[LionSGI]

hello All!

i would like to ask for help with PCS2. i would like to model some spaceships for FreeSpace2 SCP with Blender (maybe start a now mod - maybe ). i exported a cubic object for testing purpose into the collada (.dae) format.


then i load it into PCS2, and this comes up:


what am i doing wrong? i compiled PCS2 for Linux, it compiled with no errors. also it does not complain about anything when i open a .dae file, but the visuals PCS2 shows have little common with the object geometry i exported from Blender...

thank You,
regards,
Richard

[Nyctaeus]

This is probably not PCS2 issue. Check normals of your model, and recalculate them.

[LionSGI]

thanks for the answer! it is not a normal issue, as i can tell. the vertex coordinates are totally messed up. the shape of the original object is distorted. the original geometry had 8 vertices, the one is displaying in PCS2 has only 6... 

[Nyctaeus]

Go to object mode and check if you have any custom scaling specified. Also maybe you accidentally added some modifier?

[LionSGI]

i played around with it for some hours, but i cannot load any object into PCS2.1 correctly. the Scale axles read all 1.0 and Rotation ones 0.0, and the are no modifiers.
if i triangulate the default cube in Blender, it gets loaded properly into PCS2.1. but if i got to EditMode in Blender and move 1 vertex and then export it, then it gets messed up. before i export i use CTRL+A to apply Rot&Scale (althogh i did not rotate nor scale in Blender) and i uncheck everything i can from the export options. (has 8 verts and 12 polys in Blender and PCS)

i also tried a more complex object: Blender reports 6510 verts PCS reports about the half (3500 or so) is this normal? the poly count is about the same, "only" about 100 poly difference (around 12k of polys in total, all triangles) (it had only one modifier (mirror) to it, but it was applied before exporting)

PCS loads .pof objects OK. but i cannot see the textures (that is another issue).
i wanted to try out PCS2.1 for windows, but i cannot find it (only source, but i am not familiar with compiling on VC or something else on windows). i could only get v2.0.3, but it has no Collada support. yet.. (has anybody a working windows version of PCS2.1?, could someoen send it to me please: lionsgi<at>gmail<dot>com , thanks! )

i would like to ask some n00b questions about PCS
as far as i understand, PCS is a conversion tool, so no polygon editing. but i guess i should see the SAME model in PCS2.1 just like in Blender not a similar one. does it matter which Blender render i use? (e.g: Blender render vs Cycles render). also is it OK to use the Collada exporter which comes with Blender? i have seen another Collada exporter for Blender (probably for older versions) which i cannot get working.

thank You!

[LionSGI]

i thank All of You! i am using Linux for work and as a desktop system for more than 10years now. i downloaded the windows PCS2, but it did not start in the 32bit windows xp virtual machine nor on a real installation  (it is probably x64 compiled) but it did start on Linux with Wine it has some minor 3D window update issues, but the Blender exported model loads fine (at least it looks like so) it does not have shading (everything is flat shaded) and textures yet.

http://baab.hu/radiant7v43.png

i am using a 32bit Debian system, i compiled PCS2.1 for it myself. It compiled OK, i only had to add 'SDL' to the SConstruct libs= line (i used the Alliance code). is maybe someone here to help me to compile a good working PCS2.1 for Linux?

thanks again!

[niffiwan]

Alliance & scons? It sounds like you've downloaded the old version from sourceforge, try this one instead: https://github.com/scp-fs2open/PCS2

To see textures in PCS2, open options -> preferences and add the full path to your models texture files.
e.g. /games/fotg/data/maps/

[LionSGI]

Alliance & scons? It sounds like you've downloaded the old version from sourceforge, try this one instead: https://github.com/scp-fs2open/PCS2

To see textures in PCS2, open options -> preferences and add the full path to your models texture files.
e.g. /games/fotg/data/maps/

yes, it is the Alliance version.
i compiled from the source above. now it look OK and i also managed to use textures!

thank You again!

[Nyctaeus]

Your model is actually completly flat. It has no smoothing groups. Set all smoothing of all faces to "Smooth", and use Edge Split modifier to fix that.