3d models

[Zborik]

I hope this theme belongs in this thread...

Ahrimanes is working on HD--B.Orchid, Kratos and Raziel now for which he uses the program Blender 3d to create a 3dmodel which he then renders to 2d(Like Reuben Kee did with Dragon Claw, I believe).

Now my question is: can Mugen-authors somehow make use of all the 3d models you can find here(http://www.models-resource.com/) to have less work to do. Did noone think of it yet or is it impossible to work with such models in blender? What are they good for then anyway? I mean you have to be able to animate them in some program.

EDIT: I've just read on models-resource's community board that they too use blender for ripping. so it must be possible, right?

[O Ilusionista]

Take a look at this tutorial: http://irwt.smeenet.org/download/Helios-tutorial.pdf
A nice tutorial by Rolento where you can get some pixel-like results from 3d models.

His site has some nice tips too http://irwt.smeenet.org/

[Acey]

I fully expect to go full 3d models once the engine can handle the colors. Rolento made a great tutorial also.

[Rage]

I just happened to be a 3d animator. Ill tell you the method i know how to add 3d models to mugen. First what ever program you use to create your models and animate must be open. Lets say you are creating a light kick. Set your frames for the kick then render it out as a png sequence. Make sure you have it set not to render out the background. Next take the frames into a image program and save them out as (convert them to) a pcx file. Now your ready to add them to Fighter Factor.

This is a generic explanation with no set program in mind so it can you applied to more 3d modeling programs or image program the supports said file structure.


Now there is a lot more you need to now when working with 3d models. Polygon counts, rigs, texture, specular maps, etc. all these may slow down mugen. When you convert the files to png or pcx they become just images and dont contain thoses said layers. but they are merged doing to conversion process creating heavy image files if not done properly. if a heavy model was converted to an image file it may result is a heavy file as well.

An another thing that may interfere is color count. if your textures are not mugen compatible. you have to remember to have no shadows casted by lights on the model. Shadows or poor lighting will result in millions of colors.

As for this site. I cant tell you nothing about it. I never heard of it. So i dont trust it and thus i wont download from it, 
Post Merge: July 29, 2011, 01:47:22 PM

Take a look at this tutorial: http://irwt.smeenet.org/download/Helios-tutorial.pdf
A nice tutorial by Rolento where you can get some pixel-like results from 3d models.

His site has some nice tips too http://irwt.smeenet.org/

 


I'd like to give that method a try
Post Merge: July 29, 2011, 02:14:37 PMone of those sites yall posted add a pop up to my browser so beware everyone.......

[Zborik]

You guys rock, thx for all the info, the tutorial, the explanation. 

@Rage: the only 2 difficulties seem to be the color count and the right method of saving the images. But the main work is getting the model in the right pose or frame as you call it(I hope I got it right) and then rendering that frame. Sounds kind of easy when you don't have to build the model yourself. I bet these modelling programs are difficult to handle. Ahrimanes said on CVG, that it takes under 5 minutes to render frames. But then the forming a pose must be difficult, right? I mean where's the challenging part? Why else would people spend so much time (except for the not lazy ones) drawing each sprite instead of using a model?
Also, about the site, if you have the time to check out those models, I think the site's pretty trustworthy. It's basically just a part of Spriter's Resource which is the biggest sprites-database I've ever seen online.

[O Ilusionista]

I fully expect to go full 3d models once the engine can handle the colors. Rolento made a great tutorial also.

you mean Mugen 1.1, right? But the downside: Its heavier than Mugen 1.0.
I can run Mugen 1.0 on OpenGl perfectly, but Mugen 1.1 using OpenGL doesn't runs on my machine.

Plus, a lot of things had changed, like the error handle. I need to run it again, but If I remember well, any error just closes Mugen, not only making a debug error like 1.0 and all others. And the position system had changed, so many things are different now.

And, for about the colors, I'm pretty sure you can use 16bits images on stages, but not on chars. So, you will stick with 256 colors images. The only difference is that now we work with RGBA and not just with RGB like before - so we have transparency like PNG 24bits.

Ahrimanes said on CVG, that it takes under 5 minutes to render frames. But then the forming a pose must be difficult, right?

The main challenge isn't the render per se, is how fluid is the animation, or it would be like stick figures fighting.

Why else would people spend so much time (except for the not lazy ones) drawing each sprite instead of using a model?

This could have tons of answers. Its almost like Why people likes blue instead of red?

And you are forgetting another way to do sprites: by vector and than rasterizing it. A friend of mine, Xande, had made a Goku on this way.

Why no everyone uses this way? Because everyone is familiar with a different way of how to work.

I bet these modelling programs are difficult to handle.

Its more than that. To handle a program isn't to really know the program. For exemple, I use Photoshop on my work (I'm Art Director), I know it since it was called Aldo's Photoshop and I can sure say to you: 50% or more people which 'handle' photoshop don't know a crap what they are doing.

I know a lot of people which think they knows Photshop because they...can make signatures to be used on foruns. *great*

[Rage]

@ O lu

Yeah for example. PS can be used to sculpt 3d models. of people dont get that as powerful and as versatile as it is its "photoshop"  

@ Zborik

read so tuts on 3d modeling. thats all i can say. try 3dtotal.com