how you do convert art assets for your game

[Game Producer]

I've been away so long that I've forgotten how it goes... Could some kind chap share his wisdom on how to go about getting art assets to look fine in LE game.

 

For example, if I have some animated model (in milkshape format, or .X or whatever), which tools I should use and what should I do to get the model & textures game ready.

 

Please, a n00b's step-by-step guide would be most appreciated.

 

(I have Milkshape and Ultimate Unwrap3D Pro)

[cassius]

use ultimate unwrap to convert animations to gmf format.

Convert textures to dds format in gimp or photoshop or paint.net or with converer in tools folder.

create a mat file for textures (like this for characters.)

 

texture0="abstract::nskinbl.dds"

 

shader="abstract::mesh_diffuse_bumpmap_skin.vert","abstract::mesh_diffuse.frag"

shadowshader="abstract::mesh_shadow_skin.vert",""

Use genmat to generate mat files for background textures etc

 

EDIT:THere is a gmf plugin for uu3d.

[Game Producer]

Thanks,

 

I got gmf file done

Got also material info & material almost okay

 

Now modelviewer shows my guy totally black, any idea why? (at least it's not showing red anymore, so the material has been applied).

 

Alo, I have just one .dds file, should I have some dot3 file too, and if so - how can I make one?

[Richard Simpson]

You can use Nvidia Normal map filter to make normal maps in photoshop. Which is here: http://developer.nvidia.com/nvidia-texture-tools-adobe-photoshop

 

If you don't mind paying, you can get apps like crazybump and pixplant to also make normal maps + other maps. Here: http://www.crazybump.com/ and here: http://www.pixplant.com/

 

I think a black mesh means that the animation or bones haven't exported or imported correctly? I may be wrong.

[cassius]

You can create normal maps in gimp or photoshop ( dot3)

You need to generate mipmaps when creating dds textures.

 

I leave it to someone more expert to explain more.

[Game Producer]

Thanks folks and hey, I got it working without dot3 materials. I did the following:

 

- I had .dds texture.I used "Tools\MakeDDS.exe" and selected my tex.dds. Tool created tex.dds and this time it worked, without showing black stuff no more.

[macklebee]

you didn't have mipmaps in the first version; makedds has the default set to creating mipmaps.

[tester]

hhmmmm

[Game Producer]

hhmmmm

 

yes...?

 

you didn't have mipmaps in the first version; makedds has the default set to creating mipmaps.

 

I guess one useful thing for me would be to understand what are mipmaps.

I read this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mipmap

 

How it works in LE?

[paramecij]

the asset pipeline is really shoddy in LE, everybody tell's you to buy UU3D, even Josh.. but that's not what the front page advertises.. so frustrated..

[Canardia]

You should buy UU3D, not only for LE, but also for any other engine or application or anything you ever do with 3D models.

[Marleys Ghost]

the asset pipeline is really shoddy in LE, everybody tell's you to buy UU3D, even Josh.. but that's not what the front page advertises.. so frustrated..

 

 

There are tools in the LESDK and in the Tools section of werkspace. The reason people suggest UU3D is because it can import almost any model format and export to GMF. Not to mention all its other uses related to modelling in general.

[Pixel Perfect]

The asset pipeline is a pain in the arse, I've just spent 2 solid days converting assets till I'm sick of doing it! I've ended up sticking with UU3D as despite there being quite a few user provided utils to aid conversion not one of them has been capable of doing the whole job without some sort of issue. Also, UU3D allows me to fix little things like missing texture assignments, issues with normals and also scales animated assets perfectly. It really is worth its weight in gold so no complaints there ... it's just the time it takes to do it all! Ah well .. almost done

[Canardia]

I was really also very negative about UU3D first, because it was relatively expensive for the function I needed it, like 5 glasses of beer in a pub, and I tried a lot of googling and all kinds of tools, and even bought MilkShape3D for that, because it looked to be more value for the money, and was 2 glasses of beer cheaper too than UU3D.

 

But now I know that UU3D Pro is perfect, and there no other tool in the whole world which can convert models as easily and correct as it. Indeed it even shows bugs in models from professional 3D modellers which cost like 1000 glasses of beer, and they still can't do one simple export right! UU3D can, and does.

[Josh]

the asset pipeline is really shoddy in LE, everybody tell's you to buy UU3D, even Josh.. but that's not what the front page advertises.. so frustrated..

What file format would you like supported? You can use FBX and Collada. If you just say "the art pipeline sucks" that gives me zero information.

 

I don't know why UU3D gets recommended so much. I always use the FBX converter.

[Marleys Ghost]

I don't know why UU3D gets recommended so much. I always use the FBX converter.

 

 

For me its not just the ability to convert models but the rest of the functionality that it has, from the ability to fix minor model problems to UV mapping and more.

[macklebee]

I don't know why UU3D gets recommended so much. I always use the FBX converter.

 

 

For me its not just the ability to convert models but the rest of the functionality that it has, from the ability to fix minor model problems to UV mapping and more.

 

Josh, it goes back to that conversation we were having concerning uu3d. People use uu3d for much more than just conversions.

 

Also when it comes to LE3 and you expect people to just convert their models to fbx, the UU3D owners are going to want to convert directly to final MDL format. I have absolutely no use for fbx in my current pipeline. And the only reason I would need fbx is for the auto conversion to MDL with LE3. It would make more sense for us to not have to even use fbx at all and just export directly to MDL.

[Josh]

Also when it comes to LE3 and you expect people to just convert their models to fbx, the UU3D owners are going to want to convert directly to final MDL format. I have absolutely no use for fbx in my current pipeline. And the only reason I would need fbx is for the auto conversion to MDL with LE3. It would make more sense for us to not have to even use fbx at all and just export directly to MDL.

Why wouldn't they just have them in Collada or FBX format in the first place? If those aren't the standard 3D file formats, what are?

[macklebee]

like i have said before, you are assuming that everyone has modeling apps that export directly to collada or fbx... and that is simply not the case... i would have to use UU3D to convert to fbx... and thats just silly when the final format will be MDL.

[Josh]

Shouldn't you complain about that to the author of your modeling program? I know FBX and Collada are complex formats, but I don't know any other 3D formats that handle skinned animation and have as widespread support. If your modeling program doesn't support the industry standard what good is it? Is there some other format they rely upon that is widely used?

[macklebee]

So I have to get my current applications to support formats that you say are the industry standards for LE3, when right now they work perfectly for what I need in LE2? My current apps do OBJ/X/B3D. I use UU3D to convert to GMF. It works great.

 

And unless you are going to make a direct converter for 3D World Studio, the same argument could be made there as well. Without being able to export to the final format from 3DWS, the export model is useless other than to be just auto converted to MDL.

[Josh]

3D World Studio exports directly to .gmf.

 

There are converters in the "Tools" folder for .obj and .x.

[macklebee]

I am not talking about LE2. I am talking about LE3.

 

And apparently you are not listening to the fact that people use UU3D for more than just model conversion...

[Josh]

We have three different discussions occurring in this thread.

 

1. Unspecified complaints about the LE2 pipeline, which I am trying to get the the bottom of.

2. Discussion of uses of UU3D as a modeling program.

3. Discussion of LE3 pipeline, which confuses me because there is no conversion step in the pipeline that the user has to worry about. GMF file get automatically converted the first time you run the editor.

[macklebee]

3) Ok so I can just export from UU3D as whatever then... MDL is apparently not needed. LE3 just automatically can use whatever format. Good to know.

 

Which is not the case, i know, since you have repeatedly stated that MDL is the model format that LE3 is going to use. And you have suggested that if the model is in FBX/DAE then the editor is going to create the MDL model from it. My point is: Why should I have to export to FBX/DAE at all instead of just having the ability to export directly to MDL from UU3D. I am not the only one here that uses modeling apps that do not export to FBX/DAE.

 

EDIT-- youve edited your post so my response to that is: Why do i need to have GMF at all? If the final format in LE3 is going to be MDL, why not just let me export directly to MDL from uu3d. The GMF format is useless to me other than to be used for the conversion to MDL. Its not like I can open up a GMF in other apps.