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modeleditor:introduction [2011-02-11 17:04] carsten Augmented and improved the text |
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- | ====== The Model Editor: Introduction ====== | ||
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- | The Cafu Model Editor answers the question: "How do I get my models into Cafu?" | ||
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- | Its purpose is to | ||
- | * load and import model files, | ||
- | * support many file formats (see below for a list), | ||
- | * let you inspect the loaded model both graphically and structurally, | ||
- | * enable you to tweak and adapt the model (e.g. import additional animations, remove unused skeleton nodes, etc.) | ||
- | * set or adjust all Cafu-specific settings (such as animation properties, GUI panels, collision details, etc.), | ||
- | * assign and edit render materials, | ||
- | * save the resulting model in Cafu's own file format. | ||
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- | Summarized, the Cafu Model Editor makes your models ready for use in the Map Editor and the Cafu Engine. | ||
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- | The Cafu Model Editor is //not//, despite its name, a general-purpose mesh editor that lets you create a model from scratch: There are many commercial and free programs for this purpose already that we don't intend to rival. | ||
- | In fact, model artists use one or more of these programs early in the work pipeline to create and shape the model, then use the Cafu Model Editor as described above. | ||
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- | ===== Starting the Model Editor ===== | ||
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- | Like the other asset editors, the Model Editor is a part of CaWE. | ||
- | You start it via menu items | ||
- | * **File -> Open... (Ctrl+O)** or | ||
- | * **File -> New -> New Model (Ctrl+Shift+N)** | ||
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- | With both menu items, you're next presented the **File Open** dialog to open a previously created model. | ||
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- | ===== Supported File Formats ===== | ||
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- | At this time, the following file formats are supported: | ||
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- | ^ Extension ^ Description ^ | ||
- | | ''.cmdl'' | Cafu Engine native model file format | | ||
- | | ''.3ds'' | 3D Studio 3DS | | ||
- | | ''.ase'' | Ascii Scene Export, 3D Studio Max ASE | | ||
- | | ''.dxf'' | Autodesk AutoCAD DXF | | ||
- | | ''.dae'' | Collada DAE | | ||
- | | ''.fbx'' | Autodesk FBX | | ||
- | | ''.lwo'' | Lightwave Object LWO | | ||
- | | ''.md5'' | Doom3 / Quake4 MD5 | | ||
- | | ''.mdl'' | Half-Life1 MDL | | ||
- | | ''.obj'' | Alias OBJ | | ||