Universal Model Converter (UMC) Development thread - Deceased

[Tcll]

just brushing off the cob-webs to boot this thread back up...

I've been working on a function that deals with writing both the vectors and the transforms to my TMP,
and then a function that deciphers them and returns the data as how you sent it

the function works, but only just...
it doesn't test the data it's reading to make sure it's reading the right data...
it only just reads the data assuming it's correct >_>
that would most likely only be about 70% accurate compaired to other things it may run across that would cause it to return an error even though the data is correct...

here's a session in it's current state:

>>>
>>> setWrite()
tmp set to write
>>> setVector([[1,1,1],[1,1,1]],0,0,0,0)
'vertices ' Vectors for object 0 logged successfully
>>> setVector([[2,2,2],[2,2,2]],0,1,0,0)
'vertices ' Transform vectors for object 0 logged successfully
>>> closeWrite()
tmp sucessfully closed
>>> setRead()
tmp set to read
>>> getVector(0,0,0,0)
'vertices' Vectors for object 0 returned sucessfully
[['1.0', '1.0', '1.0'], ['1.0', '1.0', '1.0']]
>>> getVector(0,1,0,0)
'vertices' Transform vectors for object 0 returned sucessfully
[['2.0', '2.0', '2.0'], ['2.0', '2.0', '2.0']]
>>> closeRead()
tmp sucessfully closed
>>>

again... this only just works...
there's no garuntee you won't get an error...

EDIT:
this is the data as it looks in the TMP:
< vertices 0 1.0|1.0|1.0/1.0|1.0|1.0
< transform vertices 0 2.0|2.0|2.0/2.0|2.0|2.0

just so you get a better view of things

 

[Tcll]

I think I'll just leave this here and let you guys figure it out


^click for larger view

I'll give you a hint:
he's my favorite char from melee >:D

 

[Tcll]

UPDATE!!!
now take a guess: :D

 

[ds22]

Pichu by looking at the name of the picture.

 

[Tcll]

rofl
that's cheating this time XDD

 

[Tcll]

UPDATE:

^click to enlarge

if you're curious as to why the object name is 32428,
I have it named after it's offset in the DAT

the DAT contains no strings, so this is the best option for naming the objects

 

[Bertroll]

Yo I was wondering if there's a possible way you can favor and convert 1 file for me from melee hit me up on aim totallyberto it's highly significant towards what i'm working on atm myself much appreciated if you can ^_^

 

[Tcll]

yo bertroll
you may want to wait a while before requesting that...

due to my recent changes in my TMP format,
I have been forced to redo every current plugin I have

my most important ones being MDL0(versions 9-12), DAT, and OBJ

to currently convert I only have a seperate file for converting the TMP after my converter returns an error from my old OBJ plugin...

but that aside, I still have yet to figure out the vector transforms
(the reason Pichu (below) is a jumbled mess)
^that goes for MDL0 as well

btw...
I don't go on AIM or MSN or use any of those popular things
anyone I know who goes to those places usually ends up getting hacked or gets a virus,
and I have to be the one to fix it for them

I think I might just set their IE to replace the page with an error page if they get another one XDD
least they listen to me when I tell them IE's the best
anyways... that's another argument I don't wanna hit up on here
PM me if you want to try to tell me what the best browser is
I've had the experience and know already XDD

 

[sinistersnakesennin]

I don't go on AIM or MSN or use any of those popular things
anyone I know who goes to those places usually ends up getting hacked or gets a virus,
and I have to be the one to fix it for them

I think I might just set their IE to replace the page with an error page if they get another one XDD
least they listen to me when I tell them IE's the best

 

[Tcll]

yo
I said to PM me or have this convo somewhere else >:O

I don't want my program thread being taken up with all this mumbo jumbo crap about browsers and popular things
as you'll only end up being wrong about your thoughts

 

[pokelover980]

yo
I said to PM me or have this convo somewhere else >:O

I don't want my program thread being taken up with all this mumbo jumbo crap about browsers and popular things
as you'll only end up being wrong about your thoughts

I'd rather publicly tell you that you're wrong in IE being the best, as it's been proven to be the slowest browser on Windows and has pretty much no add-ons in comparison to the other popular browsers.

/ArguingOnThisThread

 

[ds22]

Even though IE is complete rubbish and the only reason it is on my computer is because it was included when I bought my computer and me being to lazy to remove it, this isn't the place to talk about it.

 

[pokelover980]

Even though IE is complete rubbish and the only reason it is on my computer is because it was included when I bought my computer and me being to lazy to remove it, this isn't the place to talk about it.

I love publicly pointing it out </3

But that also is why I stated '/ArguingOnThisThread'. vBulliten needs something like IPB where PMs are instead Private Conversations, where you can invite as many people as you want to the conversation and it's in thread layout to make it easier.

 

[Tcll]

you people need help XDD

if IE is so bad, how come I have no viruses :3
if anything, IE has the best protection

who cares about speed...
get some ram and a better processor

as long as the site loads...
ntm you can't really block sites with FF
(from what I've tried on it anyways)

IE > FF > Chrome > Opera
not sure exactly where Safari fits in though (somewhere below FF)

chrome expects crappy VPS to do the work of protecting your computer
I've gotten at most 43 viruses and 12 trojans with chrome
(thus having to reinstall)

but if you wanna be really dumb...
go on facebook or get limewire or skype

heh... you hear enough about facebook on the news

so I think I've made my point

now lets get back on topic about my converter plz
after all... that is the topic of this thread

 

[Friedslick6]

Wow, where do you go to get so many viruses!? lol
...And yeah, let's get back on topic.

 

[ds22]

Tcll, believe whatever you want and keep thinking your right about everything you say.
But remember, just because it's your opinion doesn't have to make it the truth (also telling people to get help just because they don't agree with you is not really something that helps the conversation nor is a picture of a Pikachu acting all knowing).

(Also, I'm sorry that I keep getting off-topic, but I can't stand someone acting like he knows it all better).

 

[Tcll]

well you know...

I'm literally one of the nicest people anyone could ever run into
I say this stuff to help people get the best out of everything.

yes I can get... cocky... at times... IK DX<
(yes I hate getting ahead of myself like that)

and sry bout getting like that as well...
IK it disturbs people...
but it disturbs me when people look at a lower software and say it's better because it's more conveinent...
(well, that's just an example)

I guess it's just the same thing with me...
when people think they're better than me... after I've had the experiance with it all...

I don't argue with anything if I've had no experiance


and umm... yes it's OT, but someone asked what sites I go on that give me so many viruses...

well, the answer is torrent sites and free download sites from site surfing... DX

luckily I can block those sites with IE...


anyways...
sry bout breaking my own rule and going OT again DX<

 

[sinistersnakesennin]

This is seriously the last thing I'm going to say on this topic, but Tcll? You're doing the internet wrong. I have difficulty believing that someone working on something as complicated as a model converter can be SO MISINFORMED about basic computer operation and safety.

1. Install Windows Security Essentials. Best integrated antivirus you can get on the Windows platform. AVG is also viable, but is resource intensive.

2. Browser preference is really up to the person, but IE has next to NO options. Firefox has so many Add-ons and plugins, you can literally do ANYTHING with it. In this case, install Ad-Block Plus. Hooray, the ENTIRE INTERNET is no open to you. If you get a virus or any other kind of malware, you're doing something wrong. Its really THAT simple.

3. If you're going to torrent things, all you need is uTorrent. Get your torrents from The Pirate Bay, KickAssTorrents and Isohunt.com. I have NEVER in my entire life needed ANYTHING else, and I torrent everything from games, to movies, to books.

4. I know you're probably sure you're right about whatever your opinions are, but the fact of the matter is, I'm a computer professional. I'm 24 years old, and am Microsoft certified. Not to mention I've been on the internet since something like 1999. Ive gotten every virus you can get and been to every dark corner of the internet. Ive learned my lessons and stocked up on knowledge. If you cant take my word on this subject, then I dont know who you could trust to tell you the truth.

 

[Tcll]

WTF did I say about posting about this topic here *glares*

IK WTF I'm doing as I havn't gotten a virus in over 5 years
so shutup

IDC about add-ons, I use what the software has
(and a few add-ons for IE) >.>

anyways...
can we stay on topic plz

 

[Tcll]

btw, if anyone is interested in my progress, you can check it here:

http://picasaweb.google.com/tcll5850/UMC


I'm currently not working on anything atm
as my computer's down from moving...
but I hope to be back up w/in the next 3 days

 

[sinistersnakesennin]

Lol, love how I'm the only one here getting flack for being off-topic. Okay man, have it your way.

Its really looking good so far. What would you say is the hardest part of all this?

 

[Tcll]

Lol, love how I'm the only one here getting flack for being off-topic. Okay man, have it your way.

you're just the first one to push it...
it's not like I didn't warn in a few earlier posts enough times...

Its really looking good so far. What would you say is the hardest part of all this?

thanx

the hardest part is pretty much giving my format the support and settings for different conversion types...

atm, my MDL0 plugin don't work, as I've had to majorly update the format...

biggest thing was supporting global vectors...

OBJ and DAT use global vectors
DAE and MDL0 use local vecors

so like...
my current test uses OBJ files for basic conversion
(mesh and materials)

once I have that working for both types w/o bugs,
I can then move onto DAE

I have quite alot planned for the obj plugin though
like giving a model more than 1 UV channel using multiple obj files
or having the ability to apply the vector transforms...
(will be set to apply by default)

I'm going to include an extension for obj files where,
if you convert an MDL0 or DAT file,
a seperate extension file will be exported for each containing bone, transform, and weighting info...


actually...
I change my above answer...
the hardest part (havn't quite done it yet)
will be writing the export functions for the plugins...

as there's a limitless amount to how you can manipulate a file upon conversion...

you can even do MDL0 to MDL0 using the space-saver option on brawl files :D
that way there's less data being loaded into the wii's RAM, giving you some free space for larger motion files
(especially for my files)

I'm working on adding support for 3-4 imports on a single char,
w/o affecting the original chars animation

anyways...
so I have my mind filled with possible ideas and implamentations to use

and that's why this thing is taking SOOOOO LOOONG... DX

but you can expect a good program upon release

the images you saw on my picasa were of my old conversion method,
and a manual method for melee models...

 

[Tcll]

good news guys :D
I may soon have transformations for melee supported ^_^

meaning that melee models won't be all jumbled up from not having transforms,
like in the images below:

 

[Friedslick6]

Oh, that's great news .

 

[Tcll]

I've finally got the idea of what to do :D



B = bone (all the bones in the MDL0)
W = weight (all the weights used by the current object)
M = matrix (the matrices of the used bones by the weights)

yes...
the transform index in the facepoints.
it links to the used bone matrices in the weights



and why did that Q take years to answer, when it was known all along??

@Kryal,Pharrox,Bero,Pokelover980,MarioKart64n,RTB,(any others):
You really disappoint me -_-*
you all knew and yet you with-held it from me.
you can all screw yourselves

RTB, you at least were helping me (or trying to) at one point, and then randomly disappeared
I'm not as disappointed in you as I am everyone else...

BJ...
a little bit for you too.
you had the code right there and couldn't tell me...
(you're off the hook if you were in the same predicament as I was)

I'm also a little disappointed in myself -_-
I can't read C-type codes for crap,
but that adds to my disappointment for everyone else.

I mean...
I have every src for every brawl tool ever developed...
it's pretty sad when you look at it

but even that still doesn't make up for this.

 

[RandomTBush]

@Kryal,Pharrox,Bero,Pokelover980,MarioKart64n,RTB,(any others):
You really disappoint me -_-*
you all knew and yet you with-held it from me.
you can all screw yourselves

RTB, you at least were helping me (or trying to) at one point, and then randomly disappeared
I'm not as disappointed in you as I am everyone else...

I'm sorry about that. I haven't gotten any chances, and most of my notes on building custom MDL0s are either forgotten or missing, which is why I haven't made anything in forever.

So this is yet another person that I've let down, then... That makes the 8th one now. *sigh*

 

[Tcll]

I'm sorry about that. I haven't gotten any chances, and most of my notes on building custom MDL0s are either forgotten or missing, which is why I haven't made anything in forever.

So this is yet another person that I've let down, then... That makes the 8th one now. *sigh*

yea... you're in there because you do know...
that's it...

you're not nearly as much of a disappointment as the others


in fact,
responding right now even lowers my disappointment for you

 

[Friedslick6]

Well, at least there's progress. And progress is progress, so there's no need to pity others right now XD .

 

[Tcll]

it's been nearly 2 years...

I should've had this thing finished by now

that's why I'm so high-strung

 

[Friedslick6]

Fair enough, you have been through a lot of hassle. I've watched every topic you posted on this, and most of them seemed to disintegrate gradually. But the coolest part was that you didn't stop working on it despite that.

 

[Tcll]

Fair enough, you have been through a lot of hassle. I've watched every topic you posted on this, and most of them seemed to disintegrate gradually. But the coolest part was that you didn't stop working on it despite that.

thank you

achieving the only working Melee converter isn't enough for me XD
if I'm gonna make my mark,
I'm gonna need to export a model to MDL0 or DAT properly.

there's not a single tool out there that does it yet

I'm gonna be the first (:<
Brbx doesn't even do it proply...


I do have a moddo, it's more of a team motto though >_>
"Winners never quit (:<"

a good word of advice I go by as well:
"Don't let ignorance hold you back"

I try my hardest to meet that...
but it did hold me back T_T

 

[Friedslick6]

You definitely have the capabilities and the will-power to create such a tool.

 

[pokelover980]

@Kryal,Pharrox,Bero,Pokelover980,MarioKart64n,RTB,(any others):
You really disappoint me -_-*
you all knew and yet you with-held it from me.
you can all screw yourselves

Excuse me, but at least please show some respect for what we've done for you. I actually didn't know that at all, my notes on the MDL0 rebuilding were incredibly basic and based off of BrawlBox's attempt at it, which I don't even fully understand. Perhaps we all didn't know this, but don't get angry with us for something that we couldn't fully help you with. Congratulations on finding it out, that's an amazing achievement, and I hope you finish this up.

 

[Tcll]

Excuse me, but at least please show some respect for what we've done for you. I actually didn't know that at all, my notes on the MDL0 rebuilding were incredibly basic and based off of BrawlBox's attempt at it, which I don't even fully understand. Perhaps we all didn't know this, but don't get angry with us for something that we couldn't fully help you with. Congratulations on finding it out, that's an amazing achievement, and I hope you finish this up.

alright...
you seemed to know...

in that case you're off the hook

my biggest disappointments are Kryal and Pharrox, as both of them built working software for transforms

 

[Tcll]

I've officially got HYPE right now :happy:



it's nearly freakin done 8)

well, the model that is >_>

 

[standardtoaster]

After you get that model preview finished, will it export properly to mdl0?

 

[Tcll]

it's only a converter...

but umm...
IDK everything about the MDL0 in order to export to it

so atm it's just import MDL0 and DAT

but I'm learning

*sigh*...
I guess I'll work on the export GUI's later...

I'll just export to the expected settings for now

 

[Tcll]

well...
I've tried it on the normals, and it works as well as expected...



I can't seem to fix the error though
although apparently it can be delt with as it got slightly worse...
it's most likely an offset error I can't seem to spot

Pikachu doesn't convert yet due to this error >_>
(it returns an offset error w/in the weightlist code,
but the src of the error is somewhere completely different)

 

[Tcll]

well...
it seems it's the end of this version of UMC

I've uploaded my latest release (2.6d) which only converts DAT to OBJ on google code
(just search 'Universal Model Converter Dev version' on google)

not all models convert properly:
- Pichu still converts the same
- player models are now even more of a mess *sigh*
- most trophies convert perfectly

I'm currently working on a complete rebuild of UMC while integrating it with PyOpenGL.

current expectations as of UMC 3.0's first release:
- built-in model previewer
- import of both models and animations
- better plugin system
- built-in updater (updates only the subdirectories of the main app (I plan on a fix for this))
- more flawless scripting method (prevents crashing from exceptions)
- ability to use custom themes
- able to set default model export preferences

NOTE:
you don't have to DL and install PyOpenGL as it's integrated with the program

don't expect this for over a few years...
I've still got quite alot to learn about PyOpenGL
NTM I have the world's worst net connection on my wii (no net on compy)
and I still have alot to finish on my TMP format... >_>
NTM having to learn all the base conversion formats upon release

 

[Tcll]

heh...
looking at this now, I have to say...
I wasn't expecting it to be this difficult...

due to programming issues, few things will have to be put on hold... (marked in orange)
- built-in model previewer
- import of both models and animations
- better plugin system
- built-in updater (updates only the subdirectories of the main app (I plan on a fix for this))
- more flawless scripting method (prevents crashing from exceptions)
- ability to use custom themes
- able to set default model export preferences

I marked the updater in yellow because this is a primary concern.
it will be included in the first release, but it won't be finished and will remain unactive until the next release

animations may not be compatible due to library issues with PyOpenGL,
but the model viewer will definatly work as expected

^this was just an OBJ file of my sub-mesh for Riku aka exp:824
but I intend to advance this to make it work for my data instead of OBJ files

comment: this is rendered on my 400MHz (384MB) compy btw =D


also...
I need some personnal IMO's on this:

this is what I plan to use for UMC3x's icon (might add a few touch-ups and gfx) >_>

why Pichu? if you must ask...
well, Pichu was my original inspiration for developing UMCx... (originally called MAV)
this was back when Jahra!n and Sarah Harp were working on their own converters.
I met up with Milun and Revel8n who were also interested in Melee data, and that's what spurred development of this.
(I originally wanted Pichu's model for a video series "SSB Revenge of the Forgotten" which I still plan to do)

and you all thought history was boring XDD