Thanks! Now I can splice some units together.

But first- Which blender exporters export bones?

Does the Blender import script import bones?

Mooilo-

All of them as far as I'm aware, but please use the latest one by the great GeomanNL available here: http://home.orange.nl/sjaan.bierman/SupCom/supcom-exporter.py

Any problems/questions with the exporter just ask here.


12Ghost12-

Yes it does, they look like cones with spheres at each end.

Oh, I meant the non-scm ones, because I do my modeling in a different program. Blender is just a bridge for me.

I thought the question was a bit easy, sorry about that.

It depends on what program you're using really. Try the DirectX format (.x). It supports the export of armatures and is read by quite a few versions of Max as well as other programs.

If not I'd try Doom3's format, the md5 I think, so you'll have to find the script for that, it's out there somewhere. There's a Max importer for it.

Also try cal3d but am not sure, never tried.

Hope these suggestions help.

Well I am using Milkshape... I have tried tons of blender tutorials and even Blender: Noob to Pro for me was like a retard trying to do calculus and gymnastics at the same time while balancing a rapid wilderbeast on his nose.

I can delete the starting cube in blender, but that is about it...

Oh, and DirectX doesn't work properly in Milkshape... no bones get imported.

MD5's from blender crash Milkshape when I try and import them.

Blender's XSI exporters dont export bones.

Oh well. The only milkshape exporter that I know can export bones is the XSI exporter, so if anyone has XSI and would like to help me with my Unique Engineers and Units project, feel free to PM me. Heck, I'll probobly only use you as a bridge. So practically no work.

Edit: Actually, i am doing Blender: Noob to Pro right now, and it is pretty easy. Hopefully I can switch over to it from clunky old Milkshape (Which I only now realised is clunky )

Direct X format didn't work? Well the Blender to Milkshape exporter stopped working a while ago, but here's a link to the scripts (use the last one) in case it's been fixed: http://blenderartists.org/forum/showthr ... 199&page=2

Blender noob to pro is great. It's not very good for understanding bones/armatures for SupCom, but that really doesn't matter at first. I learnt how to use Blender using that tutorial and the Blender online wiki manual: http://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Manual

Now that the import and export scripts are fixed there really couldn't be a better time for someone to start using blenderto make SupCom models. Also there are quite a few Blender users who use these forums and should be able to help should you have any questions. I'm still very very basic in my understanding of Blender, there are others with for greater abilities, but I'll help were I can. Good luck

Well, Milkshape handled armature the same way SupCom does, so I already know how it is built on the whole parent-child thing.

I just need to learn how to set up the armature in blender, after I am done with this tutorial, and I'm set.

Cool. Your models are great btw, it'll be nice to see you making high-quality units in Blender. Good luck with the tutorial, it might take a few days but it's worth it.

Lol, the only model I made that I posted here was that artilery gunship. The models in my mod are GPG's.

Hah, I got the words 'units' and 'models' the wrong way round

I imported the UEF T3 Power Generator twice. I joined both of them at the base, and then made an armature with a bone called USL1301. I then exported it. However, I then get a model file that is 1KB and my model doesn't show up in game. I'm using the original export script (can't get the new one to work) and blender 2.43. Can someone help?

Yes, if the size is so small, then it means the vertexes are not exported.
That happens when the mesh is not parented to the armature.

This happens because the exporter searches for an armature. Then it will export all associated bones and vertexes. If the vertexes are not associated, then it'll skip them.

To solve this, select both objects (armature and mesh), then press Ctrl+P, and select parent to Armature.

It worked . Thanks

I had a strange issue, seems like the face normals are inverted after exporting
but it can be, that it was no problem of the exporter as the .blend seemed to be a bit...er...buggy^^

Ok, I have a weird problem. I have the armature set up, but when I go to export it, it tells me there is no armature to be found.

Here is the .blend file:
http://rapidshare.com/files/67506551/turret.blend

(For those of you who want to know what it is, click on my sig and go to the 2nd page, where I posted "V 1.7 is up!")

no strange issue, the armature's simply not attached to the mesh

Oh umm... how do I do that? I had a feeling that was it but I couldn't figure it out.

Select the mesh FIRST, then Shift select the armature and push ctrl-P. Choose the first option on all the windows that pop up.

That doesn't work. I get a 'mesh vertex not related to a bone- check vertex groups' error. Or I get a 'no armature' error.

I'll give some background: Supreme Commander models support animation, that is why they are organized as follows.

* A set of bones. These are located in the armature object. You need to select your armature when you export. It will give an error if you don't. Note that the armature must be a parent to the mesh (with vertexes) otherwise the exporter cannot find the vertex information and then it will not export the vertexes.

* A set of vertexes connected to the bones through vertex groups. A vertex group related to a bone, has the same name as this bone. The game needs to know which vertex belongs to which bone to perform things like animation or rotation of parts of the model. The exporter willl give an error if it encounters a vertex that is not part of a vertex group.

* Faces.

* UV coordinates, which map your texture onto the faces. Note that in blender, each face can have its own set of UV coordinates ... but supcom will expect one UV coordinate per vertex. Since a vertex can be shared between faces, you'll notice that there's a discrepancy... so be careful with placing your UV coordinates.

You need this for your model to work.

Import a gpg model and take a look at how the mesh relates to the armature in the Outliner window. Yours should look like that, but currently it looks a little messy

Ok, this thing hates me. No matter what I fiddle with I get errors.

Here is what I am working with now.
http://rapidshare.com/files/67731484/turret2.blend

er...those are 2 models childed to the armature
you need one, and , btw, the UVmap is a whole mess

and some bones are strange parented, just some faces at the front are parented to a -accidential looking -bone called bone.001

i fixed ya model...and there was much to fix, i just left the UVmap undone.
it now exports correctly

http://rapidshare.com/files/68087673/turret2.blend

Thanks! Fixing the UV map shouldn't be too hard.

Although I think I'll stop modeling units for SupCom in Blender for awhile, seeing at it causes a lot of problems. I found that if I don't add verticies, though, to an existing model, I can get it to work perfectly.

EDIT:

Ok, I exported the unit (From ZombieJesus's fixed-up file above this post) and all the bones get messed up. Here is a pic (Sorry for the cruddy editing, but it doesn't need to be pretty to get my point across)