Anim8or Community

Ani2Pov v0.57 is available.
# Several problems fixed with orientations/positions of elements.
# Please report any bugs.

http://texel3d.free.fr/projets/ani2pov/index.html


LibAn8 has also be updated:
# Several problems fixed with orientations/positions of elements.
# Memory leak fixed in ConvertAllToMesh()
# Please report any bugs.

http://texel3d.free.fr/projets/liban8/index.html

I have a stupid question:
How to view the pictures ?

I can read a lot of post in the Work in progress section where people post some images. But it seems i am the only one to not beeing able to see it. I view nothing and i do not see any icon to view pictures in these posts.

Steve,
Maybe peoples want to be able to directly  load Normal Maps textures instead of greyscale texture to use their own normal maps (computed from Nvidia Melody or something else, and not from Anim8or) and not just the ones computed by Anim8or. Maybe Anim8or can already do that (i have not tested)
Example:
http://planetpixelemporium.com/tutorialpages/images/nlinsample.jjpg.jpg

Maybe peoples also want more depth in the bump map relief. This can be done by more advanced (and slower) technics than simple dot3 Bump Mapping such as paralax Bump Mapping or Relief Mapping (maybe you already use it).

I think i know why face normals are displayed in Milkshape3D instead of vertex normals even if the "output normal" option has been checked in Anim8or:

MilkShape3D seems to compute normals by itself.
In Anim8or (and MilkShape), a vertex can be used by several faces. MilkShape compute the average normal of each face normal used by faces which share the vertex.

Because my exporter create 3 new  vertices per face, a vertex is never used by more than 1 face. And MilkShape 3d compute vertex normal with only one face normal. This is because MilkShape display face normal instead of smooth vertex normal.

This problem cannot be solved easily. I would have to create a new vertex only when needed (unsing smoothangle). But you can use an option in MilkShape3D to smooth normals.

Ani2Pov v0.56 is available.
# It should fix problems with orientation of bones in MS3D export.
# The problem of normals is still present in MS3D export.

http://texel3d.free.fr/projets/ani2pov/index.html

LibAn8 has also be updated:
http://texel3d.free.fr/projets/liban8/index.html

Thanks for your feedback.
I know that i have release the MS3D converter without doing enought test, but i have found several bugs in the .an8 loader which have to be fixed (for povray, obj, ase), and the MS3D converter worked with the Robin model. So why not released it now to have feedback and find more bugs.

1. I can reproduce the problem.
2. and 3. I will do some test. Example .an8 file would help me a lot (the more simple it is the better it is for my test) because i am not a greate modeler and i have just started to use the animation in Anim8or (thanks, i have just receive your e-mail). And i don't know how to use Milkshape3D and Blender (i only see what seems to work)

It could take me some times to fix all problems and i don't know if i will wait to have corrected all of them before releasing a new version.

> Are you planning on supporting skinned meshes in the future?

First i will fix all problems of the current version.
After i will try to export animation in binary format (without skinned meshes).
After i will try to export skinned meshes in binary format (weights and influences).
Exporting skinned meshes in the ASCII format is not my priority, because this format only support 1 bone per vertex (the binary format seems to support up to 4 bones and weights).

Ani2Pov v0.55 is available for Windows.
#  Several bugs have been fixed (.an8 files loading).
# Ani2Pov can now export animated sequences to the ASCII version of the MS3D file format of Milkshape 3D (also supported by Blender). Skinned meshes are not supported but you can convert animations such as the one of the "A Simple Walk" tutorial of the official Anim8or Web Site.

I have not made a lot of tests, so please report any bugs.

Ani2Pov:
http://texel3d.free.fr/projets/ani2pov/index.html

Bug report:
http://texel3d.free.fr/contact/index.html

MilkShape 3D:
http://chumbalum.swissquake.ch

This is a feature which could be great to use anim8or files in 3D engines:
An option in Anim8or to optimize vertex/index/UV/Normal export in .an8 files.

Here are some explanations:
In the current version of anim8or:
_ Each triangles have indices to 3 vertices. If 2 triangles use the same vertex, this vertex is stored just one time in the vertex bloc of the an8 file.
_ Each triangles have indices to 2 couple of uv coords (if used). If 2 vertices use the same uv, this uv is stored just one time in the uv bloc of the an8 file.
_ Each triangles have indices to 3 normales (if exported). If 2 vertices use the same normal, this normal is stored just one time in the normal bloc of the an8 file.
_ The same vertex can have sevral different normal (for each face)
_ The same vertex can have sevral different uv (for each face)
_ An .an8 file can have n vertex, m normal and k UVCoord

But for real time 3D application, it's better to have (to use vertex buffer AND index buffer):
_ 1 normal and 1 uv per vertex.
_ Create a copy of a vertex with its normal and uv, if and only if this vertex is used by several faces having different normal and/or uv and/or binormals.

With an option like "optimize buffer output" .an8 files would have:
_ n vertices
_ n uv coords
_ n normals
_ n binormals (if used)
_ each triangle would have just one index per vertex (and not 3). This index would be the same for the vertex, uv, normal and binormal bloc.

Without this feature, the use of IndexBuffer in OpenGL/DirectX is not very usefull because every vertices are duplicated in vertex bufffer. Developper can also create there own optimization, but it's hard and slow.

I hope it's enought clear

PS: This feature could also convert all faces to triangles.