Importing from Sketchup

[SimonK]

Hi all,

 

I have finally got round to starting to look at the Leadwerks SDK I purchased last year for a project. However I am no artist! I am aware that Google Sketchup has a huge library of models that can be used in personal projects and I was wondering if anyone uses this application and is able to Export / Import into Leadwerks Editor without any loss.

 

I have specifically started with a tree however when using UU3D (which has a skp plugin available to download) attempting to import and then export to gmf leaves me either issues with bone count or lack of materials.

 

 

I wonder if anyone has an example or tutorial as to how to go about this? It would be really helpful in getting me started with the engine.

[omid3098]

you need separate materials for each textures..

I know there should be a simple tutorial about this, almost 1/3 new members will ask same questions.

you can check materials of available models and check this tutorials (I think at the end of this tutorial, it will describe creating materials for textures)

[Jordan]

When you open up a Sketchup file in UU3D (or another format you exported from sketchup) delete all grouping and bones. Sketchup attaches a bone to each component.

 

As for textures, the only time I've ever had any issues is when the files weren't in the correct location.

 

I'm currently using Sketchup for my project and I can write up more detail on how I go about this if you need me to.

[SimonK]

If you have the time Jc84144 it would be very useful. just a couple os screen shots perhaps (i only bought UU3D for the conversation and have no idea how it works yet, or really how to use it.. one step at a time!)

[AggrorJorn]

Never used sketup before. Can you export objects from sketchup? if so, which formats?

[Pancakes]

The problem with Sketchup is that the topology is going to feature a lot of very close vertices coupled with extremely stretched triangles. The GMF converter hates that kind of topology and will produce all manner of artifacts in the rendering engine even after the conversion is 'successful'. Usually attempting to register any kind of physics from the model will hang the editor. In other words, I would guess that converting many sketchup models is going to be like playing the lottery.

[Josh]

I don't see any reason the GMF converter would have any problems with that. If Sketchup can export an FBX or Collada file, I don't see any problems.

[Pancakes]

I've had all sorts of problems with the GMF converter because of close vertices and stretched triangles. The resulting render will be an exploded mesh with vertices hovering around in mid air. If you try to physically interact with said model the editor will hang.

 

The problem has never been the file format, but the topology of the mesh itself. And Sketchup exports strange topology. Some would call it 'bad' topology.

[Jordan]

If you have the time Jc84144 it would be very useful. just a couple os screen shots perhaps (i only bought UU3D for the conversation and have no idea how it works yet, or really how to use it.. one step at a time!)

 

Made this quick cube with a texture just as an example. Save the sketchup file

 

 

When opening the Sketchup file in Ultimate Unwrap I use these settings

 

 

The model in Ultimate Unwrap. Once opened in Ultimate Unwrap the textures that were stored in the Sketchup file are saved into the same folder as the sketchup file.

 

 

Right click on the 'Bones' on the right and select "Delete all". You will probably want to do the same for Groups as well.

 

 

Then with the GMF plugin for Ultimate Unwrap, save the file as a GMF with these settings:

 

 

Now you should convert the texture file to .dds . I use the Make DDS tool that comes with LE (in the tools folder), with these settings:

 

 

You should then make a .mat file for the material. You can use the matgen tool to automatically do this for simple mat files.

 

And here is the end result:

 

 

Hope it helped.

 

Files:

 

[Pancakes]

yeah but a simple cube is a simple cube have u tried to export more complex geometry? I'm not questioning that it works how it is supposed to work. I'm questioning whether the topology generated by Sketchup is going to be reliable enough. I'm only saying this as a precaution to the OP.

[Jordan]

Sorry, that post wasn't in response to yours. I was replying to the post I quoted, the cube was only to show the process of getting the model into LE. I'm not disputing if Sketchup has issues, as I know the exporters in the program certainly do. However, the UU3D plugin for opening sketchup files seems to work a treat. The following is an in engine shot of a mesh modelled in Sketchup, and converted using uu3d from skp to gmf (you can click for full view):

 

 

 

 

I didn't really want to be putting any of my images up at the moment, but I don't have any complex meshes from Sketchup that aren't from my project. Don't have anything more complex to hand right now, but this mesh, as well as others, have been okay so far.

[Richard Simpson]

The problem with Sketchup is that the topology is going to feature a lot of very close vertices coupled with extremely stretched triangles. The GMF converter hates that kind of topology and will produce all manner of artifacts in the rendering engine even after the conversion is 'successful'. Usually attempting to register any kind of physics from the model will hang the editor. In other words, I would guess that converting many sketchup models is going to be like playing the lottery.

 

I don't know where you got that info from, becuase you couldn't be more wrong. I have never had artifacts in my models from sketchup, and never had a hang from physics. Leadwerks is about the only engine from the few i have tried that actually works with sketchup-made models