[DONE] Grimrock Model Tookit

[Neikun]

The loading image as texture is a really good idea! =D

[Isaac]

I've definitely got FBX Mesh import/export working now, it's just questionable about the bone structures - those are the bits that are hard to test (as you can't see bone weights without having an animation). Still, I'm going to release v0.01 of GrimFBX later today for testing, while I work on the animation support (as I say, bone indices/weights should work now - but not the actual animation files yet).

If bones and weights work, then animation can be checked in Blender better than Quicktime [with the FBX plugin], I would think.

Although, I would suppose you could setup a temp version (or batch script) of your software that converted a .model file to FBX, then [ultimately] back to .model, and then test it in the GMT with the model's own animation list.

[mahric]

Come on guys, what am I supposed to do?

I hardly get any sleep playing with the GMT while reskinning and modding inanimate objects.
Now you're telling me we're close to getting a version that allows for modification of monsters.

* waves farewell to his last bit of sleep *

[thomson]

Come on guys, what am I supposed to do?

I hardly get any sleep playing with the GMT while reskinning and modding inanimate objects.

You call that a dedication? Hah! You knew what you're getting into when you bought Grimrock. It's like signing a contract. Or more like a trap. Grimrock trailers didn't mention any sleep deprivation, did they?

Face it like a man (or minotaur if you prefer). There's no turning back now. Get yourself another dwarven cup of no-sleep coffee +3 and GET BACK TO WORK! Dungeons won't design themselves!

[JohnWordsworth]

@Neikun: Hope you find it useful in your re-texturing endeavours!

@Isaac: Do you know of a reliable way to import FBX data into Blender? If I had that, or any free (or cheap) modelling program that supports FBX, then that would be amazing. Milkshape3D is rather old now and I expect that it's using such an old version of the SDK / file format that it's not realistically a very good test. Still, when I get the actual animations moving across (the last step before tidying it all up now), then test data will be much easier to come by!

@mahric / @thomson: Haha - LOL (and yes, we're pretty close to FBX support ).

[Neikun]

It should mostly help me get rid of "What-If-I..." projects that are really ugly/not what I was hoping for without taking time to create a material and then delete it (if it's a flop).

[Isaac]

Do you know of a reliable way to import FBX data into Blender? If I had that, or any free (or cheap) modelling program that supports FBX, then that would be amazing. Milkshape3D is rather old now and I expect that it's using such an old version of the SDK / file format that it's not realistically a very good test. Still, when I get the actual animations moving across (the last step before tidying it all up now), then test data will be much easier to come by!

It looks as though FBX import is a real sore spot with Blender; the Autodesk licensing conflicts make any official importer impossible. They say FBX is robust, but we probably don't need a complete implementation for import export. The Autodesk converter retains compatibility with older versions of FBX dating back six years, so perhaps an exporter would only need manage to make import (of .model/animation) possible [at all] using some package that does import FBX (even if it used an older version).

The Milkshape 1.8.5 beta seems to offer FBX [2010] import, but crashes trying to load Autodesk's own sample files that come with the converter.

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What happens when I try to roundtrip from Blender to the Autodesk tool and back, is that Blender can export to FBX, the Autodesk tool can display the exported FBX (with animation). The Autodesk tool offers the conversion from FBX to DAE ~but it appears, that the Autodesk converter tool does not include the animations in its results; (at least that's what I see; maybe I'm doing something wrong). I exported a Suzanne primitive (the monkey head in Blender), with three bones to move the jaw and wiggle the ears; the FBX played in the FBX tool, but when I exported the FBX as a DAE, Blender 2.63 opened it, but did not have any animation for it.
*Can anyone else get different results?

Update: The Autodesk tool does export animation with DAE after all. I loaded the DAE file into Autodesk's, 'Mod Tool' version 7.5; not something I have much experience with. I see that it has some sort of animation, but it doesn't look [at all] the same as what I exported from Blender.

[JohnWordsworth]

Yeah - I think the only real problem is getting the FBX data into blender. Blender's support for exporting FBX looks to be pretty good from what I've read - so creating new (animated) content shouldn't be a problem, just basing them on the current monsters is the tough bit.

I've got 1/2 of the monsters loading fully rigged in MilkShape 3D, but some of them don't work. I'm not sure if my code is to blame or MilkShape at this point. @Skuggasveinn seems to have had some success with GrimFBX so far. (By the way, have you seen the GrimFBX forum thread?).

[Isaac]

Yeah - I think the only real problem is getting the FBX data into blender. Blender's support for exporting FBX looks to be pretty good from what I've read - so creating new (animated) content shouldn't be a problem, just basing them on the current monsters is the tough bit.

I've got 1/2 of the monsters loading fully rigged in MilkShape 3D, but some of them don't work. I'm not sure if my code is to blame or MilkShape at this point.

You can load an FBX in Milkshape? I tried versions 1.8.4 and the 1.8.5 beta, and it crashed loading the Autodesk sample FBX files; (or any others I tried to load).

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If the export side of it all works, then perhaps I could try animating a custom model and see if that FBX can be imported/converted to .model /w the animation.

@Skuggasveinn seems to have had some success with GrimFBX so far. (By the way, have you seen the GrimFBX forum thread?).

Nope; not until now.

[JohnWordsworth]

MilkShape 3D was used to make the Gangnam Skeleton!

I always use the 'Alias FBX 2010.0...' import option and have only tried it with the simple FBX models that I've made myself. It did choke on a few (non-grimrock) models that I tried, but it does work with some!