pyopengl-users

[PyOpenGL-Users] Importing 3D Models into Python

[Y S <yur...@ho...>]

Hello,

I am a long time programmer, but just recently started working with 
PyOpenGL. I am designing an isometric 3D (true rendered 3D) game. I ran into 
a road block and would like some suggestions. I need to import 3D models 
from files and render them. I have had very limited success. I did some 
research and found several utilities. A small 3DS loader, but I do not 
really want to use 3DS files as I am not a huge fan of 3D Studio Max. In 
addition, I had trouble getting it to work. I also found PyCal3D, but 
apparently that's been dead for a while. I managed to grab a copy of the 
source from archive.org, but I would prefer to use something that is still 
being developed or completed, rather than dead in early alpha.

If anyone has any suggestions about a good way to import 3D models to use in 
Python with PyOpenGL, I would appreciate the feedback. Thank you.

-Yury

P.S. Is PyCal3D really dead? If so, why? I did an extensive search, but 
found nothing.

_________________________________________________________________
FREE pop-up blocking with the new MSN Toolbar – get it now! 
http://toolbar.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200415ave/direct/01/

Re: [PyOpenGL-Users] Importing 3D Models into Python

[Shane H. (IEEE) <sha...@ie...>]

Yury,

I haven't gotten a chance to wrap 3DS files, but I do have a good start 
on loading the geometry from Lightwave Object 5.0 files and Wavefront 
OBJ files.  They're covered by a BSD style license, so you should be 
able to use them wherever you want.  Right now, I have a tessellation 
problem for large polygons; I simply haven't had the time to update the 
code to use the GLU tessellator objects.  Also included in our toolbag 
is a triangle stripification algorithm.  See if you like it.

http://techgame.net/projects/Runeblade/browser/trunk/RBRapier/RBRapier/Formats/

http://techgame.net/projects/Runeblade/browser/trunk/RBRapier/RBRapier/Tools/Geometry/Analysis/

Hope that helps you (and maybe some others!)

I'd love patches, too, if you have time to create them.

Thanks,
-Shane

Y S wrote:
> Hello,
> 
> I am a long time programmer, but just recently started working with 
> PyOpenGL. I am designing an isometric 3D (true rendered 3D) game. I ran 
> into a road block and would like some suggestions. I need to import 3D 
> models from files and render them. I have had very limited success. I 
> did some research and found several utilities. A small 3DS loader, but I 
> do not really want to use 3DS files as I am not a huge fan of 3D Studio 
> Max. In addition, I had trouble getting it to work. I also found 
> PyCal3D, but apparently that's been dead for a while. I managed to grab 
> a copy of the source from archive.org, but I would prefer to use 
> something that is still being developed or completed, rather than dead 
> in early alpha.
> 
> If anyone has any suggestions about a good way to import 3D models to 
> use in Python with PyOpenGL, I would appreciate the feedback. Thank you.
> 
> -Yury
> 
> P.S. Is PyCal3D really dead? If so, why? I did an extensive search, but 
> found nothing.

Re: [PyOpenGL-Users] Importing 3D Models into Python

[Mike C. F. <mcf...@ro...>]

Well, I wrote it, so I'm biased ;) , but I normally use VRML97 and load 
it with OpenGLContext.  Under the covers the various OpenGLContext 
scenegraph nodes are creating (normally array-based) representations of 
the loaded geometry in very OpenGL-friendly formats.  VRML97 can be 
generated by quite a considerable number of modelers, including the free 
(but very-weird if you're an old AutoCAD/3DS/3DSMax/Maya modeler like 
me) Blender.  You could quite conceivably rip the parsing + 
pre-rendering-processing code out of OpenGLContext if you want to import 
into your own scenegraph model (it's all BSD-licensed).

3DS files, btw, are often exportable from other modelers, 3DSMax is just 
about as foreign to 3DS as any other modeler.

I believe there may be some Quake-style map importers, but I've long 
since lost track of those projects.

I believe the University of Waterloo computer graphics course has a .obj 
to PyOpenGL importer kicking about somewhere, but I don't think they've 
released the source code.

Good luck,
Mike

Y S wrote:
...

> If anyone has any suggestions about a good way to import 3D models to 
> use in Python with PyOpenGL, I would appreciate the feedback. Thank you. 

...

________________________________________________
  Mike C. Fletcher
  Designer, VR Plumber, Coder
  http://www.vrplumber.com
  http://blog.vrplumber.com