2000 textures for 3D objects

Share your designing tips with other Designer's. Find answers to your problems using the APCD.
alarduran
Posts: 51
Joined: April 17th, 2020, 6:03 pm

Re: 2000 textures for 3D objects

Post by alarduran »

Hi, Dan.

Links Extender needs a .x file (DirectX 3D model) AND the .tga texture files used to map the 3D model. So you need a software that exports to a DirectX file (.x extension). On the other hand, you can download from the internet any 3D model format you want, providing you have a software that imports the downloaded filetype AND you have able to get the textures that mapped the 3D model.
As per my car example: I downloaded a free 3D model in .fbx format. The package came with a .fbx file and two .png textures. So first I had to convert the latter to .tga. I imported the .fbx into 3dsmax (it also imports .obj, .dxf, etc). I mapped it using the tga textures, NOT the .png ones. And then I exported the 3D car as a .x file (3dsmax also exports to .fbx, .dxf, .obj, etc). Then Links Extender and so on.
If you want to use Blender/Any Other you have to answer these questions: Which filetypes can Blender/Any Other import? These are the filetypes you could download. Can Blender/Any Other export to DirectX format (natively or through some plugin? If so, I assume you can use Blender/Any Other to import 3D models into APCD.
One more thing: when exporting to the DirectX format from any 3D software you have chosen, be careful to configure the export process as it is indicated in the pdf instructions from the old apcd-site (I attach an image from it, referred to the 3dsmax settings). Otherwise the .x file will be useless with Links Extender.
Regards.
DirectXExportSettings.jpg
DirectXExportSettings.jpg (234.67 KiB) Viewed 4084 times
User avatar
Danny D
Posts: 1107
Joined: August 27th, 2019, 1:09 am
Location: SE Missouri

Re: 2000 textures for 3D objects

Post by Danny D »

alarduran wrote: May 29th, 2020, 8:04 am Hi, Dan.

Links Extender needs a .x file (DirectX 3D model) AND the .tga texture files used to map the 3D model. So you need a software that exports to a DirectX file (.x extension). On the other hand, you can download from the internet any 3D model format you want, providing you have a software that imports the downloaded filetype AND you have able to get the textures that mapped the 3D model.
As per my car example: I downloaded a free 3D model in .fbx format. The package came with a .fbx file and two .png textures. So first I had to convert the latter to .tga. I imported the .fbx into 3dsmax (it also imports .obj, .dxf, etc). I mapped it using the tga textures, NOT the .png ones. And then I exported the 3D car as a .x file (3dsmax also exports to .fbx, .dxf, .obj, etc). Then Links Extender and so on.
If you want to use Blender/Any Other you have to answer these questions: Which filetypes can Blender/Any Other import? These are the filetypes you could download. Can Blender/Any Other export to DirectX format (natively or through some plugin? If so, I assume you can use Blender/Any Other to import 3D models into APCD.
One more thing: when exporting to the DirectX format from any 3D software you have chosen, be careful to configure the export process as it is indicated in the pdf instructions from the old apcd-site (I attach an image from it, referred to the 3dsmax settings). Otherwise the .x file will be useless with Links Extender.
Regards.

DirectXExportSettings.jpg
Thanks again alarduran. I will try my best to figure this out. Right now it's a bit over my head. As I have said, I know nothing at all about the 3D software world and its quite overwhelming and confusing. One of the things I missed is where to get the "PDF" instructions from the old APCD Site. Do you have it, or a link to it handy?

Thanks very much, :tiphat:

Dan
Completed Courses
Real Courses: The National Golf Club of Kansas City - Wakonda Club - Coeur d'Alene Resort Course
Fictitious Courses: Northern Lakes - Golfcom Tees
Southern Oaks - Hometown 9 hole real course with a fictitious back 9 added
alarduran
Posts: 51
Joined: April 17th, 2020, 6:03 pm

Re: 2000 textures for 3D objects

Post by alarduran »

Hi, Dan.

Sorry, I was referring to the "Creating 3D Objects for APCD.pdf" file I already attached on another thread: https://linkscorner.org/phpBB/viewtopic ... 3035#p3035
There is a very blurry screenshot of the DirectX export settings on page 11, so I attached a clear new one.
Regards.
User avatar
Danny D
Posts: 1107
Joined: August 27th, 2019, 1:09 am
Location: SE Missouri

Re: 2000 textures for 3D objects

Post by Danny D »

alarduran wrote: May 29th, 2020, 8:37 am Hi, Dan.

Sorry, I was referring to the "Creating 3D Objects for APCD.pdf" file I already attached on another thread: https://linkscorner.org/phpBB/viewtopic ... 3035#p3035
There is a very blurry screenshot of the DirectX export settings on page 11, so I attached a clear new one.
Regards.
Aha! Gotcha. Thank you very much sir. :smile:

Dan
Completed Courses
Real Courses: The National Golf Club of Kansas City - Wakonda Club - Coeur d'Alene Resort Course
Fictitious Courses: Northern Lakes - Golfcom Tees
Southern Oaks - Hometown 9 hole real course with a fictitious back 9 added
User avatar
Adelade
Posts: 1346
Joined: August 27th, 2019, 10:24 am

Re: 2000 textures for 3D objects

Post by Adelade »

First of all I have an actual question: Links Extender can export 3D objects found on (unlocked) courses as .maq files. Anyone know anything about this file format? I did a brief search and didnt find anything... It doesnt seem to be listed under supported file formats for the i3dconverter :sad: (Thank you LeWAW for linking it)

Thanks everyone for trying to figure this out, I would want to help too but I dont know 3D either and I would have more motivation to do this sometime in the future, extremely grateful for all efforts/info since I agree with Dan that this could potentially be very useful to APCD design community. Houses, customizable parts of houses like walls, doors, windows, stairs etc. Also 3D tee markers, rocks, fences, crowd area enclosures, tables, chairs, bunker rakers, all sorts of things, wait oceans? Thats a crazy thought :laugh: I'd actually been fantasizing about 3D trees but Im not sure if it'd be possible to set 3D object settings to interact with the ball realistically... Seeing as the preview tga isnt based on the actual xyz, Im guessing object properties for 3D objects at best work for the whole thing. Perhaps if splitting up wood and canopy as different objects... Well all those things I think we could still manage without, but some would sure be nice, especially 3D tee markers I think.
Finished Courses - Main: Amedal (fictional), Nine Bridges (real)
Other: Austin, Sheshan, Kauri Cliffs, Le Golf Nat. Updates: Whirlpool, Royal Lytham, Royal St George's, Chicago, Chambers Bay, Munchen Nord E
Working on: 2 fictional courses + a couple things...
alarduran
Posts: 51
Joined: April 17th, 2020, 6:03 pm

Re: 2000 textures for 3D objects

Post by alarduran »

Hi all.

Ok, here is another shot at 3D object importing to APCD.
This time the source is a wooden bridge in .fbx format from the site kindly suggested by Dan: https://free3d.com/3d-models/
I also tried to import a oak tree from the same site, but the resulting .x file was sized at 6MB (wooden bridge .x file was at 255KB) and that was too much for Links Extender, I'm afraid. It failed to make the .xyz and .map files every try. Too many individual leafs, perhaps?
Regards.
Image1.jpg
Image1.jpg (35.83 KiB) Viewed 3962 times
Edited:
.xyz, .map, and .prv files attached, for those interested.
Attachments
BRIDGE.zip
(355.14 KiB) Downloaded 151 times
alarduran
Posts: 51
Joined: April 17th, 2020, 6:03 pm

Re: 2000 textures for 3D objects

Post by alarduran »

Hi all.

I keep messing around with some old stuff.
I've updated the Open Championship hole sign I made years ago.
Image3.jpg
Image3.jpg (48.49 KiB) Viewed 3907 times
And this is how it looks in the game.
Image1.jpg
Image1.jpg (111.53 KiB) Viewed 3907 times
Regards.
User avatar
Danny D
Posts: 1107
Joined: August 27th, 2019, 1:09 am
Location: SE Missouri

Re: 2000 textures for 3D objects

Post by Danny D »

alarduran wrote: June 10th, 2020, 7:41 pm Hi all.

I keep messing around with some old stuff.
I've updated the Open Championship hole sign I made years ago.
Image3.jpg
And this is how it looks in the game.
Image1.jpg
Regards.
Hi again alarduran...

I spent a couple of days on this since you gave us some hope that it can be done. I found a version of Blender that has a built-in DirectX (.x) exporter, and have opened a couple of downloaded 3D images to do some testing with. One of them was a Blender file, so I opened it in Blender, and chose EXPORT as a DirectX. It exported it OK, but then I didn't know what to do next. I tried to find a 3D viewer and see if I could view it, but I didn't know what I was looking at, or if it was even working properly. When I tried to open the .x file in a 3D viewer, it didn't look anything like the blender file. Since I have no experience at all working with 3D graphics files, I was totally lost and confused about what I was seeing, or what to do with it. At that point I became frustrated and stopped working with it and went on to some other things, with the intention of eventually getting back to it and trying to figure out my next move. I understand I need 3 different files but I'm really confused about how to create them and incorporate them into the files needed to import into the APCD. I have the instructions that you made, but have not followed thru with it yet. :dunno: I will try again eventually to figure out what to do next.

Thanks again,

Dan
Completed Courses
Real Courses: The National Golf Club of Kansas City - Wakonda Club - Coeur d'Alene Resort Course
Fictitious Courses: Northern Lakes - Golfcom Tees
Southern Oaks - Hometown 9 hole real course with a fictitious back 9 added
alarduran
Posts: 51
Joined: April 17th, 2020, 6:03 pm

Re: 2000 textures for 3D objects

Post by alarduran »

Hi, Dan:

You don't really need to open the .x file. I never open it. Place it in a folder with the .tga textures that were used to map the 3D object. Next, launch Links Extender, select 3D Objects, click Convert X File and Links Extender will generate two files: .xyz and .map. You need a third file: a 256x256 32 bit .tga file with an alpha channel, with the extension renamed to .prv (this file is the preview of the 3D object you will see in APCD).
As an example:
My Open Championship hole sign is a .x file with 2 texture .tga files:
Image1.jpg
Image1.jpg (14.5 KiB) Viewed 3869 times
One maps the sign post in "Open blue" and the other maps the hole number, par, yards and the Open logo:
Image2.jpg
Image2.jpg (26.75 KiB) Viewed 3869 times
On Links Extender:
Image3.jpg
Image3.jpg (107.49 KiB) Viewed 3869 times
Image4.jpg
Image4.jpg (110.95 KiB) Viewed 3869 times
Image5.jpg
Image5.jpg (114.56 KiB) Viewed 3869 times
Now you have three files. Two generated by Links Extender and one created by yourself:
Image6.jpg
Image6.jpg (15.31 KiB) Viewed 3869 times
alarduran
Posts: 51
Joined: April 17th, 2020, 6:03 pm

Re: 2000 textures for 3D objects

Post by alarduran »

(continued)

Follow the pdf instructions to import the 3D object into APCD. The picture of object you see is the .tga file (renamed to .prv) you created:
Image7.jpg
Image7.jpg (21.46 KiB) Viewed 3867 times
But remember: when you download a 3D model from internet (blender, 3dmax, fbx, obj) you also must get the texture files that mapped the model (and if the texture files aren't .tga's, you have to convert them), otherwise Links Extender don't generate the .xyz and .map files:
Image8.jpg
Image8.jpg (66.76 KiB) Viewed 3867 times
Regards.
Post Reply