Updated model viewer with skin support - Page 2

Kaiyodo · #16 01-22-2003, 10:52 PM

The latest model viewer can display the .spk models in chequip.s3d only. If you load anything from a .wld file then the models will be collapsed.

K.

Aerinn · #17 01-24-2003, 06:50 PM

Kai, for starters you're my hero. You're doing what I have been struggling with for ages, but haven't got the programming expertise to accomplish. That said, I notice that you mention zones can be pulled from a wld file with Mitselplik's tool (which is brilliant imho). I'm using his tool now, but my only gripe is that it converts all of the textures to bmp, losing the transparency. If your script goes to max (since it uses the compressed directx files), do you bypass the bmp conversion completely?

Anyway, that was probably a question I'll answer as soon as I get your proggie installed and working, but it's something that'd be a fairly straight forward mod...or so it'd seem (to a non-programmer).

Anyway, keep it coming guys, it's well appreciated and you're reaching God-like status to this little Aussie!

Regards,

Aerinn

Kaiyodo · #18 01-25-2003, 12:27 AM

I don't bypass the conversion, I just undo it

I had to do a search and replace BMP with DDS for some of the POV files for the newer zones so the texture names matched up. You have to make sure your version of max supports DDS textures first of course.

The latest maxscript on my site has support for transparency, it puts the same texture in the diffuse and opacity slots in max so you get the transparency in the viewport too.

K.

Aerinn · #19 01-25-2003, 12:53 PM

This may sound like it's coming from someone very much in the unknown, that's because it is. From what I've been reading about formats and such (which is a lot before I finally found this board which actually knows something specific to EQ), I noted that a lot of places that develop with Max (as VI does) utilise the DirectX 8+ format export tools that are out there.

Now, I realise that VI probably has an enormous budget to custom develop such things, but the models we get no access to (i.e. they come out in a garbled mess) are models from the same period where they moved to DX8, isn't it? I'm 99% confident that you've already verified that the file isn't in standard dx8 format, but I wanted to point out the coincidence just in case.

Thanks for you work, again. I'm playing with actually getting the models into Max5 today.

Kaiyodo · #20 01-25-2003, 01:52 PM

The EQ models are all in VI's custom format, I think we're talking about dx5 time when EQ was released so the xfile format didn't even exist back then. I've got most of the format sorted out, the only thing that's missing is the bone positions for luclin modes, if they even have bones. I should really look to see if they changed to vertex animations rather than skinning, it would certainly explain the insane memory requirement for the animations

K.

Aerinn · #21 01-25-2003, 03:23 PM

Perhaps an interim solution is to put a clicky box that ignores bones altogether. If I can get a clean mesh in I don't mind dropping a biped in the centre of it and making some adjustments. Biped makes animation pretty easy....almost a no brainer. (almost)

Okay, I'm making Max models now (and are they ever huge). Oh well, they move well in wireframe mode. Where I'm curious, though, is why aren't trees and such imported? I'm either doing something terribly wrong, or trees and buildings and such aren't coming in. I AM, however, getting some objects imported, though...like archways and such. I'm a bit stumped, or ignorant in this case. Please describe what I should be getting out of the POV importer, because it doesn't look like I'm getting the same thing in Max that I was seeing in Pov.

Kaiyodo · #22 01-26-2003, 01:53 AM

Unfortunately I already ignore the bones if I can't find them. That collapsed mess seems to be the neutral position of the mesh.

If you're not getting objects in your zones in max there are a few things to check. Make sure you've clicked the 'process includes' button before you import the pov file, and make sure you have an 'objects.pov' and '<zonename>_obj.pov' in the same directory as the zone pov. The zoneconverter should have generated these if you clicked the option to process objects.

I had problems with objects, the pov files for them came out empty so you might want to check they have stuff inside them. In order to write the bit of code that imports them I had to have the objects pov files sent to me by someone whose converter worked. If that's happening, I've no idea how to get round it :(

K.

Aerinn · #23 01-26-2003, 02:11 AM

Thanks for the info. With it I managed to get things working okay. The method was a bit unorthodox (I think I may have gone the hard way around, but it's the only way I got all the textures applied). Instead of following the method posted when you first created the tool (which allowed you to export the actual DDS files), I just used Mitz's proggie directly to convert a zone straight from EQ's directory. It created a sub in Mitz's program directory that I used your program to convert (I just pointed it toward the zone converter working directory).

That may not be quite the right way to do it, but I am getting zones textured, sorta. I just brought in the nexus (other ones I tried were HUGE and kept giving Max 5 a hard run...which is a pain). It looks good with the following quirks:

1. transparent stuff isn't (bitmaps causing this one, so it's no biggie, I can follow this logic.
2. Walls are holey....like swiss cheese, not like the Pope. I can't figure that one out, but I seem to be having troubles patching the holes. Maybe my Max ignorance is just showing a bit.

Any advice/thoughts/pointers/etc. I can work on? If you need my help, mate, just launch me some instructions and I'll give it a go.

Kaiyodo · #24 01-26-2003, 10:18 AM

I've heard of people having problems with missing polys before and I'm not sure what would cause it. Only thing I can suggest is checking the options in the zoneconverter to make sure you haven't got the roof removal turned on :(

K.

Aerinn · #25 01-26-2003, 05:41 PM

Kai,

After digging into the models a bit deeper, I noticed that many of the missing polygons aren't actually missing, rather they are internalised or squashed to a point that they leave a hole in the walls. Further, on items (like the big spires) I noticed there are quite a few internalised polygons. Now, it's very likely that VI put it out that way....I know my first attempts at 3ds Max modelling had its share of internalised polygons. Hopefully this will help you in locating the culprit code.

Also, not trying to be nudging or anything, but how high on your priority list (I know you code a LOT of tools) have you placed fixing up the Luclin+ models? Is it closer to doing your taxes important, or more like calling an old mate from grade 3 for a catch up?

Regards,

Kaiyodo · #26 01-26-2003, 09:05 PM

Thanks for the info, I'll see if I can see why the polys are getting squished.

As for the Lulin models, I'll fix them when I know how

I don't know how the data is stored yet. By the way, last count was 9 tools

K.

Aerinn · #27 01-27-2003, 08:14 PM

9 tools!? You're a VERY active developer...especially for that to include only your freeware stuff.

I wasn't wanting to seem pushy at all, I was only curious. I don't suppose any readers out there are in with anyone at Verant? Sometimes I wish I knew more about it all, but so long as people like you are on the job, there's no need for me to start down that path of x# years of learning to get to where you have already been.

Take care, and thanks again.

Purcevil · #28 05-04-2003, 09:08 AM

Is there any way to convert the .wld files from Mitselplik's zone converter to... oh say .obj for use in Bryce? I don't have 3D Max and can't afford 3K atm. =)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kaiyodo

jdankanyin: If you use Mitselplik's zone converter and the maxscript from my site you can already get zones from s3d into max. After that it should just be a matter of exporting in a sensible format for your engine.

K.

KI-Revenant · #29 05-05-2003, 01:27 PM

Is there anyway to like have the Spire Spirits the Ringwraith wanna be black ghosts from luclin to roam around in Greater Faydark? or such other oddities? I cant seem to find a way to get them as all I get are humans.

or is it Possible to make all models be useable in all zones?

NetShira · #30 08-20-2003, 10:55 AM

I'd like to try playing around with these dds files if found, but have yet to find the proper set of files for the Vah Shir model.. I realize this awesome model viewer might not view them but I'd still like to isolate my target before I start trying to figure out how to convert it to something I can use in a 3D Modelling object.

NetShira