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trueSpace as gamers tool for the GameEngine A7
About Truespace Archives
These pages are a copy of the official truespace forums prior to their removal somewhere around 2011.
They are retained here for archive purposes only.
trueSpace as gamers tool for the GameEngine A7 // Roundtable
Post by rstralberg // Mar 24, 2008, 10:55pm
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rstralberg
Total Posts: 26
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Hi
I started this thread to discuss if trueSpace can be used for
creating game-artworks suitable for use with Conitec GameStudio A7.
I now that trueSpace is a quite wonderful 3D editor with almost
everything that is needed for game artwork, but can the produced artwork
be exported to real game applicaiton.
I have tried now and then using ts6, ts6.5, ts6.6, ts7.1 but gave up
because there were always something that was impossible to export in a
format that was usable.
Everytime I gave up, Blender was my rescue because it's fbx and mdl export.
Before going any further let me tell a little about my self and why I'm doing this.
I'm 54 years old and works as a C++ programmer since 25 years
(C in the beginning as there was no C++ then :).
I'm not a great modeller or artist, but finds it amusing to work with
3D stuff for gaming.
Let me make it clear that I'm no expert in trueSpace or GameStudio either,
more one of those 'hobby' people that does things just for the fun of it.
My goal is to make a simple Indie game which I have a idea of, and I want
to make it with trueSpace if possible as I like the interface and
community. Blender can do the job, but as I like trueSpace (despite that
its a but slow and crashes to often) I would really like to use it,
with as few other tools as possible.
My native langage is Swedish so I hope you can live with my spelling and
choice of words.
STATIC MESH EXPORT WITH SIMPLE TEXTURE
It seems that a usable way to export static Meshes to GameStudio A7 (http://www.conitec.net/english/gstudio/3dgs7.htm) is using the Collada format.
You need the Ulitmate Unwrap 3D (http://www.unwrap3d.com) (UU3D) software
to convert from Collada to GameStudio MDL format though. On the god side - its cheap
Here is my test figure in trueSpace 7.51e.
I created it using the absolutely cool program MakeHuman (http://www.dedalo-3d.com) which
is a free human creator for us with not to much artistic talents.
http://www.rstralberg.com/ts/TS.png
I exported to a collada file and imported that file into UU3D.
Note
My name contains the Swedish character 'å' and that is not accepted by the
UU3D collada import so I had to open the .dae file in a texteditor (Collada files .dae are
textfiles) and find my name in the </author> tag and replace the Swedish letter 'å' by an 'a'.
http://www.rstralberg.com/ts/daetext.png
So if you have international characters in you name they may be the source of an Collada loada error.
Anyway, here is the result in UU3D
http://www.rstralberg.com/ts/UU3D.png
In UU3D I just saved as GameStudio MDL5 and in GameStudio Model Editor MED opended
the mdl file.
http://www.rstralberg.com/ts/MED.png
Then I saved the file again to get it converted from the MDL-5 format to the new MDL7 format.
The I added the MDL-file in the World Editor WED. After positioning the imported figure I
saved and then compiled the game. Here is the result.
http://www.rstralberg.com/ts/GAME.png
The result seem pretty good so far. Next I tried with animations and they
showed up nicely in the gme, but untextured, so that will be next thing to
solve.
ANIMATED MESH EXPORT WITH SIMPLE TEXTURE
To be continued ... Mr Bones exported to GameStudio...
Cheer's
Roland |
Post by Jack Edwards // Mar 24, 2008, 11:21pm
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Jack Edwards
Total Posts: 4062
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There's a lot of great info here Roland, and I'm glad to see this posted in it's own thread. :)
I did some testing and it looks like TrueSpace's Collada exporter has the following limitations for materials export:
1.) All materials are exported as Phong Shader model. Specular and Shininess values are supported.
2.) Colormap texture is exported
3.) Normalmap texture is exported
It looks like best results are achieved using the "TextureBump" DX9 material found in the "Materials - DX9" library.
UU3D Collada importer doesn't appear to handle TS Collada material definitions properly and in my tests, it does not import the texture files. So that means that the textures will need to be re-applied in UU3D prior to exporting to MDL format. I don't know if UU3D's MDL export supports specular and opacity maps, but those are also options in UU3D's material editor.
The pro version of Game Studio, supports FX files. FX shader files can be created with either of these apps:
http://developer.nvidia.com/object/f...oser_home.html (http://developer.nvidia.com/object/fx_composer_home.html)
or
http://ati.amd.com/developer/rendermonkey/
If custom shaders are needed these will need to be added via GameStudio itself and not in UU3D or TS. Though it may be possible and useful to create equivalent shaders in TS to help with visualization during texture map editing and scene composing, even though custom shaders cannot be exported from TrueSpace at this time. |
Post by rstralberg // Mar 25, 2008, 12:29pm
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rstralberg
Total Posts: 26
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ANIMATED TEXTURED MESH
I have now managed to export an animated figure from
ts7.51e to GameStudio Commersial 7.06.1
I followed same steps as when exporting the Static Mesh,
Using a DX basic materials with a diffuse texture.
I applied one of MrBones animations and exported the whole
thing as a Collada dae file with following settings
http://www.rstralberg.com/ts/daeexport.png
Same procedure in GameStudio as for the Static Mesh and
here is the result in game. Dont bother about the fact that
he is walking a bit jerky, it was me not exporting all frames.
Oh. By the way. The Collada exporter puts the textures is a
subdirectory with the same name as the exported object name.
After UU3D import you must edit the material diffuse texture and
select the textures from the subdirectory. This is not handled autmatically
for now.
You can watch the result in game HERE (http://www.rstralberg.com/ts/g2.avi) (an avi 1.5 MB)
Next thing will be a better texture and a normal map.
Cheers
Roland |
Post by mrbones // Mar 25, 2008, 1:09pm
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mrbones
Total Posts: 1280
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Sweet Roland,
So I could just send you a collada file and it could end up in game studio?
Thanks a ton for the information.
Cheers
P.s. Let me know if you need any assistance with your project.:jumpy:
ANIMATED TEXTURED MESH
I have now managed to export an animated figure from
ts7.51e to GameStudio Commersial 7.06.1
I followed same steps as when exporting the Static Mesh,
Using a DX basic materials with a diffuse texture.
I applied one of MrBones animations and exported the whole
thing as a Collada dae file with following settings
http://www.rstralberg.com/ts/daeexport.png
Same procedure in GameStudio as for the Static Mesh and
here is the result in game. Dont bother about the fact that
he is walking a bit jerky, it was me not exporting all frames.
Oh. By the way. The Collada exporter puts the textures is a
subdirectory with the same name as the exported object name.
After UU3D import you must edit the material diffuse texture and
select the textures from the subdirectory. This is not handled autmatically
for now.
You can watch the result in game HERE (http://www.rstralberg.com/ts/g2.avi) (an avi 1.5 MB)
Next thing will be a better texture and a normal map.
Cheers
Roland |
Post by rstralberg // Mar 25, 2008, 9:45pm
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rstralberg
Total Posts: 26
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Correction ....
Using a plain texture was not a all bright idea and not to smart.
After have replacing the texture with a blue speckeld pattern I
discovered that the texture is not showing up - it just makes
the diffuse color blur.
Using this texture
http://www.rstralberg.com/ts/texture.png
the result in game was this
http://www.rstralberg.com/ts/blueguy.png
or as an avi
this (http://www.rstralberg.com/ts/g2.avi)
An embarrassing misstake by me :o. But I will try to fix this evening.
Cheers.
Roland |
Post by rstralberg // Mar 25, 2008, 10:39pm
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rstralberg
Total Posts: 26
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@mrbones
Yes you could in fact send me something to work with
as I'm (as I told at several places) not an artist.
So perhaps we could look at something nicer than my
blue guy while working.
I would be happy to work with any sample from you. |
Post by nowherebrain // Mar 25, 2008, 11:39pm
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nowherebrain
Total Posts: 1062
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i'M SURE YOU KNOW, BUT i STILL USE "VENTILATORS" EXPORTER FOR BLENDER..YOU CAN MODEL ALL DAY IN Ts, BUT SO FAR HIS EXPORTER STILL SEEMS TO BE THE BEST...CRAP..ALL CAPS...oh well. |
Post by rstralberg // Mar 25, 2008, 11:56pm
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rstralberg
Total Posts: 26
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@nowherebrain
Yes I know about that and agree.
Blender still does the job and does it good.
Thank's for the info though. There may be
others that dont know about Ventilators Blender Exporter.
This little project of mine is a test if
the problems using tS can be solved.
Maybe or maybe not. It's worth some tests at least.
One of my tests was in fact trying to import
the trueSpace Collada file into Blender and
then use Ventilators export scripts. But the whole
thing failed on the fact that Blenders Collada import
did not accept the exported colllada file.
When I get some time (why is time so hard to get) I will
make some tests skinnig one of MrBones animations in
Blender and se what the result may be on the 3DGS side.
Of course I have not thrown Blender away :)
But for now I'm trying to see if there is a possibility
to make tS do the same thing. Some like Blender's inteface
and some hates it, so it would be nice if the ones who
hates it still could make models for the GameStudio.
If you have some tutorial on how to use MrBones animations
with Blender and GameStudio you could perhaps show it
on the GameStudio Forums. I'm quite sure that many would
appreciate that. Or maybe here to show the differences.
Cheers
Roland |
Post by nowherebrain // Mar 26, 2008, 12:59am
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nowherebrain
Total Posts: 1062
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Here (http://blenderartists.org/forum/showthread.php?t=39635) is something you may want to check out. |
Post by rstralberg // Mar 26, 2008, 1:23am
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rstralberg
Total Posts: 26
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@nowherebrain
Cool. Did not know about that one.
Will make some tests tonight
Thanks
Roland |
Post by Jack Edwards // Mar 26, 2008, 7:24am
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Jack Edwards
Total Posts: 4062
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Roland did you UV map your model? That could cause the texture issue you're seeing. To test it, just drop a cube mapping on it while it's UU3D. ;) |
Post by rstralberg // Mar 26, 2008, 12:40pm
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rstralberg
Total Posts: 26
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I tested with a cubemap in UU3D an then the texture showed up in GameStudio
But testing the TankGirl show that you must rotate the textures 180 degrees.
Furthermore ... the MDL export in UU3D exports the animations correctly but no textures. If you make a new UV-map i UU3D it works though.
FBX in UU3D results in a perfect textures match in GameStudio but
then you have no animation.
So it seems that you have to make your UV/mapping in UU3D to make it work. |
Post by Jack Edwards // Mar 26, 2008, 1:23pm
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Jack Edwards
Total Posts: 4062
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Collada exports the UV mappings. My guess is that you hadn't UV mapped the Make Human model and Make Human models don't have any UV mappings unless you add them.
UU3D is a good UV mapping software, but for mapping something as complex as a high poly character you may also want to look at Headus UVLayout:
http://www.uvlayout.com/
UVLayout only supports OBJ format, so the workflow would be:
Create/import model to TS.
Export as obj to UVLayout and UV map it.
import back into TS.
Add animation
Export to UU3D
Export to GameStudio.
Also TS has it's own UV mapping tools, but UU3D and UVLayout are much better.
Another note: Tankgirl is already UV mapped so you shouldn't have to do anything more than re-applying her textures... |
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