Path: chuka.playstation.co.uk!news
From: "Max" <mad.max@which.net>
Newsgroups: scee.yaroze.freetalk.english
Subject: Re: 3D FIle Formats - Need Help!
Date: Thu, 16 Aug 2001 22:48:02 +0100
Organization: PlayStation Net Yaroze (SCEE)
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Sorry; It doesn't - I'm sorry to be so blunt :) but thanks very much for the
advice anyway I might check it up if nothing else turns up.

I really need to know IF there is a little program (perhaps comand line DOS)
that will convert .3ds models with textures and animations to .tod
animations formats AND where to find it. If not I will have to code my own.
I don't need the .lwo and .lws descriptors as I don't want to go anywhere
near them unless I really have to (i.e. the .3ds file does not contain what
I want and will not convert).

I have been toying with RSD Anim but to have a textured model imported you
of course have to texture it first and texturing is hell in RSDTool (unless
anyone can suggest a better tool???). I have an animated and textured model
(its taken me a while as its my first animated model) all I want to be able
to do is to convert it straight to .tod with the textures and animations so
that I can use it straight away... am I dreaming or is there a tool that
does this???

Please help!
Max

Nigel Critten <Nigel@gameware.demon.co.uk> wrote in message
news:9lgp0a$nhm5@www.netyaroze-europe.com...
> There are certainly 3ds and lw converters available, can't remember off
hand
> where but I have them somewhere :)
>
> The 3ds format cetainly holds the texture and animation data, the .lwo
> format only holds the object and texture data so if you wanted to convert
> the animation as well you would need to reference the .lws file as well,
for
> the .lwo & .lws format go to www.newtek.com and go to the developers
section
> the file formats are there to download... actually I've just checked and
> becuase they are rebuilding there site it isn't available at the moment...
> instead you could try Ernie Wrights page at
http://members.home.net/erniew/
> that has the sdk you need ... his page has other details you might need as
> well, like motion file information stuff like that.
>
> Not sure how you would store the seperate animations in Milkshake but LW
is
> quite nice because you model it then take it into layout to animate it,
you
> can animate a walk cycle, jump cycle etc. and reference the keyframes or
> there is a new feature LW now has Motion Mixer which allows you to mix
> seperate animations so the walk cycle flows into the jump etc. very
nice...
> not sure if that would help you at all.
>
> I've never found much information on the .3ds file format, I did have it a
> while ago and know I've got it backed up somewhere, I'll let you know if I
> come across it, the .max fileformat is closed AFAIK, they like you to
write
> utilities within the Max program that exports your data, there might even
be
> one for .tod but it depends on the version of 3DS Max because they change
> the plugin format with every release the old plugins (normally) don't
work.
>
> Hope that helps but I don't suppose it does
>
> Nigel
>
>