Volition FBX to Game Converter - WIP

Update: I have crossed out what's been completed so far for this tool. The multiple uvmap support is only necessary for when using specific shaders, which can be avoided. The vids are only needed for weapons in certain scenarios but isn't a necessity. Cruncher work is in progress as well. Hopefully another update will be shortly.

Things on my ToDo list:
Multiple UVMapChannels support
Vids ( Submeshes for hiding faces ) - may come later for characters specifically
Crunchers - Convert Intermediate *.x Data to Binary Game Data ( In progress )
Shader Assignment
- The materials that are written out from FBX don't have the shader references we use in game. At the moment I am stubbing in a dumy material for each material ID.
- I may go with a user-assigned shader in the User Interface that should plug in the proper bitmaps from the FBX material.
Proper Material Output
- I have to come up with a more sophisticated way to write the custom material blocks after the specific manual shader assignment
User Interface for the tool
- User will import the FBX > It will be evaluated and allow the end users to assign the proper shaders to specific material ids and output cmesh_pc, rig_pc, matlib_pc, etc.

FBX Mesh
upload_2014-1-3_18-4-21.png


Original Game Mesh
upload_2014-1-3_18-4-45.png
 
Vids are what we use to group and hide mesh triangles. We flag the triangles in 3dsmax using a uv's on a specific map channel and move them to a given coordinate or the vid index. They are used in various things such as customization to hide the underlying character mesh, so that triangles don't clip with the clothing. Show and Hide faces on weapon upgrades as well.
 
[V] Meatplowz said:
Vids are what we use to group and hide mesh triangles. We flag the triangles in 3dsmax using a uv's on a specific map channel and move them to a given coordinate or the vid index. They are used in various things such as customization to hide the underlying character mesh, so that triangles don't clip with the clothing. Show and Hide faces on weapon upgrades as well.
Click to expand...
Simpler than I thought. Thanks for the explanation. That covers everything.
 
I've done more updates on the converter and significant progress has been made on the cruncher side. We will have more to share soon.

I've tested 3dsmax and Maya exporting. I have yet to test Blender. I did look into some documentation for Blender but haven't yet determined which version of the FBX SDK the exporter plugin is using. I'm hopeful it will be compatible.
 
Thank heavens, its Maya compatible. I was afraid since you guys used Max over at Volition, there might be no support for Maya. Looking forward to it.
 
Wow, this looks really promising! I simply love the UI!
However, would you mind putting the FBX mesh on the internet? I'm asking, because I'd like to have some reference about the weapon's rigging/skinning!
 
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Hey guys, I've been working with the fine people at Volition on testing the FBX tools! (Thanks to IdolNinja for getting me involved; whom I worked with a fair while ago on the Gentlemen of the Row trailer!) I now do 3D modeling, most notably Team Fortress 2 items. I have 10 of them in-game which is super duper awesome. Check out my TF2 workshop here if you'd like.

Before I started using the tools I figured I'd better make some models, so here they are.
FMg1kwR.png

I really love the movie-based guns that are in Saints Row IV so I thought Snake Plissken's hilariously modified SMG from Escape from New York deserved to be made.
iKjRuh8.png

And my rampant maturity demanded that I make a model based on the Handheld Septic Launcher from The Gentlemen of the Row mod. So far, the tools will only be able to replace current existing weapons so my poo launcher will have to wait. (sob)

By the way, for those wondering I used Marmoset Toolbag which is a real-time 3d model viewer that makes pretty spiffy lighting for screenshots.

Heres a little preview of the bones setup for the SMG and also the FBX converter. Once you input the FBX, it gives you files (Mesh, Materials, etc.) which then need to be fed into some 'crunchers' that put them in the format that SRIV needs. Cheers to MissingLink for the SR4 Character Mesh Viewer that I used to decompile models for basic size reference.
bRm0nN1.jpg


So far, that next bit about the crunchers is the current challenge.

wyt42mO.jpg

Uh oh, someone call Dan Fike.

But hey, progress is being made and I am successfully getting NEW error messages! (A good sign for certain.)
Once we have it working, I'm also planning on making some comprehensive tutorials on how to do it.

For those interested in learning 3D modeling, I'd suggest getting yourself a copy of Blender (free!) and check out the really nice beginner tutorials from BlenderCookie.
 
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OH MY GOD! I CHECK BACK ON SR MODS AFTER A LOOOONG WHILE AND THIS HAPPENS!
 
Donhonk said:
Hey guys, I've been working with the fine people at Volition on testing the FBX tools! (Thanks to IdolNinja for getting me involved; whom I worked with a fair while ago on the Gentlemen of the Row trailer!) I now do 3D modeling, most notably Team Fortress 2 items. I have 10 of them in-game which is super duper awesome. Check out my TF2 workshop here if you'd like.

Before I started using the tools I figured I'd better make some models, so here they are.
FMg1kwR.png

I really love the movie-based guns that are in Saints Row IV so I thought Snake Plissken's hilariously modified SMG from Escape from New York deserved to be made.
iKjRuh8.png

And my rampant maturity demanded that I make a model based on the Handheld Septic Launcher from The Gentlemen of the Row mod. So far, the tools will only be able to replace current existing weapons so my poo launcher will have to wait. (sob)

By the way, for those wondering I used Marmoset Toolbag which is a real-time 3d model viewer that makes pretty spiffy lighting for screenshots.

Heres a little preview of the bones setup for the SMG and also the FBX converter. Once you input the FBX, it gives you files (Mesh, Materials, etc.) which then need to be fed into some 'crunchers' that put them in the format that SRIV needs. Cheers to MissingLink for the SR4 Character Mesh Viewer that I used to decompile models for basic size reference.
bRm0nN1.jpg


So far, that next bit about the crunchers is the current challenge.

wyt42mO.jpg

Uh oh, someone call Dan Fike.

But hey, progress is being made and I am successfully getting NEW error messages! (A good sign for certain.)
Once we have it working, I'm also planning on making some comprehensive tutorials on how to do it.

For those interested in learning 3D modeling, I'd suggest getting yourself a copy of Blender (free!) and check out the really nice beginner tutorials from BlenderCookie.
Click to expand...
I was just about to ask you what program that was, I remembered the format but couldn't remember the name. Thanks!
 
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