[Flightgear-devel] Using native OSG 3D models - is it possible?

[Hal V. E. <hv...@gm...>]

On the forum there was a thread about an ebook on using Blender to create 
aircraft models.  The web site for the ebook included a number of models and 
one of these was a WWII USAAF pilot that is very nicely done.  The creator of 
these models has given permission to use these models in FlightGear without 
any restrictions.  

The pilot is built using armatures so that he can be animated but of course 
FG/OSG does not support native Blender files.  I have attempted to use the OSG 
and COLLADA export scripts to create a file that is supported but the resulting 
files are not handled correctly by FG/OSG.  I suspect that there are issues 
with the Blender export since using osgviewer to view the export also has 
major issues.  I see messages like:

$ osgviewer pilot-wwii.osg
LinkVisitor links 3 for "Thigh.R"
LinkVisitor links 3 for "Calf.R"
LinkVisitor links 3 for "Foot.R"
LinkVisitor links 3 for "Thigh.L"
LinkVisitor links 3 for "Calf.L"
LinkVisitor links 3 for "Foot.L"
LinkVisitor links 3 for "Pelvis"
LinkVisitor links 3 for "Neck"
LinkVisitor links 3 for "Head"
LinkVisitor links 3 for "Arm.L"

.... (looks good to this point but)

RigTransformSoftware Bone Jacket not found, skip the influence group Jacket
RigTransformSoftware Bone Shoes not found, skip the influence group Shoes
RigTransformSoftware Bone Trousers not found, skip the influence group Trousers
RigTransformSoftware Bone Shoes not found, skip the influence group Shoes
RigTransformSoftware Bone Trousers not found, skip the influence group Trousers

...  (look broken to me and so doe the next set of messages)

0x7f3c9c070fe0 RigTransformSoftware::UniqBoneSetVertexSet no bones found
0x7f3c9c070fe0 RigTransformSoftware::UniqBoneSetVertexSet no bones found
0x7f3c9c070fe0 RigTransformSoftware::UniqBoneSetVertexSet no bones found
0x7f3c9c070fe0 RigTransformSoftware::UniqBoneSetVertexSet no bones found


So the exported file is clearly an issue for OSG.

I have not been able to make the COLLADA export work at all.  With a COLLADA 
1.3 export I get an empty file and an error message about a script failure.  
With the COLLADA 1.4 export I get a file but osgviewer will not load it because 
"Warning: Could not find plugin to read objects from file "pilot-wwii.dae"."   
Do I need to change the way OSG is built or do I need to get a COLLADA plugin 
from some other place?

I have been able to get a AC3D export but of course all of the armature stuff 
is gone and all I have at that point is a static model that can not be 
animated.  

So my questions are:

1. Is it possible to use and animate a model with armatures in FG/OSG assuming 
the 3D file is correctly formed?

2. If so what 3D file formats are best?

3. And how do I get a viable export from Blender?

Hal