Importing SFC models into EVN

Is it possible?

Has anyone tried, or does anybody know if it is possible to import SFC (Starfleet Command) models into EV Nova?

I know you can't import them directly, but what I am asking is how one would go about importing an SFC (.MOD) model into a usable format.
I know it might be esier in Windows, as there is a stand alone utility for windows user to be able to view models.
How might one go about doing this via a Mac, and Strata 3D?

Thanks in advance for any help.
- Highway

EV Nova doesn't render 3D models on the fly; instead, it displays sprites. Typically these are prerendered in the 3D program of your choice. So in your case, you'd render the different poses you want for your ships, layer them out in a grid, and use them as part of a shan resource. Piece of cake.

I understand that... the problem is, I don't know of a way to SEE (view) an SFC mesh/model

http://www.strategyplanet.com/sfc/
http://www.strategyp...sfc/files.shtml

first link looks like a modding community for SFC
second is their file list. TCs, models, utilities.

in all likelyhood, they use standard modeling apps and convert to .mod. The converter may be two way. if it isn't, you may have to do a bit of programming.

This post has been edited by Artanis : 21 March 2006 - 02:55 AM

Yes, I've seen it.
They have a utility for Lightwave 3D, and Max 3D.

They also have a windows Viewer. But it's not for Mac
I should go to their forums though. They may know.

Best bet is to find someone with Cinema 3D or Lightwave who can try to convert those files into .3ds files for you, then hope you can make them work in Strata.

Or just remake the models yourself, which was my solution, since the latter, when FunkMaster tried to do it for me, turned out like crap.

This post has been edited by UncleTwitchy : 21 March 2006 - 06:24 AM

I know from personal experience that you're asking for trouble if you are going to be using Strata to import a .3ds file, or really any other standard 3D file format.

Lightwave is probably your best bet for getting this to work.

Um... yeah. The education license is down to $200ish I've heard.

But Maya is better.

Other than having to create my own textures, I've never had serious difficulty on the majority of imported .3ds models I've used in Strata.

Thanks Uncle Twitchy, that was very helpful.
Currently, most of the models I either create, or import them as 3ds files, and texture them, so I'm quite used to going that route. But there are a few SFC models that I have not been able to find anywhere else. But yes, I believe I might have someone who has lightwave and is willing to convert to 3ds for me... hopefully it will work.
I would just go buy lightwave, but I can't shovel out that much at the moment.
Hamster: Why is Maya better? And would it work for this? Though it's probably more costly than LWO.

Apologies, I should've asked which version of Strata you would be running. The most recent version of Strata, Strata 3D CX, will work fine with .3ds models. Previous OS 9 versions were not as friendly, but these were the ones most people used (and still use) for modeling ships and weapons in EV. (Along with Mechanisto, and whatnot)

If you like using CAD, you'll like Lightwave. I've used both Lightwave and Maya, and I detest Lightwave, probably because I'm just not the sort of modeler who works well with it. Maya is much more free-form in a way. Lightwave has a Hub, a Modeler, and Lightwave itself, which you use to compose scenes. In Maya, you do it all in one application, which I find friendlier, more efficient (As I'm not working at a graphics farm, and thusly don't need to have advanced rendering que controls or a hub), and more Mac-like.

As for people who whine about the tons o' buttons in Maya: No one uses the buttons in Maya. Hotbox > Anything.

And that's my Maya rant.

I have Strata 3D pro Version 3.9 (the last version before CX came out)
It's native OS X.
I have not decided if I want to make the jump to CX, or go with something else altogether.
If MAX 3D was cheaper, it would be a no-brainer, but that is why it's so expensive.

It totally depends on what you want to do, down the road, with modeling.

Strata was originally made for corporate 3D stuff. Logos, little animations, um... logos? Granted, it's grown since its inception, but 3DSMax, Maya, and Lightwave are the programs you'll want lots of experience with if you're going into the game/ movie/ creative business with your 3D modeling career.

Right... exactly.

I considered Maya because it's used for a lot of recent 3D movies. I believe Star Wars utilized Maya for much of their modeling and animation.
Star Trek™ seems to enjoy the power of Lightwave.

And it seems just about anything can be done in Max. But there is a cost to reflect it.

Strata Seems to be especially made for making photorealistic scenes, not nature scenes, but architecture, structures, logos, product designs, and man-made items and machines, from weapons, to household items and such.
Though without much experience with Maya, CX seems to be along more of the lines of Maya, do you know if this is true?

Yes, Strata CX's inteface is much more similar to Maya than Lightwave. I'm afraid I haven't used 3DSMax much at all, so I can't give you a comparison there.

Often times, a combination of 3D programs will be used on the same project: If one program can't do it quickly, the other can. I'm trying to cover Maya and Lightwave before I go off to Cogswell, where they focus on 3DSMax, so I'll have a general education on those three main programs.

As far as the learning curve goes, Lightwave and Maya are both pretty high, but if you grew up on Strata (like me), you'll probably find Maya a little easier to get around. You should definately download the Personal Learning Edition of Maya to try it out. It's free, and fully functional, but it watermarks all renders. Maya PLE

Okay, great. Thanks.
Yes, I had downloaded the Maya PLE a few months ago... never got around to trying it though.

I'm thinking if I like it, I may upgrade to Strata CX instead of another program, since my upgrade cost's should be pretty light.

Does Maya import Max or 3DS files?
If so, how does it compare to working with 3ds files as opposed to Strata?

I'm almost definitely sure that Maya supports Max and 3Ds files. If you're comparing the modeling power you get over imported 3ds files using CX, and Maya, there really is no contest. Maya wins hands down. Again, Maya is simply a more powerful modeler.

If you are just doing ships, and other inorganic, mostly non-moving models, CX should work just fine for you. I'm just saying if you want to go beyond that, and say, sculpt and animate a character with skin or something, or create lush landing pics with trees and alien landscapes, Maya's the program to use.

Thanks Hamster,

That is what I needed to know!

No problem.

Just to let you know, I decided to go ahead and get CX and Silo, great programs, though Silo will take some getting used to... mostly because of the difficulty with viewing angles. (camera angles). But both seem to be really great modeling programs. CX has much better modeling tools than Strata Pro.

The biggest hurtle is trying to figure out how to import the Strata models into Silo.
Strata won't export 3DS. But it will export DXF, Silo is supposed to import DXF, but it seems to have some issue with it, and it won't show up... not sure why.

Do you know where to find some good 3D converters?
Perhaps to convert DXF to 3DS.

Thanks,
- Highway

Blender can import DXF and export 3DS, though I don't know about the quality of the export scripts. Might as well try it out, though. Note: if you're using a Mac, get the Python 2.3 version, since you don't have Python 2.4 installed by default.

Good luck! I'm really looking forward to this plug.