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Hi,
I'm having a problem with .x files & making entities animate...

I followed the tutorial ( MyBox thing from a previous post ) & all was well, box entity appears fine.

But I can't seem to get animations to work, I've tried various things trying to get the box to spin when you go near it.

I'm using a modified "autodoor" script to trigger the animation ( the sounds trigger okay )& Milkshape seems to export animation info into the .x file okay...
Using Milkshape's "JT" .x exporter seems to be okay... using the DirectX8.0 exporter gets the "Error 7018 @ line 12500" message when you try to select the entity from the library in FPSC.
I've used 3DSmaxR3's .x export plugins ( xout, Panda, XSkinExp.dle ) but none seem to export any animation info into the .x file...

What am I doing wrong???

Mucho thanks if anyone can help.

First thing you need to make sure you have the entity set up correctly - look to see if its set to be static or not. Right click in editor and look at its properties try changing them.

If that does not work then the next option is confirm if the .x file you are using in FPSC is credible.

i.e. whatever your animated model is supposed to do - can it actually do it?

You need a prog in which you can see that your finished model indeed contains all the frames of animation. I use Deep Exploration to view models.

If you can confirm that your model has all animation frames (the one in FPSC folder, not the one in model editor before saving or exporting) then it should work in FPSC. Though............Just cos it has all frames dont mean it will work in FPSC. So we need eliminate all options.

Some .x models wont actually save correctly from a prog when others appently do from the same prog - it depends on the individual model and how its constructed. Some modelling progs seem to do well with only some models. What sometimes happens is a model may contain all frames of animation in a modeller but a particular prog does not export all the data as needed by FPSC in a correct .x file description so it wont work in FPSC. The x.file description language has some iconsistencies and variations across progs. i.e. there are some incompatibilities. Just as with any other language like HTML or JAVA.

e.g. I use 3D exploration to convert some models to the .x file format for use in FPSC and they work fine - in other cases they wont. In the cases that wont I use Gamespace instead and that normally the fixes the problem and vice versa. I have had no luck with x.files exported from Milkshape.

Given that your model is credible then - it should work in FPSC and using any script copied from a default file which contains animation info should work. If you look at animation commands in the manual and a default script file then you should be able to make up a simple script to call your animation.

The best thing to do is choose a default entity script that nearest matches the kind of entity you have made and then if you can look at that default entity (copy it) to see how the animation is made up - note the number of frames and how they are called and described in the entities default script - that way you can actually understand how FPSC entiy animations are called (valuable knowledge). No matter if you cant view the default entity....

Using a copy of the script remove any script lines that you wont need if any (keep it simple) - then find a script that has player proxmity data (use auto door if you like) and amend the proximity code if need be. Amend the animation frame script part to refelect the number of frames your animated model contains. Play with the static - not static settings in editor - thats all - it should work.

One other thing if anything dont work in FPSC as you expect it to, exit FPSC go to the entity folder where you keep yours and delete the entities associated .bin and .dbo files which FPSC will have created - these alone will sometimes stop things working or sometimes stop any changes you make in editor from showing up. These files may have to be deleted more than once if you make additional changes in editor to the entities properties. A nusiance I know but unfortuneately thats how it works. This alone could be your problem.

Keep at it - dont give up cos you can get it to work and once you crack it, then it will be easier next time - you just then use the same procedures thereaafter

keep smiling

Thanks for all the info...

So you've had no luck with Milkshape then? I guess I'll try something else.

I've checked the script & it's okay, proximity activates a sound okay, & the animation seems to be called okay ( correct frame-range etc )

So I'll try a different convertor/exporter & see what happens.

Thanks!

What export settings do you use to export .x from gamespace?

I loaded the autodoor mesh from TGC folder into gamespace, but the anim didn't show, although the keys were there.

So I set up a rotation anim for MyBox.x in gamespace(30frames length), exported it, opened it in notepad to check(anim info was present) but still no joy in FPSCreator, using the autodoor script.
The sounds still play ok.

I know it's "active" & have deleted previously made .bin & .dbo files...

Any idea what I'm doing wrong?

Chris D,

When you say the animation did not show in Gamespace I presume you mean there is no animation attached or just that you cant see it or cant play it?

If you say you are checking for correct animation info in notepad and can confirm that its present - i.e. the Door does indeed animate and any prob lies within FPSC - then you may not be doing anything wrong at all.

FPSC is a bit erractic when it comes to playing animations on doors if the original default .x files have been altered in any way or any new ones you make have been saved in the .x file format by exterior progs. Can be fussy about any .x file in fact. Max is what FPSC default entities are made in and they are saved in a particular way so FPSC is fussy about what .x file description language is used with some entities, how it matches the default in compatibility and so on, though I dont have proof of that, rather presume such as I just know that doors are a bit erratic an unpredictable. It may have nothing to door with your model and animation if it dont work.

I can tell you as posted elsewhere that I have a door - Swings open and I can place it in different walls.

One will only work with auto door script, one with use script and one wont work and does not open at all no matter what you do another will open and close in one place on player proximity but will only open but refuses to close in another wall - absolutely no consistency all using the same model entity x.file (segment application).

Work that one out? erratic is not the word for it.

Without doubt 3D exploration is extremely valuable for checking .x files correctly animate - if they do have the animation frames then I have never known it not to play an animation. Try it in 3D exploration

I'm getting really frustrated about this...

I'm working with quite an old 3DSMAX(R3) ( I'm not made of money ) & the .x exporter plugins I can get for it don't support animation, I have to resort to free, demo or cheap convertors.
Milkshape seems useless to me & GameSpace(Lite) looks more promising but still won't deliver, but the problem may just lie with FSPC being so "erratic" with .x import.

Wouldn't it be better if they could make modeller specific exporters & have their own FPSC format for 3Dmodels so they can be sure they work??? Similar to the Cult3D system for online 3D stuff???

I've done modelling for online 3D for a while using Cult3D(via it's own 3DSmax plugin) & Wirefusion ( which just uses standard .wrl VRML97 models) with no problems AT ALL!
It seems like easy & reliable import of 3D models would be one of the most important features for FSPC, .x files just seem to be a pain cos of the differences that crop up in conversion.

Anyway I need a rest from the stress of trying to get my own animated models to work, so:

I tried just copying some existing segments, walls, doors & stuff( .x,.fpe,.fps etc etc) into new "MyWhatever"folders, just with different textures & they didn't work either, they showed okay in the library, showed up okay in the map editor too with the new textures, but when I went to test it I got a runtime error 7001 @ line 2903 ( whatever that means!)... illegal mesh number (?) & FPSC closed itself.

Are these problems that FPSCcreators are aware of & will hopefully be ironed out in V1???

All I'm trying to do is make an Egyptian tomb style game which shouldn't be hard ( different textures & a few model tweaks, new sounds etc ) As it's going I'd've got farther with my old "The3DGameCreator"!!!

Grrr!

Thanks for your help anyway!