Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[lppena]

I model for a video game that requires model parts be arranged in logical groups with some groups assigned under other groups, but I'm not sure how to group objects together in Anim8or. Also, how are they displayed within the program?

I use another modeler called Truespace and parts are displayed in it's version of a scene editor to show the model parts and any group of objects linked together. TS, basically uses a drag and drop method to form a basic hierarchal tree. How is it done in Anim8or? Thanks, Leroy.

[siragin]

just drag select multiple objects and go under build then select group. sorry anim8or doesn't show group hierarchies

[Raxx]

siragin's correct, Anim8or doesn't support hiearchies.

However, there are ways to define relationships between objects in the object editor.

First you could use a naming system to define parents and groups. Say you have an object named "mom", and another named "kid". To define "kid" as the child of "mom", you can rename it to "kid.ch.mom" where "ch" is the indicator that it's a child of whatever the next named object is. For groups you can make a dummy object (for this example, naming it "family"), then do something like "kid.g.family" and "mom.g.family". Then sort it all out in the script when exporting.

Anim8or's built-in group system can allow for a sort of hierarchy by grouping and then regrouping objects, but it's kind of like reverse-structuring a hierarchy.

Alternatively, you (or someone) could write a hierarchy script in Anim8or that takes care of all of that internally, and then the export script reads off of that. I've automated something like that extremely well in 3ds Max a long time ago when writing a script to set up models and nodes for use in Garagegame's Torque Game Engine. The same thing can be done in ASL to automate it for export in any other engine. Just name the objects based off of a standard, trigger the ASL script to do any automation needed, then export.

[lppena]

It seems the VRML exporter will link the parts together in a hierarchal tree form. The X and 3DS exporters only seem to export the group as single objects. This may work for me though as 3D Exploration can read and convert VRML to XSI. Thanks for the replies though. I can see I'm going to have to spent some time adapting Anim8or for use in creating models and props for BZII. Leroy.

[Raxx]

I don't see how the VRML exporter has any better hierarchal capabilities than any of the .x exporters in the ASL Scripts Database. They all use the same group pushing/popping method in which all the grouped items are attached one by one to the end of the shapes list. Anything else regarding structure in the VRML script is easy to replicate in any other file format.

Maybe you could post the .X code of a series of simple cubes that works in your game engine, and then post the .X code of what Anim8or exports, for me to look at? (and share the .x script as well) Then any discrepancies will be easy to address and fix.

[lppena]

This is what the Truespace X exporter writes out the file as. It's a bit different then what the Anim8or's X formats from Joe, Cranny, and Zaidon look like. Joe and Zaidons output yields some line errors when loaded in to 3DEX. Cranny's yields no errors, but is also not visible in 3DEX's model viewer. It sounds like Anim8or's lack of true hierarchal support is part of the problem itself, but I don't really have a clue due to my lack of experience in how these things work. Sorry to be so igorant but I don't know what else to say. Leroy.

Code: [Select]

xof 0302txt 0064

# This DirectX file was written by a Caligari (tm) product

Header {
1;
0;
1;
}
Frame Cube-0 {
FrameTransformMatrix {
1.000000, 0.000000, 0.000000, 0.000000,
0.000000, 1.000000, 0.000000, 0.000000,
0.000000, 0.000000, 1.000000, 0.000000,
0.000000, 0.000000, 0.000000, 1.000000;;
}
Mesh CubeMesh {
24;
1.000000;-1.000000;1.000000;,
1.000000;1.000000;1.000000;,
-1.000000;-1.000000;1.000000;,
-1.000000;1.000000;1.000000;,
1.000000;-1.000000;-1.000000;,
-1.000000;-1.000000;-1.000000;,
-1.000000;1.000000;-1.000000;,
1.000000;1.000000;-1.000000;,
-1.000000;-1.000000;1.000000;,
1.000000;-1.000000;1.000000;,
-1.000000;-1.000000;1.000000;,
-1.000000;1.000000;1.000000;,
-1.000000;-1.000000;-1.000000;,
1.000000;1.000000;1.000000;,
-1.000000;1.000000;-1.000000;,
-1.000000;1.000000;1.000000;,
1.000000;-1.000000;-1.000000;,
-1.000000;-1.000000;-1.000000;,
-1.000000;1.000000;-1.000000;,
1.000000;1.000000;-1.000000;,
1.000000;-1.000000;-1.000000;,
1.000000;1.000000;-1.000000;,
1.000000;1.000000;1.000000;,
1.000000;-1.000000;1.000000;;
12;
3;1,3,2;,
3;0,1,2;,
3;8,5,4;,
3;9,8,4;,
3;10,11,6;,
3;12,10,6;,
3;13,7,14;,
3;15,13,14;,
3;16,17,18;,
3;19,16,18;,
3;20,21,22;,
3;23,20,22;;
MeshNormals {
24;
0.000000;0.000000;1.000000;,
0.000000;0.000000;1.000000;,
0.000000;0.000000;1.000000;,
0.000000;0.000000;1.000000;,
0.000000;-1.000000;0.000000;,
0.000000;-1.000000;0.000000;,
-1.000000;0.000000;0.000000;,
0.000000;1.000000;0.000000;,
0.000000;-1.000000;0.000000;,
0.000000;-1.000000;0.000000;,
-1.000000;0.000000;0.000000;,
-1.000000;0.000000;0.000000;,
-1.000000;0.000000;0.000000;,
0.000000;1.000000;0.000000;,
0.000000;1.000000;0.000000;,
0.000000;1.000000;0.000000;,
0.000000;0.000000;-1.000000;,
0.000000;0.000000;-1.000000;,
0.000000;0.000000;-1.000000;,
0.000000;0.000000;-1.000000;,
1.000000;0.000000;0.000000;,
1.000000;0.000000;0.000000;,
1.000000;0.000000;0.000000;,
1.000000;0.000000;0.000000;;
12;
3;1,3,2;,
3;0,1,2;,
3;8,5,4;,
3;9,8,4;,
3;10,11,6;,
3;12,10,6;,
3;13,7,14;,
3;15,13,14;,
3;16,17,18;,
3;19,16,18;,
3;20,21,22;,
3;23,20,22;;
}
MeshTextureCoords {
24;
0.000000;-0.333333;,
0.000000;-0.666667;,
0.250000;-0.333333;,
0.250000;-0.666667;,
0.500000;0.000000;,
0.500000;-0.333333;,
0.500000;-0.666667;,
0.500000;-1.000000;,
0.250000;-0.333333;,
0.250000;0.000000;,
0.250000;-0.333333;,
0.250000;-0.666667;,
0.500000;-0.333333;,
0.250000;-1.000000;,
0.500000;-0.666667;,
0.250000;-0.666667;,
0.750000;-0.333333;,
0.500000;-0.333333;,
0.500000;-0.666667;,
0.750000;-0.666667;,
0.750000;-0.333333;,
0.750000;-0.666667;,
1.000000;-0.666667;,
1.000000;-0.333333;;
}
MeshMaterialList {
1;
12;
0,
0,
0,
0,
0,
0,
0,
0,
0,
0,
0,
0;;
Material CubeMaterial_0_0 {
0.168627; 0.537255; 0.549020; 1.000000;;
44.000000;
0.100000; 0.100000; 0.100000;;
0.000000; 0.000000; 0.000000;;
TextureFilename {
"DUAL7.tga";
}
}
}
}
}


[Raxx]

Alright, I fixed it up so that it exports it exactly in the same structure as your Truespace one does. There were a bunch of problems with all of the .x scripts, but this one kind of takes the best of Cooning's and Zaidon's, and a little of my own touch

(Go here for updated script) Let me know if it works. If it does I'll add it to the ASL scripts database

[lppena]

Alright, I fixed it up so that it exports it exactly in the same structure as your Truespace one does. There were a bunch of problems with all of the .x scripts, but this one kind of takes the best of Cooning's and Zaidon's, and a little of my own touch

Attached. Let me know if it works. If it does I'll add it to the ASL scripts database

Raxx, I'm sorry but I'll check the script out and report back with the results and thank you in advance for modifying the script for me. I really am pleased that another person would take the time to help out. Thanks again. Leroy