Game Development Community

XSI DTS Exporter Beta Download

by Matt Summers · in Artist Corner · 01/31/2007 (11:24 am) · 181 replies

We are still working on a few things in the core XSI DTS exporter but I wanted to at least get something out into the hands of current XSI owners so they can begin the process of exporting their content from XSI to Torque.

This is last beta version that was sent out to our small group of beta testers. Its relatively stable, and has almost full DTS feature support. Its still missing: material properties, dsq export and a few other miscellaneous things. Also no UI is included in this build as it is still a bit in flux.

Scene setup needs to be done manually, which involves creating a DTS shape using nulls, a bounds mesh, detail markers, and a mesh object with a detail number at the end of its name, etc, in an almost identical way to how the Max, GameSpace and Maya exporters work.

Basic Setup:

create two null objects named "start01" and "base01" parent them so that "start01" is the parent node and "base01" is the child node. Parent the root node of your mesh object to "base01" and then add a bounding box around your object and name it "bounds" the bounds mesh should be either at the scene root or parented to your mesh object as needed. You then need to add a detail marker to the scene named "detail(x)" where (x) = the pixel size value that this detail level should be displayed. The detail maker is just a named null object that is parented to the "start01" node. You will also need to make sure your mesh objects have a detail size at the end of their name. You can then go to file menu / export and choose export DTS.

Example scene setup:
Scene Root
|
+ -bounds (mesh)
|
+ -Start01 (null)
        |
       + -Base01 (null)
        |     |
        |    + -mesh2 (mesh)(detail size 2)
        |
       + -detail2 (null)(detail marker for size 2)

Note: make sure to freeze the transforms on your bounds and mesh objects before exporting. Because the exporter supports scale animation object scale is read by the exporter as a result if there are scale transforms on the exported shape when the object is loaded as a static shape it will appear at its un-scaled state and If it is loaded as an animated shape it would shrink down to its scaled size.

This build is compiled using the XSI 4.2 SDK, the next round of builds will also be compiled using the XSI 5.x-6 SDKs, the performance optimizations in the new SDK will equal faster export speeds than the 4.2 version. Something to note for complex shapes.

Download The Exporter

or

Download the updated exporter
#61
12/14/2007 (12:01 pm)
Thank you, David!

If there were a separate, windows exe command line interface based converter from one standard format to DTS, like a .OBJ -> DTS exporter, then the script could export each model as an obj individually, and convert each into a dts one at a time by calling this command line converter, if it existed, then create the mission files I guess...

I've never seen head or toe of such a converter in the forums or docs, anyone know if such a converter exists? (could be collada, fbx, obj, whatever to dts)

Thanks!
#62
12/14/2007 (1:05 pm)
OBJ doesn't support animation data. There is an obj2dts exporter.
#63
02/01/2008 (7:12 pm)
Sadly, the one year anniversary of this beta has come and gone :(. Matt, if you're still alive can you say something, anything.
#64
03/06/2008 (3:38 pm)
Ive just switched to xsi and thoroughly enjoying using it. It would be great if the xsi exporter was finished

Steve
#65
04/11/2008 (1:44 pm)
Ok, I see implications that the animation sequence export works, but I always get a 0 sequences in the dump file. I even made a CFG that alwaysincludes it. There's clearly something I'm missing here. I see with the other exporters there is a GUI that allows one to select whether or not to export any sequences. I don't mind using a command on the CLI but I just need to know how to do it. If anyone could let me know about this, that'd be awesome.

Thanks,
-Alan
#66
04/11/2008 (3:01 pm)
I think it should be set up like the 3d max exporter.
#67
05/02/2008 (6:04 pm)
It wont work, it just creates a html dump, i have tried even the dwarf, it just doesnt export it
#68
06/06/2008 (2:03 pm)
All in all, we all want a nice update on this one. I am willing to pay for it, hack, anyone will. I just picked up the beta and all i can say it werks jast fine for some basic stuff, all it needs is a bit of love. Mat?


api.photoshop.com/home_7745955a37ca4263b35ae749d57b4a48/adobe-px-assets/7c04138cc8074c38a4c0a6e638af9f29
#69
06/06/2008 (3:34 pm)
Wow, nice bridge!

Maybe Matt will give us the source code to finish up ourselves?
#70
06/06/2008 (5:36 pm)
Here, here, I second that motion.
#71
06/07/2008 (12:55 pm)
I would start coding myself if that ever happens. Actually, working on that little bridge got me further up and I made another one, wider and with pillars / shingles roof; I think ill make a pack out of these. Bridges and little pond pass.. things.
#72
06/28/2008 (1:49 pm)
I agree.
I am considering on working on a exporter as I need one myself.
All this waiting has been going on since Version 4.0....
I am going to be brushing up on my programming and start working out the details for the .dts format.
It may take a while so no promises. Just tired of waiting and being held back.

I do like the bridge.
#73
07/10/2008 (9:21 pm)
So does this exporter work well enough to do animated character work yet? We are most likely move from Maya to XSI as our primary production software. It would be nice if I can use that same software to work on TGEA stuff.

And is the code of this exporter available yet?
#74
07/12/2008 (8:35 am)
The exporter will do characters but is limited.
There is a dwarf example.

I am working on an exporter but it will take time as my work has me working 6 days a week and I havn't had a vacation in a year. :(
#75
07/14/2008 (10:51 am)
Hello All, its been quite a while so I figured I would finally post an update.

As soon as we pull the latest version of the exporter code from our project backups, either Mike Jarosch at Dark Industries or I will be posting the source for the XSI exporter as a resource in case anyone wants to pick up where we left off. My schedule is currently the most free its been in well over a year so I would probably be able to assist as well. Feel free to contact me directly if this is something you are interested in, otherwise the source should be available this week.

A heads up to all the XSI Foundation owners out there, Softimage has an upgrade offer for foundation owners to upgrade to XSI 7 Essentials for $995 (reg $2995) or XSI 7 Advanced for $2495 (reg $4995) valid until September 30th, 2008 its available from the Softimage store and Softimage resellers. Thats a fairly massive discount, especially given the new features in version 7.

I have already upgraded our licenses of 6.x to 7 and I am really looking forward to the new version.

Also, I am in the process of updating our website, dusting off some of our old projects and working on a few new things as well so expect more updates soon.
#76
07/14/2008 (11:01 am)
Great news!
#77
07/14/2008 (2:00 pm)
Thank you Matt! That is very generous to make the source available as a resource. I know a lot of work went into getting it to the point it is. And with the source available it should be doable for someone to polish it off and make it a finished product.

I did receive the offer from Softimage and took that with mixed emotions. I hate to see the Foundation product discontinued. But for me to personally own Essentials for $1k is very tempting. With some new life for the importer, it is even more tempting.
#78
07/15/2008 (2:19 am)
Cool I too have an upgrade to V7.
I would like to get a good working plugin soon.
I wish I had more time to work on it however work has me working insane hours.
but even if I get a chance to work on it for 1 hour a day I can get pretty far with it.
At work I have been creating a tool for the entire company for performing a lot of redundant tasks.
Can't talk too much cause its gov contracted work.
#80
08/04/2008 (2:31 am)
Hi guys

I'm a big fan of XSI and needing a good exporter to get some character rigs into the TGEA toolchain.
If anyone wants to swap info etc please get in touch.

(in the interim has anyone tried exporting from XSI into Houdini via .fbx format? I am looking into this as a temporary art pipeline until the exporters have been green lit)

ric