fun with .pso

I used the latest version of blender and File -> Import -> Import Lightwave.

I suspect the problem is that i've skimped on some of the surface properties.

Ah... that's what I'm doing wrong. I'll download the new Blender and try it out tonight. Thanks.

ok, new version up, i was calculating the size of the FORM chunk wrong (doh):

pointless.net/eoc/psotools.zip

Some of the .lwo files that are generated can now be viewed in bcview, still not sure what i'm doing wrong with the others, here's the LOD1 troop carrier:



All the .lwo's i've tried can be loaded by blender, (but them blender's .lwo support is pretty basic).

New version uploaded, it seems that if you pad an odd length IFF chunk with a null byte you have to include the pad in the length of the chunk, which is a bit odd cos then how can you tell the difference between (e.g.) a 4 byte chunk thats actually a 3 byte chunk thats been padded, or a 4 byte chunk?

Anyway - bcview can now view all the .lwo's I throw at it, and Anim8or (a freeware animation package that can import .lwo) can import everything that I thow at it (tho it complains about not finding some surface names, seems to work tho).

Incredible! Really nice stuff.

Some files throw an error and won't convert. But any PSO object which makes it through the conversion can now be opened with Lightwave. No errors with surfaces or anything.

Are you able to open Lightwave scene files? Many of the new ship types are in sections which rely upon the LW scene to put the individual pieces together at all the right places.

For instance, the small (Alpha Class) fuelcarrier model, when each part is opened in LW Modeler, will place all the parts at the origin... resulting in a jumbled mess.

But, if the fuelcarrier Setup_small.lws is opened using LW Layout, it'll look for each part which is needed to make the model and place them at the right locations.

Most ship types are segmented like this. The only ones I see which are 'whole' are the models which were used from the original Independence War (i.e., the Puffin, troopcarrier, etc.).

Could this be causing a problem?

Until I get the replacement dongle from Newtek I'm limited to LW 7.5, but if I can help in any way let me know.

Fantastic job Jasper. I never thought a PSO converter was possible.

Originally posted by Shane

Incredible! Really nice stuff.

Some files throw an error and won't convert. But any PSO object which makes it through the conversion can now be opened with Lightwave. No errors with surfaces or anything.

Hmm, which files are a problem? i'll write a wrapper to try to convert all the .pso files in eoc, and then look for problem ones tommorow.

Are you able to open Lightwave scene files? Many of the new ship types are in sections which rely upon the LW scene to put the individual pieces together at all the right places.

I'm not touching the .lws files atm, they are just text anyway, so it shouldn't be too hard.

For instance, the small (Alpha Class) fuelcarrier model, when each part is opened in LW Modeler, will place all the parts at the origin... resulting in a jumbled mess.

But, if the fuelcarrier Setup_small.lws is opened using LW Layout, it'll look for each part which is needed to make the model and place them at the right locations.

Most ship types are segmented like this. The only ones I see which are 'whole' are the models which were used from the original Independence War (i.e., the Puffin, troopcarrier, etc.).

I'm not sure i understand - once you've got the .lwo's dosn't the LW Layout thing just work? or are all the objects translated to the origin.

I guess if i want to do .pso to anything else, i'll have to read the .lws and read in the translation and rotaion of the different objects and then transform the stuff in the .pso so they can be put together properly.

Could this be causing a problem?

Until I get the replacement dongle from Newtek I'm limited to LW 7.5, but if I can help in any way let me know.

Fantastic job Jasper. I never thought a PSO converter was possible.

Havign LW 7.5 only may not be that much of an issue, or can it not export ver 5.6 files, and only import?