Is it possible to convert google sketch models?

Magneto

I've been having no luck with this and it seems like no one is bothered about the modeling side of things, so im wondering has anyone actually managed to get a model to show up in the editor recently?

I've checked and rechecked my setup and it looks like everything should work, things do convert and appear on the other end, like textures and maps, models however either crash on conversion or appear as a tiny file with nothing showing up except a blank space in the editor.

Kouji_San

Having the same problem here, builder just crashes or creates an empty file when trying to compile the *.dae

I'm not sure btw how to get a UV map to work from Sketchup as they use a completely different approach to texturing...

Magneto

Ah good to hear im not alone, i was sure i set it all up ok.

So is the problem just with models made in google sketchup or all software?

Max

Can you e-mail me (max@unknownworlds.com) the DAE file that crashes?

McGlaspie

A while back I was able to get a model exported from Wings3D into the game, but was unable to ever get the UV map to convert.

Maybe you could export from SketchUp, import into Wings, and export it from there. Yes, I realize this is long winded way, but it might work.

Kouji_San

Blender is another option to perhaps do the UV mapping. There is a import COLLADA script for Blender floating around somewhere. It's too bad the Sketchup texturing tools are pretty fun to use, but do not create a UV map, it instead uses image files for each separate face/image :/

Magneto

<!--quoteo(post=1829696:date=Feb 4 2011, 08:24 PM:name=Max)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Max @ Feb 4 2011, 08:24 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1829696"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Can you e-mail me (max@unknownworlds.com) the DAE file that crashes?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

It seems to be any model exported from google sketchup, i've only tried creating a simple model so far to test but you get the same problem with any model downloaded from <a href="http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/" target="_blank">google 3d warehouse</a>.

Runteh

If you are building a map in a 3rd party program to import, how does the scaling work? Say I made it in Solidworks, what is the unit scaling?

SN.Wolf

Anyone have any success with this yet?
I have a key element that i am really interested in importing into my level but i get the same crash as stated above.

Kouji_San

I did find this in mah quest to convert them models to games, it can also convert to Source and then compile that with Source SDK. Isn't Spark builder capable of converting those models into Spark?

<a href="http://www.playuptools.com/" target="_blank">http://www.playuptools.com/</a>

Conversion into, Unity3D, CryENGINE 1, CryENGINE 2, and Source. We need Spark on that list :P

SN.Wolf

<!--quoteo(post=1832406:date=Feb 15 2011, 10:23 AM:name=Kouji_San)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Kouji_San @ Feb 15 2011, 10:23 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1832406"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I did find this in mah quest to convert them models to games, it can also convert to Source and then compile that with Source SDK. Isn't Spark builder capable of converting those models into Spark?

<a href="http://www.playuptools.com/" target="_blank">http://www.playuptools.com/</a>

Conversion into, Unity3D, CryENGINE 1, CryENGINE 2, and Source. We need Spark on that list :P<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Nice utility! I looked around and couldn't see anywhere if it where open source or not but the FAQ says

"Our team is comprised of game industry veterans and seasoned Internet programmers."

From that, I gather they would share the utility for modification with someone whom has some knowledge of spark. Seeing how there seems to be a few fans in the crowd who do programming and love NS2 soooo much.....(Hint... Hint....)....lol.

Magneto

Any idea when this might be fixed?

zastels

I'd be very interested in google sketchup completely working for NS2.

wackoisgod

so i got a first pass at this checked in... the geometry now imports correctly the materials are broken hopefully I will get that in soon.

zastels

Great to hear! Let us know if you get it 100% working.

Google sketchup with the power of Spark would be just too good. Coming from Source mapping and other modeling programs everything is so time consuming!

Magneto

<!--quoteo(post=1844199:date=May 5 2011, 09:12 AM:name=wackoisgod)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (wackoisgod @ May 5 2011, 09:12 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1844199"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->so i got a first pass at this checked in... the geometry now imports correctly the materials are broken hopefully I will get that in soon.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

I haven't tried it yet but i wanted to say thanks for getting it working. :)

Zuriki

I managed to get a model to export just fine with SketchUp, I just had to copy+paste a few missing tags (something to do with textures or something, idk, it was months ago). The model I exported isn't textured (appears white) but it does render, and surprisingly fast considering it had like 100000 faces (I downloaded some tree model off the internet that used faces for each leaf -.-). I managed to import about 10 of them into the game without any noticeable fps lag. I still have the .model file hanging around somewhere.

But for what it's worth, I'd recommend you just avoid SketchUp altogether, or at least export to something like .3ds and import into a different editor like 3DS Max, Milkshape or anything that supports .3ds files.

Infinity

As Zuriki said, you should avoid SketchUp.

Sure, it'd probably be nice to have compatability with SketchUp and Spark, but it's not a "true" modeling program, imho.

zastels

<!--quoteo(post=1848005:date=May 23 2011, 06:38 AM:name=Infinity)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Infinity @ May 23 2011, 06:38 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1848005"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->As Zuriki said, you should avoid SketchUp.

Sure, it'd probably be nice to have compatability with SketchUp and Spark, but it's not a "true" modeling program, imho.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Ya but it's free, and the documentation is available to help people jump in and start creating.

I think it'd be a wise investment to make this work.

Zuriki

<!--quoteo(post=1848030:date=May 23 2011, 04:58 PM:name=zastels)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (zastels @ May 23 2011, 04:58 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1848030"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Ya but it's free, and the documentation is available to help people jump in and start creating.

I think it'd be a wise investment to make this work.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

The issue isn't with Spark, the issue is with SketchUp, it's not really "fixable" unless you explicitly design Spark to support poorly or just outright wrongly formatted COLLADA models.

If you want to create a model for NS2, the user should be the one to invest in getting a half-decent modelling program. After the fuss I had converting a model from SketchUp, I immediately switched to 3D Studio Max (I hate the program, but at least it works).

Zuriki

Here, showing off my l33t skeelz.

<img src="http://img1.uploadscreenshot.com/images/orig/6/16116075093-orig.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />
<img src="http://img1.uploadscreenshot.com/images/orig/6/16116080970-orig.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

Obviously, there is no texture applied therefore it defaulted to the absent texture. There is a few issues with the geometry too but the model wasn't all that great to begin with.

This is proof enough that you can create models and export them. Right?

Magneto

Yeah the model appears to work but textures don't, im getting back into mapping and stuff now the game is getting better so it would be nice to get this working.

I've tried multiple ways of getting textures to work, saving as .psd from paint.net and gimp to let the builder create the .dds, fails, saving directly as .dds and placing it in the correct folder, it fails.

Is it not possible to use free tools?

Zuriki

<!--quoteo(post=1853549:date=Jun 16 2011, 05:13 PM:name=Magneto)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Magneto @ Jun 16 2011, 05:13 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1853549"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Yeah the model appears to work but textures don't, im getting back into mapping and stuff now the game is getting better so it would be nice to get this working.

I've tried multiple ways of getting textures to work, saving as .psd from paint.net and gimp to let the builder create the .dds, fails, saving directly as .dds and placing it in the correct folder, it fails.

Is it not possible to use free tools?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->


Oh, I can get textures to work, I just didn't give it any.

Magneto

Can you please explain how you got it working?

I've followed all the tutorials and threads on the subject and still can't seem to get anywhere, i've even copied and renamed textures from other models just to test and it still doesn't work, i think i may have narrowed it down to where you're supposed to alter the collada file in notepad so it points to the correct texture before you build, i've tried many combinations and still no luck, i just don't know where im going wrong?

Magneto

I seem to run into one problem or another with everything i try, first they wouldn't convert with google sketchup, then once a dev got it working it seems no combination of file paths or textures works, now i try exporting a simple box model from blender and it doesn't even show in the editor and there's no tag for images in the collada file, so at this point i think it just can't be done, i really wish someone would make a fool proof guide using free tools like blender/sketchup for models and paint.net/gimp for textures.

Someone amazingly managed to get it working <a href="http://www.unknownworlds.com/ns2/forums/index.php?showtopic=109382&st=0" target="_blank">here </a>but apart from that i've seen little evidence of anyone getting a custom model working in the viewer fully textured, so i challenge anyone to try using free software!

Here's another <a href="http://www.unknownworlds.com/ns2/forums/index.php?showtopic=109641" target="_blank">thread </a>worth taking a look at, maybe someone else will have more luck.

Zuriki

Well I'm thinking of writing a tool to prepare models for the builder tool and generate model/material source files. Because the process of doing it manually is damn annoying!

Magneto

That would be quite useful but for now id just be happy to get it working manually, have you honestly got any textures working using a google sketchup collada?

It doesn't seem to matter what file paths i use, nothing works when i go to look in the model viewer, all i get is an untextured model with the output box saying "Couldn't open file''.

If this won't ever work properly with google sketchup, then it should at the very least with blender, it's time the devs stepped in and helped the mapping/modding community out a bit more with better documentation and improvements/fixes for their tools.

Zuriki

When I get home and have some time I'll show you.

Zuriki

Okay, so I haven't had any time with my exams and coursework taking over my life, but I'll try and explain basically; this is completely from memory and might be inaccurate or wrong entirely.

Basically, there is two way you can approach this, the wiki is a tad wrong if memory serves; when creating your .model_src file; set the materials_path to "materials/foo/bar" (replace etc with where-ever you store your files, if you need clarification see the appendix). Then, in the collada file, your library-images paths should be JUST THE NAME of the texture UNLESS you store each texture in it's own directory within "bar" folder, in this case you only include the sub-folders from the "bar" folder (again, see appendix if confused).

There are some references to materials/textures in the collada file, these will probably use the wrong paths, hunt out these paths (use find and search the texture name) then Find & Replace them with the same path you provided in library-images. (I'm not entirely sure about this, I can't remember what exactly it is that I did, but I know I did a find and replace for something).

Save the file, and build.

Appendix:
NOTE: The game starts searching from inside the ns2 folder, therefore if you do not specify a material_src in the model_src file, it will search from "ns2/..." you do not need to provide "ns2" in the path - doing so will actually point to "ns2/ns2/".

Assuming you set material_src to "materials/foo/bar" then in the collada the filepaths will be "texture.dds" but if you specified "materials/foo" instead, in the collada it will be "bar/texture.dds" and if you gave the empty materials_src path ("") then it will be "materials/foo/bar/texture.dds" in the collada.

I hope this helps, I have the sinking feeling I've gotten it wrong but to be quite honest, I've had 5 hours sleep, half a can of energy drink and now I just feel ill (I don't normally drink energy drinks, I don't think it sat well with my stomach :\, anyway, yay for rambling...). If it still doesn't work for you, provide me with everything you used (keep it in the same directory structure you're using when running the builder, just ZIP it all up) and I'll investigate further.

By the way, if you're looking to replace Google SketchUp (which you should be if you're serious about modelling for NS2) I suggest Blender as a free alternative. Last I heard skeletons in Collada were buggy with Blender, but there has been a few updates since then.

Magneto

Thanks for the detailed reply, thing is i've tried all that and gathered together similar information, testing many of combinations of file pathways in build files and the collada, nothing worked, even when using textures from other models, so maybe it is a problem with google sketchup, i can't say as no one has posted any evidence of it working with explanation of how they did it, im guessing no one has because it's not possible?

I also tried blender but models didn't even show, maybe they're somehow too small or at the wrong coordinates, i doubt the textures worked either as there was no image tag to change in the collada?

Zuriki

###### it, I don't know what the hell is wrong with it. I'm going to be spamming the inboxes of the devs though - I want them to post a guide or some example DAE files or something.