Universal Model Converter - beta testing

[DarkPikachu]

just to post a small amount here of what I have over at SWF :)
(I don't feel UMC_SIDE is worth updating my forum's thread for) :P



for more info:
http://smashboards.com/threads/universal-model-converter-official-development-thread.334292/page-7

Post Merge: May 21, 2014, 03:18:44 PM
well I woke up to a scare this morning and it pushed me to use my forum for UMC.

I didn't think I was ready to make the jump just yet, but now I realize I'm more than ready, so here it is:

the thread for UMC updates: (just to follow)
http://tcll5850.proboards.com/thread/143/official-universal-converter-development-thread
and the thread for UMC discussion: (I will also talk about UMC_SIDE here)
http://tcll5850.proboards.com/thread/144/public-umc-discussion-thread

@mods:
I'm not trying to advertize...
this is just something to let the people know I won't be posting here (this thread) much more,
and where to go if you want to get a quick reply.
(I'm too busy now, more than ever, to manage everywhere at once)
Post Merge: May 22, 2014, 05:52:20 PM
well, I got enough people making me hit myself for not making the release...
so here's a pre-release for you guys. :)
http://www.4shared.com/archive/TH8ac5Iiba/UMCv30ad45.html


what doesn't work yet:
- proper exporting (this still uses the previous functions and exports only up to bones (not weights))
- the GUI (the port didn't work out well, and it's still a little laggy and buggy)

I'd hoped to have these improved and more stable by the actual release.
sorry I couldn't make it guys. :(

what you can do with it is import materials and textures, and actually read the available features :)
(these will also be available (including weights) in the SES file if you'd like to try to convert directly to another format)
^ I've provided the SES v1 documentation :)

you may also edit the source of this release to try to make improvements ;)
as well as release your improvements, but please notify me, I have a group just for doing this. :-\


EDIT:
also, there are known bugs with the OBJ importer, the model is there, it just has a clear texture over it.
there's also another known bug:


also... sorry about the crummy post merge screwing everything up... not exactly my fault here. :P

[Sammi Husky]

This is nice, been looking forward to the next pre-release. If i knew python and had time between my schedules i'd help you out..but yea no time+Multiple Projects+ no python experience = bad.

In any case, keep up the good work mate.

[DarkPikachu]

If i knew python and had time between my schedules i'd help you out..but yea no time+Multiple Projects+ no python experience = bad.

this is exactly how I feel about Brbx XD
except for the fact I'm now not willing to learn C# since it's a horrible language (worse than Java)
^I'm not calling python spectacular either... it's extremely slow for being interpreted, but it's simplicity makes up for it. :P


but yea, many thanks :)

I'm working on the interface for v3.0 so I can't say when I'll get back to 3.0a...
if worst comes to worst, this may be the last release of v3.0a.

v3.0 is so much faster and much more organized as well as more informative ;)
(UMC_SIDE will show just how informative it is)

not to mention v3.0's extendability, I'm even introducing a mods system. :)
(mods may or may not be implemented to the actual interface... it depends on their quality of use)

as for progress on 3.0, I'm still on the automated backend... heh

I'm expecting automation almost as good as click team fusion, but for data. ;)

[TheShyGuy]

Hey Tcll, it's nice to see that you're devoted to this after so long.  How do you do the conversion from one format to another?  I'd imagine you import from one format to an internal intermediate more general one.  Then convert from that to the export format.  That way you're not trying to code ways to export directly from one format to another.  If this is how you do it, couldn't you support basic formats to more complex ones as you move forward?  The main dev would then be  focusing on allowing the internal intermediate blah format/structure to support everything -or chunking the internal format up so it's less coupled to eachother ([verts,edges,faces], [vert IDs, uvs, normals, binorm,tan],[vert IDs,bones,weights], etc instead of [verts,edges,faces,uvs,normals,binormals,tans,bones,weights] .....if you get what I'm saying hehee). 

I haven't kept up-to-date with things around here.  Sorry if you answered this or I misunderstand how you're doing things.

[DarkPikachu]

TSG, good to see ya again ;D

but yep, you called it right off :)
v3.0a's format is handled as a large list of structures. (the SES v1 format is exactly that list)
v3.0 does things using classes now which are 10x faster and much more efficient as well as easily extendable :)

but the SES v2 had to be changed to basically a python script format, similar to how you supply data to OpenGL using the fixed function pipeline.
^ what I mean is all of the formatting functions you use in your script are called with given data types.

if you've ever used OGLE, you'd understand what I mean when you look into an export.

but for those who havn't, it'll look something like this:
'''
ugeSetScene( "Scene0" )
ugeSetObject( "Player_Rig" )
ugeSetBone( "Top" )
ugeSetObject( "Player_Model" )
ugeSetObjectParent( "Player_Rig" )

...

'''

I will support legacy exporting since SES v1 IS fully extendable, but needs alot of extra work to support the extensions.
(heck in the v1 documentation, you can see I've already made plans to add animation) ;)
^ VIEWER.py can't render the animation though in v3.0a

in v3.0 VIEWER.py is a plugin (UMC can work without it) :P


might I mention I'm looking into the GitHub API for validating UMC updates ;)
(updates aren't performed directly... there's a separate interface that checks a separate file to validate the updates before any operations are actually performed.)

yes, this means the first release of v3.0 will auto-update.

as far as UMC goes, as of v3.0 nothing is expected to be removed in future updates. ;)

[DarkPikachu]

maybe I won't let this thread die :)

but any updates I make, I'll just post a link to my thread now...
(same for all my other 5-10 side-threads) :P

anyways...
boom: (UMC_SIDE)
http://tcll5850.proboards.com/thread/144/public-umc-discussion-thread?page=1&scrollTo=957

the go button now recognizes the functions being called and returns the appropriate data :)
now to start feeding the previewers :3

[Shinobu Nyan!]

Totally stopped coming here after it got to technical for me, but glad to see this is much further along.

maybe I won't let this thread die :)

but any updates I make; ll just post a link to my thread now...
(same for all my other 5-10 side-threads) :P

Just make sure you do update here periodically, this still is an interesting program.

[DarkPikachu]

thanks :)
I updated the OP btw with the download ;)

Just make sure you do update here periodically, this still is an interesting program.

I'll be updating kc-mm and SWF the most ;)

can't promise periodicly though...
I'm working on much more than just UMC (both projects including externals and docs) alone.

I'd have more frequent updates if people (not here) knew what "helping" was. >_<
(I'm talking about a bunch of python "experts" who think my "overly complex" code is a load of garbage)
^ they seem to want UMC to have a complex Blender-script style coding...
WTF do they know! >.<
if I do that, you can kiss the "70% less code needed" good bye... heh (not happening)

if you think I'm depressed by this, you can think again. ;)
this type of behavior makes me want to be a better person/developer than anyone else.
(it fuels me to continue working so I can punch them in the face with my program) ;D

[N64killer]

Nice to see a new version of this being released.

[DarkPikachu]

Nice to see a new version of this being released.

again, I must warn, it's only a pre-release...
the export system isn't really worth the effort it offers

if you actually want to get anything, you'll need to support the SES v1 format in outer importers. ;)
(that format is what stores everything including animations (future))

[N64killer]

Where do I go to have this file format supported is this part of the download? Because google search gets me nothing. Also I should have a new sd card by next month just sayin. 

[DarkPikachu]

Where do I go to have this file format supported is this part of the download? Because google search gets me nothing. Also I should have a new sd card by next month just sayin. 

I've provided the v1 format with the download. ;)

google returns nothing because the SES (session) format is native to UMC.
(everything imported into UMC gets stored in that format) :)

external support is unavailable as I've built the SES format...
this is my first time actually passing a legit documentation for it around... heh


remember guys, this is only a pre-release...
I was nagged by a few people to release what I had (since it was taking me forever to get to)...
so this is more for them than for you guys. :P

what I have in store for you guys (by the actual release of v3.0a):
- a decent export system (including textures and weights)
- a decent, more stable and controllable GUI

^just to finish what I started

feel free to edit the source code of the download ;)
heck, if you make some decent improvments to the code,
let me know cause I'd like to add you to my box and give you credit for everything you do. ;D
^maybe you could even help me improve v3.0 and UMC_SIDE. :)

[DarkPikachu]

UMC_SIDE update: http://tcll5850.proboards.com/thread/144/public-umc-discussion-thread :)
put alot of work into this and had to change the interface a bit to get it working... heh

EDIT:
btw, sorry if work on this seems to be slowing down...
I'll be honest, I'm actually trying to speed it up,
but I've only just released another plugin I've been working on (Unlimited Custom User Smileys) for my forum. ;)

EDIT2:
don't forget about my biggest forum plugin I'm working on though:
Unlimited Role-Play Character Dialogs with sync-age between forums ;)

[DarkPikachu]

major update to scripts announced:

http://tcll5850.proboards.com/thread/144/public-umc-discussion-thread

also, if I must point out a misconception, I don't build the scripts for converting formats, everyone else does.
UMC provides a scripting interface simple enough for non-programmers and hacking noobs to use and learn from,
and by 3.0, an IDE to make things even easier and more convenient for noobs to write scripts for the interface. ;)

[DarkPikachu]

updated the 3.0 function layout for the 3.0a port-release:
http://tcll5850.proboards.com/thread/182/layout
^the reddish functions cannot be used in 3.0a

I've still got a few updates to make on the functions as the release will be able to both import and export bones and weights ;)
(since the SES format in the current release already supports it)
^the problem was the provided interface being a tad too complex to modify, to where it was a tad too overwhelming to do anything.