Exporting Skeletal Meshes from XSI Modtool

[BryanRobertson]

Hi,

Apologies for the massive wall of text I'm about to inflict on you, but does anyone have any experience exporting Skeletal meshes from XSI Modtool? :)

I purchased a bunch of animated character and weapon models in .x format a while ago, and I'd like to try importing them into Unreal. (I'm using some of the model packs from http://www.fpscreator.com/ if anyone's interested)

After much pain, trying to get animated .X files to import properly in various free 3D packages, I finally managed to import the models into XSI ModTool, and get them to export via ActorX.

The problem is, when I try to use exported animations on the models in Unreal, the mesh gets distorted. After a bit of investigation, this seems to be because the skeleton is offset from the model.

When I look at the model in XSI mod tool, it's quite a bit above the origin (maybe a metre or two). It looks like the exporter is moving the model down to the origin, but not doing anything to the skeleton. Similarly, if I import the X file without using the "reorient scene" option, in UnrealEd, it looks like the skeleton is being exported in such a way that it doesn't respect any of the transforms performed on the model (the character is lying down on the Y axis, but the skeleton is standing upright).

Does anyone know of a good way to solve this? I've not tried moving the model closer to the origin yet (as I ran out of time), but it seems like this would be an error-prone process, if I don't do it perfectly.

Is there a way around this? Is there something that I need to do in XSI after importing the .X file? Given that .X is more of a toy format, than something that's used in the industry, I wouldn't be surprised if the imported skeleton is somehow different from one created in XSI from scratch.

I'd appreciate a bit of help on this, as unfortunately I'm a programmer, not an artist :)

It's a good thing too, it seems like the life of a hobbyist game-artist is extremely difficult if you don't have £3K to shell out on a proper modelling package (or you're eligible for a student discount). At least programmers have a load of decent cheap/free tools available, such as Visual Studio Express/Standard Edition. The free/cheap modelling tools available seem to be extremely clunky, and/or extremely limited.

[razvanab]

i feel your pain

i try to import in blender the UDN rig with no luck :(

[BryanRobertson]

Yeah I tried Blender, unfortunately I couldn't get my .X file into Blender with animations intact.

Using the .X importer the file would fail to load with no message to indicate success or failure, and COLLADA was a complete non-starter.

I understand why apps like Max/Maya/XSI need to cost so much, but what I don't understand is why in 2009 no one has managed to make a cheap and user friendly modelling package that just works, and doesn't feel like pulling teeth.

The cheap/free packages can't seen to get even the simple things right. If I open up MAX, or Maya, I can easily figure out how to select and move an object around. The majority of cheaper packages are extremely unintuitive (at least in my opinion).

Seriously, left click to select, drag widget to move object, left click empty area to deselect. How difficult is that?

Arghhhhhh :)

[razvanab]

go to http://www.graphicall.org/builds/
and download a blender 2.5 build

looks like a huge step forward but it's still in development

[BryanRobertson]

OK, I've managed to solve this so far, by pressing "8" to open the scene graph (called the "Explorer" window), and deleting unnecessary entries. Moving both the Biped and Mesh to be directly under "MapRoot", and making sure that their transforms are identical.

So one step closer to being able to use these assets in-game.

I've managed to get the mesh into the editor, with a couple of animations.

If only the modelling packages I'm working with were as intuitive as UnrealEd

[the-dungeon]

Which version of xsi modTool are you using?

[BryanRobertson]

Version 7.5.203.0

I've managed to get everything into game now. I'm now learning how to use Physics Asset Tool, so I can set up my character with ragdoll physics.

[BigDaz]

To be honest ModTool is identical in terms of modeling and exporting to the professional software, it doesn't become suddenly become easier if you have £3000 to spend.

I don't think it's any harder than UnrealEd to use. I'm finding UnrealEd completely backwards and over complicated, but it's just getting used to it.