modelsrc files: needed as Collada, but provided as 3DSMax?

MrFangsMrFangs Join Date: 2013-03-27 Member: 184474Members, Reinforced - Shadow
in Modding
When you try to compile a mod containing model files, Builder seems to expect .dae (Collada) files as input:
Building...
2> <...>\NS2\TestMod\output\models\alien\gorge\gorge_view.model
1> <...>\NS2\TestMod\output\models\alien\gorge\gorge.model
2> Automatically disabling animation compression for view model, <...>\NS2\TestMod\source\modelsrc\alien\gorge\gorge_view.model_compile
2> Error: Couldn't load geometry file '<...>/NS2/TestMod/source/modelsrc/alien/gorge/gorge_view.dae'
1> Error: Couldn't load geometry file '<...>/NS2/TestMod/source/modelsrc/alien/gorge/gorge.dae'

However, the assets/modelsrc.zip file only contains .max (3D Studio Max) files. As far as I know, these can only be converted to the .dae files using 3DSMax itself.

Would it be possible to provide the models as .dae files instead of (or in addition to) the .max files? That would allow them to be opened in programs like Blender right away.
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Comments

  • LuitjensLuitjens Join Date: 2010-07-26 Member: 73034Members, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, Reinforced - Shadow, Subnautica Playtester
    edited September 2013
    You can convert them using the ColladaMax.dle plugin in the /ns2/ folder in Max to .dae or If you don't have max you can grab a student or trial version. You could also export as an .obj from max and open it in blender that way. Then you could use OpenCollada I believe to get them to .dae..
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  • MrFangsMrFangs Join Date: 2013-03-27 Member: 184474Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    Luitjens wrote: »
    You can convert them using the ColladaMax.dle plugin in the /ns2/ folder in Max to .dae or If you don't have max you can grab a student or trial version.
    That's what I'd like to avoid... why is it necessary to fiddle around with a time-limited trial of a proprietary software, while the file format that you need for compiling a mod *anyway* is much more accessible by other programs? It would be much simpler if modelsrc.zip would contain the .dae files in the first place.

    Also, if NS2 itself is built the way I think it is, these files should already be present in the build folder, so adding them to the generated output should not require too much effort. Any chance of this happening?
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  • SamusDroidSamusDroid Colorado Join Date: 2013-05-13 Member: 185219Members, Forum Moderators, NS2 Developer, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Gold, Subnautica Playtester, NS2 Community Developer, Pistachionauts
    edited September 2013
    No it wouldn't because it is much easier to open up and modify 3ds max files than .dae. Besides, most files in the modelsrc don't contain all the animation files needed to modify them, during the build process.
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  • MrFangsMrFangs Join Date: 2013-03-27 Member: 184474Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    Ok, I see. Guess I'll have to go with the trial install then... thanks for the reply.
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