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From Quest3D

Importing

Quest3D can import and load a number of different file formats. If a file is imported a new channelgroup is created with channels that hold the imported data. There are also a number of channels that can load a file directly. Both by loading and importing all data is loaded in a channelgroup so no other files are needed when a channelgroup is distributed.

Default Import File Formats

Quest3D supports a number of file formats that can be imported. An importer will load the selected file and convert the file into a channelgroup. Once imported this channelgroup will hold one or more channels.

3D Studio Max Plug-in

Quest3D Extensions for 3D Studio Max is a complete environment in 3DsMAX® to create and export 3D scenes directly into Quest3D (CGR files). It contains:

• An exporter that exports directly to Quest3D (generating CGR files).
• A dedicated material "Quest3D material" with a user interface very similar to Quest3D's object section.

You can read about and download it here

Main format: .X (DirectX) files

This is the main file format of Quest3D. We recommend you use this file format for importing files into Quest3D. There are several importers available for all major 3d modeling tools. Most of these importers can be found in the "Extras" folder of Quest3D.

There are also many software packages available that will allow you to convert 3D files into the .X file format. Most of these converter packages have native .X file format support. PolyTrans or Deep Exploration are just two of them...

Other Formats

The following file formats are also supported, although limited.

• 3DS
• LWO (LightWave 5.x object)
• MOT (LightWave 5.x motion)
• LS (Lightscape)

PolyTrans Importing

Quest3D is able to import models through the Okino software product; PolyTrans. This software package makes it possible to import a large number of different 3D formats directly into Quest3D. All major 3D modeling packages and CAD packages are supported.

Add Quest3D support to PolyTrans

Before you can use PolyTrans together with Quest3D, you will need to install some files into the PolyTrans installation folder. Follow these steps to correctly add Quest3D support to PolyTrans...

Copy the following files from the "Extras/PolyTrans" folder. This folder is located under your Quest3D installation folder, usually "\Program Files\Act-3D\Quest3D"

• exp_q3d.dll
• exp_q3d.ini
• exp_q3d.rti

And place them in the "VCPLUGIN" folder in your PolyTrans installation folder, usually "\Program Files\PolyTrans".

After you have copied these files you are able to start Quest3D or PolyTrans. We recommend you also configure PolyTrans. Start PolyTrans and change the following options:

• Menu "Edit" > "Preferences" > "Geometry import/export" > "Dialog"

Make sure only Triangulator 3 is selected

• Menu "Edit" > "Preferences" > "Animation Resampling" > "Dialog"

Make sure the "Re-sample all animation data at every frame for:" option is selected, and all options under that option. Also make sure that the "Remove redundant keyframes from re-sampled data" is NOT selected.

Importing with polytrans

Importing trough polytrans is done trough the "File" menu "PolyTrans" then selecting the correct file format that you want to import.

When in 3D Studio Max, Maya or another Polytrans supported 3D tool you are able to export directly into Quest3D. This option will ask for a file which is only temporarily used. Quest3D has to be running and active for this feature to work. At this time this option is not recommended for skinned characters due to a conversion problem. Best practice is to export into the polytrans BDF format and import this BDF file in Quest3D itself. The same method is available trough the polytrans program.

Importing huge 3d models

When you want to import larger (of even huge) CAD or other models into Quest3D, please first start PolyTrans first to make the import faster. Then load the large 3D model using PolyTrans. Often huge models have many surfaces which all have the same color, these can be collapsed in PolyTrans to reduce the number of surfaces in Quest3D. You can also use the Polygon Reduction tool in PolyTrans to further reduce the number of polygons. First save your reduced model to disk, and make sure to use the native BDF file format. You can then close PolyTrans and open Quest3D and import the BDF file through the PolyTrans import in the "File" menu.

Download and Purchase PolyTrans

You are able to download a demo version of PolyTrans from the Okino website :

http://www.okino.com.

Loadable Files

With the default set of channels the following file formats can be loaded with a channel.

• MP3 (MPEG layer 3 sound)

Use a MP3 File to load a MP3 sound or music file. There are two different ways to load a MP3 file with this channel. You can link a Text channel that holds the filename of the MP3 file. Or you can use the properties dialog to select the MP3 file. If you want to save the MP3 file in the channelgroup you will have to use the properties dialog and make sure the option is turned on. See the MP3 File and MP3PlayerControl channel help for more information.

• WAV (Waveform sound)

WAV files can be loaded with the Sound channel. Just drag this channel into the channel graph window and go the channel properties window. Here you can select the “Load” button to load a “.wav” file. The loaded WAV data is saved in the channelgroup. You are able to test the loaded file by clicking on the “Play” button.

Please note that a WAV file can be encoded with a number of different “codecs”. Most windows installation have a set of codecs installed. But the MP3 codes is not always supported. If you load a WAV file that is encoded with such a MP3 codec you must make sure for yourself this codes is also installed at the users who are using this channelgroup. If you are not sure how to do this, please use the MP3 File channel to load a MP3 file directly without the need for such a codec.

• TGA, JPG, BMP, DDS, PNG (Textures)

You can import a number of different texture formats. This can be done in two different ways with the same result: a Texture channel holding a texture in the current channelgroup.

If you drag a new Texture channel into the channel graph window and use the channel properties dialog you will be able to select a texture with the “Load” button. This will show a file dialog where you can select the wanted file. When a file was successfully loaded, it will be displayed (scaled) in the properties dialog.

In the Object Section you can select an empty texture spot or the Texture "Load New Texture Button" in the Texture List. This will also show a file dialog. When the texture was successfully loaded it will be shown in the first free empty spot in the Texture List.

There are some limitations to these formats. The width and height of a texture for usage with DirectX are always in the power of 2, for example 256x256, 64x8 or 128x512. When a texture is loaded with other dimensions it will be rescaled to the best match. Some older 3D cards have a maximum texture size of 256x256. A JPEG texture has a minimum width of 8. When a loaded texture is quite large (1024 or higher)

After a texture is loaded the original data will always be kept in the channelgroup. Even if the texture is resized in the properties dialog, the size taken in the channelgroup will stay the same. Best is to make sure a texture has the correct dimensions before loading.

TGA, DDS and PNG can hold Alpha information next to the RGB values for transparency of the texture (RGBA). If you would like to read more on texture please see the Texture channel help and the Texture List editor help. The tutorial manual is also a good place to start for more general texture information.

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