3d model Question (Difficult)
 

Dr. Jim, DickBaldwin, and anyone else, can you help me out here? i posetd this already but you didn't see it, so I'm hoping this one works better.

I'm in the process of learning how to convert 3d models into formats Alice accepts. I know that it's inefficient and buggy and it might work better in software other than Alice, but I kinda want to stick with Alice, cause its easy, familiar, and a lot of my current projects are in Alice. So, in your opinions, what are the best:

3d modelers? (best free one and best for sale one)

model conversion processes? (please be as clear and distinct as possible)

model sizes? (what's too much for Alice to handle?)

model download sites? (if there are any with models that are already in Alice-friendly formats, list those as well. Again, give the best free site and the best for sale site).

You guys are the best. I'm counting on you.

[QUOTE=x2495iiii;7980]Dr. Jim, DickBaldwin, and anyone else, can you help me out here? i posetd this already but you didn't see it, so I'm hoping this one works better.

I'm in the process of learning how to convert 3d models into formats Alice accepts. I know that it's inefficient and buggy and it might work better in software other than Alice, but I kinda want to stick with Alice, cause its easy, familiar, and a lot of my current projects are in Alice. So, in your opinions, what are the best:

3d modelers? (best free one and best for sale one)

model conversion processes? (please be as clear and distinct as possible)

model sizes? (what's too much for Alice to handle?)

model download sites? (if there are any with models that are already in Alice-friendly formats, list those as well. Again, give the best free site and the best for sale site).

You guys are the best. I'm counting on you.[/QUOTE]

The most i know of is 3D Studio Max (There should be some old threads in the share model section of these forums). Biturn is a conversion program with various amounts of sucsess, but 3D models arent as they should be most of the time. Alice can accept .a2c format objects

[QUOTE=RockyTheConcreteDonkey;7982] 3D models aren't as they should be most of the time. [/QUOTE]

"Rocky ..." points out something that I forgot to mention earlier. I would estimate that a quarter to a third of the models on the web have [B]serious [/B]flaws with normals, missing points, etc. and another third have naming conventions for sub-objects that Alice won't accept (specifically blank names and names using the xxx.yyy convention). The latter can be fixed by editing the .ase file (you want to convert to this format to import with proper hierarchy) in a text editor - but basic model flaws are almost impossible to fix.

[QUOTE=DrJim;8000]"Rocky ..." points out something that I forgot to mention earlier. I would estimate that a quarter to a third of the models on the web have [B]serious [/B]flaws with normals, missing points, etc. and another third have naming conventions for sub-objects that Alice won't accept (specifically blank names and names using the xxx.yyy convention). The latter can be fixed by editing the .ase file (you want to convert to this format to import with proper hierarchy) in a text editor - but basic model flaws are almost impossible to fix.[/QUOTE]

Hmmm. Perhaps Alice 3.0 should come with an advanced model editing program or at least accept models or website downloaded proportions.

So what you're saying is that I need to import the model in format .3ds, change it's names with Blender or some other editor, then convert it to one of the formats that Alice accepts?

[QUOTE=x2495iiii;7980]

3d modelers? (best free one and best for sale one)

model conversion processes? (please be as clear and distinct as possible)

model sizes? (what's too much for Alice to handle?)

model download sites? [/QUOTE]

Must have failed to upload my earlier response on this. :o

1. For 3D modeling, I personally like Anim8or.

2. I like Biturn for conversions (I've posted details in the Share Objects section so won't repeat them here). 4D Blue is another choice - or Blender and a text editor (for the .ase files) for difficult cases.

3. I find that Alice has difficulty handling over a few thousand polygons.

4. Check the Share Objects section of the forum for lots of model download sites - and user comments.

[QUOTE=x2495iiii;8011]So what you're saying is that I need to import the model in format .3ds, change it's names with Blender or some other editor, then convert it to one of the formats that Alice accepts?[/QUOTE]

[B][I]Basically yes[/I][/B] - though the only format Alice will accept [I]and[/I] import in a hierarchial manner is .ase. (All .asc models just go in at the world level.)

As noted in the previous post, I find Anim8or to be the easiest program to use for editing - the Blender interface is a bit difficult, though the program is quite powerful. Actually unless you want to edit the model, you can just go straight to Biturn with either a .3ds or .obj model - or several other formats - and just convert straight to .ase format. (That's what I did with the Halo model I posted earlier today.) You will have to import your textures separately.

Lots more detail possible here - but my basic recommendation is that you search the forum - especially the Share Objects section - using key words for items that you are particularly interested in.

help needed
 

i am looking for a decent metal gear rex model for alice but i have no experience in converting any help would be appreciated if u can help email me at [email]masongarman2@hotmail.com[/email] thankyou