Effective Export/Import of 3D Models

Effective Export/Import of 3D Models

Effective Export/Import of 3D Models

3D Models libraries have sprouted all over the web, where you can get a wide variety of models, designed for several formats. A sampling of companies offering 3D Models for sale include 3D Cad Browser, Mesh Factory, etc. The big question was how did these companies build their 3D Models in so many formats? Did they build the model in one format then export the model to another application or did they build it from scratch in each application? To answer these questions, I spoke with Don Prochazka, Product Manager for Discreet.

Nathan: I've noticed that you can buy different meshes that can be used in a variety of applications. What are these people doing to create the completed file, so that when it's output from whatever application they're using, that you can import it into another application without having problems with the meshes or image maps?

Dan: "They typically build their model and then they'll go into each of the applications. A lot of people like to model in Max, so that's where they might do their initial modeling. Then they will export depending on what the exporter supports and what the importers support. As an example, they might just move the geometry into Lightwave and then set up the texturing in Lightwave, re-link the hierarchies and then they'll save that as a Lightwave file."

"So when you buy a CD-ROM of Lightwave content, you're not getting something in an arbitrary format; what you're getting is a scene file with geometry in it specific to that application. The critical issue is all that preparatory work. Now, some cheaper companies might save everything in the .3DS format (which is the old DOS version of 3D Models Studio), but one of the problems with that is if you were going to create a word like "Dijon Mustard," each letter would have to be saved as a .3DS file. But the best way is to model in a format where you can move most of the geometry into another application. Then you can finish the model there."

N: Can you give me some guidelines on how to set that up properly? Let's say I was to build a model in Max and I wanted to export that and rebuilt it in Maya?

Dan: "I would tend towards using the FBX (by Kaydara) format but it also depends on what you're trying to move. If you're trying to move a sofa, it's not that difficult. A lot of companies will support the texture coordinates and generate that translation on export to whatever format you're looking for. But if you're creating characters, everybody's IK system (linking and hierarchy) is different. In those cases, your animation data would be there (the FBX format would keep those keyframes), but if you wanted to change that, you would have to re-link that if you wanted to change the animation. To elaborate, the rotation position information for each keyframe would be saved, but it wouldn't automatically set up an IK system for you. It won't export that and actually translate that into a Maya IK system. This would also affect the skinning system. Typically, you don't see those things move over."

"You would finish your animation in the system that you consider the finishing system. So a lot of people will model in Max; then go to Softimage for character animation because a lot of people like the nonlinear aspects of their character animations."

Nathan: If you model in Max and you want to send that model to another application, how do you make sure that the geometry translates properly?

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