Lightray3D and MDM / MDX

(Shaderman) #21

Good endeavor!

This results in two questions:

  1. Looking at the Lightray3D web site, I’d say that this software is free and without any limitation. They offer updates in the future if you pay for it though. Conclusion: This software is free at the moment but won’t be any longer in future versions.

  2. Is it possible to import RTCW/ET models, modify them (animations for example) and export them again so they can be used in RTCW/ET?

So if the software is free and can be used to modify existing models, everyone could work on player models and animations…

I guess I’m missing something :???:

(Jaquboss) #22

you can’t export if you dont buy it, so i have no idea if export is working

(Shaderman) #23

Thanks. This one sentence on their web site wouldn’t hurt IMO :bash:

(P4nth3r) #24

Are you gonna convert all rtcw mds animations to mdm/mdx too? or to FBX?

Greetz Panther aka Way2Evil

(ikanatto) #25

Lightray can not load my custom mdm and mdx. It’s gonna say somewhat “error ocuured and closing” when It reads mdm or mdx. I am not sure which is problem, my models or Lightray itself, though Lightray has SDK to enable us to output mdm&mdx into another one, or read another format and export it as mdm and mdx. This is what we need, right?

(nUllSkillZ) #26

I have done a first export from Lightray3d to Milkshape format MS3D the day before yesterday.
Although Milkshape has shown a message window (something like “warning there are more than 500 animations”) this seems to work.
Today I’ve seen that Milkshape is able to export to Alias FBX (Is Max able to import this format?).
Will try to test this at weekend.
And also to export from Milkshape to SKL using the MOHAA exporter (and than off course SKL -> MDS -> MDM).

I won’t export RTCW MDM’s and MDX’s.
I think it’s not allowed to use those in ET due to the copyright’s.

I’ve just seen that Milkshape is also able to import Alias FBX.
So if this all works I would offer the MDM’s (in combination with the MDX’s) as download as FBX format.
Hopefully they aren’t that big.

(kamikazee) #27

Yes, see Alias’ FBX technology page. You need to login to get the plugins, but a visit to http://bugmenot.com can help.

(nUllSkillZ) #28

A first test with allied cvops body.mdm with binocs.mdx:
The export from Lightray3d to Milkshape seems to be OK.
21 animation frames.
But the export to / import of FBX is not working properly so far.
After import there are 31 animation frames.
There are some options while importing the FBX.
So may be there’s something wrong with my import.

FBX for testing ( ~140 KB ):
http://www.nullskillz.de/et/playermodels/allied_cvops_bodymdm_binocsmdx_test01.zip

(Meyerinchains) #29

Got it to import into Maya fine. Mesh deforms and animates like it should. Got keyframes on frames 1-19, then one at 30. This is probably the same “bug” you’re getting. Gotta check the .aninc file, if it’s only using frames 1-19, then the rest doesn’t matter. Also imports the UV coords correctly, very nice.

One thing, it’s great I can see and play with this in Maya and all, but I don’t really see the point in doing all of this. If I modify it, then what? Export back to fbx? No matter what I export it to, I still need to get it back to MDM/MDX for ET, which only Lightray3D exports. Am I missing something here?

(kamikazee) #30

If I once get the time to finish my tool, FBX -> mdm/mds and back shouldn’t be a problem. Problem is that I’m quite bussy.

(nUllSkillZ) #31

The aninc uses 21 frames as shown in Milkshape.

Not sure how to procede.
Actually I only have found exporters (“only” SKL exporters) for several Max versions.

(Meyerinchains) #32

Any for Max 7?

(Mr.Mxyzptlk) #33

FYI, I’m currently writing a native Maya importer/exporter for various ET model types.
So far MD3 and MDC are importing. Will be starting on MDM/MDX shortly then following
up with exporting.

(Meyerinchains) #34

Great news for us Maya fans! Thanks Mr. Mxyz, can’t wait for it. :clap:

(kamikazee) #35

Since I’m a Lightwave lover, that’s why I would push the FBX format you suggested. Saves me the time of writing a custom plugin in horrible C code. (LW uses a lot of void-pointer magic for plugins)

(nUllSkillZ) #36

No, unfortunately not.
I’ve found some for V 2, 3, 4, 6, 8 and a script:
http://gongo.quakedev.com/files.html
(Link mentioned in the following thread: Converting RTCW MDS to ET MDM tutorial…)
May be the script can be changed to work with the other versions.

(Meyerinchains) #37

Haha! What kinda luck do you call that?! :angry:

(nUllSkillZ) #38

There’s a source for the SKL exporter available in the FAKK SDK.
So you could try to get a Max 7 exporter.

(nUllSkillZ) #39

Test MDM/MDX -> MS3D -> SKL:
It’s possible to export to MS3D.
But it’s impossible to export from MS3D to SKL using the MOHAA SKL exporter.

(kamikazee) #40

Well, what do you want to do with SKL anyway? AFAIK, there’s even less support for input of that format. :confused:
Or are you just trying which versions can be used to export SKL, so it can be converted to MDS and MDM/MDX again?