Trouble with creating models in Blender(Import/export)

[jmasterBoB]

Hello Guys!

 

I´am currently thinking to start a big Fan-mission project. But I have big troubles importing models into the dark radiant.

The models of the buildings will be created in an professional architecture programm called archi cad. After

the models are created they will be exported as *.obj or *.3ds files and imported to blender 2.63. I`ve read some

basic tutorials "how to create models" in the wiki and on other homepages. I basically can export models

as *.ase files with an exporter without troubles, but i only get one ase file. I´ve put it into the darkmod/models folder

and it shows up in the editor as model, but without the correct texture. Now i have some basic questions:

 

#do i need also a material file?

#where i exactly have to put the texture files? In which folder ( c:\games\doom3\darkmod\textures isnt right i think)

#do i need textures with *.tga format or is *.jpg also possible?

#i only can find an exporter scirpt for *.ase for blender v.2.56, does anyone working with current version of blender?

If yes which script/version do you use?

 

sincerley J

[Serpentine]

Hey there!

 

#do i need also a material file?

Yes, but they arnt very hard to make for simple textures. Take a look at a few similar materials in DR (right click on the material -> show shader definition)

If you need help with this, just shout and I can sort something out

 

#where i exactly have to put the texture files? In which folder ( c:\games\doom3\darkmod\textures isnt right i think)

When you are working on an fm, you will make a new folder for your map/textures/materials etc.

At the moment, this should be located in your doom3 folder. Your fm needs a short name, like 'bobsfm' - ideally something from the name of the fm itself. You will then make a new folder like c:\games\doom3\bobsfm\ ; in which you would create your own textures/models etc folders. As such, you dont need to potentially break any tdm stuff. To get the assets to load in DR, you go to File -> Select Game -> Mod = 'bobsfm' & Mod Base = 'darkmod'. You can think of this folder as being overlayed on the darkmod folder, so try to keep things in a similar pattern and you'll make your life easy, and should you wish to donate assets to the mod or over-ride assets, it is a lot easier.

 

#do i need textures with *.tga format or is *.jpg also possible?

Textures are handled like this:

Normalmaps - tga (this will change in the future, TGA is safe tho)

Diffuse/Specular - dds (DXT1)

 

However while you are getting everything working and want to make edits, I would suggest just using TGA for everything. Before release, swap out the tgas for dds. The material files do not need a file extension, making this very easy.

 

#i only can find an exporter scirpt for *.ase for blender v.2.56, does anyone working with current version of blender?

Have you tried my exporter?

See : http://forums.thedar...xporter-beta-1/ - it will let you skip the blender stage if you want, it can also export from .blends if needed. It may even support the cad format (it supports one iirc). The export is very basic, no vertex colour/normals at the moment; but that's not too much of a problem.

[jmasterBoB]

Hi thanks for the help!

I´ve engaged a little bit with material files, but i`m still on the sam point as before.

 

I`ve created a special folder in the doom 3 path where i put the material, texture and model folders.

 

http://www.bilder-space.de/show_img.php?img=a6853c-1338382162.gif&size=original

 

But the model still looks like that in the editor

http://www.bilder-space.de/show_img.php?img=d8ffd3-1338382393.gif&size=original

 

the material file in the material path looks like this

 

http://www.bilder-space.de/show_img.php?img=3aba73-1338382407.gif&size=original

I havn`t tried the exporter so far, but i will when i have more time!

thanks so far!

[Serpentine]

If you could just zip the bobsfm folder up and upload it somewhere, I will edit the material/model to work, and from there you will get the idea of how it fits together - it's pretty close atm

[RPGista]

Hehe, Archicad? Used to work in an office that used it, still havent really moved to BIM myself (if at all), but it is nice seeing someone thinking of using it for level making! Oddly enough, I remember reading somewhere (probably doom3world forums) that there was this guy who made a program that could convert archicad models directly to brushes (Doom's native geometry), kind of a masters thesis thing... I didnt try it at the time, wouldnt expect it to work very well to be sincere, but its an interesting aproach, as you can get buildings geometry done quite fast and precisely in archicad, unlike doing it manually in Dark Radiant (things like windows, slabs, roofs, doors, even details). Im looking into learning Revit instead, have you tried it? Do you have experience with Archicad?

Edited May 30, 2012 by RPGista

[jmasterBoB]

Thank you Serpentine! I`ve send you the files!

 

Hi RPGista!

I have to look out for that converter. Thank you for mention!

No i don´t know Revit. My brother have excellent archi cad skills, He has experience in designing buildings in archi cad for many years.

Hes currently engaged on medieval games for the college and we plan to start a DM project together.

 

Archi Cad is a pretty good application especially for creating buildings. I think the main Problem is the export of the files to other programms.

You can export the data from archi cad as *.3ds or *.obj files. After the import to blender the material files don`t show up in blender.

So you have to retexture all the objects and you also have problems with exporting the models to the *.ase format.You get a lot of serperated single meshes that you have to join together. After the export to *.ase from blender i always get an error message. ( perhaps my modelling skills in blender are not good enough).

Here i have an model that I export from archi cad to blender. I´ts a kind of tunnel with a path. I`ll try to export it to ase and import it to d3 in the future

 

http://www.bilder-sp...f&size=original

 

Currently I have some troubles with UV mapping and creating textures and material files.

But I´m very confident to solve that problems in the future

Edited May 30, 2012 by jmasterBoB

[RPGista]

Hey, that sounds pretty cool, teaming up with your brother. Im afraid I cant help with none of the model and texture stuff (just getting into 3d game modeling myself), but good luck with your project and be sure to pass by the editors guild forum section if you have any questions regarding TDM own editor, Dark Radiant.