[Thaeris]

I'd be interested in extracting POFs for editing the models in Retail/FSO FS1 or 2, but the current set of articles on the HLP Wiki is not currently aiding me in understanding precisely what I need to do. Perhaps I am merely ignorant to some specific article on file, but if I could be helped with this problem, I'd greatly appreciate it!

My current set of CAD programs includes Blender 2.47 and AC3D 6.4.3.

-Thaeris

[Macfie]

You need the Descent Manger Tools to do this.  They can be downloaded from freespacemods.
http://www.freespacemods.net/download.php?view.109

Use VPView to extract the POF files and ModelView High Limits (modviw32.zip) to view and edit.

[Dragon]

You should also consider using PCS 2 , it's better for model editing.
Latest version (I hope) here: http://freespacemods.net/download.php?view.216

[Thaeris]

Thanks. I'll look into that too. Going at this rate, would it be possible to transfer this thread to the Wiki project board? If I was having trouble, I'm sure there are a lot more people having trouble as well. The wiki should be a bit more clear on what-does-what and how to. A master directory (similar to the installing FSO directory) would be a tremendous help.

-Thaeris

[Thaeris]

You need the Descent Manger Tools to do this.  They can be downloaded from freespacemods.
http://www.freespacemods.net/download.php?view.109

Use VPView to extract the POF files and ModelView High Limits (modviw32.zip) to view and edit.

PCS 2 looks quite straight forward. I was able to load a test model with no problem.

Hate to be dull, but can a better answer be provided for what precisely the "DMT" set does? The descriptions of the two programs you've mentioned are quite clear, but I must ask this of ModelView: does it let me export to other file formats? I'd like to at least be able to pull geometry from an app and be able to transfer it to Blender (the wiki mentioned a plug in for this, no?). If that's true, I can then export the model from there and edit it in AC3D... I'm merely asking before I install the said programs.

-Thaeris

[Vasudan Admiral]

Uh uh - don't use modview. If PCS2 works on your machine, you should use only that for anything involving opening POF files.

For conversion, see the link in my sig for how to use collada with blender.

[Thaeris]

What precisely is the installation procedure for the Blender Script? As I don't use Blender, I've never needed to install a plugin for it before. If you update the download on freespacemods.net, could you make a more conspicuous readme?

I've also updated 2.47 to 2.49a... this version will hopefully work (I believe you stated the script was designed for v2.48?). In doing this, Python also needed to be updated. I'm now running 2.6.2.

Edit: I've noted PCS2 will export the geometry to .cob format, but no program I have available will import that vile extension. The only program I've seen available to do that was about $150 USD, which I most certainly don't have... Once again, forgive my ignorance.

-Thaeris

[Vasudan Admiral]

No script installation is nessecary - all recent versions of blender have the DAE script included. The reason that one is up on FS mods is that it keeps the empties intact when importing DAEs that have been made from POFs with all POF data intact - which seems to have been broken in more recent versions. For 99% of cases, that won't matter because you don't need that POF data in the model file while you're editing it in blender or any other app.

Just updated the guide with a section at the beginning on how to get the DAE version of PCS2 set up properly.

About Python, when you start blender just make sure the little dos window thing that pops up says 'Checking for installed Python... got it!' If it says that, you're fine.

As for how to get models from POF through DAE into blender: Use the DAE version of PCS2 to save your desired POF as a DAE, and in blender go to File->Import->COLLADA 1.4(.dae). Something to watch for though, once imported you will have 3 separate scenes in your blend file which you can switch between using the SCE: dropdown menu from blender's top bar. You should see "Scene", "Scene.001" and "Scene001", where your ship is in the last one. Delete the other two by selecting them and pressing the X to the right of the dropdown menu.

[Thaeris]

Thank you many times over. I've been able to pull the .dae from PCS2 to Blender, Blender to AC3D. That said, I'm now ripping into the GTF Kelpie...

Mentioned earlier were the Descent Manager Tools. ModelView is apparently outdated so I won't bother with it. VPView should be useful for obvious reasons. Are there any other programs in that list which should be notable for a particular reason? Namely that they are outdated or (much better) significantly useful?

-Thaeris

[Thaeris]

I've as of this point looked into the DM Tools suite. Most of the programs appear to be obsolete as well: VPView seems incapable of opening FSO .vp files; this might be useful for cracking into the original files, but the installation methods present in Vista render the .vp's invisible to view. There's a way around that, I'm certain, but I've never had to work around that before... The head .ini development apps might be useful, but I've no need of them yet. I assume "tblv32b1" is a table editor, but why use this when you can alter .tbl files with Word Pad? Valid question, I think...

I'm assuming for what I want to do now the best tool available is Maja Express. There's currently no description of the application "Polonius" in the wiki; the program also seems to be incomplete at this time as well. QuickVP and VPMage look like they'd work as well, but there's no real comparison between the apps to make the call between these and Maja. VPmake is almost a different animal entirely...

-Thaeris

[Mongoose]

I've as of this point looked into the DM Tools suite. Most of the programs appear to be obsolete as well: VPView seems incapable of opening FSO .vp files; this might be useful for cracking into the original files, but the installation methods present in Vista render the .vp's invisible to view. There's a way around that, I'm certain, but I've never had to work around that before... The head .ini development apps might be useful, but I've no need of them yet. I assume "tblv32b1" is a table editor, but why use this when you can alter .tbl files with Word Pad? Valid question, I think...

There's no difference at all between the .vp files used for the MediaVPs and those in the retail game; I happily use VPView to open both all the time.  I'm not exactly sure what you mean by Vista "rendering .vp's invisible," though I'd assume that there's some folder display option coming into play.  And though I never really used it myself, I seem to remember TblView providing syntax highlighting and organizational features, which I'd assume would be far more user-friendly than a raw text file.

[Thaeris]

Might be a compatibility issue, then. Regardless, it doesn't work for me. The wonderful attachment shown below offers no real explanation for itself, other than that it always happens when attempting to open a .vp file. That said, the DM Tools can bite the dust until further notice!

I find that Maja has worked very well so far. No other information has been provided about the other applications to date... If this thread continues, it might be a good idea to transfer it to the Wiki Project board. The current information on the wiki still falls rather short.

-Thaeris

[attachment deleted by Tolwyn]