MyBatchExport.py (v1.3) fixes export of one frame poses: in older versions the FBX files were created but UDK could not import them. The importer threw no error messages or anything, just didn’t create or update anim sequences.
So now aim poses or any kind of other postures can be transferred, making it easier to create a 3D webcomics in Unreal.
Like my favourite, Concerned.
PermalinkI’ve updated the UDK compatible export script for Motionbuilder.
It is now capable of exporting non-characterized objects (like weapons), has fixes for save path woes and now plots translations for all bones.
No fancy stuff this week, only a lousy status report. 
GViz is progressing well. Our universal effect container is done: It’s a component which combines particle systems, sounds, decals and scale/orientation variations for them. This component is used all over GViz, everywhere where an effect might be needed: when a character spawns, a rocket explodes or a weapon is fired.
Speaking of weapons, the generalized weapon class (along with the projectile class) is almost done, we are currently ironing out the last bugs.
With our weapon system a wide range of guns can be implemented right inside UnrealEd. At the moment we have a templates for pistols, shotguns, sub-machine guns, rocket and grenade launchers, mine layers and the Devastator.
(The only piece of classic weaponry we can’t create at this point is the Gatling gun with the barrels spinning up before firing.)
Well that’s it until next week.
Damn, it’s 32 degrees in here (89 F), I have trouble focusing because my brain is surfing on the heatwaves.
I’ve made a distance field based decal shader, similar to what is described in Valve’s excellent paper.
The following images show an extreme example, a 64x64 grayscale texture rendered up close using different settings:
Apparently, simple, sans-serif fonts work much better than more detailed ones. The distance between characters and from the edge of the image also has an impact of the result, especially when using outlines and shadow.
Recently I wrote two scripts to enhance a few things in my workflow, but they might be useful for others as well.
I started using Adobe Illustrator and I quickly became frustrated by it’s utterly crap user interface:
#1: In 2010, it’s still not using the middle mouse button. (The mass production of such mice began in 1982. [Source])
#2: It is not possible to zoom with the mouse wheel alone. (A feature which is present in Adobe Photoshop, Adobe AfterEffects, Adobe Reader, Corel Draw, Inkscape, etc.)
And these two are just the tip of the iceberg, but I was able to work around them for some extent using AutoHotkey.
IllusNav is a short script (along with a compiled executable) which slightly changes Illustrator’s behavior:
- Middle mouse button pans the canvas. (Like SPACE+Left drag.)
- The scroll wheel zooms. (Please note that it hijacks the wheel events and sends keyboard shortcuts instead, so the wheel won’t work in Illustrator’s scrollable lists like the Brushes panel.)
Just start the exe, notice the green “H” icon in the systray and stuff should work in Illus instantly. To stop IllusNav, right click on its icon and choose “Exit".
The other script is for MotionBuilder: MyBatchExport.py plots and exports all takes in a scene into separate files. The produced files can be imported to UDK unlike the ones which are made by the stock batch export functionality.
At the moment it only exports the first character or the whole scene in case of plain skeletal models (like weapons).
If you have suggestions or ideas regarding these scripts, please let me know.
