PaceMaker IS Neat, But...

... the export options are limited, and i can't get .x animations to export (or they are not loading into anything i try to load em into)...

if PaceMaker would only add a Milkshape Ascii Export option, that would open up a whole world of users, and maybe increase license sales...

anyway... what are the immediate plans as far as this is concerned...

thx

--Mike

Given your age I was expecting this to be about the other kind of PaceMaker.

Keep in mind that .X animation varies between the versions. Example, .X animation in DX7 is vastly different than .X animation in DX8. Make sure you are not running into compatibility issues.

Although if Pacemaker is made for B3D, one would think it would support DX7's animation?

:) noooo... i got plenty of batteries for my pacemaker...

i was referring to the 3D animation program...

good point though about the differences between versions... i tested it in TS 3.4 and the latest Milkshape...

lemme try some other modelers... although regardless, i would really like it to export to a format that Milkshape can read... this would open it up to export to a few formats...

... if this was scheduled for the future, i'd buy a license today.

--Mike

Unfortunately, the X format is notorious for compatibility issues between products, even when dealing with the same version of "X". If you can remember, back in the 3D Rad days, the only way I could get my static MD2's converted to X and have them actually work properly in 3D RAD (or even DB) was to write my own MD2 to X converter, which I released to the RAD community years ago. Back then just about every modeling program would screw up the X format and with it in an ASCII & Binary format back, then, it only added to the compatibility problems.

Trying to get X animations that will work with B3D is rather hard. Trying to find any modeling program that will properly import/export the animated X formats is even harder. I am not 100% sure, but I do not think that the animated X format supported by B3D can be easily converted to an animated .b3d model. I think the .b3d format is far more advanced than what B3D's X implementation is.

I think you would be better off exporting from Pacemaker as a .b3d file and using one of the third-party tools for Milkshape to import the .b3d format? Community import/export/converters:
http://www.blitzbasic.com/sdkspecs/sdkspecs.php

Somebody more knowledgable please correct any mistakes ;c)

Blitz3d only supports DX7 hierarchial mesh animation.
PaceMaker only does skeletal animation i.e with bones.
Its animated .x format export is DX8/9 and loads perfectly into Fragmotion & Ultimate Unwrap. The only stipulation for export to this format is that the skeleton is normalised which is good practise anyway if you plan on sharing animation between different models.

Milkshape does not support vertex weighting and therefore is not really any good for boned meshes that do use vertex weighting. Therefore no export to MS3D ascii will be added unless this changes.

I'm currently adding .dbo (DarkBasic Pro) and .dsq (Torque).

For converting animated file formats I would recommend Fragmotion - it does just about every format going - import AND export. You can import an animated .b3d or .X from PaceMaker and then export it to pretty much any format you want.

I think it's possible to load an .x model in Milkshape.

yeah... i can load an x model via the dxtools menu, but no anims come in with it...

i'll try to find the b3d importer...

another option i'm playing with is converting via ultimate unwrap, but i've gotta get the latest version...

thanks for the help guys...

*** added***

ok... i got it all together... UUnwrap imports .b3d exports to .msd, and i'm loading .msd into Milkshape and can export with anims to milkshape ascii and a few others...

looks like i'm gonna buy a license to Pacemaker... it IS a lot easier to rig and animate than characterFx, and it's another opportunity to support a Blitz indie developer...

--Mike

Hi all,

Which one is easier to use for animation:pacemaker or milkshape 3D?

Thanks in advance.
Sammy
:)

They are both very easy to use but PaceMaker has some unique features that make creating certain types of animated sequences such as falls, impact and death sequences totally automated - you just set a few parameters and then record the resulting animation.
PaceMaker's IK tool is very easy to get to grips with and actually works.

Milkshape is primarily a modeller with only basic animation functions. It has no IK tool and does not support vertex weighting.

Download the demo and have a play - after all, it's what is easier for you that counts

you can do simpler animations in Milkshape... once you learn it's unique way of doing things... animating rotating radars and simple stuff like that...

... but anything complex, like animating people, i'd think is best done with Pacemaker, and not Milkshape... the easy rigging of the skeleton, and selection of vertices is a big Pacemaker plus.

.. just offering up my unqualified opinion :)

--Mike

PaceMaker is very good. Not only that but it is unique (for the price). Only top-end 3D software offers physics but at the expense of complexity. Pacemaker is very immediate and is actually often fun to use.

yup... got mine :)

--Mike

> :) noooo... i got plenty of batteries for my pacemaker...

Just think of the battery power you'd save by only using one full stop. :)