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[angrypig]

For a few weeks one of my interests in Outerra was the new COLLADA importer we had named COLLAZER. The previous version didn't respect hierarchy so it was not possible to control parts of imported object. I had to redesign the rendering pipeline to solve this problem and prepare it for instanced rendering. Next step will be implementation of automatic level of detail generator.

Here are some screenshots I made yesterday's night when I finished it (there is not correct lighting model but Cameni wants a new post ).

The positioning of the objects on the ground is not handled by physics engine yet. So some parts of the model sink into the ground. I'm eager to try driving it when Cameni finally implements vehicle physics.

Here are 68 instances of GAZ66 (a free model I downloaded from somewhere)


As you can see there is the same military green on the windows. I hope I will finish transparency rendering this evening. Then I will post new screens.


Another screen with my favorite volcano Mount Etna in the background. You can see the scale of real world there as well.

[helio2]

Holy shizKnite! thats pretty freaking cool!
I cant wait till you guys implement physics too.
So you said non of the vehicles here represent a lower LOD the further they are? Thats a lot of trucks.
This is pretty much to scale. I Like it!

[maxdmg]

Do you think you will support other formats like FBX or OBJ?

Max

[angrypig]

Do you think you will support other formats like FBX or OBJ?

Max

Hi,

We will not support these file formats in the near future. The COLLADA is a good alternative to them.

[Sukh]

Next step will be implementation of automatic level of detail generator.

So, there is no need to model multiple LODs, the engine will create them himself?

[cameni]

Both options should be supported, the actual usage may depend on the quality of LOD generator and impostor cache etc.

[C. Shawn Smith]

(hating to resurrect an old thread, BUT ....)  

 Any possibility you can post a sample hierarchy for model creation?  I'm just curious in your setup

[angrypig]

Any possibility you can post a sample hierarchy for model creation?

 I have prepared two buildings from Lukla as an example how the hierarchy should look like, but there is nothing special because we don't have neither a LOD system implemented yet nor other useful stuff...

I am preparing a new version of our COLLAZER tool which should be included in the demo as well. This new version will import only the geometry and its hierarchy. Materials will have to be assigned within the engine/sandbox.

Package includes:
- blender file
- exported collada file
- textures

lukla_small_house

[C. Shawn Smith]

Thanks!

Materials assigned via the Engine?  I'm assuming a standard UV mapping for materials/texturing, correct?

[angrypig]

Materials assigned via the Engine?

Yes via the Engine. It is not unusual in other engines too.
There are a few reasons for that. No one is able to set material correctly in 3D modeler app (3DMax,Blender,Maya etc.) because of different lighting models and material shaders. In Outerra all lights are dynamic so you have to see model in different day times to be sure it is looking good. Next reason is that exporters are not filling material section in COLLADA file properly, this is not problem only in COLLADA exporters. The next one is we are planning to have procedural materials available too.

Btw material assignment in engine will be easy and fast operation. Final material tuning will be much more time consuming. And when you change the model geometry, engine automatically reassigns the materials unless you totally change the hierarchy. There will be other tools/helpers available to make the whole process less painful and more effective, like:
- automatic texture reload on change (this is already there)
- automatic reimport of COLLADA when it changes

So you can have running Outerra sandbox and also working in 3DMax and when you export geometry or change texture in Gimp for example everything will be realoded and reimported with last settings and you will see changes almost instantly.

I'm assuming a standard UV mapping for materials/texturing, correct?

All UV map channels will be imported from COLLADA. In engine you will not be able to modify them. You will be able to set scale and offset per UV channel in material.

[skyjets]

So we will be able to import collada textured model from blender and 3ds max and everything else?! YEAH!

[C. Shawn Smith]

Are we talking about Normal mapping as well, or just old-school UV mapping?  As an aficionado of Zbrush, being able to do normal mapping as well as other techniques to create ultra-realistic models would be superb.

It's funny: as many years as I've had being exposed to the gaming industry, I never truly understood the engine assigning materials.  Guess I just never paid much attention to the detail

[angrypig]

So we will be able to import collada textured model from blender and 3ds max and everything else?!

Yes for the first part and I don't known for "everything else".

Are we talking about Normal mapping as well, or just old-school UV mapping?  As an aficionado of Zbrush, being able to do normal mapping as well as other techniques to create ultra-realistic models would be superb.

Normal map is a texture as well and UV mapping is being applied to it in the same way as to a standard texture. The only difference is that normal texture is not containing colors but normal vectors.

[C. Shawn Smith]

Ahh, nice.  Modders with access to Zbrush will be in ecstasy over this .

[saccara18]

where i can download it???!