Character studio question?
Blitz3D Forums/Blitz3D Beginners Area/Character studio question?
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| Hi all; Is there a way to export a mesh that is binded to a character studio biped and load it into blitz with its animation?...i think there was an exporter for this sort of thing but i can't seem to remember where or even if it's compleyed yet. Thanks for the help in advance |
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| Yes there are ways. The best way at the moment (ie. until one of the WIP export plugins is done) is using Ultimate Unwrap. You'll have to purchase Ultimate Unwrap but the minor cost is worth it for all the features you get (including very robust b3d file format support; as far as I am aware Ultimate Unwrap is the only way to import and save out animated b3d files to some other file format.) UUnwrap comes with a 3D Studio Max exporter; export to UUnwrap and then save to b3d file format. Other ways include exporting to Half-Life smd and using Milkshape to convert to b3d, or exporting to .x and using Ultimate Unwrap to convert to b3d. And of course you could export directly to md2 file format from 3D Studio Max. Md2 has a lot of disadvantages over b3d however. |
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| thanks for the help but can the Ult Unwarp exporter export biped information? or/and mesh deformation that is skind to a biped? thanks alot for the help in advance |
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| Yes it can export skeletal animation. That is the whole point of my suggestion; if it couldn't then that wouldn't be exporting Character Studio data now would it? At this point I feel I should note however that Blitz3D currently does not support blended vertex weights. Although the b3d file format (and Character Studio and Ultimate Unwrap) supports blended vertex weights (where a vertex is attached to more than one bone with weights) Blitz3D does not. Thus for use in Blitz make sure that the skinning/rigging is setup so that each vertex is attached to one bone. |
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| Actually while we're on the subject of MD2 file formats, what kind of disadvantages do they have when compared to the B3D file format? I'm just curious to know. |
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| B3D vs. MD2 has been extensively discussed elsewhere. Summary: MD2's aren't properly lit, have limited resolution in terms of 3D data (the positions of vertices are not stored at full accuracy), and the animations are basically canned (the figure cannot be animated interactively, e.g. blending override animations with stored animations, as in turning a character's head to face the current selection while otherwise running a walk cycle). That said, MD2s are incredibly easy to work with. My view: use MD2s until such time as they cause you problems, then bite the bullet and use B3Ds. If you never reach that point you avoid some significant complexity. Joe Hocking is very pro B3D. I don't think he disagrees with my points, just my conclusion. |
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| "Joe Hocking is very pro B3D. I don't think he disagrees with my points, just my conclusion." Pretty much. My take on the issue is that the disadvantages (especially the improper lighting and one you didn't mention, often larger filesize) are always a problem. I suppose if you don't mind that and don't need the other features of b3d file format then md2 is fine. OT podperson, I'm slowly starting work on a b3d exporter for Maya. It won't be done for a while because it is not a high priority for me right now. Just thought, from previous discussions, you'd be interested to know. |
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