[WIP] .render_model exporter (First custom model ingame!)

[the1]

i have an idea. wouldn't it be easier to work in reverse?
say go back from a render model to a max model
then just reverse the process to make a render model export from max?
that and wouldn't it be more accurate because you know what its suppost to look like when importing. and you can work out how weights, reigons and permutations are worked out. then go back and do the opposit? call me crazy but i thought it would be alot easier to go back from something solid than to go forward from nothing to something when you arn't entirely sure how to go about it...

im pritty sure by the order that bluestreek was made that thats how TheGhost went about it...

[Kornman00]

There are quite a few differences b/w the ASS and JMS formats, they are not crazy

[TheGhost]

ASS is specifically for level design. It can do things like instance geometry. It also leaves a lot of stuff out that isn't needed for levels. I think it's a pretty decent idea.

im pritty sure by the order that bluestreek was made that thats how TheGhost went about it...

Exactly. I'd make a render_model importer before the exporter. It would get me familiar with the file format and be useful for something at the same time.

[jahrain]

I could make a .render_model exporter easily with what I already have mapped out. I just need to print out the vertex and index data to a .obj file as my application already stores that data in a couple of arrays. I had to as my program doesn't create a .render_model from scratch yet. It just opens up an existing one, and replaces all the geometry data. Btw, how do you guys know what the .jms files are like? No halo 2 jms file exporter was released that I know about...

[SuperSunny]

I could make a .render_model exporter easily with what I already have mapped out. I just need to print out the vertex and index data to a .obj file as my application already stores that data in a couple of arrays. I had to as my program doesn't create a .render_model from scratch yet. It just opens up an existing one, and replaces all the geometry data. Btw, how do you guys know what the .jms files are like? No halo 2 jms file exporter was released that I know about...

I believe they are relating Halo 1 JMS structure and Halo 2 ASS structure (or the .render_model compilation, which I think is not .ass originally but a JMS file compiled much like a .gbxmodel or a .model)

[the1]

Exactly. I'd make a render_model importer before the exporter. It would get me familiar with the file format and be useful for something at the same time.

Logic wins again...
wish i knew enough about max script to make my own exporters for things...
but i guess im better off learning a real programming language before i try anything with max script.

[TheGhost]

Btw, how do you guys know what the .jms files are like? No halo 2 jms file exporter was released that I know about...

I believe they are relating Halo 1 JMS structure and Halo 2 ASS structure (or the .render_model compilation, which I think is not .ass originally but a JMS file compiled much like a .gbxmodel or a .model)

No, there is JMS data in the EK if you look hard enough...

[jahrain]

No, there is JMS data in the EK if you look hard enough...

Where might I find this? In the .render_model tags, I can see logs of the .jms imports. But thats about it. Care to start sharing some information?

[ejburke]

I've looked at the ASS file spec and as far as I can tell, it's robust enough to support non-BSP models. It supports object hierarchy, so joints shouldn't be a problem. And vertices have weight and influence parameters. What is it missing?

[Nick]

Where might I find this? In the .render_model tags, I can see logs of the .jms imports. But thats about it. Care to start sharing some information?

Care to start looking harder? It's really not that hard to find.

Nick