Topic: Blender to .mod scripts are there any working?

[Kreeargh]

Blender to .mod scripts are there any working? Im thinking about blender since gmax is worthless for converting to any thing else but .mod . I do alot of other games work and milkshape wont open 1/3 of my work in .mod for convert.

[yochenhsieh]

There is nif tools with which you can export and import .nif format for Bridge commander in gmax.
http://niftools.sourceforge.net

[Kreeargh]

Someone was working on a blender mod script but that was a while back, i dont know how far they got with the project, since its not out yet im guessing its dead.
Its a read damn shame Gmax of all the free programs wont export to 3ds < a Max format while All other FRee 3d modeling programs can export to 3ds and Many other formats LOL.
 Thanks for the info guys 

[atheorhaven]

I guess the big question these days is, what all does Blender currently export to?  Maybe there's something it'll export to that gmax will open natively for export to .MOD..

[Rod ONeal]

I guess the big question these days is, what all does Blender currently export to?  Maybe there's something it'll export to that gmax will open natively for export to .MOD..

My thoughts when pursuing the .mod plugin for gmax were 1. It should be easy as it's basically just a recompile of the 3DS plugin. You just needed the gmax SDK. and 2, everything exports to .3ds which gmax can import, thus allowing for models to be made for SFC on free software.

I never cared about people being able to export .mod to other formats, which is where gmax falls short. I'll be honest. I'm still not concerned with people being able to get SFC models into other games. You can get Milkshape for really cheap to do that. Honestly, if Milkshape was capable of fully exporting to .mod I wouldn't have worried about a plugin for gmax. The Milkshape plugin is a bit of an abortion though. It's better than nothing, but not very good. There's also "Ultimate Unwrap 3D" (www.unwrap3d.com) which will open .mod files and save in tons of formats. It's also one of the best and easiest to use UV mapping tools around. It's not expensive either, $50-$60 USD, depending on version. Brad Bolthouse, the developer, is a pretty awesome guy too, IMHO.

Anyhow, has anyone approached someone who can do Blender plugins to see if they will/can do it? We have the 3DS source, if that would be of any help. My advice is if you really want it pop on over to the Blender forums and see.

Edit: Sorry, got a bit offtrack. Atheorhaven, the reason people want a .mod plugin for Blender is for importing .mod and then exporting to another format.

[Kreeargh]

I guess the big question these days is, what all does Blender currently export to?  Maybe there's something it'll export to that gmax will open natively for export to .MOD..

My thoughts when pursuing the .mod plugin for gmax were 1. It should be easy as it's basically just a recompile of the 3DS plugin. You just needed the gmax SDK. and 2, everything exports to .3ds which gmax can import, thus allowing for models to be made for SFC on free software.

I never cared about people being able to export .mod to other formats, which is where gmax falls short. I'll be honest. I'm still not concerned with people being able to get SFC models into other games. You can get Milkshape for really cheap to do that. Honestly, if Milkshape was capable of fully exporting to .mod I wouldn't have worried about a plugin for gmax. The Milkshape plugin is a bit of an abortion though. It's better than nothing, but not very good. There's also "Ultimate Unwrap 3D" (www.unwrap3d.com) which will open .mod files and save in tons of formats. It's also one of the best and easiest to use UV mapping tools around. It's not expensive either, $50-$60 USD, depending on version. Brad Bolthouse, the developer, is a pretty awesome guy too, IMHO.

Anyhow, has anyone approached someone who can do Blender plugins to see if they will/can do it? We have the 3DS source, if that would be of any help. My advice is if you really want it pop on over to the Blender forums and see.

Edit: Sorry, got a bit offtrack. Atheorhaven, the reason people want a .mod plugin for Blender is for importing .mod and then exporting to another format.

Yes i do wish to export some of MY OWN models that i mistakenly did not save a 3ds file of. But for the community read further.

IF there was a export plugin only many wouldnt mind at all it would allow many more options to create with . THe options are getting fewer these days , it wont be long before gmax is NOT avalable and then one will have to choose from Illegal or milkshape. Thats why a blender and or Wings3d and other plugins need to be created.
Not for the hacks,for the creators . BUt if the game is about dead then why bother huh  .

[intermech]

Does Gmax allow you to do break models? Milkshape does not.

[GotAFarmYet?]

Does Gmax allow you to do break models? Milkshape does not.

Yes

[Kreeargh]

I guess the big question these days is, what all does Blender currently export to?  Maybe there's something it'll export to that gmax will open natively for export to .MOD..

My thoughts when pursuing the .mod plugin for gmax were 1. It should be easy as it's basically just a recompile of the 3DS plugin. You just needed the gmax SDK. and 2, everything exports to .3ds which gmax can import, thus allowing for models to be made for SFC on free software.

I never cared about people being able to export .mod to other formats, which is where gmax falls short. I'll be honest. I'm still not concerned with people being able to get SFC models into other games. You can get Milkshape for really cheap to do that. Honestly, if Milkshape was capable of fully exporting to .mod I wouldn't have worried about a plugin for gmax. The Milkshape plugin is a bit of an abortion though. It's better than nothing, but not very good. There's also "Ultimate Unwrap 3D" (www.unwrap3d.com) which will open .mod files and save in tons of formats. It's also one of the best and easiest to use UV mapping tools around. It's not expensive either, $50-$60 USD, depending on version. Brad Bolthouse, the developer, is a pretty awesome guy too, IMHO.

Anyhow, has anyone approached someone who can do Blender plugins to see if they will/can do it? We have the 3DS source, if that would be of any help. My advice is if you really want it pop on over to the Blender forums and see.

Edit: Sorry, got a bit offtrack. Atheorhaven, the reason people want a .mod plugin for Blender is for importing .mod and then exporting to another format.

I have emaild 4 persons that claim to create blender stuff, All have offers of $. No responce yet.   Sorry Rod Not all of us are theivs ,if thats the thought { no offence intended}  i dont export any others work unless asked by the author in person or have total premissions for.
I post because i have been  asked by many what can model in to sfc and many have been put off by the options avalable. Most moders i know use wings 3d or Blender these days. Gmax download isnt even a option, either they dont really want to mod sfc or its to much of a pain in the ass to deal with the issues of vista, w7 and gmax crashes. Foas kill this topic i guess there is no support for it . If i get a blender plugin for sfc i will post it ,I hope others will do the same.

[Rod ONeal]

Oh, come on Kreeargh. I'm not accusing you of anything. Those people who model in wings or blender can do so. I model in C4D. I export to .3DS and use gmax to convert to .MOD. I used to use Milkshape, but getting models in and out of it required too much touching up of the smoothing on import and I could never get the export smoothing good. Break mods of course are no goes.

Legit copies of Max 3-5 don't exist anymore and in theory would require you to buy a new license from Autodesk. Old versions of Max won't pass Windows Vista security either. Gmax runs on Vista, and I've only seen one person post about problems with Windows 7.

The problem I've heard of with Gmax is it doesn't export to a commercial format that other programs can use. (Actually, there is a work around to export the mesh to .obj, but it's a bit of a pain and it doesn't export a .mat file) People want to be able to move SFC models to other formats to, I presume, use in other games. All I was stating is that wasn't a concern for me when I got the gmax plugin done and it still isn't. I'm sure people would help you out and convert some of your models for you to .3DS if you wanted. I'd gladly do some for you.

 No need to have a Mod to close the thread. Nobody's breaking any forum rules

[marstone]

I only have about a dozen iron in the fire, so I will what I can figure out for blender.  I know it uses Python for its plug-ins and I have the .mod plug-in code.  It will be a nice aside, but will have a lot of reading to be done first. 

[Rod ONeal]

That's be nice of you, Marstone. Want to do a C4D one for me? (just kidding)

Do you use Blender, Kreeargh? I can't make heads or tales of the bloody thing.

[Kreeargh]

That's be nice of you, Marstone. Want to do a C4D one for me? (just kidding)

Do you use Blender, Kreeargh? I can't make heads or tales of the bloody thing.

Yep i use it and alot more modeling tools, xsi mod tool< sucks more now thanks to autodesk takeover, just got wings 3d to try it out. Im not good with any of them yet. I made 1 model so far in blender it sucked yea but its a start.  I am used to the older format  this 2.5 interface is all new to me.  Going to be alot more learning it looks like .
There are a bunch of blender tutorials  here.  http://blenderunderground.com/
 

[KBF-Kurok]

an exporter for .mod in blender would be great. i think i would start messing around with it again since every thing i have  heard and read about it says it is faster and easier to use once you figure out  how it works. The tuts you can get  to help you learn it are excellent for the most part. Blender is a great free app.

[Rod ONeal]

Yeah, Blenderheads for years have touted the UI is so awesome once you learn it. Nice to hear they're doing a major overhaul of it in 2.5. Love the concept of Blender. An open source professional quality 3D animation pkg for free. Really sick and tired of $1000 and up to get good modeling software.

What has Autodesk done to Modtool? I really liked it when I tried it. Thought it had a great interface. Not as good as the C4D interface, but more powerful as a modeling tool, being XSI Sofimage based.

[Bonk]

I have also made attempts at it, but it is a daunting task. I think I can handle the basics (mesh) of translating the c++ gmax/3ds plugin to a python blender import/export script pair, but when it comes to the LODs, textures and illuminations I get lost... that is what I recall from when I looked at it last.

I also have about (two)dozen irons in the fire (too many, I'm not enough getting done, too much ddo). But perhaps I'll take another look at it this weekend and dig up the thread for marstone and I. There was a request for SFC3 scripts too, I have that setup and ready to accept simple custom script requests I gotta dig that thread up too, and the OSS project and the proprietary projects and completing the turn-based campaign interface (tbci) - oh wait, my improved SQL skills may accelerate the tbci somewhat from where I left off...

OK. Digging up my blender stuff where I left off... issue is upgrading the version and keeping python compatible across multiple products depending on it. Hmm. Yes, at it before I lose the motivation. Hopefully I'll get farther this time. I have a thread or two... I'll search and post the hits...

EDIT: here's some of the previous discussions ans links:
http://www.dynaverse.net/forum/index.php/topic,163386574.0.html
http://www.dynaverse.net/forum/index.php/topic,163387732.0.html
hmmm looks like that's it (and this one) I thought there was more.... off to update blender/python...

[marstone]

Bonk, I find it alittle humorous that the threads that are working on it, has both of us also doing alittle diddling there also.  I think the real task would be to find a thread that we are not helping out on it, in some form or another when it comes to moding the game.

[Kreeargh]

Yeah, Blenderheads for years have touted the UI is so awesome once you learn it. Nice to hear they're doing a major overhaul of it in 2.5. Love the concept of Blender. An open source professional quality 3D animation pkg for free. Really sick and tired of $1000 and up to get good modeling software.

What has Autodesk done to Modtool? I really liked it when I tried it. Thought it had a great interface. Not as good as the C4D interface, but more powerful as a modeling tool, being XSI Sofimage based.

They removed the obj export the name shows up obj but its grey like its not active and without an obj file some have issues maping. Adding something is cool but removeing the only standard format ppl use to export to is rediculas i think.  Though this might be my fault for not installing something correct but another moder that uses xsi mod tool , That mods sins only said the same thing about the new autodesk version of xsimod tool.   Call me insain or what you will but i belive autodesk is in a 3d take over of all software they can get their hands on to end the Free modeling tools all together.  Buts neither here or there we cant stop that even bitching wont stop the billion$ greed. Moders and pro modelers generaly dont get along cause we can possably take away their profits cause we work for free I bet you that is also thought about on these takeovers.

[Rod ONeal]

http://pyffi.sourceforge.net/

Would this be of any help?

The Python File Format Interface, briefly PyFFI, is an open source Python library for processing block structured binary files:

    * Simple: Reading, writing, and manipulating complex binary files in a Python environment is easy! Currently, PyFFI supports the NetImmerse/Gamebryo NIF and KFM formats, CryTek’s CGF format, the FaceGen EGM format, the DDS format, and the TGA format.
    * Batteries included: Many tools for files used by 3D games, such as a stripifier, tangent space calculator, 2d/3d hull algorithms, inertia calculator, as well as a general purpose file editor QSkope (using PyQt4), are included.
    * Modular: Its highly modular design makes it easy to add support for new formats, and also to extend existing functionality.

This has been used for other game files from Max to Blender.

[marstone]

Yeah, Blenderheads for years have touted the UI is so awesome once you learn it. Nice to hear they're doing a major overhaul of it in 2.5. Love the concept of Blender. An open source professional quality 3D animation pkg for free. Really sick and tired of $1000 and up to get good modeling software.

What has Autodesk done to Modtool? I really liked it when I tried it. Thought it had a great interface. Not as good as the C4D interface, but more powerful as a modeling tool, being XSI Sofimage based.

They removed the obj export the name shows up obj but its grey like its not active and without an obj file some have issues maping. Adding something is cool but removeing the only standard format ppl use to export to is rediculas i think.  Though this might be my fault for not installing something correct but another moder that uses xsi mod tool , That mods sins only said the same thing about the new autodesk version of xsimod tool.   Call me insain or what you will but i belive autodesk is in a 3d take over of all software they can get their hands on to end the Free modeling tools all together.  Buts neither here or there we cant stop that even bitching wont stop the billion$ greed. Moders and pro modelers generaly dont get along cause we can possably take away their profits cause we work for free I bet you that is also thought about on these takeovers.

thankfully, Blender is open source, it is already out there so it can't be taken away.  Someone will always have the code for it.