VTA import - now working (indirectly but it works!)

[Link00y]

Well.. first of all.. download the app to make it possible at [url]http://l0nk.org/vtaapply.zip[/url] (source code for Delphi 2009 is included) ..
because now a wall of text will start where I just quote the readme file included! If you do not want to read it.. not my problem! I will get to a real life example WITH COLOURED SCREENSHOTS (colour by Technicolor and powered using your monitor) after that blue quote readme block.

[quote]This application allows you to apply VTA animations to SMD model files.

The idea is to recover lost original files. The generated SMD files are compatible to the original ones. So if you use 3ds max for example the generated SMD files can be used as valid morph targets to their original SMD file - this way you could for example recover lost original model data files.

Once you open vtaapply.exe it will ask you which SMD file to open. The SMD file you open now is the original SMD file to apply a VTA file to. You do not require to make a safety copy of it (although I recommend you to do anyway) the app should never actually write to it, it will only read it. Once you have selected it, it will request you to select the VTA file to apply! Again, this VTA file will not be modified. As VTA files are made of multiple frames, in the next dialog it will ask you which of the frames to apply. Please note that frame is not frame - it totally depends on the VTA exporter you used! I will name two common example:

3ds max VTA export (we're working with 10 frames for the VTA
export):
-first of all the VTA contains a list of base verticles
which are to be changed in the file
-frame 1: vertex animation applied by 10%
-frame 2: by 20%
...
-frame 10: by 100%

So if your VTA file was created by 3ds Max you'll always want to select the last frame of a file. However mdldecompiler for example does something totally else:

Mdldecompiler_expressions.vta structure:
-first of all the VTA contains a list of base verticles
which are to be changed in the file
-frame 1: 1 finalized 100% expression
-frame 2: another 100% finalized expression
-frame 3: and another 100% finalized
....

For Max users: It seems to me the Source engine ignores all frames between the base data and the final frame so most of your frames are completely useless.. using 1 frame should be 100% sufficient, Source seems to auto-create transitions.

So as you can see mdldecompiler works completely different, the easiest way to check which frame matches which animation is to check the qc file:

flexfile "mdldecompiler_expressions.vta" {
flex "l_blink" frame 1
flex "r_blink" frame 2
....
}

This tells us: frame 1 is the l_blink - so most likely blinking left eye!

Okay back to business: you selected your frame now.. it will now apply the frame to the SMD file it has in memory (again the source file will not be touched). After it has applied the animation (may take some seconds) it will ask you for the saving place of the new to be created SMD file. Now it will store the SMD file from memory to your harddisk! And well.. now you should be able to import that SMD file into your favorite modelling application![/quote]

Okay.. we got that covered.. and probably noone read it.. so let's get to the:
[b]Real Life example[/b]

I did lose a 3ds MAX file.. now I have an SMD and some VTAs.. and would like to continue working on them.. bad.. for 3ds max 8.. I won't find a VTA importer - only an exporter.

For this demonstration I will use an Amy Rose model (Sonic character) I did port before.. we're going to be using the vertex animation for the blinking left eye:

So first of all, I open vtaapply.exe - it will ask me to select the original SMD file:
[img]http://l0nk.org/vtaa01.png[/img]

Okay I double click amy.smd and it'll show some model statics. Then Il have to select the VTA file.
[img]http://l0nk.org/vtaa02.png[/img]

I select blink_l.vta - again some VTA statistics will be shown to prove the import worked. And it will ask me which VTA frame I plan to import.. VTA frames are described in the readme, the way they are used depends on your VTA exporter.. I used 3ds max to make my VTA file so I'll select the last frame in the list!
[img]http://l0nk.org/vtaa03.png[/img]

Now it's applying the frame data to the SMD file it keeps in its memory. This takes up to a few seconds and then I'm asked where I want to store the new SMD file with the applied VTA file to:
[img]http://l0nk.org/vtaa04.png[/img]

Okay.. that's the part vtaapply.exe does.
Now we're going into our favorite modelling application (3ds max 8 in my case) and we'll import the original SMD into it (including skeleton, textures - import everything):
[img]http://l0nk.org/vtaa05.jpg[/img]
(materials were applied manually.. the white models are kinda stupid to look at, thus I did that)

Now I'll additionally import the one with the VTA file pre-applied... this time the skeleton should not be imported (in case of 3ds max 8, untick "Import skeleton")!
[img]http://l0nk.org/vtaa06.jpg[/img]

Now let's add the Morpher modifier to the original model.. and try to select the new model as morph target:
[img]http://l0nk.org/vtaa07.jpg[/img]

Success.. morph target accepted.. now I can delete the VTA added SMD file..
[img]http://l0nk.org/vtaa08.jpg[/img]

Now I have a MAX file with the added morpher again! So now.. let's get back to modelling!

[Hybrid 4F]

Cool, thanks a lot.

[Plague Nexus]

Awesome, thanks.

[A big ass]

Sweet.

[Mystfit]

This looks incredibly useful, thanks a lot. :D

[mariokart64n]

I was thinking link, would it be easy to make a VTA exporter?

like open a smd as the main model. then import a series of other SMDs to create a new VTA file. this would largly benefit milkshape users such as luigimario who use MS3D exclusively for all there ragdolls.

as milkshape currently has no VTA support. a seperate vta creator would mean your 3deditor would only need smd support, and thats it. vta could be handled in a seperate program.

-anyway just a thought. I'm on 3dmax, always will be. just thought this could be useful to others.

[Mystfit]

I think wunderboy is working on a 3ds max vta exporter. He said it's in a hacky state at the moment but apparently working.

[mariokart64n]

no, I have a vta exporter for 3dsmax already. I wasn't talking about me

[mm3guy]

If you get a VTA import in XSI then you'd be my hero for the rest of time

[Link00y]

@mm3guy: the app should work fine for XSI - it simply merges a VTA into an existing SMD.. so you result with two SMDs.. that should work with all modeling applications which can import SMD.. I just do not know if XSI does flexes via morphers the way 3ds max does it.. if it does not, then it most likely do not work

@mario_kart: see my answers on MSN ;)

[Painkilla]

Reupload please ...

[Skanatic]

Hey man this is great I really needed that tool and I can't find anything else for importing the expressions in a 3d package. Can you please upload it again cause the link is not working anymore.

[Hybrid 4F]

[url]http://files.filefront.com/vtaapplyzip/;13923526;/fileinfo.html[/url]

[Skanatic]

Great Thanx man :D

[DementNeo]

Doubtful, but can anyone re-reupload this? the link died again for me.

[Hybrid 4F]

See post #13.

[DementNeo]

I said RE-reupload, your one doesn't work for me anymore.

[editline]04:35AM[/editline]

File is Unavailable.

The file you are attempting to download is not currently available on our servers or is being processed. Please try your download in a few minutes.

fyi I tried it last month and again twice today, so I don't think it's coming back

[Hybrid 4F]

Works fine here. I'll upload it to yousendit.com

[b]Edit:[/b] [url]http://www.yousendit.com/download/ZW9CUXVpd0k5bEN4dnc9PQ[/url]

[DementNeo]

Thanks chum

[Insaneicide]

all links are down please re upload :(

[Silver Spirit]

No need: [url]http://cid-c59ea3c98a300f31.office.live.com/self.aspx/.Public/Programs/vtacreate.7z[/url]

edit: Actually this may be something different as I have no idea what the description in the OP is on about O.o

Edit2: AH, I see now, this can be done manually, you just pick which frame you want from the VTA file in notepad and copy each of the numbered entries over the SMD (which would have to be of the same model) triangle lines with the same numbers, granted it will take a long time to do.

[Funnycat]

Sorry for the necrobump, but is there a version of this that does batch? I mean, it would be nice to export every expression instead of going through 50 one-by-one. Also, sometimes when I import the expressions into max there is a vertex count mismatch (i.e. 2 vertices less in the imported mesh) or the amount is right but they still fuck up when I try using morpher. Some help please?

[Cl0ud]

Can anyone who has this please re-upload?

[Cl0ud]

nobody has this? :(

[Jano952]

[QUOTE=Cl0ud;29050576]nobody has this? :([/QUOTE]

pls people re-upload

[Funnycat]

the bumps might have saved this from deletion, hm

anyway, reup

[url]http://dl.dropbox.com/u/4608952/vtaapply.zip[/url]

[cra0kalo]

hmm useful man

[Jano952]

thank you very much !!!

[cra0kalo]

well the VTA exporter doesnt work !!

[IMG]http://dl.dropbox.com/u/10798900/Pictures/flex.jpg[/IMG]

[Deunan]

-snip-