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Nearly alive
Original Poster
#1 Old 14th Feb 2005 at 8:52 PM Last edited by Miche : 15th Feb 2005 at 12:37 AM.
Default Next version of mesh tool and file formats
As I`ve said a few times before, for the next version of the mesh tool, we have added support for SMD files (used by the game half life 1 and 2). We picked this format as it is a simple(internally ) format which allows skeleton/bones to be exported along with the mesh, and also most of the main 3d programs support it (or have plug-ins for it).

The thing I`m hoping to avoid this time is the problem we had with the obj files, in that the mesh tool wouldn`t work with some produced by certain programs.

SO I`m uploading here two test smd files, one is a body mesh , the other a hair mesh. I would like people to try them with the 3d programs they use and also if could to rexport the meshes without changing anything, back into a smd file, and then upload those files here. So I can test they work with the mesh tool.

The programs I know(or believe) support SMD files are: milkshape (though it only supports one bone per vertice, so will be of limited use for body meshes), blender, 3ds studio max, maya , SoftImage XSI (full version) and SoftImage XSI Mod tool 4.2 (which is a free slightly cut down version of the full program, with limited import/export but one of the formats it does support is SMD files.)

I have currently only been able to test the files the new mesh tool create with milkshape and the Softimage XSI mod tool. So really need help in testing them on other programs.
Attached files:
File Type: zip  testmesh.zip (74.4 KB, 231 downloads) - View custom content
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Test Subject
#2 Old 14th Feb 2005 at 8:55 PM
I'm on it Miche

I'll do 3ds max 6, maya 5.
Test Subject
#3 Old 15th Feb 2005 at 8:01 AM
I'm gonna try with Blender, as soon as I can. If noone beats me to it.

So, will the SMD format also be used for objects, and will that allow animated objects to be created?
Lab Assistant
#4 Old 15th Feb 2005 at 8:48 AM
I don't think there is an SMD plugin for Maya 5/6. I can't find one. Might be one in with the latest Steam updates. I don't own HL2 so thats a no-go.
Test Subject
#5 Old 15th Feb 2005 at 8:55 AM
Same for me. Maya 6.5 says "unrecognized File Type".
I seached the web for a plug-in, could not find anything...

Can anybody help on this?
Nearly alive
Original Poster
#6 Old 15th Feb 2005 at 12:02 PM Last edited by Miche : 15th Feb 2005 at 12:15 PM.
there seems to be at least two maya exporter/importers for smd files, one in the half life sdk and another one has a link on the following page: http://ii.hl2files.com/sdk/export_maya.php

Both of them say they are for maya 4/4.5 but according to the following page:
http://www.chatbear.com/board.plm?a...0&v=flatold&s=0
at least one of them should work with maya 6.0.

The only thing I`m unsure of is these exporters support the smd format used by half life 2 (or if they just support the format used by half life 1), while the mesh tool supports both formats , the half life 1 format only allows one bone per vertice.

I`ll try to look around for any other importers/exporters later.

The half life SDK is available for download from various places as well (look for sdk version 2.3) so someone might want to try downloading that to see if the plug-in is in there.

edit: I`ve just found this page which lists two plugins , one for maya 4.0 and one for maya 5.0
http://gaia.sip.ucm.es/grupo/projects/javy/devzone.html
Field Researcher
#7 Old 15th Feb 2005 at 12:21 PM
I find some plugin for 3dsmax7.
I upload for you to test my import-export tests.
If they are ok i will upload plugins.
Attached files:
File Type: rar  smd3dsmax7.rar (57.7 KB, 75 downloads) - View custom content
Nearly alive
Original Poster
#8 Old 15th Feb 2005 at 12:38 PM Last edited by Miche : 15th Feb 2005 at 12:48 PM.
Quote: Originally posted by psyckotic
I find some plugin for 3dsmax7.
I upload for you to test my import-export tests.
If they are ok i will upload plugins.



they somehow seemed to lose the bone assignments, and also exported in half life 1 format (but that might of been because of losing the bone assignments.)

can you test the meshes I`ve attached to this post please.

you might want to check the plug-ins on the following page for 3ds max, it says they (the one at the top of the page) support half life 2 format.
http://ii.hl2files.com/sdk/export_max.php
Attached files:
File Type: zip  Testmesh1.zip (125.0 KB, 34 downloads) - View custom content
Field Researcher
#9 Old 15th Feb 2005 at 1:01 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Miche
they somehow seemed to lose the bone assignments, and also exported in half life 1 format (but that might of been because of losing the bone assignments.)

can you test the meshes I`ve attached to this post please.

you might want to check the plug-ins on the following page for 3ds max, it says they (the one at the top of the page) support half life 2 format.
http://ii.hl2files.com/sdk/export_max.php


I used the wavelenght one (bottom of the page). I will yours.
Field Researcher
#10 Old 15th Feb 2005 at 1:10 PM
perhaps it comes from my importer.
Attached files:
File Type: rar  smd3dsmax7-2.rar (4.7 KB, 36 downloads) - View custom content
Nearly alive
Original Poster
#11 Old 15th Feb 2005 at 1:19 PM
so these last two are from the Cannonfodders exporter ?

with that you need to select the option to export them as a Reference frame, the files you have attached are animation frames.
Field Researcher
#12 Old 15th Feb 2005 at 1:30 PM
yes cannonfodders exporter. i selected skeletal animation. i will try with reference frame
Attached files:
File Type: rar  dresmesh3-test.rar (48.4 KB, 56 downloads) - View custom content
Nearly alive
Original Poster
#13 Old 15th Feb 2005 at 1:39 PM Last edited by Miche : 15th Feb 2005 at 1:41 PM.
still not keeping the bone assignments (and in half life 1 format), I will have to look into that, when you get time could you try the other two meshes I uploaded in the Testmesh1.zip.

the bones are arranged slightly different in those, but as you said it might be your importer only supports half life 1 format.
Field Researcher
#14 Old 15th Feb 2005 at 1:41 PM
I haven't seen there is cannonfodder smd importer. I will try to use it because i used a script importer very long to load the smd.
Attached files:
File Type: rar  dresmesh4-test.rar (37.5 KB, 31 downloads) - View custom content
Field Researcher
#15 Old 15th Feb 2005 at 1:48 PM
cannonfodder importer is hl2 compatible.

testmesh1 import-export.
Attached files:
File Type: rar  testmesh1-3ds7.rar (74.3 KB, 34 downloads) - View custom content
Field Researcher
#16 Old 15th Feb 2005 at 2:00 PM
None of these plug ins for Maya 4-5 work in Maya 6 Unlimited - all but one will not even load, the one that will load is grayed out in auto load and Maya will not read the 'info' for it which is suspicious - and when I attempted to us it was given a 'unknown format' warning and nothing loaded. This is probably because there werre many changes between how converters were written for 4-5 and the move to using the lepTranslator in mel scripts for 6.0. The lepTranslator amd samples are in the sdk for writing a plugin. I searched the Alias site and the community site, but even with platinum access I am not finding any plugin or translator currently available for .smd format. I have sent in a tech support request for information on locating one but as yet have not heard back
Nearly alive
Original Poster
#17 Old 15th Feb 2005 at 2:03 PM
Quote: Originally posted by psyckotic
cannonfodder importer is hl2 compatible.

testmesh1 import-export.


The ones in the last two posts are coming out in the right kind of format, just a couple of things I need to look into.

Thanks for your help.
Field Researcher
#18 Old 15th Feb 2005 at 2:12 PM
Nearly alive
Original Poster
#19 Old 15th Feb 2005 at 2:26 PM
Quote: Originally posted by rentechd
None of these plug ins for Maya 4-5 work in Maya 6 Unlimited - all but one will not even load, the one that will load is grayed out in auto load and Maya will not read the 'info' for it which is suspicious - and when I attempted to us it was given a 'unknown format' warning and nothing loaded. This is probably because there werre many changes between how converters were written for 4-5 and the move to using the lepTranslator in mel scripts for 6.0. The lepTranslator amd samples are in the sdk for writing a plugin. I searched the Alias site and the community site, but even with platinum access I am not finding any plugin or translator currently available for .smd format. I have sent in a tech support request for information on locating one but as yet have not heard back


Thanks for trying them, according to the following (and other websites) there is a mel script for maya 4.5 which works with maya 6.0 , it`s just finding that script which seems to be the problem.
http://www.hl2world.com/wiki/index....ource_with_MAYA
Nearly alive
Original Poster
#20 Old 15th Feb 2005 at 2:36 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Brasstex
I use 3dsmax 6, I imported the SMD test files, and exported them again without changing anything, here they are.

Brasstex



Thanks for testing them for me, but these are animation frames (they just contain the positions of the bones.), when exporting a smd file (for use by the mesh tool) , you need to select "reference frame".
Lab Assistant
#21 Old 15th Feb 2005 at 6:55 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Miche
Thanks for testing them for me, but these are animation frames (they just contain the positions of the bones.), when exporting a smd file (for use by the mesh tool) , you need to select "reference frame".


Right, sorry. Here's the one's you want.

Brasstex
Attached files:
File Type: rar  SMDtest1.rar (75.0 KB, 50 downloads) - View custom content
Nearly alive
Original Poster
#22 Old 15th Feb 2005 at 7:04 PM
thanks, what importer and exporter where you using?

not sure what happened, but file 1 has had all the bones removed, while file 2 has the bones still but most of vertices have lost there bone assignments.

the best results so far (for 3ds studio) have been with the cannonfodder plug-in, but that still isn`t perfect as it seems to have reversed parts of the mesh. It might be just something in that files what I posted, but this will need further testing
Lab Assistant
#23 Old 15th Feb 2005 at 7:13 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Miche
thanks, what importer and exporter where you using?

not sure what happened, but file 1 has had all the bones removed, while file 2 has the bones still but most of vertices have lost there bone assignments.

the best results so far (for 3ds studio) have been with the cannonfodder plug-in, but that still isn`t perfect as it seems to have reversed parts of the mesh. It might be just something in that files what I posted, but this will need further testing


I used cannonfodder importer/exporter. I don't have much luck with internal file converter plug-ins. I've been using 3dwin5 to convert .obj's to 3ds and back again, but it add tremendously to the file size, unfortunately.

Brasstex
Lab Assistant
#24 Old 15th Feb 2005 at 7:37 PM
Here is something for all you kind people.

It contains Half-Life model info (and much more). Hopefully it will be of great use.

http://www.churchofmod.com/files/do...sOn3DModels.rar

.
Field Researcher
#25 Old 15th Feb 2005 at 8:01 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Miche
thanks, what importer and exporter where you using?

not sure what happened, but file 1 has had all the bones removed, while file 2 has the bones still but most of vertices have lost there bone assignments.

the best results so far (for 3ds studio) have been with the cannonfodder plug-in, but that still isn`t perfect as it seems to have reversed parts of the mesh. It might be just something in that files what I posted, but this will need further testing


There some option in the importer called detect inversed meshes perhaps it comes from that. Tell me which file i have to test....
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