Alternative import plugins

[Kombowz]

Hi everyone,

 

I was wondering if there were any other import plugins other than the ones that come stock with Animation Master.

 

Thank you for your replies

[robcat2075]

I think everything that is currently known for A:M is now included, unless someone has written something custom and is keeping it under their pillow.

[detbear]

Is there a specific import type you are needing to get into A:M?

 

Let us know here because chances are, we have had to get that type into A:M as well.

 

For some things, there are work arounds. Although some things are still not available.

 

But let us know what type you need.

[Kombowz]

To my understanding, the X (DirectX) file format was the best attempt at getting A:M to play nice with other programs, but this is just for exporting.

 

I suppose there are no formats that are able to bring animations or actions back into animation master.

 

I may have to use the OBJ importer option and jump back and forth between software packages to get things done.

 

So basically my workflow will be and so far has been:

Model Character in Animation Master

Export to OBJ

Import into texturing program (Yes I know about 3D Painter, I own it. But It's tied to a single computer so I can't use it most of the time which makes it somewhat a waste of money for me. It is a great tool though).

Texture said model in texturing program

Export OBJ from Texturing program

Import OBJ back into Animation Master

Bone it

Animate It

Export It Via X format

Import it in a 3d party program such as unwrap3d or god knows what (Thanks to Fuchur I believe for the import / export tutorials)

Pray that the animations etc work in other packages after the conversion

 

I haven't played with many animation exports etc yet, but the few simple ones I tried seemed to work OK with minor tweaking needing done to the bones to line up after conversion.

 

If you have a better way of doing things, by all means let me know. I'm all ears (well in this case eyes) LOL.

 

Thank you for your replies.

[robcat2075]

I suppose there are no formats that are able to bring animations or actions back into animation master.

 

Technically, the mo-cap BVH format would be a way to bring bone motion back into A:M

 

Some people have used the MDD point cloud format to move animation between A:M and elsewhere but I have no idea how that works.

 

 

 

So basically my workflow will be:

Model Character

Export to OBJ

Texture said model in texturing program (Yes I know about 3D Painter, I own it. But It's tied to a single computer so I can't use it most of the time which makes it somewhat a waste of money for me. It is a great tool though).

Import OBJ back into Animation Master

Bone it

Animate It

Export It Via X format

Pray that the animations etc work in other packages through unwrap3d or god knows what (Thanks to Fuchur I believe for the import / export tutorials)

 

If you have a better way of doing things, by all means let me know. I'm all ears (well in this case eyes) LOL.

 

Thank you for your replies.

 

The part I bolded sounds like a needless complication, unless you totally LOVE the other 3D paint program you are going to.

 

What i like to do is wrap my model with a blank image map, then take the model to 3DPaint to sketch in the major landmarks. Then I take the bit map with those major placement clues to a 2D paint program to do the careful detail work.

 

My model stays A:M, no conversion hassle.

 

I did my Al Capone head that way.

[Kombowz]

Wow, great work robcat.

 

Don't get me wrong, I use 3d painter. I just don't use it often as I'm unable to due to it being tied to my desktop computer

 

My idea now is to get a powerful enough laptop that I can put the license on there so I can use it wherever I am.

 

Unfortunately I've been buying so many things for game development lately that funds are a little thin atm, LOL

 

The other program is okay, but prefer 3d painter. Nothing is better than staying in the native file format vs converting and doing the pray thing.

 

Thanks for your reply. Again, great model and texturing work!

[robcat2075]

The advantage of my workflow for you is that 3Dpaint is only needed briefly at the beginning. After that, 2D paint you probably have on any computer.

[Kombowz]

Very true and much appreciated.

 

How do you know what size decal to use to get a nice render?

 

Do you also have to flatten out the model as shown in other tutorials I've seen? In those videos you have to "un-stitch" the model at the back, flatten out the model using a pose and then decal it.

 

I'd love for you to make a simple video demo if possible on how you do your work. This would help me tremendously in developing a smooth workflow.

 

Thank you for everything.

[robcat2075]

Very true and much appreciated.

 

How do you know what size decal to use to get a nice render?

 

I'm not sure if here's a formula. Big enough that one pixel on the decal will not be larger than one pixel on the screen.

 

Do you also have to flatten out the model as shown in other tutorials I've seen? In those videos you have to "un-stitch" the model at the back, flatten out the model using a pose and then decal it.

 

In my punch Puppet example I'm putting a cylindrical map around it rather than pre-flattening the model. I think that's easier. But I do that in a pose where i can squish some CPs around first to expose things like the inside of the lips and the back of the ears and make them all face "out" so that the Cylindrical projection is not landing on any overlapping geometry. It's not obvious in my screencap pics but it's visible.

 

I'd love for you to make a simple video demo if possible on how you do your work. This would help me tremendously in developing a smooth workflow.

 

I have a brief video that talks about the cylindrical mapping part

 

http://www.hash.com/forums/index.php?s=&am...st&p=356734

[Kombowz]

Thank you Robcat,

 

The video demonstration was very informative and very helpful all at the same time.

 

Much appreciated as always