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New tutorial video!
jit-ogre user dev.sim has graciously provided the community with a new tutorial video, detailing the export process from maya to ogre. This is a mac specific tutorial, but the windows process is very similar.
Maya to Ogre export tutorial
UPDATE!
Max 5 versions of jit-ogre for mac and windows are now available.
Unfortunately, an inconspicuous bug has prevented the windows build from working in fully optimized Release mode. Only Debug mode is working, which means the object will perfom much slower on windows than on mac until this bug is fixed.
Please note that these updates where build against a later version of the Ogre library. Therefore you must update your Ogre.framework if you had previously installed jit-ogre for max 4 on the mac.
BUT, if you've installed the Maya OgreExporter plugin, don't replace the Ogre.framework. Check the readme.txt file for instructions on where to place the newer version of the Ogre.framework for max 5.
Changelog:
- removed the attributes auto_normals and auto_camera and the message update_cam.
- removed behavior attribute. all behaviors are enabled by default.
- removed noise_mesh behavior.
- removed lighting attributes. lighting is linked to the gl.render context lighting.
- added manual_bone behavior. this behavior allows for manual control over the bones in a mesh's skeleton.
Introduction
This project is a Jitter external which embeds the functionality of the open source Ogre3D rendering engine, and exposes it to the Max environment. What this basically means is you can export models from several 3D modeling applications, with textures/materials and animations, and render them and control them in jitter using hardware buffer acceleration.
NOTE: This wiki is currently geared mainly towards Jitter users. In the future I will create some pages which i hope ogre users will find useful.
The Question
Now, the question. "How do I take my awesome models I created in [insert your modeler of choice] and animate them with this external?" The answer is, you don't. Just kidding. But seriously, it's not a simple process. I want to emphasize this without sounding condescending, but real time 3D modeling is a highly technical craft that people spend years honing their skills at and make lots of money doing. The reason being, there's a lot of voodoo involved, and its something i know very little about. So it will take you some time to get your model satisfactorily exported if real-time rendering is something you're new at. That being said, it's a relatively straight forward process. And there is only one place where you are going to learn much, the ogre3d artists and content creators forum.
Please notice the first four topics are all stickys that will be very useful for you to look at.
In addition, you will want to go here to find the proper exporter for your modeler of choice.
PLEASE NOTE: The maya 8.5 exporter for the mac is broken. I have fixed it and you can download it here:
Lastly, if you really want to know what you're doing with your textures and shaders and such, you will want to familiarize yourself with the ogre material scripts, by reading the manual:
The External
So on to the external. I have created some tutorial videos which will hopefully make learning this thing less painful. This is my first project for public consumption, and I have no idea if I have created this in a way that will make sense to others. I hope I have, but you'll see for yourself.
Here are the links to the vids in the order you should watch them:
Download
Below is the link to the files you need to install to use this. Please see the above videos and look at the README file for installation instructions. (mac only for now)
PLEASE NOTE: In case you don't actually want to listen to my raspy voice for 30 mins to learn how to use this, you MUST do the following steps to get this to work:
- Bang the render context (or just turn on the metro). the window will go black.
- Send the window to fullscreen (press escape). the ninja should appear.
- You can now restore the screen size and do whatever you want.
you must do these steps every time you initialize the gl context.
RoadMap (aka things that are broke)
- capture: i have a strategy for this, but i didn't have time to implement it. hopefully it won't be too long to get capture working. this is first priority.
- multiple texture units: currently, applying a jit.gl.texture to a jit-ogre object, requires a single texture unit. hope to get that fixed to allow for multi-texturing
- jit.gl.shader: it's possible that this will never work correctly, but if enough people want it...
- All the bugs that you find and report to me at support _at_ jitogre.org
- Python / Lua script bindings.
- Additional SceneManagers and environment rendering (skyboxes, particle systems, paging landscape, terrain, portal zone)
Outro
My last note. ogre is a beast. he is an incredibly well written, well documented and well supported beast, but he is a beast. also, this is just the tip of the iceberg. I will be open sourcing the entire project (still waiting on my SourceForge project approval) and my hope is that other developers will jump in and add functionality and fix bugs and do things i never thought of.
Also, Ogre likes good cards (ATI, NVIDIA). Ogre doesn't like dumb cards (Intel GMA aka the macbook card). he will do his best, but don't expect miracles. Real-time rendering is voodoo, and dealing with different card vendors and drivers and vram and all this stuff tends to be a headache. so much patience is required.
above all, have fun.
Acknowledgements
This project was made possible with the help of several people.
- Carl Skelton - director of the IDMI program at Brooklyn Polytechnic University.
- Wes Smith (aka the advisor)
- Josh Goldberg (aka the instructor)
- Anton Marini (aka vade)
- Josh's Advanced Interactive class: Marius, Dan, Jeremy, Meng, David
- Sen-I (aka the wife)
- Lastly, the great Ogre3D project, it's creator Steve Streeting, and the entire Ogre community.
