3dsMax...

OpenGL Development
#1

hello…very one…=)
im doing a project titled “virtual baby”, how can i display the virtual baby that i created using 3dsMax in java?? i know it needed some loader to load the virtual baby to java, but i don’t know how to use those loaders that i downloaded from the internet (eg. Starfire, 3dsloader). Any simple loader for beginner to use? since im new in java…=)

and one more…which one the better preferable?? animate the virtual baby in 3dsmax and put it to jave or load the virtual baby model to java and animate in java??

Thanks alot…for who spend their time answering my question…is very urgent…i only got 2 weeks remain to finish this project…

Very thank you!! :-/

#2

[quote] how can i display the virtual baby that i created using 3dsMax in java?? i know it needed some loader to load the virtual baby to java, but i don’t know how to use those loaders that i downloaded from the internet
[/quote]
All a ‘loader’ does is to load the file from disk into memory, in a format deemed usable. If you know the file format you should be able to build one yourself. Any prebuilt loaders you download should come with documentation. If they don’t, it shoud be obvious how to use them by looking at the source. If that isn’t available, you’ll have to ask the author.

Also, it would help to know something about 3D model formats in general when using these things. That’s what makes them easier to use.

While it would be nice to be able to load any model into a program and just animate it any way you want, things unfortunately do not work that way. You need to animate the model in 3DS and save it. When you load the model into the program, you can used the animation data exported from 3DS to make it animate. There are different ways of animating models (skeletal animation and keyframing). You’ll need to learn how to apply them in order to make animations happen.

#3

[quote]hello…very one…=)
Thanks alot…for who spend their time answering my question…is very urgent…i only got 2 weeks remain to finish this project…
[/quote]
2 weeks and you’re going the low level 3d API way…? :slight_smile: I wouldn’t. Use a high level 3d API for Java (for example Xith3d, or SUN’s froozen J3D) and use one of their importers to import your 3ds model to the scenegraph of Xith/Java3d. If it’s been animated within your 3d application you can even use Xith/Java3d to play the animation.

Have a look at the Xith thread please, or the Java3d thread, …

#4

do know a bit on how to animate a object in keyframe, so can i animate the object in keyframe, and save as .3ds then import to java? so that i don’t need to use the skeleton method to animate the object…since keyframe is much more easy is it??

The problem im facing now is how to import the object to java? if i can manage to display the object, i think i should be able to continue my work according to the schedule, too bad, im stuck in here… any loader can suggest to me

Lastly, use a high level 3d API for Java (for example Xith3d, or SUN’s froozen J3D) is it same as the normal java3d only is a class???

Thanks

#5

[quote] do know a bit on how to animate a object in keyframe, so can i animate the object in keyframe, and save as .3ds then import to java?
[/quote]
Simple time/keyframe based animation is possible with .3ds and it’s usually being loaded by Kevin’s 3dsloader to a Xith3d scenegraph.
Please have a look at his 3ds-loader: http://www.newdawnsoftware.com/resources/xith3d/ . The zip archive contains a Character.3ds which is animated.

However complex models are not always loadable in a clean way. So it depends on your model and which tool exported it, etc.

There are some threads on the Xith3d forum: http://www.java-gaming.org/cgi-bin/JGNetForums/YaBB.cgi?board=xith3d

[quote] so that i don’t need to use the skeleton method to animate the object…since keyframe is much more easy is it??
[/quote]
Unfortunately I’m no expert with 3d or 3d animations at all, I am just a newbie Xith3d user… Skeletons and bones are not yet possible to load anyway with Xith3d, but in the future.

[quote]The problem im facing now is how to import the object to java? if i can manage to display the object
[/quote]
Well, you set up your scenegraph in Xith3d, which is pretty easy. Please have a look at the mentioned forum and some threads there, or ask the question over there.
Then you use the 3dsloader for example, to load a new scenegraph node and add that to your root scene graph.
Depending on what you want to do it needs some studying of the API and/or tutorials, but basically it’s really simple. Well even I managed to use it. :slight_smile:

[quote]Lastly, use a high level 3d API for Java (for example Xith3d, or SUN’s froozen J3D) is it same as the normal java3d only is a class???
[/quote]
I don’t know Java3d in practice, I’ve just taken a look at its API and tutorials. So no comment on the quality of Java3d’s loaders and so on. I am using Xith3d currently and it looks very similar to Java3d, which is nice.

Java3d you’ve to install additionally to a Java JRE/SDK and it’s available for Win32 and Mac.
Xith3d uses the new JOGL API as its OpenGL binding (and in future you can choose to use LWJGL as its OpenGL binding). So next to your app.jar and xith.jar you’ve to use the native jogl.dll/jogl.so/blabla which runs on Mac, Linux, Solaris, Win32 and several more (please see Jogl forum for details).
In contrast to Java3d you can bundle a Xith application very nicley via Webstart so it’s matter of a click to start it on a JRE’ed PC.

Please take a look at a small example I bundled for a test in this thread: http://www.java-gaming.org/cgi-bin/JGNetForums/YaBB.cgi?board=xith3d;action=display;num=1078132539

#6

[quote]i only got 2 weeks remain to finish this project…
[/quote]
Have you considered using something like Macromedia Shockwave? Don’t know much about it, but I think it would be much faster than using java or any other programming language.

#7

Thanks your reply my post…=)
My supervisor want me to use JAVA to code the program…so i can’t use Macromedia Shockwave for this…anyway =) im trying what Bombadil told in the reply…see how it goes…really really really thanks alot man… :stuck_out_tongue: