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what 3dmodel format is easiest to read?

Started by invictus Jan 19, 2006 at 8:08 AM 12 replies 2.6k views

Original Post

Jan 19, 2006 at 8:08 AM

Hi I started opengl a while ago and think I have learned fast. Now its time to start looking into importing models into my programs, but they all seem so complex. I dont need any animation effect like there are in the milkshape models so what I basicly need is a format that just actually have data for the model itself and the texture. I have licence for milkshape so if its possible to export it from that program its a big plus. So what non-animation format is easier to read into the application? thanks for the answers :)

Monder

Jan 19, 2006 at 8:12 AM

MD2 is rather simple, though it does have animation data. The obj file format which is text-based is pretty simple too.

DeltaVee

Jan 19, 2006 at 8:14 AM

.3ds is well documented. Most modelling packages will either import or export .3ds.

Enselic

Jan 19, 2006 at 8:15 AM

If you use DirectX the .x format is the easiest, since the SDK contains loading routines for these files.

Neil Purvey

Jan 19, 2006 at 8:36 AM

Quote:
Original post by Anonymous Poster
I recall tht the Milkshape format is very simple to read.

Yes, I have used Milkshape 3d files for both my GBA and Windows engines, but I wrote a custom exporter for both output formats. If you only want vertex, texture and normal info then it'll be ok. I will write some maya exporters sometime in the future though, because milkshape 3d is not a very advanced modelling package and has bugs which get annoying when they happen when your short of time!! :(

erissian

Jan 19, 2006 at 11:45 AM

It doesn't get simpler that OFF.

But then, you're trading usefulness for ease :)

invictus

Jan 19, 2006 at 4:48 PM

Ok I will look at that OFF format first, and then milkshape again.

Althought I found some technical spec for this format it seem to be pretty dead. What tools do I need to create OFF models? Any opengl samples for loading this model? And last but not least; I need a sample model to work against but cant fint anyone at the usual sites...any ideas?

Plasmadog

Jan 19, 2006 at 8:31 PM

Any format that is well documented should be as easy to read as any other. But if this is the first importer you are writing, I recommend finding a format in which you can easily skip data that your program has no use for, like animation for example. That way you don't need to write the whole thing at once. You can write and test each part of the import process one at at time, i.e. first load just the vertices and skip everything else. Then add faces, etc.

Ravuya

Jan 20, 2006 at 12:03 AM

md2 is a good format. Just beware some of the crappy loader tutorials out there, that insist that loading entire structs with a fread call is a good idea.

dpadam450

Jan 20, 2006 at 12:06 AM

Why is it when I export to .3ds from blender its not a readable text file? How will I know how to load it if I can't read it?

Android_s

Jan 20, 2006 at 8:07 AM

I'd put my money in the .OBJ file format.
It's in text format and about every modelling tool out there can export to it.

Android_s

Jan 20, 2006 at 8:09 AM

Quote:
Original post by dpadam450
Why is it when I export to .3ds from blender its not a readable text file? How will I know how to load it if I can't read it?

That's because .3DS is a binary format. You need to get hold of a format specification (or a tutorial) so you can see what bytes to read and when =)

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