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Modding, Mission Design, and Coding => The Modding Workshop => Topic started by: emark4 on January 27, 2018, 10:31:11 am

Title: How can I convert POF model files to be usable with blender?
Post by: emark4 on January 27, 2018, 10:31:11 am
I want to edit a ship model from blue planet using blender but I cannot find a working link to get the downloads to have pof's work with blender. Does anyone know a good way to get  POFs to work with blender (and to convert them back to POFs again)?
Title: Re: How can I convert POF model files to be usable with blender?
Post by: krevett62 on January 27, 2018, 12:12:40 pm
Use pcs2 to convert it to dae format to import it to blender. If i recall you will have to reassign textures manually but the model will be fully imported.
Title: Re: How can I convert POF model files to be usable with blender?
Post by: emark4 on January 28, 2018, 01:57:00 pm
Use pcs2 to convert it to dae format to import it to blender. If i recall you will have to reassign textures manually but the model will be fully imported.

Okay, dae file, got it.

Sorry for the blender noob question but , what is the blender function do i use to add those cockpit lines (i dont know what they are called) to the windows of a ship, like an x-wing or a b-wing from star wars? I'm new to blender.
Title: Re: How can I convert POF model files to be usable with blender?
Post by: Scooby_Doo on January 28, 2018, 09:16:34 pm
Use pcs2 to convert it to dae format to import it to blender. If i recall you will have to reassign textures manually but the model will be fully imported.

Okay, dae file, got it.

Sorry for the blender noob question but , what is the blender function do i use to add those cockpit lines (i dont know what they are called) to the windows of a ship, like an x-wing or a b-wing from star wars? I'm new to blender.

You mean like panel lines that go all around the ship?  Unless it's a really deep cut, leave that to the textures.
Title: Re: How can I convert POF model files to be usable with blender?
Post by: Nyctaeus on January 28, 2018, 10:38:54 pm
Use pcs2 to convert it to dae format to import it to blender. If i recall you will have to reassign textures manually but the model will be fully imported.

Okay, dae file, got it.

Sorry for the blender noob question but , what is the blender function do i use to add those cockpit lines (i dont know what they are called) to the windows of a ship, like an x-wing or a b-wing from star wars? I'm new to blender.

You mean like panel lines that go all around the ship?  Unless it's a really deep cut, leave that to the textures.
I think he's talking about metal reinforcements of cockpit glass.

This is actually quite complex job. You cau use Knife [shortcut K] and cut the cockpit glass model in the places where you want individual ribs of the reinforcement.. Now you need to select the lines you created and use Bevel [Shift + B]. Set the thickness you want. Now you just need to make UV for your lines, assign it to different material, and paint a metal on them. Alternatively you can import cockpit texture [tercoc01 in MediaVPs 2014], and apply your ribs to parts of this texture,
Title: Re: How can I convert POF model files to be usable with blender?
Post by: Scooby_Doo on January 29, 2018, 01:13:27 am
Use pcs2 to convert it to dae format to import it to blender. If i recall you will have to reassign textures manually but the model will be fully imported.

Okay, dae file, got it.

Sorry for the blender noob question but , what is the blender function do i use to add those cockpit lines (i dont know what they are called) to the windows of a ship, like an x-wing or a b-wing from star wars? I'm new to blender.

You mean like panel lines that go all around the ship?  Unless it's a really deep cut, leave that to the textures.
I think he's talking about metal reinforcements of cockpit glass.

This is actually quite complex job. You cau use Knife [shortcut K] and cut the cockpit glass model in the places where you want individual ribs of the reinforcement.. Now you need to select the lines you created and use Bevel [Shift + B]. Set the thickness you want. Now you just need to make UV for your lines, assign it to different material, and paint a metal on them. Alternatively you can import cockpit texture [tercoc01 in MediaVPs 2014], and apply your ribs to parts of this texture,

Ahhh the cockpit frame.  One thing I would mention is first create a clone of the glass.  Then cut that clone.  When you're done creating the frame, delete the glass parts from that clone.  This helps cut down on polygons and more importantly helps prevent ugly poly issues.
Title: Re: How can I convert POF model files to be usable with blender?
Post by: emark4 on January 31, 2018, 09:55:17 pm
Use pcs2 to convert it to dae format to import it to blender. If i recall you will have to reassign textures manually but the model will be fully imported.

I played around with blender with one of the .pof files (converted it into a .dae) . But when converting back from .dae to pof with PCS 2 with the edited model i dont see anything at all in perspective projection but I see the model in orthographic projection. Whats worse is that the model in game dosent show. Im not sure what am i doing wrong.

Title: Re: How can I convert POF model files to be usable with blender?
Post by: emark4 on January 31, 2018, 09:57:25 pm
Use pcs2 to convert it to dae format to import it to blender. If i recall you will have to reassign textures manually but the model will be fully imported.

Okay, dae file, got it.

Sorry for the blender noob question but , what is the blender function do i use to add those cockpit lines (i dont know what they are called) to the windows of a ship, like an x-wing or a b-wing from star wars? I'm new to blender.

You mean like panel lines that go all around the ship?  Unless it's a really deep cut, leave that to the textures.
I think he's talking about metal reinforcements of cockpit glass.

This is actually quite complex job. You cau use Knife [shortcut K] and cut the cockpit glass model in the places where you want individual ribs of the reinforcement.. Now you need to select the lines you created and use Bevel [Shift + B]. Set the thickness you want. Now you just need to make UV for your lines, assign it to different material, and paint a metal on them. Alternatively you can import cockpit texture [tercoc01 in MediaVPs 2014], and apply your ribs to parts of this texture,

Ahhh the cockpit frame.  One thing I would mention is first create a clone of the glass.  Then cut that clone.  When you're done creating the frame, delete the glass parts from that clone.  This helps cut down on polygons and more importantly helps prevent ugly poly issues.

Did something weird by combining the cockpit of the blue planet uhlan to the izrali ship of the same mod. I have imported it back from dae to pof but the model dosent show in game.
Title: Re: How can I convert POF model files to be usable with blender?
Post by: Nyctaeus on January 31, 2018, 10:11:38 pm
Use pcs2 to convert it to dae format to import it to blender. If i recall you will have to reassign textures manually but the model will be fully imported.

I played around with blender with one of the .pof files (converted it into a .dae) . But when converting back from .dae to pof with PCS 2 with the edited model i dont see anything at all in perspective projection but I see the model in orthographic projection. Whats worse is that the model in game dosent show. Im not sure what am i doing wrong.
Numpad 5 in Blender is switching projection mode. You have the same option in PCS2 in top tools bar.

Also to convert your model back, you have to assign textures to materials. The best way to keep everything working is keeping textures in the same folder as model. Select one face of your model, now press Shift + G and select Material. Now you have selected all faces which use one, unique texture. Go to UV edition mode, press Image -> Open Image and select matching texture. Go the same way with all textures your model uses.

Note that you have to do the same thing for all levels of details and debris chunks too [if existing]. Go ahead and google how to use materials in Blender.
Title: Re: How can I convert POF model files to be usable with blender?
Post by: emark4 on February 01, 2018, 07:45:16 am


Numpad 5 in Blender is switching projection mode. You have the same option in PCS2 in top tools bar.

Also to convert your model back, you have to assign textures to materials. The best way to keep everything working is keeping textures in the same folder as model. Select one face of your model, now press Shift + G and select Material. Now you have selected all faces which use one, unique texture. Go to UV edition mode, press Image -> Open Image and select matching texture. Go the same way with all textures your model uses.

Note that you have to do the same thing for all levels of details and debris chunks too [if existing]. Go ahead and google how to use materials in Blender.

Would I need to scale the model in blender to be bigger? I noticed that when importing into dae the model became very small.


Also, in blender,  the textures seemed to be already assigned.

Should note that Im combining two ship pieces. I putting the Blue planet uhlan's cockpit nose to the Izrali ship's body, while replacing the cockpit with said uhlan cockpit.

But in game, ONLY the weapon is showing. The same happened when I imported the Uhlan from pof to dae, & back again. With similar results.
Title: Re: How can I convert POF model files to be usable with blender?
Post by: Nyctaeus on February 01, 2018, 09:24:02 am
No, .dae will preserve your custom scaling.

Maybe it's just problem of naming of models on your hiererchy? LODs must be named "detail0", "detail1" etc. Debris must be named "debris". If any mesh is child of other model, like cockpit may be children of detail0, name doesn't matter.

Also check if you marked "Apply modifiers" and "Include UV textures" when you export your model back to .dae.
Title: Re: How can I convert POF model files to be usable with blender?
Post by: emark4 on February 01, 2018, 09:52:25 am

Also check if you marked "Apply modifiers" and "Include UV textures" when you export your model back to .dae.

Found the options, but i still got the same result. The model just shows the weapons but not the ship.

Need some pictures about what Im doing?
Title: Re: How can I convert POF model files to be usable with blender?
Post by: Nyctaeus on February 01, 2018, 09:55:33 am
Send me your .blend. I will see what's wrong.
Title: Re: How can I convert POF model files to be usable with blender?
Post by: emark4 on February 01, 2018, 10:03:48 am
Send me your .blend. I will see what's wrong.

I will send later in the day since im typing this on my phone.

Hope you still got blue planet still installed. The assets Im using relies on that mod (the Izrali & the Uhlan ships)
Title: Re: How can I convert POF model files to be usable with blender?
Post by: Nyctaeus on February 01, 2018, 10:53:14 am
I do. Go ahead.
Title: Re: How can I convert POF model files to be usable with blender?
Post by: emark4 on February 01, 2018, 01:40:49 pm
I do. Go ahead.

Here it is . Its basically the UEF Izrali (Or banshee according to some of the files) but with the Uhlan cockpit attached. Thanks for taking a look at it for me.

[attachment stolen by Russian hackers]
Title: Re: How can I convert POF model files to be usable with blender?
Post by: Nyctaeus on February 01, 2018, 05:46:43 pm
Okay... The model is actually appearing in PCS2 after export. It's just very small [0.33m]. You apparently had to rescale it somehow during conversion process. In Object Mode, select your detail0 and find Scale option on your right bar:
(http://oi65.tinypic.com/m8pglg.jpg)
Set all three values to 1. All was set to 0.010 in your file, so Blender is applying different scaling value when you try to export it back to PCS2. Is you want to use it to rescale it, type your scaling factor than use Shift + A than Rotation and Scale.

Also note that your model have some holes. Apparently you removed too much of the original mesh to fit Uhlan cockpit to it. You may need to redo this. Use the Knife tool to make proper space for your cockpit [K key].
Title: Re: How can I convert POF model files to be usable with blender?
Post by: emark4 on February 01, 2018, 06:18:32 pm
Okay... The model is actually appearing in PCS2 after export. It's just very small [0.33m]. You apparently had to rescale it somehow during conversion process. In Object Mode, select your detail0 and find Scale option on your right bar:
(http://oi65.tinypic.com/m8pglg.jpg)
Set all three values to 1. All was set to 0.010 in your file, so Blender is applying different scaling value when you try to export it back to PCS2. Is you want to use it to rescale it, type your scaling factor than use Shift + A than Rotation and Scale.

Also note that your model have some holes. Apparently you removed too much of the original mesh to fit Uhlan cockpit to it. You may need to redo this. Use the Knife tool to make proper space for your cockpit [K key].

Ohhh, so it is a scaling problem on my part. Whoops.

By any chance, have you tested the model in game yourself ?(ie swapped the UEF_Izrali POF file with the newbanshee.pof file on the bp-ship table)
Title: Re: How can I convert POF model files to be usable with blender?
Post by: Nyctaeus on February 01, 2018, 07:28:43 pm
Nope. With hellish amount of subobjects, assigning textures to all of them is lots of effort... But it will work. I converted tons of models so I know it will. There would be just lots of geometry errors.
Title: Re: How can I convert POF model files to be usable with blender?
Post by: emark4 on February 01, 2018, 07:41:28 pm
Nope. With hellish amount of subobjects, assigning textures to all of them is lots of effort... But it will work. I converted tons of models so I know it will. There would be just lots of geometry errors.

Okay, i will test when i have time. Will let you know if anything. Thanks.
Title: Re: How can I convert POF model files to be usable with blender?
Post by: emark4 on February 02, 2018, 05:00:53 pm
Okay... The model is actually appearing in PCS2 after export. It's just very small [0.33m]. You apparently had to rescale it somehow during conversion process. In Object Mode, select your detail0 and find Scale option on your right bar:
(http://oi65.tinypic.com/m8pglg.jpg)
Set all three values to 1. All was set to 0.010 in your file, so Blender is applying different scaling value when you try to export it back to PCS2. Is you want to use it to rescale it, type your scaling factor than use Shift + A than Rotation and Scale.

Also note that your model have some holes. Apparently you removed too much of the original mesh to fit Uhlan cockpit to it. You may need to redo this. Use the Knife tool to make proper space for your cockpit [K key].

Okay, I scaled the model (including the subsystem, weapins, and the supplemental stuff) as instructed. Sadly the model still dosent show but has the weapons show. (See attached pics)

I noticed on the PCS2 I tried to type the textures from both the Izrali & the Uhlan. However, none of em are higlighting their respective sections. Maybe i am doing the "reassigning textures thing wrong"? (Shrugs)

Would like to know what you think I should do.



[attachment stolen by Russian hackers]
Title: Re: How can I convert POF model files to be usable with blender?
Post by: Nyctaeus on February 02, 2018, 05:04:00 pm
Do you even see the textures in Blender?
Title: Re: How can I convert POF model files to be usable with blender?
Post by: emark4 on February 02, 2018, 05:16:23 pm
Do you even see the textures in Blender?
No, not really, its still grey. I think I am missing sonething.
Here is what shows on blender on my end.



[attachment stolen by Russian hackers]
Title: Re: How can I convert POF model files to be usable with blender?
Post by: emark4 on February 02, 2018, 06:08:40 pm
Do you even see the textures in Blender?
Oh wait, I forgot about the uv mapping thing you mentioned in a previous post. I also followed the directions for that and textures are showing now on blender. My bad.

But what about assigning textures to PCS2?
Title: Re: How can I convert POF model files to be usable with blender?
Post by: Nyctaeus on February 02, 2018, 08:56:17 pm
Try to assign textures to all subobjects, like I mentioned before. They all already have assigned materials. Keep in mind that material in Blender is just a "slot" for texture. If you won't assign actual texture to it, it will appear blank.
Title: Re: How can I convert POF model files to be usable with blender?
Post by: emark4 on February 02, 2018, 09:10:08 pm
Try to assign textures to all subobjects, like I mentioned before. They all already have assigned materials. Keep in mind that material in Blender is just a "slot" for texture. If you won't assign actual texture to it, it will appear blank.

Im in the process of assigning the textures in blender. However, what about the textures function in psc2? I tested the model out with only texturing the uhlan cockpit part only.

However the uhlan cockpit texture didnt show in game. I think it may be something i didnt do in psc2 before saving the dae file to pof.
Title: Re: How can I convert POF model files to be usable with blender?
Post by: Nyctaeus on February 02, 2018, 09:14:15 pm
...

Shift+G -> Material. Now you have all faces using Uhlan texture selected.
Properties -> Materials -> Make new material -> Name it whatever you want -> Assign

One material per one texture. PCS will read all materials and if multiple materials use the same texture, it will merge those to single one. You set all materials in Blender. PCS2 is supposed to only read them.
Title: Re: How can I convert POF model files to be usable with blender?
Post by: emark4 on February 02, 2018, 10:49:51 pm
...

Shift+G -> Material. Now you have all faces using Uhlan texture selected.
Properties -> Materials -> Make new material -> Name it whatever you want -> Assign

One material per one texture. PCS will read all materials and if multiple materials use the same texture, it will merge those to single one. You set all materials in Blender. PCS2 is supposed to only read them.

I thought the materials are already assigned.

Still, PSC2 still isnt reading the textures. Hmmm...
Title: Re: How can I convert POF model files to be usable with blender?
Post by: Nyctaeus on February 02, 2018, 11:00:19 pm
They are. But If you import part of other model and you merging it with another, you may need to adjust them.

Okay. Let's back to start. Do you have every small subobject with texture assigned? Do you have all textures in the same folder as blend file?
Title: Re: How can I convert POF model files to be usable with blender?
Post by: emark4 on February 02, 2018, 11:06:44 pm
They are. But If you import part of other model and you merging it with another, you may need to adjust them.

Okay. Let's back to start. Do you have every small subobject with texture assigned? Do you have all textures in the same folder as blend file?

Yes, the subobject that should have a material have been uv mapped with their original .dds files. I also just copied said .dds texture files to my blue planet models folder.
Title: Re: How can I convert POF model files to be usable with blender?
Post by: BravoTango on February 03, 2018, 12:17:20 am
Use pcs2 to convert it to dae format to import it to blender. If i recall you will have to reassign textures manually but the model will be fully imported.

How do you go about reassigning the textures manually? Where can I find/extract the texture files in the vp to use in blender?

Also, my pcs2 does not show textures... how do I fix this? (see below)

[attachment stolen by Russian hackers]
Title: Re: How can I convert POF model files to be usable with blender?
Post by: krevett62 on February 03, 2018, 01:57:56 am
To find the textures in the vp open the original pof and find the listed textures in the maps folder of the vp (or another vp sometimes mods store models in one vp and textures in one or two separate vp because of size limit).

To assign them it's been a while since i launched blender but i think when you select a material there's a texture tab where you can open an image file for the corresponding tex.

For pcs2 not showing textures if they're in the same folder as your model then either it's a naming problem or something's missing during dae export.
Title: Re: How can I convert POF model files to be usable with blender?
Post by: Nyctaeus on February 03, 2018, 09:09:11 am
Use pcs2 to convert it to dae format to import it to blender. If i recall you will have to reassign textures manually but the model will be fully imported.

How do you go about reassigning the textures manually? Where can I find/extract the texture files in the vp to use in blender?
You can reassign materials manually. I often do it because Blender used to have problems with exporting the same material applied to multiple submodels. I often use different materials for each subobject even if they use the same texture. PCS2 will merge them anyway during importing of my dae. As for place to store your textures, wherever you want. Just not main game directory.

Use pcs2 to convert it to dae format to import it to blender. If i recall you will have to reassign textures manually but the model will be fully imported.
Also, my pcs2 does not show textures... how do I fix this? (see below)
Open PCS2. Now go to Options -> Preferences -> Browse and select your modfolder. Or whatever folder you have your textures in. If you select modfolder, PCS2 will parse both FS folder hierarchy and vp files.
Title: Re: How can I convert POF model files to be usable with blender?
Post by: emark4 on February 03, 2018, 10:50:32 am
They are. But If you import part of other model and you merging it with another, you may need to adjust them.

Okay. Let's back to start. Do you have every small subobject with texture assigned? Do you have all textures in the same folder as blend file?

Question, should I send you the modified newbanshee.blend file again? I uvtextured the models but I still have no luck at all.
Title: Re: How can I convert POF model files to be usable with blender?
Post by: krevett62 on February 03, 2018, 10:52:40 am
I will just add don't forget to add a slash at the end of the path you enter in pcs2.
Title: Re: How can I convert POF model files to be usable with blender?
Post by: Nyctaeus on February 03, 2018, 11:31:38 am
They are. But If you import part of other model and you merging it with another, you may need to adjust them.

Okay. Let's back to start. Do you have every small subobject with texture assigned? Do you have all textures in the same folder as blend file?

Question, should I send you the modified newbanshee.blend file again? I uvtextured the models but I still have no luck at all.
Sure. Go ahead.
Title: Re: How can I convert POF model files to be usable with blender?
Post by: emark4 on February 03, 2018, 12:50:34 pm
They are. But If you import part of other model and you merging it with another, you may need to adjust them.

Okay. Let's back to start. Do you have every small subobject with texture assigned? Do you have all textures in the same folder as blend file?

Question, should I send you the modified newbanshee.blend file again? I uvtextured the models but I still have no luck at all.
Sure. Go ahead.

Okay, Thank you.

[attachment stolen by Russian hackers]
Title: Re: How can I convert POF model files to be usable with blender?
Post by: Nyctaeus on February 03, 2018, 02:23:36 pm
I oficially have no bloody clue what do you do wrong. Especially if everythins is working correctly.

http://www.mediafire.com/file/3ce2h0pr6f3849j/newbanshee.dae
Title: Re: How can I convert POF model files to be usable with blender?
Post by: emark4 on February 03, 2018, 02:27:31 pm
I oficially have no bloody cue what do you do wrong. Especially if everythins is working correctly.

http://www.mediafire.com/file/3ce2h0pr6f3849j/newbanshee.dae

I was looking one of your previous posts on the settings for exporting to dae. One moment. I think I know what I did wrong.
Title: Re: How can I convert POF model files to be usable with blender?
Post by: emark4 on February 03, 2018, 02:34:46 pm
I oficially have no bloody clue what do you do wrong. Especially if everythins is working correctly.

http://www.mediafire.com/file/3ce2h0pr6f3849j/newbanshee.dae

Yup, I forgot to checkmark the apply modifiers and uv textures setting when importing to dae. Now the ship model is showing in game as intended.

Now I need to figure out how to get the cockpit view to be fixed when putting the "show ship" setting on the table, as it currently looks horrible right now. Will definitely need to fix that on blender. Probably do the thing over again.

But that's another forum help post for another day. Thank you so much for the help. :)
Title: Re: How can I convert POF model files to be usable with blender?
Post by: Nyctaeus on February 03, 2018, 02:35:54 pm
Glad I could help. Thank me for patience :P. Happy modding, man!