ASE *BITMAP path issues

motorsep · **Posted:** Tue Jul 10, 2012 7:34 am

I was testing ASE just now and it seems like I am having an issue with *BITMAP path. Wiki says to have "base/models/blah blah", but also suggests if that doesn't work, use "doom3/base/models/blah blah" or "//purgatory/purgatory/models/blah blah"

"WTF?!" is my question :/ What do I need to use and what all that mumbo jumbo is for?

Thanks!

P.S. Does ASE have to have 1 material per mesh, or can it have 1 mesh with bunch of submaterials ? (that's a different question not related to the first one)

Lord Zurra · **Joined:** Tue Mar 06, 2007 1:56 pm **Posts:** 7

*BITMAP path must be same as your material for that model in your .mtr file.

If your material is,

Code:

models/awesomeModel
{
   metal
   noselfshadow
   
   diffusemap      models/awesomeModel_d.tga
   specularmap   models/awesomeModel_s.tga
   bumpmap       models/awesomeModel_s.tga

}

then your *BITMAP needs to be

Code:

*BITMAP "//base/models/awesomeModel

Doom3 does not support submaterials. But the Serpentine from The Dark Mod forums have made an extension for the assimp viewer which will allow you to convert your submaterials to separate materials.

http://forums.thedarkmod.com/topic/1356 ... er-beta-3/

The Happy Friar · **Posted:** Tue Jul 10, 2012 12:29 pm

lwo's allow multiple materials per model but Blender (2.49, not sure about 2.6x) has a limit on the material length name.

BloodRayne · **Posted:** Tue Jul 10, 2012 1:09 pm

.ASE files can have multiple materials, just not sub-materials.
As long as the meshes aren't connected to other meshes with a different material.

I use it all the time.

Code:

*3DSMAX_ASCIIEXPORT   200
*COMMENT "AsciiExport Version  2,00 - Sat Dec 03 13:43:15 2011"
*SCENE {
   *SCENE_FILENAME "brspawnpoint.max"
   *SCENE_FIRSTFRAME 0
   *SCENE_LASTFRAME 100
   *SCENE_FRAMESPEED 30
   *SCENE_TICKSPERFRAME 160
   *SCENE_BACKGROUND_STATIC 0.0000   0.0000   0.0000
   *SCENE_AMBIENT_STATIC 0.0000   0.0000   0.0000
}
*MATERIAL_LIST {
   *MATERIAL_COUNT 3
   *MATERIAL 0 {
      *MATERIAL_NAME "textures_vincere_vin_ds_darkestmetal"
      *MATERIAL_CLASS "Standard"
      *MATERIAL_AMBIENT 0.0000   0.0000   0.0000
      *MATERIAL_DIFFUSE 0.0000   0.0000   0.0000
      *MATERIAL_SPECULAR 0.2200   0.2200   0.2200
      *MATERIAL_SHINE 0.0000
      *MATERIAL_SHINESTRENGTH 1.0000
      *MATERIAL_TRANSPARENCY 0.0000
      *MATERIAL_WIRESIZE 1.0000
      *MATERIAL_SHADING Blinn
      *MATERIAL_XP_FALLOFF 0.0000
      *MATERIAL_SELFILLUM 0.0000
      *MATERIAL_FALLOFF In
      *MATERIAL_XP_TYPE Filter
      *MAP_DIFFUSE {
         *MAP_NAME "\\base\textures\vincere\vin_ds_darkestmetal"
         *MAP_CLASS "Bitmap"
         *MAP_SUBNO 1
         *MAP_AMOUNT 1.0000
         *BITMAP "\\base\textures\vincere\vin_ds_darkestmetal.tga"
         *MAP_TYPE Screen
         *UVW_U_OFFSET 0.0000
         *UVW_V_OFFSET 0.0000
         *UVW_U_TILING 1.0000
         *UVW_V_TILING 1.0000
         *UVW_ANGLE 0.0000
         *UVW_BLUR 1.0000
         *UVW_BLUR_OFFSET 0.0000
         *UVW_NOUSE_AMT 1.0000
         *UVW_NOISE_SIZE 1.0000
         *UVW_NOISE_LEVEL 1
         *UVW_NOISE_PHASE 0.0000
         *BITMAP_FILTER Pyramidal
      }
   }
   *MATERIAL 1 {
      *MATERIAL_NAME "textures_vincere_vin_metalpilar"
      *MATERIAL_CLASS "Standard"
      *MATERIAL_AMBIENT 0.0000   0.0000   0.0000
      *MATERIAL_DIFFUSE 0.0000   0.0000   0.0000
      *MATERIAL_SPECULAR 0.2200   0.2200   0.2200
      *MATERIAL_SHINE 0.0000
      *MATERIAL_SHINESTRENGTH 1.0000
      *MATERIAL_TRANSPARENCY 0.0000
      *MATERIAL_WIRESIZE 1.0000
      *MATERIAL_SHADING Blinn
      *MATERIAL_XP_FALLOFF 0.0000
      *MATERIAL_SELFILLUM 0.0000
      *MATERIAL_FALLOFF In
      *MATERIAL_XP_TYPE Filter
      *MAP_DIFFUSE {
         *MAP_NAME "Map #2"
         *MAP_CLASS "Bitmap"
         *MAP_SUBNO 1
         *MAP_AMOUNT 1.0000
         *BITMAP "\\base\textures\vincere\vin_metalpilar.tga"
         *MAP_TYPE Screen
         *UVW_U_OFFSET 0.0000
         *UVW_V_OFFSET 0.0000
         *UVW_U_TILING 1.0000
         *UVW_V_TILING 1.0000
         *UVW_ANGLE 0.0000
         *UVW_BLUR 1.0000
         *UVW_BLUR_OFFSET 0.0000
         *UVW_NOUSE_AMT 1.0000
         *UVW_NOISE_SIZE 1.0000
         *UVW_NOISE_LEVEL 1
         *UVW_NOISE_PHASE 0.0000
         *BITMAP_FILTER Pyramidal
      }
   }
   *MATERIAL 2 {
      *MATERIAL_NAME "textures_vincere_vin_red_seal"
      *MATERIAL_CLASS "Standard"
      *MATERIAL_AMBIENT 0.0000   0.0000   0.0000
      *MATERIAL_DIFFUSE 0.0000   0.0000   0.0000
      *MATERIAL_SPECULAR 0.2200   0.2200   0.2200
      *MATERIAL_SHINE 0.0000
      *MATERIAL_SHINESTRENGTH 1.0000
      *MATERIAL_TRANSPARENCY 0.0000
      *MATERIAL_WIRESIZE 1.0000
      *MATERIAL_SHADING Blinn
      *MATERIAL_XP_FALLOFF 0.0000
      *MATERIAL_SELFILLUM 0.0000
      *MATERIAL_FALLOFF In
      *MATERIAL_XP_TYPE Filter
      *MAP_DIFFUSE {
         *MAP_NAME "Map #3"
         *MAP_CLASS "Bitmap"
         *MAP_SUBNO 1
         *MAP_AMOUNT 1.0000
         *BITMAP "\\base\textures\vincere\vin_red_seal.tga"
         *MAP_TYPE Screen
         *UVW_U_OFFSET 0.0000
         *UVW_V_OFFSET 0.0000
         *UVW_U_TILING 1.0000
         *UVW_V_TILING 1.0000
         *UVW_ANGLE 0.0000
         *UVW_BLUR 1.0000
         *UVW_BLUR_OFFSET 0.0000
         *UVW_NOUSE_AMT 1.0000
         *UVW_NOISE_SIZE 1.0000
         *UVW_NOISE_LEVEL 1
         *UVW_NOISE_PHASE 0.0000
         *BITMAP_FILTER Pyramidal
      }
   }
}
*GEOMOBJECT {
   *NODE_NAME "spawnpoint"
   *NODE_TM {
      *NODE_NAME "spawnpoint"
      *INHERIT_POS 0 0 0
      *INHERIT_ROT 0 0 0
      *INHERIT_SCL 0 0 0
      *TM_ROW0 0.1000   0.0000   0.0000
      *TM_ROW1 0.0000   -0.0000   0.1000
      *TM_ROW2 0.0000   -0.1000   -0.0000
      *TM_ROW3 0.0000   -0.0000   30.0000
      *TM_POS 0.0000   -0.0000   30.0000
      *TM_ROTAXIS -1.0000   -0.0000   -0.0000
      *TM_ROTANGLE 1.5708
      *TM_SCALE 0.1000   0.1000   0.1000
      *TM_SCALEAXIS 0.0000   0.0000   0.0000
      *TM_SCALEAXISANG 0.0000
   }
   *MESH {
      *TIMEVALUE 0
      *MESH_NUMVERTEX 48
      *MESH_NUMFACES 24
      *MESH_VERTEX_LIST {
         *MESH_VERTEX    0   -12.0000   -12.0000   56.0000
         *MESH_VERTEX    1   12.0000   -12.0000   56.0000
         *MESH_VERTEX    2   12.0000   12.0000   56.0000
         *MESH_VERTEX    3   -12.0000   12.0000   56.0000
         *MESH_VERTEX    4   12.0000   -12.0000   60.0000
         *MESH_VERTEX    5   -12.0000   -12.0000   60.0000
         *MESH_VERTEX    6   -12.0000   12.0000   60.0000
         *MESH_VERTEX    7   12.0000   12.0000   60.0000
         *MESH_VERTEX    8   12.0000   -12.0000   56.0000
         *MESH_VERTEX    9   -12.0000   -12.0000   56.0000
         *MESH_VERTEX   10   -12.0000   -12.0000   60.0000
         *MESH_VERTEX   11   12.0000   -12.0000   60.0000
         *MESH_VERTEX   12   12.0000   12.0000   56.0000..... <snip>

motorsep · **Posted:** Tue Jul 10, 2012 4:59 pm

Alright, thanks for the replies. It works the way Lord Zurra described, when material name matches *BITMAP path. Doesn't really work other way.

There is an awesome ASE exporter for Blender 2.63+ for UDK, that hopefully will be getting proper Doom 3 support. Does anyone have a test case ASE (or can someone please make a case) where it has 3 meshes, 3 materials and vertex alpha for texture blending on at least 2 meshes?

Deadite4 · **Joined:** Sun Jan 09, 2005 11:55 pm **Posts:** 598

You have a modeller/artist on your team right? Have him/her make up a few quick test assets for your R&D...

motorsep · **Posted:** Tue Jul 10, 2012 7:15 pm

I am the artist.. However, I am using Blender, not 3DS MAX. Thus I can't make a test case I am asking for as Blender can't export into ASE with multiple meshes (only 1 mesh with submaterials).

=NoMercy= · **Joined:** Sat Oct 02, 2004 10:33 pm **Posts:** 903

I haven't tried this yet, but couldn't you export the two meshes as seperate ASE files, then merge them together in notepad?

You see you have

Code:

*GEOMOBJECT {

Which is basically all the information you need for an object, it contains the vertex locations and what not, and most importantly, which material is assigned to it.

For example, at the bottom of a GEMOBJECT, you have something like this.

Code:

*MATERIAL_REF 0

If you look at your materials you'll see something like this

Code:

*MATERIAL 0 {

So basically, if you had a *MATERIAL 3, you could set your *MATERIAL_REF to 3, which in theory should assign that mesh to that material.

It's a bit more work, but if Blender can only export 1 mesh in an ase, that's how you could get around it hopefully.

EDIT: Your ase file would end up looking something like this

Code:

*SCENE {
//scene information
}
*MATERIAL_LIST {
   *MATERIAL_COUNT 2
   *MATERIAL 0 {
        //material options
              *MAP_DIFFUSE {
              //more options
              }
        }
   *MATERIAL 1 {
        //material options
              *MAP_DIFFUSE {
              //more options
              }
        }
}
*GEOMOBJECT {
   *NODE_NAME "object1"
   *NODE_TM {
        //more stuff here
   }
   *MESH {
        //vertex and face locations
        }
        //more stuff
        *MATERIAL_REF 0
}
*GEOMOBJECT {
   *NODE_NAME "object2"
   *NODE_TM {
        //more stuff here
   }
   *MESH {
        //vertex and face locations
        }
        //more stuff
        *MATERIAL_REF 1
}

Sikkpin · **Joined:** Thu Aug 19, 2004 7:22 pm **Posts:** 1123

I've used that ASE exporter for 2.63 and it exports meshes with multiple objects just fine, though for some reason vertex painting crashes my Doom 3. Removing the vertex and face color sections allows the mesh to load and I've compared with an ase file that has vertex color that loads in Doom 3 and I can't see any difference in syntax. Just thought I'd mention it.

*Edit: I'm stupid. I forgot that I had figured out what was causing that crash. The exporter was exporting the same number of MESH_NUMCVFACES as MESH_NUMCVERTEX when it should be the same as the number of MESH_NUMTVFACES, or at least truncating the list to match fixed it and allowed the mesh to load with correct vertex blending.

motorsep · **Posted:** Tue Jul 10, 2012 11:38 pm

I will try the trick, =NoMercy=, thanks.

I don't know what exporter for 2.63 (BMesh) you are using, Sikkpin, but this one http://code.google.com/p/ase-export-vmc/ produces messed up UV maps and it doesn't support export of more than 1 mesh.

http://i.imgur.com/iq8bs.png << Exported from 2.49b

http://i.imgur.com/2Equz.png << Exported from 2.63a

Same scene. First one has 2 meshes, 1 material per mesh. Second one has 1 mesh with submaterials. Needless to say that the latter one doesn't show 2 materials in MD5viewer (meaning the engine doesn't support submaterials in ASE).

Deadite4 · **Joined:** Sun Jan 09, 2005 11:55 pm **Posts:** 598

You were already told Doom 3 doesn't support submaterials

BloodRayne wrote:

.ASE files can have multiple materials, just not sub-materials.

Doom3world

ASE *BITMAP path issues

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