Losing my mind ... Animation file formats (.x or other)

[coderedsim]

Hello all,

 

I am trying without luck to get an animation file out of AM and into another product (DSStudio).

 

I am using AMTex and have tried just about every combination. The retained mode sort of works but the model is "jaggy" and the animation is very incomplete. Chris Roy of Obsidian Games has been great to work with by the way...

 

What other formats support animation sequences that can be exported from AM?

 

Any suggestion on tools to simply view the .x file with animation to help determine if it is exporting from AM correctly? Prefer something that does not require download of the MS SDK!

 

Also, and this may be a crazy question, but ... I've noticed that many animation programs will export to a variety of formats (3DS, VRML, OBJ, LWO) and rather than embedding the animation into one file will produce a series of files - one for each frame. Are there any tools that will reassemble these individual frames into a .x or some other complete single file with the animation sequence embedded?

 

Gamers please help me!!!!

[KenH]

I can't figure out if you're talking about images or 3d model formats. But AM will export to most image/animation formats. You just have to pick the right one when rendering. AVI and MOV will create a complete embedded animation with no images per frame. But if you mean 3d formats, then AM will export to .mdl(AM only), obj, dfx and possibly 3ds...maybe .x too?

[coderedsim]

I am talking about 3D models with animation and not just the "static" model.

[KenH]

Bones? An action file? I'll leave it to someone who's gone through this process to answer......

[triath5147]

I'm not sure why you would be having problems with direct x except for one thing. The direct x exporter from Obsideon Games, does not handle Rigs from AM well, I can't remember why, I think its a Direct X limitation. As long as you keep your skeletons simple, you should have no problem. I've been using the x exporter for years now, and have taken AM models into other programs on numerous ocassions without any trouble. Maybe tell me with alittle more detail what you are doing, and maybe I can help you figure it out.

[coderedsim]

I am simply trying to use AM to create (no problem) and animate (no problem) and export the model (with everything included - mesh, textures, bones, animation) to .x for use in a video game. Well, actually more of a "simple simulation" than a traditional video game - no complex physics or such needed.

 

In other words, the development tool I am using will import a .x file with the animation (e.g. walk, look, touch, and allow it to be used as an interactive character (e.g. walk, look, touch, etc.) by triggering the animation sequence(s) that were imported.

 

Not really sure that I made this any clearer...

[triath5147]

No you didnt make yourself any clearer, I am quite aware that you are modeling and animating in AM and want to export to X file. But what exactly is going wrong with the export, and what kind of bones are you using.

[coderedsim]

I don't think it matters anyway...

 

The development tool I was trying out - it seems is the problem - not AM or the exporter.

 

I have gone back to research / evaluation mode on development tools. My latest, Panda3D, looks pretty good and imports the .x files without any problems. Have any of you gamers used Panda3D?

 

And, being an "old" coder, I am comfortable not having the wysiwyg interface and dealing directly with code to get the results I want. In fact, IMHO, this gives much more control.

 

BTW: Even though I think I said this before I'll say it again, Obsidian Games (Chris) is awesome. For $20 I get their exporter and better tech support than most megacorps provide.

[Obsidian Games]

coderedsim, thank you for the kind words. I know I won't be able to turn out the next great 3d game, but I enjoy being able to help others work towards their own. And that's great news that you've had some better luck with other 3D engines. As always, if you find any issues with AMXtex, please let me know.