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'Ello all...

I have a general gripe about modling, import and export formats, how to get from 3DS to .X and back again, yadda, yadda, yadda.

I have been all over the net and I have come to the conclusion that there is no simple straight-arrow path to get from point A (concept) to Point B (finished data to plug into FPSC).

Case in point: there is a metric-frack-ton of 3d modling s/w floating through the ether of the Wierd Wide Web, both free, not-so-free and bleedin' expensive. The procedure should be simple: pick your app, create the item, export to the .x format and create the segment or entity with a couple of free apps from TGC.

But therein lies the rub: for whatever the reason, you can't get just one application to do the job. You create in Blender or Maya or 3DSMax (sota software) or with an application that's free, simple, easy on harddrive space - and hasn't been updated for 5 or 6 years - but from what I've found none of them seem to be able to export from whatever native format they use DIRECTLY to a .x file that the Segment or Entity Makers can use.

So, you save your work (from your sota s/w)as a .obj or .3ds or .xyz and now you need to get ANOTHER application (old or new, free or not) so you can convert it into a .x file. I don't know who started this cluster-jump, but considering the .x is an offspring of DirectX just might give us a target.

I've run through 3 or 4 programs in the past two days, and none of them offered a direct export/conversion to .x (yes, i've tried the free versions of Milkshape and Fragmotion), I have Blender lying dormat and have considered getting 3DSMax or Maya (one way or 'tuher) but they don't export directly to .x so I'd still need a third application.

Is there anyway out of this swamp? Is there a single, all-in-one, sota (or close) application to simplify all this? I welcome response and debate, and I hope to get it; that's partly why I engaged in this diatrabe: rants seem to get folks all fired up.

Let's hear it.....

I use fragmotion for FPSC. You can load animated .x characters into it. You can rig, uvmap, animate, export as .x from it. You can create characters, weapons, objects.

To import static models i use entity workshop. FREE

http://games.alyssar.nl/entityworkshop/index.html

Do a search for firma. that is also free

There is also fpsc toolbox. PAID

there are a bunch of tutorials on the boards here.

use the search button on here.

MILKSHAPE exports to .x
TRUESPACE exports to .x
CHARACTER FX exports to .x

I export with fragmotion aswell... it seems best for FPSC,especially because it can export lightweight, optimised .x, but any other software will do too.

There are numerous softwares to make segments and entities. I usually use ...notepad. Just copy the .fpe from another entity and fill in the details. Alternatively, for the little editor thumbnails... I use the ancient "make entities from x files" tool which you can download from the FPSC Product page here on TGC.



-Wolf

Thanks for the feedback! Maybe my frustration with Milkshape stems from using the free version, ditto with Fragmotion. I've been using the Make Entities tool and it works well for me; I managed to make a couple of dynamics with it that I'm happy with.

I've heard some good stuff about Truespace so maybe I'll take a whack at that one. I'll also try Entity Workshop and Character FX. I've got GIMP so maybe I just need to sit down and grind out some stuff and see what happens.

Watch this space....