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Tutorial - Importing and Exporting GR2 Models


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Thanx! Darn spaces indeed, haha. I'll keep that in mind for the future.

 

Hey cool Pesmontis. The SMD link was a good read. I noticed when I loaded the dragonpet that it loaded upside-down. Is that a result of X being interpreted differently in SMD? Another thing I noticed is that my version of the dragonpet has less Verts, Faces and Tris than yours does. Is there any reason to be concerned about that? Am I missing important data?

h_dragonpet.jpg

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.. it loaded upside-down..

In my SMD file, the first bone is "Bip01", and it has the rotations:

..
skeleton
time 0
0 -0.25182 34.001655 34.787541 0.000006 1.554916 -1.570789
..

In your SMD file, maybe that last rotation is a positive number (-1.570789 radians is about -90 degrees).

 

.. less Verts, Faces and Tris than yours..

It might be that in my mesh, some triangles (polygons) got separated. Then I probably have duplicate vertices.

Your model looks otherwise OK to me, so I don't think it's a problem.

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I've now also tested the NiF tools for Blender (v2.49b) on Win7 32-bit.

I tried to install it next to Blender v2.69.

 

To have both versions installed means that:

- you can import an SMD file from grnreader98, to create a .Blend file;

- with the older version of Blender, you should be able to export that .Blend file as a NiF file (I haven't tested this yet);

- the NiF file can be loaded into older versions of 3DSmax:

those versions of 3DSmax that cannot load FBX files exported with Blender (eg. 3DSmax7).

 

These steps might seem a bit long-winded, but the ultimate goal is to:

- edit in Blender;

- export as GR2 with 3DSmax.

 

This is meant for those who can't use the Nexus Buddy tool with FBX files exported from Blender.

 

The older version requires the Windows system environment variable 'PythonPath'.

When this variable is removed, the newer version also works, as before.

It's too bad there's no option to enable or disable this variable:

I really had to remove it to use v2.69, and I have to define it again if I want to use v2.49b.

 

I had to test several versions to get Blender v2.49b to work properly with the NiF tools.

Several versions of the software below:

- Python v2.x;

- PyFFI (Python File Format Interface);

- NiF tools v2.x.y

 

For the installation paths of these packages, I used the recommendations in this installation description:

http://oblivion.nexusmods.com/mods/12248/?

 

- First I installed Python v2.6.5;

 

- Then I installed Blender v2.49b in C:\Apps\Blender. I set it to store all it's files in the installation directory;

 

- I set the "PythonPath" system environment variable to C:\PYTHON26;C:\PYTHON26\DLLs;C:\PYTHON26\LIB;C:\PYTHON26\LIB\LIB-TK

 

- When running Blender 2.49b, it gave errors & "couldn't find Python installed";

 

- I added the installation of Python 2.5.4 and set "PythonPath" to C:\PYTHON25;C:\PYTHON25\DLLs;C:\PYTHON25\LIB;C:\PYTHON25\LIB\LIB-TK

 

- Now Blender 2.49b ran flawless;

- I installed PyFFI v2.1.5.cb92090 - it found both Python versions installed,

but it also found the scripts directory belonging to Blender 2.69, in my Win7 user data directory;

- The PyFFI installation asked whether to clear those scripts, and I said <No>;

- I installed the Blender NiF scripts v2.5.5.90a8d2f;

- Voila, Blender 2.49b can load NiF files & export them.

 

Additional notes:

- I deliberately tried to keep the installation of these packages apart from the directories belonging to Blender 2.69;

- This configuration might also work with Python v.2.6.6. When testing, it gave me the same error as v2.6.5;

- Blender probably exports FBX version 2011.

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  • 3 months later...

You can:

 

- open the SMD file in a text editor;

- go to the line where it says:

0 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000

- change this line as follows (apply a rotation of 180 dgrees around the y-axis):

0 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 3.141593 0.000000

- import the SMD file into 3DSmax;

- select the 'smdimport' geometry object and in the 'Advanced Parameters' roll-out (Modifier tab), uncheck the check box "Always deform";

- select the 'root' bone and set it's y-axis rotation to 0.0 degrees;

- select the 'smdimport' geometry object and check the check box "Always deform";

- select the 'root' bone and apply a rotation of 180 degrees around the y-axis;

- go to the menu item <Character><Bone Tools> and click the button <Bone Edit Mode>;

- set the 'root' bone's y-axis rotation to 0.0 degrees.

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I am very grateful for the help, I'd help out your instructions. I have one more question, where I can find granny2 exort plugin ? I searched through the entire Google only to find broken links, as I understand it without the plug-in model to introduce the game will not work?

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There's no path requirement for this tool: just copy it into the directory where the model file resides, together with granny2.dll.

Then open a command prompt and navigate to that directory, and run it from there.

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  • 2 years later...

I got to the blender part with the SMD.

I see what appear to be bone lines. But there is no "Weight Paint" mode in the option list. Only "Object", "Edit" and "Pose" modes.

I'm using the v2.76b version of blender. Any idea where I went wrong?

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Hey SX255, I'd like to help out, but I'm not familiar with the STL file format.
I've checked in 3DSmax, and it does support STL export, but I'm not sure it will export bones and vertex weights.

If you tell me which objects you need, I can make STL files for you.

edit: .. mh.. I don't see no bones and no vertex weights in an STL file, I don't think you want to use this format, unless you want to do something like 3D printing. What CAD program are you using?

Edited by Pesmontis
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Blender can do 3D printing..

That would be useful, because then you can also pose the model by manipulating the bones.

With regard to 3D file formats, I've heard that IGES might be a good intermediate format. 3DSmax can export IGES files as well. However, I don't think that any of the formats listed in your image can hold a 'rigged' model, and I don't think that SolidEdge is meant for handling 'rigged' models (ie. models meant for animation).

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Don't get too excited - there is a lot more to be done.

As I found out the reason Solid Edge is so resistant is because it doesn't like working with none solid and hollow objects, which meshes are. I tried some tools to fill'em up, but to no luck at this time. So for the time being I am stuck to tracing.

Additionally, just leaving the models as is is not a good idea - no assembly points. I need to add custom made joints, holes and such in order to make something worth printing and easily assembling. Otherwise I will just end up with the toy model with in default T pose.

Lastly, I do not have access to a 3D printer at this time.

So it will be a while before something tangible comes from all of this.

Edited by SX255
  • Like! 1
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