. Exporting as obj. and reimporting again, the smoothing goups are lost. I checked my export-settings but they seem right, "export smoothing groups" is checked....
I tried the same with 3ds files (exporting,importing) and it worked
I gonna try a different version now.

Thanks,
pontius

I'm new to this 3D modelling and had to acquire the necessary 'skills' for it because of the pennants and halyard I had to add to the combat flag mod. Do you mind elaborating on what smoothing groups are? Is that the same as smoothing (hitting the 's' key in Wings3D)? :hmm:

[pontius]

I named it smoothing-groups because it is maybe the more common name for the most 3d-modelers here. In Wings3D we have the option to mark edges and make them hard or soft. When exporting into 3ds it seems Wings is able to transfer it into smoothing-groups and importing brings it back to the correct hard/soft -edges. But with obj. it doesn't work.
Don't want to post a picture of the actual ship i am building, maybe later I have some time to show it with something else.

pontius

[TheDarkWraith]

Originally Posted by pontius

I named it smoothing-groups because it is maybe the more common name for the most 3d-modelers here. In Wings3D we have the option to mark edges and make them hard or soft. When exporting into 3ds it seems Wings is able to transfer it into smoothing-groups and importing brings it back to the correct hard/soft -edges. But with obj. it doesn't work.
Don't want to post a picture of the actual ship i am building, maybe later I have some time to show it with something else.

pontius

ah, now I know what you're talking about. I think it's an SH3 problem with hard edges. I don't think the game will accept 'hard edges'. I used bevelling to make them 'hard'. A work around of sorts.....

[ref]

Sh3 models doesn't have smooothing groups, everything connected is smooth for the engine, if you want a hard edge you must split the object at that edge.

Ref

[pontius]

Hmm O.K. thank you both!
You know, when triangulating the faces, on some parts the shadowing looks really weird. When applying smoothing groups it works fine, but without ...
Have to find a way to get it look good.

Thanks,
pontius

[TheDarkWraith]

Originally Posted by pontius

Hmm O.K. thank you both!
You know, when triangulating the faces, on some parts the shadowing looks really weird. When applying smoothing groups it works fine, but without ...
Have to find a way to get it look good.

Thanks,
pontius

The edges you want to keep 'hard' simply give them a very slight bevel. That will keep them 'hard' during the smoothing operation.

[pontius]

Originally Posted by Racerboy

The edges you want to keep 'hard' simply give them a very slight bevel. That will keep them 'hard' during the smoothing operation.

Thanks,
tried it and it seems to work for most cases and is solving the strange shadowing-effect whe triangulating. But there is this increase in polycount....

pontius

[TheDarkWraith]

Originally Posted by pontius

Thanks,
tried it and it seems to work for most cases and is solving the strange shadowing-effect whe triangulating. But there is this increase in polycount....

pontius

Yep. Smoothing in itself is an increase in polycount. The way the game engine is is what we have to work with and thus since it doesn't allow hard edges we have to find ways to circumvent this 'problem'. Sacrifices have to be made and unfortunately it's an increase in polycount on this one or live with the strange shadowing effects. I chose to live with the shadowing effects on the pennants.
Maybe there is another way you could design given item to reduce the polycount then?

[SquareSteelBar]

Hi pontius & Racerboy,

maybe you didn't get a manual yet - could be helpful:

Wings 3D English Manual

Several Versions of Wings 3D

If you already got it -> forget this post...

SquareSteelBar

[TheDarkWraith]

Originally Posted by SquareSteelBar

Hi pontius & Racerboy,

maybe you didn't get a manual yet - could be helpful:

Wings 3D English Manual

Several Versions of Wings 3D

If you already got it -> forget this post...

SquareSteelBar

Thank you SSB! Very helpful as I have not seen this before.

[pontius]

Yes thanks,
and it is confirming the bevelling-approach.