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Author
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Topic: VRML and OPS... WOW!
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Pete Hawk
Pilot
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posted 08-19- 09:28 PM
   
I'm very excited about VRML and OPS now. I messaged back and forth with Bryan last night, because I wanted to speed up the process from model to working SM. Well, with my test airplane I hadn't heard about resetting the X-form in Max before exporting to VRML '97 format, so my test parts were HUGE in OPS after being imported. So today I searched old posts and saw that resetting X-form was a biggie, something you need to do. Well I'm so happy because that fixed my problems.So what's the benefit of doing a new SM file this way? MANY! You build your plane in Max, and name the parts the same things that they are named in the airplane you are going to replace. So if you have LeftWing in OPS, then your inboard piece of your model (the root) will be called LeftWing. Then when you go to import all the parts (just say you want to import the left wing and all it's children (ie the engines, gear, wheel), you'd click on LeftWing in OPS, import, bring in your VRML leftwing and all it's associated parts that you named correctly in Max, and bingo, perfect wing and all it's parts positioned just as they were in Max. PLUS the DOF info is still intact! (This may need some tweaking but I'm not sure, haven't gotten to that point yet on my test plane). I'll let you know how it works out. But the key point that gets me jazzed the most is that you don't need to open up the Max Script window to do any of this, the VRML file contains all the info! So Bryan, you rule! I'm so glad you came up with this plugin, it's gonna cut building time by 2/3's! FYI, when I export from Max (3.0) I only have Normals checked up top (as per Bryan's advice), and upon import into OPS I click on the position box, nothing else. Then just select all your parts and import. [This message has been edited by Pete Hawk (edited 08-19-2000).] IP: Logged |
Nat
Pilot
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posted 08-19- 09:44 PM
Cool Pete, I liked the VRML aswell, cept for 2 things, my parts came in tiny.. (x form I knwow now) and there is no texture... so how do you export the textuer with the part?IP: Logged |
Pete Hawk
Pilot
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posted 08-19- 09:47 PM
Nat, I'm not quite to that point yet. I'll let you know when I am and anything I find out I'll post.IP: Logged |
jedi
Pilot
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posted 08-19- 10:27 PM
AC3D is capable of exporting in VRML. Anybody tried it yet?
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--jedi-- IP: Logged |
Pete Hawk
Pilot
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posted 08-19- 10:35 PM
Nat,Ok, I just had success with a texture map trial. Here's the key. In the VRML export dialog there is a window near the bottom that say's "bitmap prefix." After applying a very rough map to my test subject, in that export window I put this in...
./aircraft/B17G/textures/ I then loaded up OPS, imported the new part (which still didn't appear textured in OPS), saved, and loaded up a test mission in SDOE. It worked! Just be sure that in that VRML window you are pointing to the right place, and don't forget that SINGLE . (period) in the beginning, NOT two of them. Hope this helps.  IP: Logged |
Bryan Russell
Pilot
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posted 08-19- 11:53 PM
If you uncheck the 'use map path' or something like that, OPS will just add the texture to the current aircrafts textures dir.Apperantly AC3D has no concept of Matrix and Rotation so the positioning stuff may not be much good. Also, I've only implemented a subset of the VRML standard, which is basically what MAX exports if you hold your tongue just right when you press the button, so it may not be too sucessful with other programs, doesn't hurt to try though. If you give it a go and it doesn't work you can send me the VRML file and I can see what's different. I promise mot to lose them this time like I did with the ones TailSlide sent me (sorry TS ) IP: Logged |
Pete Hawk
Pilot
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posted 08-20- 04:36 AM
Well this isn't as easy as it first appeared. I just imported a wing into the B-17 sm, along with the child parts, and the inner wing completely vanished, as did the flap, and the rest of the wing is WAY outboard, as are the engines. Everything got spread out a lot. Also the DOFs (I was hoping would stay intact) got out of whack too.I may end up doing it the old way after all. IP: Logged |
Spanky the Mad Dog
Pilot
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posted 08-20- 01:53 PM
Spanky here... Pete, whats this reset x-form thingy? I had a problem of stuff made in max coming out huge in OPS. ANd this is supposed to fix that?
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