Saturday, 24 January 2009
Quest Notes Part 1/6
The next few blog entries are a collection of notes and thoughts created whilst going through the Quest3D tutorials.
Exporting from 3DS Max to Quest3D
Today I have been researching exporters that can be used with 3DS Max and allow me to import models created from this software into Quest3D to create the real-time model. I found and installed three;
Panda DirectX Exporter (PDE) - which uses the .X file extension
Collada - which uses .DAE file extension
Quest3D File Exporter - which uses CGR file extension.
For the Collada exporter there are various import types:
Flatten hierarchy
Whole scene is flatten to one object.
Separated objects
All objects in a scene are imported as separated objects with pivot points if they exist.
Separated object with instancing
All objects in a scene are imported as separated objects. Additionally importer detects identical objects in the scene. And then it imports only one mesh and generates instances using Nature Painting channels.
Hierarchy and animation
Scene is imported with hierarchy and animation.
Scale factor
Importer can apply scale factor to your scene during importing. Default value is 1.0.
The Quest3D file exporter is useful as it exports directly into a Quest 3D file (CGR), it also contains a dedicated material 'Quest3D material' that consists of a user interface similar to Quest3D's object section.
Panda DirectX Exporter (PDE) - which uses the .X file extension
Collada - which uses .DAE file extension
Quest3D File Exporter - which uses CGR file extension.
After installing these I tried to import a simple box made in max and all of them worked. So I am half way there to creating the 3D historical reconstruction of Nottingham Castle.
The Panda exporter seems to have various functions when exporting, here is a screenshot of the dialogue box from 3DS Max. A bonus here is that you can export animations which may be beneficial and save time as i can easily do this in 3DS Max.
The Panda exporter seems to have various functions when exporting, here is a screenshot of the dialogue box from 3DS Max. A bonus here is that you can export animations which may be beneficial and save time as i can easily do this in 3DS Max.
For the Collada exporter there are various import types:
Flatten hierarchy
Whole scene is flatten to one object.
Separated objects
All objects in a scene are imported as separated objects with pivot points if they exist.
Separated object with instancing
All objects in a scene are imported as separated objects. Additionally importer detects identical objects in the scene. And then it imports only one mesh and generates instances using Nature Painting channels.
Hierarchy and animation
Scene is imported with hierarchy and animation.
Scale factor
Importer can apply scale factor to your scene during importing. Default value is 1.0.
The Quest3D file exporter is useful as it exports directly into a Quest 3D file (CGR), it also contains a dedicated material 'Quest3D material' that consists of a user interface similar to Quest3D's object section.
Thursday, 22 January 2009
Initial notes and references
Here is a collection of initial notes and references that i have researched thus far about Graphic user interfaces. These are subject to change as I will look into this further in the later stages of February.
Quick look at tutorials for Quest 3D
Using the video tutorials that I downloaded from the Quest3D website I will hopefully manage to get a concept of how the software works and eventually be able to use this to create my 3D real-time environment.
These tutorials can be found here:
http://support.quest3d.com/index.php?title=Portal:Video_Tutorials
and they cover....
Intro Quest 3D
Is a short video that goes through what Quest 3D is about and what it can be used for. It has some stunning graphics and interactive scenes.
Quest3D Interface
An introduction to the environment and interface of the software, learning what channels are and how they use a render loop. Taking a closer look at the channel section and how channels are linked to create a scene.
The later part of the tutorial will look at the animation and object view which will enable a user to move objects about and also change their visual properties.
Importing and texturing
This tutorial is about building a scene with a house via importing objects and using multiple texture stages to change the grass colour. It will also go through using light mapping and reflection maps and finally using a walkthrough camera so that a user can navigate through the scene.
Logic and user interaction
The tutorial goes through creating a switch for the light mapping in the scene and being controlled by a keyboard input. A HUD (Head Up Display) will be created to show the state to the switch and this will be linked with creating logic so the HUD is only visible when in the house. It also covers animating the door to open when the walkthrough camera is near it as well as creating a switch that will control the ceiling fan which is operated by the user.
Finally the tutorial goes through importing a video as a texture.
Sound
This tutorial covers sound created by the fan, altering its pitch as the fan gets quicker and the volume as the camera gets closer to it. It also covers creating an outside ambient sound which comes on when the camera is outside or the door is open.
Dynamics
In the tutorial a basketball that behaves like a real world ball, adding forces to the ball and also using the walkthrough camera to pick up the ball and carry it around the environment.Finally the tutorial will create logic so the user will be able to pick up the ball and use an input to assign power using a powerbar and eventually throwing the ball.
Materials and effects
This final tutorial goes through using Quest3D's pixelshader material, assigning lighting to the scene, looking at how to create a glow effect for a lamp.Using dynamics to create shadows and dynamic joints for lighting. Finally an introduction to the particle system in Quest3D and using this to create a fire in the basement.
These tutorials can be found here:
http://support.quest3d.com/index.php?title=Portal:Video_Tutorials
and they cover....
Intro Quest 3D
Is a short video that goes through what Quest 3D is about and what it can be used for. It has some stunning graphics and interactive scenes.
Quest3D Interface
An introduction to the environment and interface of the software, learning what channels are and how they use a render loop. Taking a closer look at the channel section and how channels are linked to create a scene.
The later part of the tutorial will look at the animation and object view which will enable a user to move objects about and also change their visual properties.
Importing and texturing
This tutorial is about building a scene with a house via importing objects and using multiple texture stages to change the grass colour. It will also go through using light mapping and reflection maps and finally using a walkthrough camera so that a user can navigate through the scene.
Logic and user interaction
The tutorial goes through creating a switch for the light mapping in the scene and being controlled by a keyboard input. A HUD (Head Up Display) will be created to show the state to the switch and this will be linked with creating logic so the HUD is only visible when in the house. It also covers animating the door to open when the walkthrough camera is near it as well as creating a switch that will control the ceiling fan which is operated by the user.
Finally the tutorial goes through importing a video as a texture.
Sound
This tutorial covers sound created by the fan, altering its pitch as the fan gets quicker and the volume as the camera gets closer to it. It also covers creating an outside ambient sound which comes on when the camera is outside or the door is open.
Dynamics
In the tutorial a basketball that behaves like a real world ball, adding forces to the ball and also using the walkthrough camera to pick up the ball and carry it around the environment.Finally the tutorial will create logic so the user will be able to pick up the ball and use an input to assign power using a powerbar and eventually throwing the ball.
Materials and effects
This final tutorial goes through using Quest3D's pixelshader material, assigning lighting to the scene, looking at how to create a glow effect for a lamp.Using dynamics to create shadows and dynamic joints for lighting. Finally an introduction to the particle system in Quest3D and using this to create a fire in the basement.
Tuesday, 13 January 2009
New Year
Well after a lovely rest over the christmas period - that is to say from the Masters (as i was doing nearly 24/7 freelance work) i am ready to get back into the action of working on this castle project.
I have kind of thrown out of the window my 'Masters planned timetable' instead of going "what I need doing this week" it's now more like "what kind i be bothered to do today" and i have to say this frame of mind at the moment is going great. My research is pretty much all but done - this week i am concentrating on QUEST 3D. I have not started the model yet and what i have planned form late January and february will actually put me ahead of schedule!
- I could just play PC games for a few days straight!
But i shall not! At least not until the summer, anyway i will post my notes and tutorial outcomes along with pictures of my Quest 3D research throughout this week.
I have kind of thrown out of the window my 'Masters planned timetable' instead of going "what I need doing this week" it's now more like "what kind i be bothered to do today" and i have to say this frame of mind at the moment is going great. My research is pretty much all but done - this week i am concentrating on QUEST 3D. I have not started the model yet and what i have planned form late January and february will actually put me ahead of schedule!
- I could just play PC games for a few days straight!
But i shall not! At least not until the summer, anyway i will post my notes and tutorial outcomes along with pictures of my Quest 3D research throughout this week.
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