XSI|Softimage - X Files - Hierarchy Animation

Hello.

I realise that B3D does not support skeletal or mesh deformation animation with X files. However people commonly mention that it can animate 'hierarchy' animation.

Can someone tell me how to go about creating one of these in Softimage XSI 5.0?

Alternatively....

Can someone point me to an X file which animates in blitz3d using this method so that I can load it up into XSI and work out how to create it in XSI so that it animates in blitz3d.

Alternatively....

it would be great if someone could create an exporter for XSI or even a convertor from dotXSI format (which looks very similar to blitz3d's b3d format from my own limited knowledge) - I'd be willing to pay for a good b3d exporter for XSI, I'm sure there are other XSI users who may appreciate this.

Hi matty,

Map still in progress by the way, no promise of a time when ill finish it as ive been swamped.

Im not sure what hierarchy animation is, ive never got good results with X format.

I havent tested this because i dont own softimage, but
there is a really nice and simple way of getting animations out of XSI

Ultimate Unwrap 3D has a plugin for it heres what it supports

IMPORTING
=========
Geometry, materials, textures, UV coordinates, multiple UVsets, vertex colors, 
bones and weighted skeletal animation can be imported.

Note that all texture files should be located in the same directory as the 
XSI file, otherwise they may not be found.

XSI material properties imported:
ambient color
diffuse color + transparency
specular color + shininess
emissive color

XSI mesh/shape properties imported:
Vertex positions
Vertex colors + alpha
Texture coordinates (max uvsets: 2)
Triangle lists
Triangle strips
Polygon lists

XSI animation-specific properties imported:
Envelopes for skinned meshes
Function Curves (translation/rotation/scale)
Interpolation key types (constant/linear/hermite/cubic)

Not Supported
-------------
Nurbs Surfaces
Patch Surfaces


Misc Options
------------
Center model:
Centers the model at the origin.

Floor model:
Floors the model on the XZ plane.

Merge similar materials:
Materials referencing the same texture map will be merged.

hope this helps

was there any reason why you wanted to us X format and not b3d?

B3D format is fine - you can use that and I would prefer it - I was mainly interested in X format because that is what XSI can export. This was more a general question about XSI & exporting X files, not really relevant to our project. Also - I've made some changes to the sprite graphics, they now take up about 1/4 the disk space & memory which is good.