Converting NS1 Models
<div class="IPBDescription">Anyone familiar with the required tools?</div>I'm keen to convert the NS1 models to the NS2 format (with textures and animations), but I don't have a clue where to begin. Lua I can do, modelling etc not so much.
Can anyone offer a step-by-stop tutorial using the armoury or something as an example?
Can anyone offer a step-by-stop tutorial using the armoury or something as an example?
Comments
done with milkshape. then you need a proper converter to get it to ns2s format. its not a big deal i think. Start with lua part and use the ns2 models and replace
them later, i bet someone will convert them for you after you made some progress.
Seriously though, it should be pretty easy to convert model and texture, as said, via milkshape and tools, but I bet you'll have trouble with the rigging? and animations.
The way I did it:
Unpack the NS1 MDL file (using milkshape) to get all the seperated SMDs and BMPs. For the texture, re-save the BMP to a PSD and make the necessary material file.
Import the reference model in 3Dsmax (plugin needed for SMD import) and re-apply the material file (UVW mapping coordinates should be all fine). Export in Collada DAE.
Import every other relative SMDs (as they are only bones for animations) and export them all in Collada DAE with proper animation names (like walk, jump, idle)
When you make your model_compile file, you'll have the line that states the geometry file (the reference model) and other lines of code that state all the animation nodes from other Collada files.
Here's what I wrote for the NS1 lerk:
<!--c1--><div class='codetop'>CODE</div><div class='codemain'><!--ec1--><model>
<geometry "alien_level3.dae" />
<animation idle "alien_level3_idle.dae" 0 30 1 />
<animation walk "alien_level3_walk.dae" 0 30 1 />
<animation takeoff "alien_level3_takeoff.dae" 0 37 0 />
<animation land "alien_level3_land.dae" 0 40 0 />
<animation fly "alien_level3_fly.dae" 0 10 1 />
<animation glide "alien_level3_glide.dae" 0 10 1 />
</model><!--c2--></div><!--ec2-->
animation <reference name> <"filename"> <starting frame> <ending frame> <loop> and there are other settings that I haven't used.
The builder will compile all of this into one single model file.
Hope that helps.
<geometry "alien_level3.dae" />
<animation idle "alien_level3_idle.dae" 0 30 1 />
<animation walk "alien_level3_walk.dae" 0 30 1 />
<animation takeoff "alien_level3_takeoff.dae" 0 37 0 />
<animation land "alien_level3_land.dae" 0 40 0 />
<animation fly "alien_level3_fly.dae" 0 10 1 />
<animation glide "alien_level3_glide.dae" 0 10 1 />
</model><!--c2--></div><!--ec2--><!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Should actually be:
<!--c1--><div class='codetop'>CODE</div><div class='codemain'><!--ec1-->geometry "alien_level3.dae"
animation idle "alien_level3_idle.dae"
animation walk "alien_level3_walk.dae"
animation takeoff "alien_level3_takeoff.dae"
animation land "alien_level3_land.dae"
animation fly "alien_level3_fly.dae"
animation glide "alien_level3_glide.dae"<!--c2--></div><!--ec2-->
I guess our parser just ignores the extra stuff.
The way I wrote the model_compile file was based on a PDF I've downloaded somewhere in an old post.
But this is much simpler, hehe. I guess the starting and ending frames informations are needed only if there are several animations in the same Collada file.