for what i can tell from md4 format it is likely that md4 was created but then. Propably as soon as that had been finsihed they realised ways to make it more efficent for memory and convinice so they split it into mdm/mdx as from what i can tell they are esentialy parts of a md4 file so md4 was outdated before it had a chance to become popular enough to get imorters/exporter
with this in mind we ither need to find a differnt format containg all the inormating needed or consider writing a plugin
I’ve been reading the article posted by RR2DO2 posted in the sticky at the top of this forum.
I would like to know what get’s exported trough this SkelOut plugin, and that should be the same used for RTCW. I want that pack I posted a link about since that includes some info and the plugin itself.
The problem would then lie in finding all the info in the .skl file and writing something buildmds-alike.
BTW: I’d call it buildmd, so I can get rid of the ‘s’ and the reference to .mds
I even thought about using .3ds as input file, but that one includes so many other irrelevant things that it would only be extra load on the conversion program.
I may give it a try though, after I get done with some basic tool.
And actually, where’s ikanatto or what is he doing at the moment?
Some news:
-I looked at the way MDS stores the LOD data, probably this is the same for MDM. If it is, I believe I could make some algorithm to generate that data.
-Seems I 'm getting an understanding of the general MDM/MDX filestructure as well, thanks for your page listing the MD-M/X specs.
-I’ll write some basic classes for MDM and MDX one of these days, so we could start the coding with something.
-I still haven’t seen any news on that ‘Official MDS Pack’. I would like to see an example of such a .skl file.
@ikanatto: Could you import a model with a basic set of animations, say an allied fd ops, into 3ds max and export it as a .skl once we get the plugin?
I haven’t found any specs on the .skl format itself, so I’m even not sure how hard or easy it is to make an MD-M/X out of it… I would like this particular .skl for studying it.
@ikanatto: So you once made a tool to convert mds to md-x/m! Only thing is it’s nowhere to be found. (maybe somewhere on your site, between the japanese characters which I can’t read)
Allso, if you have the newest version of the model pack, could you supply a link?
Thx! 
ah, sry for putting Japanese there, but its tottaly personal.
For those points please look at the followings:
My progress on this project ( not updated for 2 months )
http://ikanatto.s59.xrea.com/archives/wolfensteinenemy_territory/mdsmdmmdx_importer_for_3ds_max/index.html
MDS -> MDM with my convertion
http://ikanatto.s59.xrea.com/archives/2005/04/making_player_m.html
MDS -> MDX
http://ikanatto.s59.xrea.com/archives/2005/04/adding_new_anim.html
Used Files( exe soruce docs etc. )
http://mak.s13.xrea.com/ET/archives.zip
SKL&SKD Sample( text )
http://ikanatto.s59.xrea.com/usd.SKL
http://ikanatto.s59.xrea.com/usd.SKD
I have already done mdx-importing part and almost mdm part. The problem is exproting. Yes, Progressive LoD( generating collapse map ), that is.
-Added
What “Model pack” do you need? I have only ET’s and RtCW demo’s from those pak.
Thank you, that is some great study material.
I believe you can safely ignore the LOD data whilst importing.
Eventually, you could ignore it when exporting as well but it would result in lower performances as the LOD system won’t lower the detail. Generating it is normally done in buildmds and I think it will be a resource-demanding job as you need to find the vertex which least disforms the model, put it in the collapsemap and calculate all the stuff again to find the next ‘best’ vertex.
About the Model pack: I was refering to the official mds tool released for RTCW. On tramdesign someone said Gray Matter once released that official pack. It was mostly the SkelOut plugin that I needed. Best of all: squadjot sent me a PM with a link which goes to your webspace! 
See http://ikanatto.s59.xrea.com/MDS_GMI.zip
I can allready try to get something to work. And besides, if the source code for your mds->md-m/x tool is in the archive you supplied, I can try to make a raw md-m/x set from .skl if I complete the whole data structure. (this means, making a set without filling in the whole LOD structure or similar things, so it doesn’t crash ET)
I’ll try to keep this updated. If I get some time to write the LOD code, I’ll post it somewhere so you can use it for your exporter.
back for the weekend glad to see there has been some progress
imo regarding the LOD if we can avaoid that i would surgest it for now as its not the number 1 prioriaty for getting these moddle working in the game
also i though perhaps we should also consider making this work in reverse as if we cant open the ET mdm files we cant get the ET bone structure so moddlers would have to compleaty re make all animations to fit the new bone structure. by doing that we waste the advantage of the mdx where we can use all the default animations and still easily add new ones
ikanatto has allready done most of this.
He made it allready possible to convert mds to mdx and mdm! It’s only that his convertor has some few bugs in it.
He posted a link, this one: http://mak.s13.xrea.com/ET/archives.zip
Check it out, his mds_mdxe tool is in it, plus manual and source code.
He allso said on his page that the importer for mdm/mdx allmost worx, eventually ask it him and you can save a few imported md’s as 3DS.
I don’t know however if it can merge MDM/MDX.
Ask him, he has allready done a great job.
had a go with that tool and swaped a few rtcw sp chaacter for the ET multilayer ones and it worked with no trouble, so i assume the rtcw human moddles have the same bone structure as ET ones. so we have all the tools needed to create new moddles by using the rtcw bones as a base
btw great job ikanatto, how come this has been hidden for so long?
It was called a hack and seems it was forgotten about, possible explanation is that no-one found it after he changed his webhost. I discovered it a few days ago in the zip file he linked to, so he I believe he won’t object that you use it.
I’m going to continue on this thing though, ikanatto’s converter was not totaly finished, and it would be faster if it would only take 1 compile to make a model. Now it takes 2. (actually, 1 export, 1 build and 1 conversion. If I could complete this buildmd, it would only take the first 2)
i dont realy see any problems with the compiles they dont realy take that long, the limit of 2000 verts doest worry me bu i gess someone who does more moddeling would be the one to ask
i was thrown a bit by the fact that to convert the tags you had to put your first output into the input then run mode 4 but when u get it its not realy a problem
if you are updating the tool u might want to consider making it export the mdx differntly, now i belive all animation comes out in one file, this is usable its just harder to write the .anim files or whatever to pin point the exact frames but it loses the best bit that is were u can just take out one mdx and put in another
take this senario, u have all the animation of ur player in one mdx file, you have a bad walking animation near the start of the file, to modifly this u need to add several extra frames thus pussing th rest of ur anmation frame numbers up and all .anim files have to be updated. or you can add the animation onto the endthen you have wasted memory loading unused animation into the game
Ikanatto’s converter works, and there’s a thread on how to use it: http://www.splashdamage.com/index.php?name=pnPHPbb2&file=viewtopic&t=12811
My idea to build a complete convertor tool and a set of importers/exporters for different programs has been put on hold though. I should have someone who has the knowledge to write importers and exporters (or something combined) for 3D design programs in some format I should still define. (If possible, 3DS Max, Lightwave and Milkshape)
I could write it myself, but I don’t have the time to find out how each SDK of each program works nor to code it completely.
Work has been done on the converter though, it could be used when I have the time to redesign it for more different formats. (As there are lots of similar formats, take MD5/MD5Anim, they are mainly ASCII forms of MDM/MDX)
I only have one thing to say:
Ikanatto is a genius if you ask me.
I’ll look into this soon as it really comes in handy for my new mod.
Nice work on the anime models too, (few bugs like helmets and floating players) but they look awsome.
Greetz Panther aka Way2Evil
hmm and people were telling me all the time that you cant chance the models of ET otherwise the game crashes.
so it can be done all right.
and you are made a tool for that. 
weko japs how on earht wat to be hupping around in a like a bunny
I checked the tuts a while ago, still kinda complicated.
But I’m kinda noob to that stuff so maybe it’s me.
Greetz Panther aka Way2Evil
I have put together a decent starter thread for this kind of stuff:
http://enemy-territory.4players.de:1041/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=18084
You guys may already know all of the links though. :nag:
Anyone who is interested & in need of the files mentioned here…
[ This is a trial and error thing with your versions of MAX/gmax and I will be writing some tutorials on installing these plug-ins for gmax and the like(max).
-If I forget to get them done…just mention it to me. ]
Gray Matter’s official mds pack - MDS_GMI.zip (103 k)
Tical’s skelout plugin for max 4/MDS Export Bundle - MDS_Exporter3DSMax.zip (242 k)
Tical’s modified md3 exporter - ExportMD3.zip (41.9 k)
Chris Cookson’s mds importer - MDSImporter1-0.zip (66.6k)
Default RtCW animations - RtCWAnimations.zip (2.0 megs)
rtcwWeaponExportGuide.zip
rtcwMdsExportGuide
For those with incompatible versions of Max for the files above…
@ Fireflies site…an MD3 exporter for Max6/7/maybe 8 (There is also one at the link below)
md3exp_6.dle
Lots’o’Plug-ins:
The gmax/.MD3 exporter seems to work well if installed properly…
http://pages.videotron.com/browser/
(I am also going to back all of these files up @ my site) Except the files that are junk…I have to weed through them before I tutorialize their install and use.
