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Format for Object/Instances Import ???


ggaliens
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Format for Object/Instances Import ???

I have read about upcoming Object Instancing in VOXEL Mode.

I'm very very interested in this ... having created an instancing plugin for Wings3D.

I'd like to think I'd be able to rig some instances and their positions/MATRICES in Wings3D

and export them to 3DCOAT into VOXEL mode.

Andrew ... can I do this ??? What format can I use.

Please advise.

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I would send Andrew an e-mail on this topic if you have not done so. I saw your post about the plug-in at the Wings3D forum. All I can say is Wow and a thank you for all your plug-ins and work on Wings3D. I been using it for years now and it is still one of my favorite modeling programs. I also recently started to use Wings3D for converting 3DCoat obj models to the xml file format using the Kerkythea plug-in. The xml file also works for Thea Render (the big brother) B)

Almost forgot, I correct the scale on the obj models too for Kerky...

Voxel instancing is in the latest versions.

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I did send Andrew a message. We have a few ideas going back and forth.

Seems like the PROXY objects I make in Wings3D are still TOO HEAVY even though they avoid

core ERLANG/Wings3D data structures ... still is some structural residue needed to hold what

becomes the display list for OpenGL.

I have to work with the Wings core devs to try understand their drawing code a bit better.

I'm thinking maybe I just draw only SHARP edges for proxies. No chord edges with faces at 180 to each

other.

Anyway ... I'm making good progress. GOT proxies working when exporting to RIB/Renderman.

So is very fun to play with that. RIB/Renderman has Include files an matrix transforms

to apply to them. So that's a good proxy/instance implementation. But no good for sharing

with 3DCOat. RIB/Renderman is a SINK format, AFAIK.

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Format for Object/Instances Import ???

I have read about upcoming Object Instancing in VOXEL Mode.

I'm very very interested in this ... having created an instancing plugin for Wings3D.

I'd like to think I'd be able to rig some instances and their positions/MATRICES in Wings3D

and export them to 3DCOAT into VOXEL mode.

Andrew ... can I do this ??? What format can I use.

Please advise.

The "Voxels" you're talking about aren't real voxels. Voxel is short for Volume Pixel or Volume Element, depending upon with whom you speak. (Is that correct grammar???)

They represent a 3d box shaped volume in the purest form (as far as I've read.) The voxel engines you're talking about worked with heightmaps. They cast rays from the camera/viewpoint across the heightmap, similar to scanline converting a texture across a polygon, but it would display color and height. It keeps track of the highest screen value for the current ray being cast and only draws and gets a texture value when the height being calculated is greater than the highest height.

The worst case scenario is a completely flat terrain. For that though you could just increase the step size (you usually have the ray checking heights at specific intervals.)

In most applications of "voxel" rendering of terrains I remember them also interpolating the texture coordinates, so that one voxel's height could have multiple texture pixels. Most landscapes had about 2x2, 4x4, or 8x8 texels to a voxel.T

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CavinBill, Where was I talking about any VOXELS other than 3DCoats ???

Definately didn't talk about anyone else's VOXEL engine. CavinBill ...

The voxel mode sculptor in 3DCoat will be able to import instances in some

not to distant release, I'm hoping (there's talk). The problem is that

the instances (Nothing to do with Voxels) have to be represented in

a common file format. Instances are just lightweight references to shapes that say ... Make a copy of shape such-and-such and scale,rotate,move it to OVER-HERE.

We were not talking about VOXELS AT all ... it's only maginally significant that we are importing them into a VOXEL sculpting room in 3DCoat.

I did not. And I was specifically referring to 3DCoats voxel editing mode which from

discussions ... does and will support instancing.

I'm confused about who is confused here. LOL.

I just want to import from my ENGINE to Andrews Engine ...

bee-hive1.jpg

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Use Merge tool.

Be sure "merge without voxelizing" checkbox is checked.

Click "Select mesh" and browse to mesh.

Wait for loading and when you see the white "ghosted" representation of the mesh press "Enter".

Wait again until mesh appear....Loading a 8mil piece took me about 2-4 minutes on my puny computer.

(Dont worry about "estimated polycount",object will still have its original polycount)

http://www.3d-coat.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=6634&pid=57394&st=740entry57394

Voxel room's Merge Tool. Hope this helps...MG

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Andrew ... I will be able to encode some odd-ball things like these in the OBJ plus format ...

http://www.josleys.com/show_gallery.php?galid=334

Will be fun to try and set these up in Wings3D. Who would have thought it possible.

Then export to 3DCoat. A bit like Incendia maybe.

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