FA Development - The Construct

[Tbone]

You mean being the original Architect of the REAL Matrix isn't motivation enough?? =p

[Sared]

Aaaand today we discover that Tbone has an old man fetish.

But in all seriousness Rev, you know we've got your back, and will help however we can! I'll even dip into my porn archive and dig up my old 'donkyfun' folder for you if that'll help!

[Manic Velocity]

Focus on recovery, Rev.  The matrix can wait.  

[ZephixLeer (Zephic)]

So, I've been out for a while with a new job and new baby, but I'd love to get back into things with the guild and contribute in some way.

Any chance you'd be able to use models from blender 3d? I know I can export to 3dmax formats and doesnt most stuff use a standard format these days?

I took a stab at it several months ago but I had to put it aside due to work. I haven't done very much with animation yet, but i could assist by tossing together some models for someone else to animate. (Decorative, static type stuff would be easiest for me, I'm sure. I really loved character modeling though. Just never reached animation.)

\I also headed up a design project called brood for a while. Ended up dead as it was 100% on-line with very inexperienced folks, but it was fun while it lasted. I was learning to do 3d modeling in blender and writing up design documents. Also handeled "hiring" and organization for the team. Setup the website and got some concept art produced by a friend.

If any of my small bit of experience could help, I'm all for it and would love some additional experience.

Wouldnt be opposed to even just snapping some pictures for texture use, either. Have a decent camera and plenty of locations to snap urban or "country" textures.

If this would be no help, I'll gladly just play with the final product. haha

[Revalis]

Blender integrates just fine with Unity. You'll just need to export your final objects to FBX.
We actually need more texture work than modeling at the moment, but I'll drop anything you want to model into the world.  

Character models and clothing/equipment models are a bit more complicated due to rigging for the Mecanim animation system. I'm sure it's possible with Blender, but I'm not familiar enough with it to be able to help if you need it. And I have the entire animation rig built in 3DS 2014, which wouldn't export to any usable format for any other software. :/  

So basically, you'd need to start from scratch (or from my base mesh) and rebuild the entire rig.

But I'll take anything you want to contribute. If you spot me on TS, pop in and let's talk about it. If I'm there but unresponsive, I may be off playing with kids; but I tend to check in on the channel every so often to see if I'm ignoring anyone.

[Tbone]

I tried playing around texturing in Photoshop on the models. It was not ideal. The resolution seemed off and I had to convert the files. Basically FBX works in 3DS Max but not on anything else, so everything currently built has to be converted, put back together, and then saved and converted back. Autodesk installed a MILLION applications when I tried to install it before, so it really just turned me off to 3DS Max in general. Do I have to have 2014?

[ZephixLeer (Zephic)]

Rev,
Can you export the rigging as the fbx file? if not, what about dae? i think i'd possibly lose some orientation but i -think- it would get me started if i decided to do some clothing and such. I'm pretty new to the 3d modelling world though, so I don't have any experience going from app to app yet. I only know that what I've seen suggests that .dae and .fbx files are supposed to be kind of the "universal" accepted format for cross-platform workflows. Anyway, I'll try to catch you on TS sometime soon.

[Revalis]

No, the rig won't export in the fbx file format. All it carries is transformation data from the animations generated with the rig for the skeleton. The rig is based on wire parameters and maxscript that I've written; so it's definately not leaving 3ds.

The rig is just a helper for creating animations, though. Like.. I've built it so that certain pieces of helper geometry are in control of the skeleton itself; so using IK and FK, the skeleton is driven with the rig controllers. The skeleton then controls the mesh via skinning.. and fbx handles those recorded animation sets.

So, at best, I could give you the mesh and you could re-skin and re-rig. But it's a hell of a lot of work. At least, to do right.

[Revalis]

I tried playing around texturing in Photoshop on the models. It was not ideal. The resolution seemed off and I had to convert the files.

Which models and with what textures? Did you use the UV Template? Or did you try starting from scratch?
Note that all texture files you create need to be square and a power of 2 in size. Generally, I've been sticking to 512x512 for everything.

Basically FBX works in 3DS Max but not on anything else, so everything currently built has to be converted, put back together, and then saved and converted back.

You shouldn't be working with FBX files in Max. All of my source .max models are in the /FA_Construct/UNITY_PROJECT/Models folder. When you're ready to use the model in Unity, then you would export the file as FBX and store it in the assets folder of the Unity Project. Unity handles the FBX format superbly when it comes to auto-importing material assignments (even with multi/sub object materials) and, especially so, with animations.

Autodesk installed a MILLION applications when I tried to install it before, so it really just turned me off to 3DS Max in general. Do I have to have 2014?

Outside of Backburner, and maybe some .NET libraries, I can't imagine what else would have installed. You might consider the source of where you got your install. ;)

I'm biased, but I've worked with 3DS Max for like 7 years now.. and having used Blender, Softimage, and Maya, I always go back to Max. Especially for game development.

[ZephixLeer (Zephic)]

No, the rig won't export in the fbx file format...

Understood. Then for now I'll stick to static meshes for decor. Probably more my speed anyway. I looked up the scaling and all that for unity last night and it looks to be the same as the scaling used during the development I did for Torque 3D.

I can't wait to be creative again. Been a while.

[Revalis]

Some good tutorial sites for those interested in Unity Development

http://docs.unity3d.com/Documentation/ScriptReference/

http://unity3d.com/learn/tutorials/modules
http://www.youtube.com/user/BurgZergArcade?feature=watch
http://cgcookie.com/unity

(I'll keep adding to the list as I remember/find sites that are helpful)

[Tbone]

http://www.oculusriftinfo.com/how-to-get-the-razer-hydra-working-with-unity-3d/

[Tbone]

http://www.reddit.com/r/oculus/comments/1jw8ao/protip_for_unity_devs_here_single_file_executable/

[Revalis]

Oooh, nifty. Thanks.

Also, I'm planning a work night tonight if anyone wants to pop in.

[Tbone]

I've got a lead at 8, so I won't be home until late