I'm glad for the interest. I've managed to implement also the collision mesh export, here's a quick update. I'll release this current alpha today or tomorrow as I finish an instructional video, ok? There is very little more to what I already said in previous videos, but I do not do any error check inside the script at the moment. So you'll have to be careful if you want to use at this stage. Never got it unstable or not working, but I know the arbitrary workflow back to front. Should be easy, but you'll tell me. Also I have to mention that tdev and the team are helping a lot, the whole thing will go smoother than I thought. About the current stage of development, note that currently it only produces a single part at a time, and no connections between parts. This means it's fully working for many doodad designs, but while you can use it to generate nodes, beams and triangles data for functional vehicles, you still need to know how to glue stuff together and add wheels, engine and the likes.
Updated the first post, video upload is in progress (et 2 hours). Not as informative as I would've hoped, but I didn't want to delay the release anymore. I'm quite tired for the day, but I'll try to help any questions tomorrow. Drop even basic ones so I get the idea of where découpage is needed for future tutorials. Any feedback will be greatly appreciated.
Thank you very much for sharing and keep up the good work to the script! Update: The script works perfectly if you follow the tutorial a question for ivankio: possible that you can do to be able to make node / beam groups?
ivankio, Complete noob here in the RoR/BeamNG world as far as nodes/beams. Followed your videos, got the concept. Here is the result: That was to be a can. As you can see, the can dented the car. Fun stuff! I'm sure it has a lot to do with the material, weight, etc. (187lbs as per BeamNG) The point was: No experience with your script/beams/nodes + your tool and tut = Something that works. Fantastic work. I had a bit of fun getting this to work. Hope someone else laughs as much as I did about this "can being 187lbs" concept.
I'm trying some designs to how better manage it. I'm in doubt if I solve it in the single script window, or if I set some arbitrary grouping and paint method, or something else. I think the first should be more error proof, but I see it also needing more user input in a less intuitive way. Meanwhile, as a temporary workaround, note that BeamNG Drive will read every ".jbeam" in your vehicle folder for a single vehicle. You can export multiple jbeam parts to the same folder (export all your high polys to the same DAE). The dirty work you'll have to do is to add slots definition in your "main" part, and create a few additional beams to bind nodes across different objects. Warning: the following video has scenes of explicit text on notepad action not intended for all audiences . PS: I forgot to mention that "per particle weight" isn't functional yet.
Yes, there's a free 3-year student license. May be worth checking it out. http://students.autodesk.com/?nd=download_center Otherwise, there's at least a 30 days trial. http://www.autodesk.com/products/autodesk-maya/free-trial - - - Updated - - - Did you fill every one of the 4 fields with the proper object? - Visual mesh - the high poly you are exporting as DAE that will be rendered in the game. - TRIANGULATED Softbody - the base geometry used to generate the particles with make soft dynamics - NODES (Particles) - the particles under the soft body. - BEAMS (Springs) - Springs you created from the particles. To fill a field, you select the proper object (and only it) then click "get selected".
Well I geuss your going to be making it for blender next. I cant figure out how to use jbeam so im waiting on this, hope it comes soon. Good luck with it
Although I did want to get my hands in Blender, I wouldn't hold my breath for the Blender plugin by me so soon. To design the interface to contemplate multiple parts while keeping the workflow smooth and allow for non-destructive edits is proving to be a puzzle that will take more time than I had in mind. Then I plan to do the tutorials properly. Talking to tdev, they think it may be added to the creation contend wiki if the workflow turns out fine. Additionally, in light of the free 3 year student Maya license, I understand Maya is less of a constrain than I thought at first. Even before I knew about that, the pool said that people would prefer other package but could still come to use the script in Maya. Only 2.59% said that Maya is a definitive obstacle. And last, connecting a few facts: 1. I understand that not only the license is the problem - learning a new software is also a matter. 2. Everyone masters Notepad, yet the jbeam workload to get a functional vehicle is epic and inhibiting. 3. A physically plausible and interesting simulated vehicle needs a little more engineering than what the mere surface of a model can tell. Even the friendliest interface will still require the input of a hard thinking human. Mythbuster (the Cadillac guy) is helping me understand what can't and what shouldn't be automatized. We all know that BeamNG Drive is all about the extra mile on car simulation. It does impact on the car modeler that needs to turn into a car designer/developer. 4. There's still a low number of car developers and developers wannabe. Here's a XKCD comic http://xkcd.com/1205/ So if the vehicle of a particular developer is to ever see the sun of Dry Rock Island, one has to understand that some new knowledge will be needed. Luckily, such knowledge has applications in the real world (either on mechanics or current leading software in game development big houses - the reason being the very ease of plugin development that made me use it in the first place). I just have to mention that I'm not much of a Maya fanboy, in fact - now that I'm working more with architectural visualization - I'm quite troubled that I'm so immerse into it from years working with animation. Archviz faster pace (lower value) is a lot about libraries while Maya is all about customization and empowering low level meticulous edits. Back to topic, my current goal is to make the tool (together with "how to get around in Maya") easier than the already piece of cake "Notepad". As I mentioned, currently they already make a nice combo. I'm working on the visual only workflow.
Oh, bloody good show. I wish this was in .max but I'll have to procure the student version of Maya. This is what a lot of us needed. Thanks, you're a gem.
Hey, the script works really great. Awesome Work! I Hope this doesnt count as OT, but my problem is the import to Maya. My Units in 3ds are Meters (tested inches too) and I'm exporting to dea in cm. That way Maya doesnt have to convert on import. But the Model turns out huge in the Maya workspace. Does someone happen to have experience with that procedure or maybe an esier way? (yea i could rescale it again but GOD Maya is so different to 3ds, I looked forever to rotate the camera or hide an object ^^)
Alfa 0.4 (attached on first post) contains a minor fix to previous 0.3 version. - Deleted springs are now properly deleted when exporting the jbeam. Further development is being made on a different version that still has lots of gaps for it deals with the whole working vehicle.
Only 40 minutes since I told you, thats what I call a fast fix XD Btw, I just figured out its important to set Axis conversion to Z up as well when exporting to dea. Thats was what caused the model to be rotated. now lets test the new version
