Empyrion Model Import Tool

Discussion in 'The Hangar Bay' started by Riebart, Mar 17, 2017.

  1. Kassonnade

    Kassonnade Rear Admiral

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    @Warlama what program did you use to make the model ?
     
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  2. Warlama

    Warlama Ensign

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  3. Kassonnade

    Kassonnade Rear Admiral

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    #63
  4. Warlama

    Warlama Ensign

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    the model was originally ported from my game in space engineers as an obj. then i used the import tool to make it a blueprint
     
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  5. Kassonnade

    Kassonnade Rear Admiral

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    Oh... I know nothing about what Space Engineer might be doing with the format. I can only suggest that you try importing the model in a true 3d application first and see if it works there. Then try exporting from that program and use the import tool. Try Blender if you don't have a 3d app, it's free.

    Now I'm curious and I want to try the import tool too, but I just lack time right now. I will check this later.
     
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  6. Kassonnade

    Kassonnade Rear Admiral

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    Made in Empyrion ? 6 grids long ?

    @Warlama : one thing puzzles me. Since this tool only imports STL format, obviously you had to convert your model from .obj to STL prior to using the tool, right ? Or did I miss a message on this thread or GitHub saying the tool supports other formats than STL ?
     
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    Last edited: Feb 7, 2021
  7. Warlama

    Warlama Ensign

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    no no i converted it from obj to stl. the import tool wont use obj as far as i know.
    I used an online converterhttps://drububu.com/miscellaneous/voxelizer/?out=obj

    but i can also use blender to do it, i use online cause its quicker.
    but am i doing something wrong?
     
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  8. Kassonnade

    Kassonnade Rear Admiral

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    How could I say that without trying myself first ! But no, the most likely problem is that either there is a problem with the conversion (quite frequent) or with the blueprint format being only partly compatible with that "importer" tool because of recent changes. Might not be noticeable on small models and more noticeable on larger ones, but I don't see a reason for this.

    One thing I can think of is the "origin" of the ships. When making models, programs usually determine each vertex coordinate for faces in the 3d space with some relation regarding the "origin" (0 in all 3 axis) of the model, or its position regarding the program's own 3d space.

    So your problem could also simply be that the model was "made" with a different origin than what (one or the other) converter expected, and this made some faces "absent" in some way (for coloring/ collision?) but able to be displayed. Just poking in the dark here.

    That is why I suggested you try opening your model in a 3d program, so you could then see both its "origin" point and its orientation, and see if playing with these could affect the results.

    Also, since the "importer" tool allows some amount of scaling, it's possible that some models have a hard time keeping their cohesion with the new dimensions. This is a frequent problem when changing from one format to another.
     
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  9. Warlama

    Warlama Ensign

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    #69
  10. Kassonnade

    Kassonnade Rear Admiral

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    I can't see this, it requires an account.

    I tried the tool and all I get is the starter blocks from the original blueprint I made, which I then used to overwrite the BlueprintBase.epb in the program's folder (its "template" I guess).

    The tool does "work" and write lots of stuff, even overwrites the destination blueprint, even shows a big green "spawn" box, but only the small starter blocks at the bottom (with the core missing). Instructions are minimal and from where I am I see a long, long trial and error run I don't think I want to waste time on.

    I followed the instructions on the github page, tried changing orientation in Blender (it's a hand made ship I tried), but always the same results. I'm surprised you succeeded to see a ship because I'm not even reaching that stage. What version of Python are you using ? Did you leave a core with the 1 steel block in the original blueprint, or just 1 steel block/ no core ?
     
    #70
  11. Warlama

    Warlama Ensign

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    im not using any version of python, if its installed, im not sure what version it is.
    I also have no core when its spawned in, its just the hull of the ship. but when it spawns in a vessel it uses small vessel blocks.
    its the reason a CV will have a hull with 50 hit points of health, to fix this i just use the replace blocks command to change it to combat steel blocks.
    I dont think i left a core in the original blueprint.

    EDIT:
    here is a copy of the blueprint im trying to figure out.
    start a new world, spawn in a ship you know can be painted using the paint tools, now spawn in this blueprint.
    pull out the paint tool near the normal ship, you will see you can use the paint gun.
    go near the other blueprint and see how your tool nopes the hell out and it makes painting a real pain in the ass.
     

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  12. Kassonnade

    Kassonnade Rear Admiral

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    Not enough details on how you proceeded. Not going to try this, sorry. Just tried with a simple shape and it always show only 1 block in the blueprint stats, and same problem as others. Oruentation ok, size ok, but empty green shade and original blocks. Not true : a "restored" original starter block, since I deleted all except one and they're all back except the core.

    I don't know how you got your file and you give no details, so I'm going to spend my time on something else for now.

    Good luck !
     
    #72
  13. Warlama

    Warlama Ensign

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    I appreciate the help,
    thanks anyway.
    Edit:
    for clarification here are my steps.

    1. I load up the empyrion import tool

    2. I take an obj of a model I want to use as the ship.

    3. I use blender to convert the obj to an stl file

    4. I use the import tool to select the newly created stl file

    choose the output blueprint file. (output destination should be your blueprint folder)

    blueprint size, I keep longest dimension selected, I type in 125.

    select CV. touch nothing else except for dimension mapping, type in 1,3,2

    then press run and wait.

    5. after you have your new blueprint in your blueprint folder, run the game and create a new world.

    6. open your blueprint folder and find your new blueprint in your list and spawn it in. if you get an error just click continue and place down your new creation.

    now at this point i have my issue where the newly created blueprint ant be painted due to the color gun color selections all go black.
     
    #73
    Last edited: Feb 7, 2021
  14. Kassonnade

    Kassonnade Rear Admiral

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    I followed all these steps at least thirty times, with variations to try all possibilities.

    When you export your .stl from Blender, what settings do you use in the exporter ?

    I mean in this interface :

    stl-1.png

    Also, your original blueprint that you use to "overwrite" the BlueprintBase in the importer folder, is it a CV or a SV blueprint ?

    .
     
    #74
    Last edited: Feb 7, 2021
  15. Warlama

    Warlama Ensign

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    here is the pic of my export settings. they are default as far as i know, I never touched these.
     

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    #75
  16. Kassonnade

    Kassonnade Rear Admiral

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    What version of Blender is this ?

    Edit : never mind. Looks like it's not going to work whatever I try. I give up. I think Riebart wrote on Steam he was going to update the tool at some point, so there's no hurry right now for me.
     
    #76
    Last edited: Feb 7, 2021
  17. Warlama

    Warlama Ensign

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    currently im running blender 2.79
     
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  18. piddlefoot

    piddlefoot Rear Admiral

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    Yes, Babylon 5 is a huge station 2.1klm long, when it comes into render range, its so massive it fills half of your screen, at 3klm distance !!!
    The pop in effect is massive because it is so huge.
    It used to be my sig pic, but now its the Falcon.

    So yes its big, bad and way outside our performance tolerances !
     
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  19. Kassonnade

    Kassonnade Rear Admiral

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    Ok I thought it was that "Falcon".

    I don't expect anything made with blocks to be more that 1 grid in 1 dimension, and a fraction of a grid in the other 2, to be devoid of glitches in Empyrion. Except if we can use models... or decals.

    This one is 1.8 km diameter, and renders like a charm because it's almost entirely made with "decals" :

    NewGame_2020-12-21_05-02-11.png
    I suggested we can get "triangles" also instead of just "squares" for decals, so we could do way more without being forced to use tricks to make anything other than rectangular shapes.

    And the best of the best would be that if instead of having "decals" positioned by their center, they could make them defined by their vertices, then we could make models in a 3d software and export in specific formats that use vertices to define faces, allowing for much more precise placement.

    By the way, in the gameoptions.yaml we can crank the render distance to much more than 3 km, depending on the playfield content of course (and PC capacity).
     
    #79
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  20. David Manson

    David Manson Ensign

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    Hey there,
    The color gun can be fixed, just open the color palate like you would on a normal ship/base/block while pointing at the new vessel/base click configure, then click on preset chose default. now all the blocks on the ship will change color to a default color and the palate is fixed.
     
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