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Blender Vertex Mesh export Plugin [V1.2.5].

Questions and tools for modelling.
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luke11685
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Re: Blender Vertex Mesh export Plugin [V1.2.5].

Post by luke11685 »

If it's impossible to make 2d mode in Jazz Jackrabbit 3 alpha demo in unreal editor 1 then what about Unity? Is it supporting morph targeting? I found in download section some tool which is converting Unreal Engine 1 meshes into .psk and .psa models, right? So will target morphing animations turn into ik skeletal mesh animations? Will this require using weight painting in Blender 2.79? Which tool should I use to extract(for this experiment) Jazz Jackrabbit 3d model (powered by unreal engine 1) ninja ripper(because ut4xconverter is outdated so I'm not counting it) or Unreal editor 1 or UCC.exe? Is Ninja Ripper tool also extracting maps besides character models?
Last edited by luke11685 on Mon Oct 21, 2019 8:51 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Blender Vertex Mesh export Plugin [V1.2.5].

Post by Skywolf »

Crimzan: Your best bet would be merging the muzzleflash with the rest of the mesh and assign it the same vertex group as the weapon. This essentially parents it to the bone that controls the weapon giving the same result.

MrRobotBear: I think you're looking in Blender. I'm talking about setting bMasked in UnrealED under Texture properties. All Flags = 2 does to my knowledge is settings this for you on import.

Luke: Doubt a conversion from Unreal's Vertex mesh to a skeletal mesh will maintain animations. It likely just creates a still frame in PSA/PSK format. As for a 2D mode. I know someone made a mod that turned Unreal into a side-scroller (check the downloads section) but iirc it didn't work all that great. But I guess it's possible with some coding skill but you would be practically creating a new game from scratch at that point. Afaik does Unity support morphing targets. But never used that engine so no idea how it works exactly.
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Re: Blender Vertex Mesh export Plugin [V1.2.5].

Post by luke11685 »

Do you mean brand new Jazz Jackrabbit 3 alpha demo powered by unreal engine 4 within high poly aesthetics? If that's so I can use Jazz Jackrabbit model from udk kismet tutorial udk/ue3 and import it to unreal engine/editor 4, right?
Last edited by luke11685 on Mon Oct 21, 2019 11:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Blender Vertex Mesh export Plugin [V1.2.5].

Post by luke11685 »

When Blender 2.80 came out it seems Blender 2.79b is no longer working properly.
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Re: Blender Vertex Mesh export Plugin [V1.2.5].

Post by Hellkeeper »

When Blender 2.80 came out it seems Blender 2.79b is no longer working properly.
In what respect? I used 2.79b just three weeks ago to make a rock for [url=http://hellkeeper.net/images/map/pics/empire/empire1.jpg]my latest map[/url] and it worked fine, including import/export scripts.
You must construct additional pylons.
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Re: Blender Vertex Mesh export Plugin [V1.2.5].

Post by Skywolf »

Dunno if he's referring to the newest version of the plugin but from 1.3.4 and onward is it no longer compatible with 2.79. 2.8 is too different and also plain superior to 2.79. So I didn't bother putting in the effort of making the plugin cross compatible. If you really insist on using 2.79 use an older version of the plugin.
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Re: Blender Vertex Mesh export Plugin [V1.2.5].

Post by luke11685 »

I heard this plugin isn't working in blender 2.8.
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Re: Blender Vertex Mesh export Plugin [V1.2.5].

Post by han »

I'm currently working on tools regarding meshes, and while cleaning up stuff I decided that it makes sense to extend the TriType definition for the JamesMeshes (and skeletal meshes as they use about the same). The issues were, that on one hand a type for PF_Highlighted (premultiplied alphablending) was missing, and on the other hand all non solid types would also always set PF_TwoSided, but thats certainly not always that desirable. So I came up with:

Code: Select all

enum EJSMeshTriType
{
      // Triangle types. Mutually exclusive.
      MTT_Normal               = 0x00, // Normal one-sided.
      MTT_NormalTwoSided       = 0x01, // Normal but two-sided.
      MTT_TranslucentTwoSided  = 0x02, // Translucent two-sided (was MTT_Translucent).
      MTT_MaskedTwoSided       = 0x03, // Masked two-sided (was MTT_Masked).
      MTT_ModulatedTwoSided    = 0x04, // Modulation blended two-sided (was MTT_Modulate).
      MTT_AlphaTextureTwoSided = 0x05, // Straight alpha blended two-sided (MTT_AlphaBlend in 227).
      MTT_HighlightedTwoSided  = 0x06, // Premultiplied alphablended two-sided.
      MTT_Translucent          = 0x07, // Translucent one-sided (MTT_Translucent was name for translucent two-sided before).
      MTT_InvisibleTwoSided    = 0x08, // Placeholder triangle for positioning weapon two-sided (was MTT_Placeholder).
      MTT_Masked               = 0x09, // Masked one-sided (MTT_Masked was name for masked two-sided before).
      MTT_Modulated            = 0x0A, // Modulation blended one-sided.
      MTT_AlphaTexture         = 0x0B, // Straight alpha blended two-sided.
      MTT_Highlighted          = 0x0C, // Premultiplied alphablended one-sided.
      MTT_Invisible            = 0x0D, // Placeholder triangle for positioning weapon one-sided.
      MTT_Unused0E             = 0x0E, // Unused.
      MTT_Unused0F             = 0x0F, // Unused.

      // Bit flags.
      MTT_Unlit                = 0x10, // Full brightness, no lighting.
      MTT_Flat                 = 0x20, // Flat surface, don't do bMeshCurvy thing.
      MTT_Environment          = 0x40, // Environment mapped.
      MTT_NoSmooth             = 0x80, // No bilinear filtering on this poly's texture.

      // Masks for more readable code.
      MTT_TypeMask             = 0x0F,
      MTT_FlagMask             = 0xF0,
};
Skywolf: Would you mind adding support for those? :)
Last edited by han on Sat Nov 30, 2019 11:28 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Blender Vertex Mesh export Plugin [V1.2.5].

Post by Skywolf »

Sorry for the late respondse.

But sure. No problem. I assume these changes only apply to 227? Or does the OldUnreal patch for UT also get these changes?

The only problem is that my exporter looks for the TriType by name in the material. So if I were to copy the new names it would mean that Modulated now gives a different TryType than before for example.

What would be best way to solves this? Copying the new names regardless, Making the new names something like ModulatedOneSided so not to change the old ones or should I add a way to switch between the old and the new names?

Also not sure what would happen if the new TryTypes were imported into an UE game that isn't updated to an OldUnreal Patch. Afaik it just turns them to Normal but want to make sure.
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Re: Blender Vertex Mesh export Plugin [V1.2.5].

Post by han »

I don't know about Unreal 227, but I don't see any particular reason why not to extend that list for it. It's just hard to catch Smirftsch, maybe I have more luck with someone else. :P

For UTPG I certainly want to do this (and anth hasn't said anything against it specifically  yet), for my Deus EX stuff (there will be coming sth. big next year) and my Nerf stuff I certainly will support them. I mean it's not that big deal, it's just a bit of remapping. KWG games (HP1/HP2?/BB?) map trans and modulated to one sided on their own skelmesh importer.

In general I'm working right now on a lot of mesh related stuff, and that kinda popped up. as the difference, that it makes sense to also support singlesided versions, and most important add premultiplied alphablending types which filter correctly.

And my main intention right now is just to get some updated definition out, after all these JSTriTypes are also reused by SkeletalMesh code, so one has sth. to use for the like next 20 years.

As for how to remap the names, I think the best would be really to map to the singlesided versions and introduce TwoSided as an extra modifier (I mean you should always just add some backward compatibility checkbox/dropdown for those who exporter to games who wont support the new types).

The worst thing which will happen is that everything is solid for an entire unsupportive game, so checking for a compatilitby option on the exporter is straight forward. For those engines who do support it, well... I think I have an idea what will happen: Suddenly triangles will disappear because they were backfaces in the first place, which would now get removed, so people might actually end up having faces in the right direction. From a rendering standpoint I wouldn't mind faces having the correct direction too much. :D

However, that all beeing said, it may actually make sense to also update the naming scheme completely, I noticed in ActorX the code translating theflags is a pile of garbage, so I want to clean that up. I already created some helper function for (in engine) skeletal mesh export to translate the TriTypes into material names, which is orientated on the ActorX naming scheme:

Code: Select all

//
// Converts EJSMeshTriType into a material name for ActorX trying to reproduce the same EJSTriType.
//
// Maximum lenght combinations:
//  * Long:  48 chars: AlphaTextureTwoSidedUnlitFlatEnvironmentNoSmooth
//  * Short: 31 chars: WeaponTwoSidUnlitFlatEnvirNoSmo
//
inline FString appJSMeshTriTypeToActorXMaterialName( BYTE Type, UBOOL Short=0, FOutputDevice* Error=GNull )
{
      FString MaterialName;

      // Blend mode.
      if ( appIsJSMeshTriTypeNormal(Type) )
            MaterialName = Type==0 ? TEXT("Opaque") : NULL("");
      else if ( appIsJSMeshTriTypeTranslucent(Type) )
            MaterialName = Short ? TEXT("Trans") : TEXT("Translucent");
      else if ( appIsJSMeshTriTypeMasked(Type) )
            MaterialName = Short ? TEXT("Mask") : TEXT("Masked");
      else if ( appIsJSMeshTriTypeModulated(Type) )
            MaterialName = Short ? TEXT("Modul") : TEXT("Modulated");
      else if ( appIsJSMeshTriTypeAlphaTexture(Type) )
            MaterialName = Short ? TEXT("Alph") : TEXT("AlphaTexture");
      else if ( appIsJSMeshTriTypeHighlighted(Type) )
            MaterialName = Short ? TEXT("High") : TEXT("Highlighted");
      else if ( appIsJSMeshTriTypeInvisible(Type) )
            MaterialName = TEXT("Weapon");
      else
      {
            MaterialName = Short ? TEXT("Unkn") : TEXT("Unknown");

            Error->Logf( TEXT("Unknown MTT Type (0x%0F)."), Type&MTT_TypeMask );;
      }

      // Backstabbing.
      if ( appIsJSMeshTriTypeTwoSided(Type) )
            MaterialName += Short ? TEXT("TwoSid") : TEXT("TwoSided");

      // Flags.
      if ( appIsJSMeshTriTypeUnlit(Type) )
            MaterialName += TEXT("Unlit");
      if ( appIsJSMeshTriTypeFlat(Type) )
            MaterialName += TEXT("Flat");
      if ( appIsJSMeshTriTypeEnvironment(Type) )
            MaterialName += Short ? TEXT("Envir") : TEXT("Environment");
      if ( appIsJSMeshTriTypeNoSmooth(Type) )
            MaterialName += Short ? TEXT("NoSmo") : TEXT("NoSmooth");

      return MaterialName;
}
(ActorX will just check for the short names).

I will update my ActorX fork once I find the time to, to add the missing stuff, and well fix the broken code for it setting them. ActorX also  has a james mesh exporter, which would be using that naming scheme than in my fork (though I probably add an option to fall back to the "broken" scheme for UE2+).

Now while that at first may sound like it won't affect you (other than for consistency reasons), there is something I need/want to talk to you about:

I'm currently working on a new vertex animation format itsself and an exporter. The idea is to build in on the same chunked style file format as the PSA/PSK files (I even want to use PJS as file extention, spoken: Pyjamas). The idea here is to have an improved file format, which addresses issues like the low UV resolution (tough outside DX vertex resolution as well), introduce chunks for normals, quads and have the ability to store some per animation metadata like the psa files do (most animation defines in #exec lines can be placed inside the psa files). That way one can transfer such things as animation grouping, anim names, etc. Also that way one can fit it into UFactory/UExporter flow, including most metadata, which is sth. i personally do want, so one doesnt need to maintain that big #exec line chunk.

So you might be interessted in supporting that as well. :P

I want to use the same naming scheme on export as above, and personaly I think it would be best to just switch to that scheme everywhere, and have it consistent for the next 20 years, instead of dealing with an inconsistent scheme in 20 years still. :)

I hope I can get some traction to get the tritype and the pjs file formats going, but lets hope for the best.
Last edited by han on Sat Dec 07, 2019 10:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Blender Vertex Mesh export Plugin [V1.2.5].

Post by luke11685 »

Image
Image How to fix it?
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Re: Blender Vertex Mesh export Plugin [V1.2.5].

Post by Krull0r »

I have no issues. I updated blender to the latest version which was released in 6th December 2019.
And I had to reinstall the plugin. I'm using version 1.3.5.

You should try to reinstall the plugin mabye that helps.




Thanks to the blender update all my key settings are messed up again :D
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Re: Blender Vertex Mesh export Plugin [V1.2.5].

Post by Skywolf »

@Han If you can give the finished technical specs for the improved I will gladly take a look at it. Shouldn't be too much work to implement. Will hold off on changing the TriTypes until then as well. If thing need to be overhauled I'd rather do everything in one go.

@Krullor You do know when you first start a new version of Blender you can click a button on the splash screen to copy over all your settings from the previous version? Not sure if you can still do it after that though. I assume you can but can't find it anywhere myself.

Has anybody tried the plug-in on 2.81? Curious if that version breaks anything.
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Re: Blender Vertex Mesh export Plugin [V1.2.5].

Post by han »

Sure, will let you know ones I'm done with spec. My plan is to write the spec alongside implementing support for export/import in ue1, so there will be test files available as well. :)
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Re: Blender Vertex Mesh export Plugin [V1.2.5].

Post by Krull0r »

@Skywolf I will try to test it as soon as possible. For now Import and Export are still selectable.


I also had luck. I found my old key settings in my project folder :)
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Re: Blender Vertex Mesh export Plugin [V1.2.5].

Post by Krull0r »

Tested it. The plugin works fine so far I found no issues.
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Re: Blender Vertex Mesh export Plugin [V1.2.5].

Post by tewfik2020 »

Hello there. I'm new here and have tried this pluguin, and it works!!
I have never thought that I can make animation with Blender these days. Many thank you. :)
Last edited by tewfik2020 on Fri Mar 20, 2020 3:30 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Blender Vertex Mesh export Plugin [V1.2.5].

Post by atrey »

By chance, would you be willing to add a feature to import a folder of Unreal models and export them?
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Re: Blender Vertex Mesh export Plugin [V1.2.5].

Post by BlumpkinKing »

Hi guys, I'm new here. Been in the Unreal world since it released, and it's what got me into mapping and modelling as a kid. I recently started playing again, and it's sparked my modding inspirations once again lol. I'm posting this here because I'm having an issue getting this plugin to work with Blender. It installs fine, but it says "Upgrade to version 2.8x required". I've tried in every version of Blender I have from 2.80 up to 2.90 and it says the same thing in all versions. I haven't tried 2.79 (and I really don't want to go back to that disgusting UI). I have the same issue with the .psa/.psk plugin as well...
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Re: Blender Vertex Mesh export Plugin [V1.2.5].

Post by []KAOS[]Casey »

It installs fine, but it says "Upgrade to version 2.8x required"
https://github.com/Radivarig/UvSquares/ ... -513562936

maybe same problem?
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Re: Blender Vertex Mesh export Plugin [V1.2.5].

Post by Skywolf »

Can't seem to reproduce this. How exactly are you installing it? And what version? (1.3.5 is the newest and is the one I tested).

You normally install add-ons by clicking Edit -> Preferences -> Add-ons (On the left of the preferences window) -> Install... -> select the un-extracted .zip file -> enter "vertex" in the search field -> make sure the plugin is enabled.
Last edited by Skywolf on Thu Oct 22, 2020 11:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Blender Vertex Mesh export Plugin [V1.2.5].

Post by luke11685 »

Why in this forum was deleted thread about extracting level mapa from the other video games from late 90’s to Unreal Engine 1? Something about VRML2 files.
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Re: Blender Vertex Mesh export Plugin [V1.2.5].

Post by Pitbull »

Why in this forum was deleted thread about extracting level mapa from the other video games from late 90’s to Unreal Engine 1? Something about VRML2 files.
Because whatever you posted broke the forum rules which you were warned about many times in various PM's by multiple admins. Or your post was irrelevant to the thread such as this one.

Continuation as such will result in a permanent ban.
Last edited by Pitbull on Mon Dec 07, 2020 8:11 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Blender Vertex Mesh export Plugin [V1.2.5].

Post by luke11685 »

Okay sorry. I just wanted to know how to properly extract maps from older games with similar aesthetics to Unreal Engine 1 I just wanted to amuse you guys.
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Re: Blender Vertex Mesh export Plugin [V1.2.5].

Post by Skywolf »

Moved the exporter to Github. New version also fixes an issue with polyflags getting combined and folder paths not working correctly for the maybe 1 person other than me that does their modding on Linux.

https://github.com/Skywolf285/UE1-VertexMesh-Blender-IO

Any issues could either be reported here or on GitHub. General discussion or questions should stay here though.
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