EVE Technology Lab

Is it possible to modify Tri exporter so it can export the bone information when converting to a .X file type?

I was toying with creating an Eve Movie maker in XNA while taking a break from doing some animations and have managed to create a half decent shader for the ships but without the bone information I can't animate the turret movements or ship animations.

Anyone happen to have ship models that have been converted to .mb format for use in Autodesk Maya that they could shoot me?

I've downloaded deep exploration v. 6 but I'm hoping someone has already been able to convert the ship models.

Plus, I'm pretty sure you have to have 3dsmax installed to actually use Deep Exploration to convert the files, and currently I only have Maya.

@ Harken Hessel

With Deep Exploration, .max files only open if you have Max installed and the plugin configured, you're right on that point.

In the same idea, Max can "send" file to Maya, but you have to have Max installed on your computer.

Maya can actually open .obj files, under the import menu. have you tried that ?

Go to : Converted Drake and try to open the .mb file that I put in there. This file was obtained by importing an .obj in maya and saving it as a maya scene (the .obj file was obtained by exporting model from TriExporter).

If it opens, you should be able to do the same. If you need some particular ships, give me your list, I'll try to convert them for you.


@ JC Anderson

Just a wild guess.

I'm not familiar with the UDK, but when I have such an issue in MAX or Modo, I usually flip the normals (the direction polygons are facing) or force two sided materials in case of a non extruded object (no thickness).

In Modo, the shortcut key is "F" and in Max there is a "Flip" button under "Edit Polygon". I suppose you'll find that kind of command in UDK as well...

Ok I'm not sure how I missed it before, but there is a material setting in UDK to make it double sided.

Thanks again though, since I wouldn't have even thought to check at all without your help.

Hello Harken,

I am not super familiar with Maya, I usually use Luxology Modo and Max, but...

The simplest way to get you textured model into Maya if you don't know (yet) how to manually apply them,is this :

1. In Triexporter, navigate to the ship you want to export (I did res/dx9/model/ship/caldari/cbc2/ and double clicked on the biggest. gr2 file)
2. then I double clicked on the cbc2_d.dds (_d stands for diffuse) to apply it to the model
3. file -> export model and choose a destination folder, a name for your object and the .obj extension
4. you'll get 3 files : chosen_name.obj, chosen_name.mtl and cbc2_d.dds


• the.obj file is the 3D model
• the.mtl is the texture/material info on what texture/material to apply to the .obj model
• the .dds file contains the diffuse texture because you chose the _d.dds file


PROBLEM 1 : I don't know if MAYA can handle .dds textures, so you'll have to convert it.
I use readdxt.exe, a NVidia plugin to convert the .dds files to .tga files
Use a command prompt (or even better, powerCMD, I recommend it) and type in the following :
readdxt.exe name_of_the_file.dds and hit ENTER
you'll get a list of .tga files, I only keep the biggest one and trash the other ones.

PROBLEM 2 :
in the chosen_name.mtl file, the referenced file is the .dds file. Open it with a text editor, change (last line)map_Kd cbc2_d00.dds to map_Kd cbc2_d00.tga and save it (that's in the Drake example).

PROBLEM 3 : last step, the .tga file is upside down. You can tweak it directly into MAYA with a rotation OR, open it into Photoshop (or any other app) and make an "image -> image rotation ->vertical symetry (last choice in the menu). Save the file.


5. finaly, import your model into MAYA
6. go to the rendering tab -> render current frame

Done

TIPS 1 : in MAYA viewport :

• ALT + left clic rotates the model
• ALT + middle clic pans the model
• ALT + right clic zooms in and out (as does the mouse wheel)

TIPS 2 : the 3 .dds files associated with the .gr2 model in TriEporter, correspond to different parameters. You'll find diffuse (the base colored texture), bumps, reflection and so on using the differents layers of the .tga files they contain. Here is a description file of that I found on the "old" forum thread.

FINALY : using the method I describe is valid with MAYA, but also with MODO, MAx and probably other 3D apps. It's just a fast way to get a result. But of course, manually choosing, applying and tweaking your different textures channels directly in the 3D app gives you better control on the final render. Mental ray and Vray will give you a result with the standard materials, but they have special materials with loads of parameters to tweak the final result.

You can get stuff like that :

Drake render V-ray

Have fun, and don't hesitate if you have other questions.

Chears


Nathan

The only way I've been successful in getting the skeletons out of the gr2 files has been to use plugin for 3d studio max called gr2decode. To make things even more difficult it also only works on 3d studio max 6/7/8. The newer versions are not supported. :(

Thanx for your answer, JC Anderson, but I was able to do so.

My problem is precisely that, for some reason, I cant find the proper way to stick the .tga or .png textures on the ship model in Blender 2.6...

I tried following this tutorial, for example, but at some point and for some reason, I get lost. It seems that some changes where made to the UI, as he apparently used Blender 2.5, and Im not able to follow every step he describes within the Blender 2.6 version Im using.... Not sure if I made myself clear but if so, help would be most welcome...

Ill try again anyway, while waiting for noobfriendly answers.

Did I say I was a noob??

The guy in this video texturing tutorial is using 2.6. And its step by step too. See if this helps you at all.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anrB1IOjwZ0

+1 for that brilliant tip

Thanks Tonto

Hi,


At the Blender guy. you have to mirror the texutes vertical and set the texture coordinates to UV in the texture tab of the material.