3D Modeling Software that can convert models to sprites
by B. Spencer · in Torque Game Builder · 04/10/2008 (10:29 pm) · 11 replies
Hello,
This may have been told in this forum before, or maybe not.
But there is a 3d modeling called Fragmotion that allows you to convert the models you've made to Sprites.
This is very convenient for me because I can't draw very well. But creating models makes it that much easier
This would be good anyone without art skills and what not. You can make your models as high poly as you want, so it would have great detail. It'll be converted to a 2d format anyway where it wouldn't use all your systems resources and be where TGB can handle it. So just think of the possibilities. It will convert the animations as well. You could also use Milkshape 3d, 3d Studio Max and then export the model to Fragmotion
to convert to sprite.
Web Site:
www.fragmotion.com
This may have been told in this forum before, or maybe not.
But there is a 3d modeling called Fragmotion that allows you to convert the models you've made to Sprites.
This is very convenient for me because I can't draw very well. But creating models makes it that much easier
This would be good anyone without art skills and what not. You can make your models as high poly as you want, so it would have great detail. It'll be converted to a 2d format anyway where it wouldn't use all your systems resources and be where TGB can handle it. So just think of the possibilities. It will convert the animations as well. You could also use Milkshape 3d, 3d Studio Max and then export the model to Fragmotion
to convert to sprite.
Web Site:
www.fragmotion.com
#2
Thanks.
Jay
07/07/2008 (4:30 am)
How did you convert the 3d models with animation into sprites using Maya? please let me know as i am new to TGB.Thanks.
Jay
#3
07/07/2008 (9:22 am)
A friend of mine, uses XSI for modeling and convertin the model to a set of single images... then uses photoshop to make a sprite sheet.
#4
I do this alot for low animation stuff like space ships, trees, or other simple 2-16 frame stuff.
I use Silo's obj. file capabilities and then milkshapes nice snapshot window. I will occasionally use Silo to make my snapshots, but I am an old milkshape fan and know it inside and out.
As for my sprite sheets.. I use gimp. Its free and just as powerfull as photoshop imho. It is really easy to lay out a sprite sheet by hand using it. But there is also a little program somewhere here in the forums that will convert your loose files into a sprite strip you can then cut and place into a spritesheet.
07/10/2008 (9:34 am)
One low end way to do it, since a 2d animation doesn't normally require as many frames as a fluid 3d model, is to take snapshots of it in the 3d app. Remove all the grids and tool from the 3d application window, possition the model at the angle you want, take a screen shot, repossition model and do again till you get all your frames. Now just carry these snapshots into your favorite photo/graphics editor, touch up, and make a sprite sheet.I do this alot for low animation stuff like space ships, trees, or other simple 2-16 frame stuff.
I use Silo's obj. file capabilities and then milkshapes nice snapshot window. I will occasionally use Silo to make my snapshots, but I am an old milkshape fan and know it inside and out.
As for my sprite sheets.. I use gimp. Its free and just as powerfull as photoshop imho. It is really easy to lay out a sprite sheet by hand using it. But there is also a little program somewhere here in the forums that will convert your loose files into a sprite strip you can then cut and place into a spritesheet.
#5
With XSI, Houdini, Blender, and some other apps, you can also do the entire touch-up thing in the app's compositor. Guess you could even have them assemble sprite sheets directly.
07/10/2008 (9:42 am)
If you're on a 3D app that's not just a modeller, then rendering out is probably better than screenshots. Also allows to set up the animations using keyframes and rending out as sequences of images in one go.With XSI, Houdini, Blender, and some other apps, you can also do the entire touch-up thing in the app's compositor. Guess you could even have them assemble sprite sheets directly.
#7
Fear programmer art...!
07/23/2008 (9:33 am)
Yeah, I've used Poser, Carrara, and Daz|Studio to render out animations that I convert into sprite sheets. I've had varying levels of success, but it is quite possible (my issues are learning-related, that is, I'm still learning to do it!!). You can render to uncompressed AVI, then use virtualdub to convert to image sequences, the ImageMagick on the command line to batch convert to PNG (what a process, but there it is).Fear programmer art...!
#8
I still gotta study TGB Pro, im stil a noob. :(
07/23/2008 (5:23 pm)
You can save it as animation sequence in maya with the ALPHA channel checked in the render global and then probably use photoshop to covert it into PNG files by batch rendering it. Hmmm.I still gotta study TGB Pro, im stil a noob. :(
#9
render each frame and take a screenshot. get rid of the background and you have a frame. Put them all together then make them a sprite.
Remember, it is a very crude and long method, but it works nontheless.
07/23/2008 (5:40 pm)
You can do the same thing with blender, but it is a bit of a crude method.render each frame and take a screenshot. get rid of the background and you have a frame. Put them all together then make them a sprite.
Remember, it is a very crude and long method, but it works nontheless.
#10
07/25/2008 (1:56 pm)
I believe you can render an image in Blender with the Blender canvas as the alpha.
#11
Also, you can run the animation and pick up the numbered framed in the temporary directory blender uses. In mack it is /tmp and I think it is in the application support folders in Windows XP. You can also use Yafray to get a better quality render.
08/05/2008 (1:17 pm)
I don't know how I missed this post earlier. You guys are right, blender is a nice app to do this with, and there are some tricks I found toying around with it. First of all, you can make the background behind your image transparent. It will still have a background on render, but when you do a "Save Image", save it to png with RGBA and it will be transparent.Also, you can run the animation and pick up the numbered framed in the temporary directory blender uses. In mack it is /tmp and I think it is in the application support folders in Windows XP. You can also use Yafray to get a better quality render.
Torque Owner Brian Carter