Maya .mb files to SS

[SC4R4B]

Are we going to see Maya (.mb) support? *

Doh! Didnt see that post...Delete this.



(Edited by SC4R4B at 8:18 pm on Mar. 27, 2001)

[Admir Elezovic]

Doubt it, same as .max format, you need Maya in order to read it properly in most cases. Someone could make Mel script perhaps that would export to our .mdl format.

Admir

[SC4R4B]

Where could I find out more about the .mdl file format?  Can I open it in a text editor?

[Admir Elezovic]

.mdl file is binary file, you cant open it in text editor :(
Its format is complicated, but i can bug our programming team to prepare structure of it if anyone wants to make plugin for any 3d application.

Admir

[verybad]

Might be a good idea to get that info to the folks at Right Hemisphere (they bought xd soft) who own 3d Explorer. It's a very handy little utility, it has export options for a number of games like Quake and Homeworld. They have a downloadable demo that works for 30 days, I liked it enough to register the proggie (39$)

[Admir Elezovic]

Actually we have talks with them and with Milkshape dudes but since XDsoft is moving to New Zealand (did i typed it correctly? ) it could be a while.

Admir

[rico]

Maya support period will depend on the Maya wizards that know MEL. It's not something that Croteam or any other game company can be held responsible for. I wish that there was an export program for it, cause I'd love to get some Maya models into Sam as well.

[verybad]

I already got a Maya model into SS (a spaceship) I'm not familiar with the texturing in SS yet, but that won't be long now.

Just exported an obj and brought it in. Textures are still an issue, but I think it's something I'm missing, not the importer.

[rico]

verybad - what version of Maya were you using? I've tried with 3.0 and can only get a reference out correctly :confused:

[verybad]

3.0 I assume you have the OBJ plugin loaded?

[Admir Elezovic]

I suggest to read Serious Modeler Help, Creating player models tut is indepth covering attachment, mapping and texture creation/import.

Admir

[rico]

verybad - sorry I had to recoup from the surgery pulling my head out of my hinder regions. I don't have the OBJ plugin loaded at all. Thanks, but it'll be awhile before I can see well enough again after having been where the sun don't shine for so long. :biggrin: :confused:

[PainBringer]

Maya exports the geometry to OBJ ok enough, but the problem is the UV's : somehow they get mixed up or re-sorted. 3D Explorer is able to rehash them and show them, so is Lightwave and so is Max, but SSModeler shows them garbled *and* translated 1 texture-tile up (in V I guess) when viewed in the Material/Texture viewer.
We've tried a lot of ways to try and work around this (also using polytrans from Okino standalone and plugins trial versions) but without succes.

Tried using OBJ and 3DS both as formats, no dice.

The thing is : the information is in the file, no mistake about it, but either the Maya export to OBJ is f*()ed or the SSModeler is very strict in the way it wants its UV's.

My question to CroTeam dev'ers : do the vt's in the OBJ
format/importer into SSModeler need to be sorted somehow or
otherwise formatted so that the OBJ import unit understands
them?

Just tell me the -exact- way SSModeler needs it's input and I'll go to hell and back to find a way around this, because our production pipeline simply won't work without Maya3.

Oh and yes, I also tried using Z is up vs the default Y is up, no difference.

Any and all help will be appreciated very very much ;) If I find out something new I'll post it asap!

[Admir Elezovic]

Send over .obj to inspect it. Nothing special on vtxs or mapping in .obj we tested. With z and y you mean about orientation in SM ?

Admir

[PainBringer]

OK, I will send you the offending obj as well as a walkthrough of the process it's been through to maybe give you some more insight. Will do that asa I get back to work tomorrow, I'll figure out your emailaddress, NP :)


The Z/Y is up : it's an option in Maya and it is set to Y per default, not in SM. I thought it might change the projection plane or smth so that it would turn out allright, but it makes absolutely no difference (and shouldn't since it's a total different coordinate-space (xyz / uvw).

[Admir Elezovic]

Cool deal, email addy is admir@croteam.com ofcourse.


Admir