Cinema 4D conversion process

#1 No. You need to export a DTS file from 3ds max or milkshape using the appropriate plugin. If you do not own either of these programs, you have a few options:
1. Buy one.
2. Create the models, and export them to a format like *.3DS Then have someone who does own the program export it for you.
3. Create your own plugin/exporter for Cinema 4D.

More information about exporting from 3ds max can be found here

#2 Other apps which export are LightWave, trueSpace, and I believe Maya does as well(not 100% on that).

I don't know why someone hasn't opened an export business doing it for $1 a pop or something, lol ;)

#3 Thanks guys I'll have to see what I can do.

#4 Yes, I have been able to. I do ALL my models in 4D. ;)

#5 how did export your models and get the model to be viewable in torque or did you go through the steps similar to something above

#6 Yes, please tell us how this is done. It would be nice if we had a Cinema 4D export utility. It's amazing how few people are using 4D. It is a great modeling tool and so easy to learn. I predict it's popularity will grow as word spreads.

Rick

#7 What would it take to make a DTS exporter for Cinema4D? For the torque engine, is DTS the only way to go?

Thanks!

#8 Just as an FYI, I believe version 6 of C4D will be on the cover CD of one of the British magazines next month, 3D World I think.

Last I looked, C4D had a fairly comprehensive SDK, fingers crossed that it will be possible to write an exporter for this free version. With this and free trueSpace 4.3, you have some pretty good tools for nowt.

#9 Free trueSpace 4.3?
I have 3.2, is thereanother free version avaiable?

#10 Is there a TrueSpace exporter for Torque? Where can I find it?

#11 Sorry, I meant trueSpace 3.2. Heh.

Rick, yes, there's an alpha of a trueSpace exporter, search the forums.

#12 I bought Ken Finnay's book "3D Game Programming all in one" two weeks ago and, doing some of the tutorials, have been very impressed with the ease of use of the Torque engine for architectural walkthroughs.

However, my models (detailed buildings) are all made with Cinema 4D... I wonder if the situation has evolved since last year. Is there now an exporter from C4D to Torque DIF format? Otherwise, is there a conversion process that would allow me, through other tools, to finally import my C4D models into Torque DIF? Is it a straightforward process or will I need to rework the model or its textures in an intermediate tool before finalizing the import?

Thanks for your help

#13 If you use c4d version 8.5+ (ver 9 out soon) you can export to the .fbx (filmbox by kaydara) format to keep all bone info and animation/texture data to either 3dsmax or Maya (maybe Lightwave?) for export. Pretty amazing and relatively seamless. Bakes your keyframes down to whatever you set your fps at. You can use expressions, mocca, and other procedural animation stuff and the animations come through.

I have yet to get the .x to work out of c4d mac or pc. c4d has a lot of import/export capability, but many formats are buggy and havent been updated for a while. FBX is a lifesaver...too bad its proprietary.

To export good quads (rather than triangulated polygons) between apps Ive had the most success with .obj:
Export .obj+.mtl (object and material)
Import into dts exporting app; check the dts exporter matrix for up to date info.

The catch to this is you have to play around to get all the settings lined up for your export import process. Start with a 1 meter cube in your start app, export with default settings, import into your dts making app and check the size, animation (if using fbx). Tweak import export settings till they line up.. Get this worked out first. Then export to .dts and check the same. It takes work to establish a pipeline

I personally use a c4d->zbush->gamespace pipeline(still working on it). At work we use UltimateUnwrap, Blender and 3dsmax for dts and other export work, but cinema4d and Bodypaint are the modeling and texturing workhorses of our team. I cannot give more info on that pipeline as I dont own it ;) (read NDA).

For export, check out blender: it is free, takes getting used to, but has proven itself to me. If you need to change the exporter it's a relatively simple python script.

Jameson

Edit: uhh, guess I didnt read. There is currently no good way to get c4d geometry into a dif. Use a tool built for creating that special type of geometry, otherwise prepare for hours of screaming at your computer. I prefer quark for the same reasons as blender, really. Check this out:[url="http://www.alexswanson.com/torque/dif/"]dif exporter matrix.[/url]

#14 Thanks you for all these info, I'll try to export obj from C4d then import it in Blender, texture it in Blender and finally export it to DTS.

I guess that I'll stay away from DIF for now, although I found a Web site offering several converter: http://www.greenbriarstudio.com/3D/

It does not offer a C4D to DIF yet but when I contacted the owner, he told me that if enough people were interested, he might add a C4D to .map exporter... So if such a tool looks interesting to you, let him know.

This developper already has some utilities reading C4D as input and others writing .map files so I guess it would be feasible to create this C4D2Map converter. Such a direct pipeline is exactly what I am looking for. A C4D2DTS would also be great...

Thanks again Jameson

Richard

#15 Richard Couture:

You are design C4D2Map converter for me good new.You can give me more inforation,thank's

#16 Hi Roy,

Unfortunately, I did not find a C4D2MAP converter yet and was too busy since August to do much tests. I contacted Greenbriar Studio but it seems that there was not enough demand for a C4D2MAP.

I recently bought GameSpace 1.5, exported a simple untextured model from C4D in 3DS format then imported it into GameSpace. However, I encountered a problem while texturing the model with GameSpace. At first, I thought it was due to the export/import process so I created a similar model in GameSpace but got the same problem when it came to texturing. It is too soon to know if it is a limitation with GameSpace 1.5 or a problem with the keyboard-chair interface ;).

Since Caligari has just released GameSpace v 1.6 with a revised UV editor, I'll get this new version and see if it solves my texturing problem. If so, I will then test the DTS exporter included with GameSpace and eventually buy one of the DIF exporters sold as add-on. I might have time to do some of this work during the Christmas holiday... I'll keep you informed about the result.

Merry Christmas to all the members of this great forum,

Richard Couture

#17 We've had some good luck going from C4D to Blender using .obj and then exporting from blender with the python exporter. Either the C4D exporter or Blender importer seem to randomly flip normals, so you'll have to recalculate out. I UV map everything in C4D/Bodypaint, and as long as the Material in blender is named the same as the texture file (without extension) the texture will come through fine in Torque. I've had a lot of problems with the Blender exporter's handling of animations being flaky, but besides that it's good.

#18 @Ian
Are you having to relink UV images and textures in blender? In my current C4D workflow, I have to reassign my images and material settings when I import in to Blender. Not a huge problem, but a hassle nonetheless.

Also, are you using Riptides OBJ Export Plugin? This exports a .mtl file with the .obj to aid in importing materials. It also addresses some of the normal problems. Unfortunately for me, it's a PC only plugin, and I'm on a Mac.

#19 Hello,

I am an experienced 3-d modeller/animator who is only just starting this Torque business. I read this thread but wondered what the latest on the easiest way to get content made in Cinema4d (Version 9.5) into the Torque engine.

Cinema is all I personally have now... but I would be willing to purchase additional software as necessary.

I am on a MAC

I would also be willing to pay for someone in this community to convert my models or trade my modelling skills for conversion.

Please advise on the current status of the C4d pipeline solutions (the last post in this thread was a bit old)

Thanks

Willie

#20 I have Torque and MAC and im using cinema to model my weapons, objects then i export them to blender and in blender i convert them to DTS, simple...