.ASE to .shp converter for 3DSMax ver. 6...and maybe more...

[>ZEphYR<]

Ok so here's what mine does:

-Modified to work with .ASE files generated by 3DSMax6. I don't know if it will work with other 3dSmax versions or not. (It seems like it may work with them just fine.)
((POST a reply if you've found it works with other versions so people will know please.))

-The original also was outputting all of the normals. This seemed to be crashing the game so I took it out.

-Also updated to default model color to red if no other vertex colors are found.

-Updated to check if the file you're trying to convert exists. (That way you dont get a blank .shp file, like the original had potential to make.)

-Updated to put files in the same format as the original game .shp files. (The X,Y,Z coordinates are in the right spots.)

-Updated to round all the numbers to nice lengths. This was seeming to put the models in the wrong position. (Numbers round to same length as in the games original .shp files.)

Here's the script for anyone to use if they wish.
http://72.41.130.253/Darwinia/asetoshp.pl

-------------------------
This is a modified script that was originally by Nihil. (Original link below)
http://www.nihilesthetics.info/Darwinia ... elling.htm
...the site also has some good instructions, if needed.
-------------------------

Hope it helps some people. (:

:[ZEphYR]:

[trickfred]

I've finally had a chance to use this. Works well. Also seems to render the file a lot faster than the original, if I'm not mistaken.

Edit: Okay, maybe not faster, but knowing a message is coming to tell you when it's done makes it seem faster!

[Luftbauch]

works nice, but please can me someone tell how to convert animated models to shapes.

In the animated mine.shp file stands something like

Code: Select all

137: 136   0
   Strips: 1
      Strip: 0
         Material: GunMetal
         Verts: 490
         v50      v51      v52      v51      v13      v51   

How to understand that v - thing ?
How to export animations correct or how to manage it manually?
Thanks

[xander]

works nice, but please can me someone tell how to convert animated models to shapes.

In the animated mine.shp file stands something like

Code: Select all

137: 136   0
   Strips: 1
      Strip: 0
         Material: GunMetal
         Verts: 490
         v50      v51      v52      v51      v13      v51   

How to understand that v - thing ?
How to export animations correct or how to manage it manually?
Thanks

Actually, the mines (and other animated buildings) are conglomerations of several shapes. Each of the shapes, themselves, are static, and are rotated or animated by the game engine. Strips are an alternative to triangles. I am not quite sure how they are related, however.

xander

[Luftbauch]

Hmm but how to get animated shapes ingame?
If i make a windmill and want to let the turbine rotate, how to get it to work with scripting?

[xander]

Hmm but how to get animated shapes ingame?
If i make a windmill and want to let the turbine rotate, how to get it to work with scripting?

As far as I know, you can't make arbitrary animated shapes. You could probably replace the mine shapes, or the refinery shapes in such a way that you would have a windmill, but, as far as I know, you cannot add buildings to the game that are animated. It can't be done. It isn't a matter of scripting, or anything else. It is a limitation in the game engine itself.

xander

[Lowell]

The "V" thing you refer to are the Verts that are used to make the Stripe for the building. The stripes are what make it solid...I guess they are linked as a whole section. (Material: GunMetal) will not make it a solid, you have to pick out which Verts you want to use in making the Stripe.

I'm trying to learn that part myself. I have some static buildings in-game, still digging for the placement of animated ones.

Lowell

[Luftbauch]

I'm trying to learn that part myself. I have some static buildings in-game, still digging for the placement of animated ones.

Same here ,
but its funny.

[Lowell]

Hey that looks cool...I like the clown hats. Have you thought up a name for your mod?

[Luftbauch]

Hey that looks cool...I like the clown hats. Have you thought up a name for your mod?

Clown-hats, do you mean the modified SP´s, i thinked they are looking like low poly scorpions?
No name , only some own low poly models and a map so far (SP,SP-L,IC,).
So many things in the Game are hardcoded, its not possible (or very hard) to make a "full mod" with this limited functions(and my limited brain)...
Low Poly is no problem, but only static is poor.
The solid-function works not proper (dunno how it works), no walkable buildings (Ramps,...).
No animations.
If i finish all models then i wanna make something funny with them (hope so).
The colorizing-thing for the models is work-intensive.
If i have some more then i open a Mod-thread perhaps.

Greetings Bauch

[Lowell]

At first glance I noticed the "tail" and didn't see the legs...the striped tail looked like a striped clown hat. "I need new glasses... "

Is your mod ready yet?


EDIT//One of my models has over 7000 triangles. Talk about a headache trying to change colors on certain areas...man...

I have been trying to find out which verts are at the base of a couple models. That way I could do the striping at the base making them "solid." How did you get it to work for yours? I applied the Gun Metal texture to mine and it had no effect. I also noticed that many of the building objects in-game, are not "solid."

[Nuclear_Winter]

So how exactly are you supposed to use this converter. Do I need to create a new maxscript for it or is there some special process to use?

[nihilesthetics2]

Its a perl script that converts an ascii scene export file ( 3ds ascii format ) to a shp file ( Darwinia shape file format ). So you are going to need perl installed and also you must have exported a model to an ASE file from 3DSMax.

If you have the ASE but dont have perl, you could try out the alpha of my java applet converter. Take note that its alpha

http://www.nihilesthetics.info/Darwinia ... verter.htm

[brice]

works nice, but please can me someone tell how to convert animated models to shapes.

In the animated mine.shp file stands something like

Code: Select all

137: 136   0
   Strips: 1
      Strip: 0
         Material: GunMetal
         Verts: 490
         v50      v51      v52      v51      v13      v51   

How to understand that v - thing ?
How to export animations correct or how to manage it manually?
Thanks

Actually, the mines (and other animated buildings) are conglomerations of several shapes. Each of the shapes, themselves, are static, and are rotated or animated by the game engine. Strips are an alternative to triangles. I am not quite sure how they are related, however.

xander

I figured out the triangle strips. The short answer is: don't bother for anything more complex than a simple cube or three.

EDIT: I moved my reply to a new thread http://forums.introversion.co.uk/darwin ... php?t=3879