chuckdood@Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2008 8:06 am :
I'm wondering if there is a tutorial anywhere about getting an animated md5 model into Doom3. I've scoured KatsBits' site and the blender forums, but haven't found anything about getting an animated model into doom3. I've been through the tutorials about getting ASE files into doom3, and those are fantastic. But i've come to realize that i need to animate this model in an app, and can't use ASE static models attached to Func_Movers to create the effect I'm trying to create.

Even if there was a simple tutorial that outlined the process like this using a simple 2-bone anmiation, it would be enough:

Create model. (i know how to do this, had to with ASE files)
Rig with Armature & bones (i know how to do this, just learned how)
Create & store animation(s) (not sure how to do this)
Use der_ton's md5 Exporter to export mesh & anim
use text editor to correct md5 shader paths (i know how to do this, had to with ASE files)
load model in editor (i know how to do this, had to with ASE files)
tadah..

here's the model, as a bunch of separate ASE models that are scripted into position via the map script.

Image

chuck



chuckdood@Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2008 8:18 am :
der_ton wrote:
Although it is not necessary in Blender anymore with the addition of the "modifiers", you still have to parent the meshes to the armature so that the exporter knows which meshes to export. In this case, select a mesh, shift-select the armature, use ctrl-P and then say "Object" (when it gives you the options "Object" or "Armature"), so that it only makes a parent relationship but not the deformation stuff, because that is already handled with the modifier you applied.

:)


Perhaps if that chunk of information could be elaborated on, it would help us out with understanding how to get our md5 models into doom3-based games?



chuckdood@Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2008 8:06 am :
I'm wondering if there is a tutorial anywhere about getting an animated md5 model into Doom3. I've scoured KatsBits' site and the blender forums, but haven't found anything about getting an animated model into doom3. I've been through the tutorials about getting ASE files into doom3, and those are fantastic. But i've come to realize that i need to animate this model in an app, and can't use ASE static models attached to Func_Movers to create the effect I'm trying to create.

Even if there was a simple tutorial that outlined the process like this using a simple 2-bone anmiation, it would be enough:

Create model. (i know how to do this, had to with ASE files)
Rig with Armature & bones (i know how to do this, just learned how)
Create & store animation(s) (not sure how to do this)
Use der_ton's md5 Exporter to export mesh & anim
use text editor to correct md5 shader paths (i know how to do this, had to with ASE files)
load model in editor (i know how to do this, had to with ASE files)
tadah..

here's the model, as a bunch of separate ASE models that are scripted into position via the map script.

Image

chuck



chuckdood@Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2008 8:18 am :
der_ton wrote:
Although it is not necessary in Blender anymore with the addition of the "modifiers", you still have to parent the meshes to the armature so that the exporter knows which meshes to export. In this case, select a mesh, shift-select the armature, use ctrl-P and then say "Object" (when it gives you the options "Object" or "Armature"), so that it only makes a parent relationship but not the deformation stuff, because that is already handled with the modifier you applied.

:)


Perhaps if that chunk of information could be elaborated on, it would help us out with understanding how to get our md5 models into doom3-based games?



der_ton@Posted: Mon Feb 04, 2008 10:08 am :
Can you be more specific on what exactly is unclear? That piece of explanation assumes that the user is familiar with how skeletal animation works in Blender (using so-called "Armature" objects).

If you have a .blend file that you think has all the stuff it needs to be ready for export, and the export fails, then you can send me the file and I'll take a look.



chuckdood@Posted: Mon Feb 04, 2008 7:30 pm :
I guess what confuses me is the difference between Parenting an object to a Bone, versus Parenting an object to an Armature. As far as I've learned, I can only get my mesh to animate when I have each object in the mesh linked to its respective bone. The issue is then: How can I have my object parented to both an Armature AND a bone? So, a tutorial with pics would really help explain this, is all I'm saying.



der_ton@Posted: Mon Feb 04, 2008 8:27 pm :
Don't worry, I'm not trying to blame you of anything, and I hope I don't come across as being too defensive about my work on the exporter. Like most of the times when things don't work, this is utlimately an issue where the features of the tool (the exporter in this case) do not support the purpose the user wants to use it for.

You are using a rigid kind of skinning, where each vertex is only influenced by one bone. The exporter assumes a more generalized use of skeletal animation, one where you have only one object and the vertices are smoothly bound to several bones by using skinning instead of rigid binding. This results in a different organization of the objects and their relationships. The point is that people who do character animation with Blender are likely to end up with the object setup that the exporter expects.

The reason why there is no tutorial about this packaged with my exporter, is because it is not specific to my exporter, but it is something about Blender in general. Here is a wikipage that explains the stuff, the sections "Armature Objects" and "Mesh Objects" are the interesting ones in this context:
http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Blender_3D ... tion/index (googling for keywords like "Blender armature tutorial" will probably give you a bunch of other useful pages)

To export your object with my exporter, you have to merge all your machine part objects into one mesh object, parent this object to the armature object, and then assign the vertices of the former parts objects to their respective bones. There are several methods to do this: envelopes, weight painting, and manual selection which I think is best suited for rigid binding.



chuckdood@Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2008 8:06 am :
I'm wondering if there is a tutorial anywhere about getting an animated md5 model into Doom3. I've scoured KatsBits' site and the blender forums, but haven't found anything about getting an animated model into doom3. I've been through the tutorials about getting ASE files into doom3, and those are fantastic. But i've come to realize that i need to animate this model in an app, and can't use ASE static models attached to Func_Movers to create the effect I'm trying to create.

Even if there was a simple tutorial that outlined the process like this using a simple 2-bone anmiation, it would be enough:

Create model. (i know how to do this, had to with ASE files)
Rig with Armature & bones (i know how to do this, just learned how)
Create & store animation(s) (not sure how to do this)
Use der_ton's md5 Exporter to export mesh & anim
use text editor to correct md5 shader paths (i know how to do this, had to with ASE files)
load model in editor (i know how to do this, had to with ASE files)
tadah..

here's the model, as a bunch of separate ASE models that are scripted into position via the map script.

Image

chuck



chuckdood@Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2008 8:18 am :
der_ton wrote:
Although it is not necessary in Blender anymore with the addition of the "modifiers", you still have to parent the meshes to the armature so that the exporter knows which meshes to export. In this case, select a mesh, shift-select the armature, use ctrl-P and then say "Object" (when it gives you the options "Object" or "Armature"), so that it only makes a parent relationship but not the deformation stuff, because that is already handled with the modifier you applied.

:)


Perhaps if that chunk of information could be elaborated on, it would help us out with understanding how to get our md5 models into doom3-based games?



der_ton@Posted: Mon Feb 04, 2008 10:08 am :
Can you be more specific on what exactly is unclear? That piece of explanation assumes that the user is familiar with how skeletal animation works in Blender (using so-called "Armature" objects).

If you have a .blend file that you think has all the stuff it needs to be ready for export, and the export fails, then you can send me the file and I'll take a look.



chuckdood@Posted: Mon Feb 04, 2008 7:30 pm :
I guess what confuses me is the difference between Parenting an object to a Bone, versus Parenting an object to an Armature. As far as I've learned, I can only get my mesh to animate when I have each object in the mesh linked to its respective bone. The issue is then: How can I have my object parented to both an Armature AND a bone? So, a tutorial with pics would really help explain this, is all I'm saying.



der_ton@Posted: Mon Feb 04, 2008 8:27 pm :
Don't worry, I'm not trying to blame you of anything, and I hope I don't come across as being too defensive about my work on the exporter. Like most of the times when things don't work, this is utlimately an issue where the features of the tool (the exporter in this case) do not support the purpose the user wants to use it for.

You are using a rigid kind of skinning, where each vertex is only influenced by one bone. The exporter assumes a more generalized use of skeletal animation, one where you have only one object and the vertices are smoothly bound to several bones by using skinning instead of rigid binding. This results in a different organization of the objects and their relationships. The point is that people who do character animation with Blender are likely to end up with the object setup that the exporter expects.

The reason why there is no tutorial about this packaged with my exporter, is because it is not specific to my exporter, but it is something about Blender in general. Here is a wikipage that explains the stuff, the sections "Armature Objects" and "Mesh Objects" are the interesting ones in this context:
http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Blender_3D ... tion/index (googling for keywords like "Blender armature tutorial" will probably give you a bunch of other useful pages)

To export your object with my exporter, you have to merge all your machine part objects into one mesh object, parent this object to the armature object, and then assign the vertices of the former parts objects to their respective bones. There are several methods to do this: envelopes, weight painting, and manual selection which I think is best suited for rigid binding.



chuckdood@Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2008 8:06 am :
I'm wondering if there is a tutorial anywhere about getting an animated md5 model into Doom3. I've scoured KatsBits' site and the blender forums, but haven't found anything about getting an animated model into doom3. I've been through the tutorials about getting ASE files into doom3, and those are fantastic. But i've come to realize that i need to animate this model in an app, and can't use ASE static models attached to Func_Movers to create the effect I'm trying to create.

Even if there was a simple tutorial that outlined the process like this using a simple 2-bone anmiation, it would be enough:

Create model. (i know how to do this, had to with ASE files)
Rig with Armature & bones (i know how to do this, just learned how)
Create & store animation(s) (not sure how to do this)
Use der_ton's md5 Exporter to export mesh & anim
use text editor to correct md5 shader paths (i know how to do this, had to with ASE files)
load model in editor (i know how to do this, had to with ASE files)
tadah..

here's the model, as a bunch of separate ASE models that are scripted into position via the map script.

Image

chuck



chuckdood@Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2008 8:18 am :
der_ton wrote:
Although it is not necessary in Blender anymore with the addition of the "modifiers", you still have to parent the meshes to the armature so that the exporter knows which meshes to export. In this case, select a mesh, shift-select the armature, use ctrl-P and then say "Object" (when it gives you the options "Object" or "Armature"), so that it only makes a parent relationship but not the deformation stuff, because that is already handled with the modifier you applied.

:)


Perhaps if that chunk of information could be elaborated on, it would help us out with understanding how to get our md5 models into doom3-based games?



chuckdood@Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2008 8:06 am :
I'm wondering if there is a tutorial anywhere about getting an animated md5 model into Doom3. I've scoured KatsBits' site and the blender forums, but haven't found anything about getting an animated model into doom3. I've been through the tutorials about getting ASE files into doom3, and those are fantastic. But i've come to realize that i need to animate this model in an app, and can't use ASE static models attached to Func_Movers to create the effect I'm trying to create.

Even if there was a simple tutorial that outlined the process like this using a simple 2-bone anmiation, it would be enough:

Create model. (i know how to do this, had to with ASE files)
Rig with Armature & bones (i know how to do this, just learned how)
Create & store animation(s) (not sure how to do this)
Use der_ton's md5 Exporter to export mesh & anim
use text editor to correct md5 shader paths (i know how to do this, had to with ASE files)
load model in editor (i know how to do this, had to with ASE files)
tadah..

here's the model, as a bunch of separate ASE models that are scripted into position via the map script.

Image

chuck



chuckdood@Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2008 8:18 am :
der_ton wrote:
Although it is not necessary in Blender anymore with the addition of the "modifiers", you still have to parent the meshes to the armature so that the exporter knows which meshes to export. In this case, select a mesh, shift-select the armature, use ctrl-P and then say "Object" (when it gives you the options "Object" or "Armature"), so that it only makes a parent relationship but not the deformation stuff, because that is already handled with the modifier you applied.

:)


Perhaps if that chunk of information could be elaborated on, it would help us out with understanding how to get our md5 models into doom3-based games?



der_ton@Posted: Mon Feb 04, 2008 10:08 am :
Can you be more specific on what exactly is unclear? That piece of explanation assumes that the user is familiar with how skeletal animation works in Blender (using so-called "Armature" objects).

If you have a .blend file that you think has all the stuff it needs to be ready for export, and the export fails, then you can send me the file and I'll take a look.



chuckdood@Posted: Mon Feb 04, 2008 7:30 pm :
I guess what confuses me is the difference between Parenting an object to a Bone, versus Parenting an object to an Armature. As far as I've learned, I can only get my mesh to animate when I have each object in the mesh linked to its respective bone. The issue is then: How can I have my object parented to both an Armature AND a bone? So, a tutorial with pics would really help explain this, is all I'm saying.



der_ton@Posted: Mon Feb 04, 2008 8:27 pm :
Don't worry, I'm not trying to blame you of anything, and I hope I don't come across as being too defensive about my work on the exporter. Like most of the times when things don't work, this is utlimately an issue where the features of the tool (the exporter in this case) do not support the purpose the user wants to use it for.

You are using a rigid kind of skinning, where each vertex is only influenced by one bone. The exporter assumes a more generalized use of skeletal animation, one where you have only one object and the vertices are smoothly bound to several bones by using skinning instead of rigid binding. This results in a different organization of the objects and their relationships. The point is that people who do character animation with Blender are likely to end up with the object setup that the exporter expects.

The reason why there is no tutorial about this packaged with my exporter, is because it is not specific to my exporter, but it is something about Blender in general. Here is a wikipage that explains the stuff, the sections "Armature Objects" and "Mesh Objects" are the interesting ones in this context:
http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Blender_3D ... tion/index (googling for keywords like "Blender armature tutorial" will probably give you a bunch of other useful pages)

To export your object with my exporter, you have to merge all your machine part objects into one mesh object, parent this object to the armature object, and then assign the vertices of the former parts objects to their respective bones. There are several methods to do this: envelopes, weight painting, and manual selection which I think is best suited for rigid binding.



chuckdood@Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2008 8:06 am :
I'm wondering if there is a tutorial anywhere about getting an animated md5 model into Doom3. I've scoured KatsBits' site and the blender forums, but haven't found anything about getting an animated model into doom3. I've been through the tutorials about getting ASE files into doom3, and those are fantastic. But i've come to realize that i need to animate this model in an app, and can't use ASE static models attached to Func_Movers to create the effect I'm trying to create.

Even if there was a simple tutorial that outlined the process like this using a simple 2-bone anmiation, it would be enough:

Create model. (i know how to do this, had to with ASE files)
Rig with Armature & bones (i know how to do this, just learned how)
Create & store animation(s) (not sure how to do this)
Use der_ton's md5 Exporter to export mesh & anim
use text editor to correct md5 shader paths (i know how to do this, had to with ASE files)
load model in editor (i know how to do this, had to with ASE files)
tadah..

here's the model, as a bunch of separate ASE models that are scripted into position via the map script.

Image

chuck



chuckdood@Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2008 8:18 am :
der_ton wrote:
Although it is not necessary in Blender anymore with the addition of the "modifiers", you still have to parent the meshes to the armature so that the exporter knows which meshes to export. In this case, select a mesh, shift-select the armature, use ctrl-P and then say "Object" (when it gives you the options "Object" or "Armature"), so that it only makes a parent relationship but not the deformation stuff, because that is already handled with the modifier you applied.

:)


Perhaps if that chunk of information could be elaborated on, it would help us out with understanding how to get our md5 models into doom3-based games?



der_ton@Posted: Mon Feb 04, 2008 10:08 am :
Can you be more specific on what exactly is unclear? That piece of explanation assumes that the user is familiar with how skeletal animation works in Blender (using so-called "Armature" objects).

If you have a .blend file that you think has all the stuff it needs to be ready for export, and the export fails, then you can send me the file and I'll take a look.



chuckdood@Posted: Mon Feb 04, 2008 7:30 pm :
I guess what confuses me is the difference between Parenting an object to a Bone, versus Parenting an object to an Armature. As far as I've learned, I can only get my mesh to animate when I have each object in the mesh linked to its respective bone. The issue is then: How can I have my object parented to both an Armature AND a bone? So, a tutorial with pics would really help explain this, is all I'm saying.



der_ton@Posted: Mon Feb 04, 2008 8:27 pm :
Don't worry, I'm not trying to blame you of anything, and I hope I don't come across as being too defensive about my work on the exporter. Like most of the times when things don't work, this is utlimately an issue where the features of the tool (the exporter in this case) do not support the purpose the user wants to use it for.

You are using a rigid kind of skinning, where each vertex is only influenced by one bone. The exporter assumes a more generalized use of skeletal animation, one where you have only one object and the vertices are smoothly bound to several bones by using skinning instead of rigid binding. This results in a different organization of the objects and their relationships. The point is that people who do character animation with Blender are likely to end up with the object setup that the exporter expects.

The reason why there is no tutorial about this packaged with my exporter, is because it is not specific to my exporter, but it is something about Blender in general. Here is a wikipage that explains the stuff, the sections "Armature Objects" and "Mesh Objects" are the interesting ones in this context:
http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Blender_3D ... tion/index (googling for keywords like "Blender armature tutorial" will probably give you a bunch of other useful pages)

To export your object with my exporter, you have to merge all your machine part objects into one mesh object, parent this object to the armature object, and then assign the vertices of the former parts objects to their respective bones. There are several methods to do this: envelopes, weight painting, and manual selection which I think is best suited for rigid binding.