Re: [TuxKart-devel] Getting Started.

[Steve B. <sjb...@ai...>]

Ryan Flegel wrote:

> Maybe some of these effects (that are in the comments) should be
> stored into separate config files, instead of loading a model straight
> up, load the config file which will include these comments, plus the
> path to the model.

Actually, some of them are.  The '.loc' file does some of that.  The
problem is that some effects need to be attached to a specific node
in the database tree for the 3D model.  If you have something like
a volcano model with lava running down the sides, you want moving
texturemaps on the lava polygons but not on the rocky mountainside.

It's hard to locate those specific nodes from an external config
file - so you tend to need to use some kind of ASCII string attached
to the node to identify it.  Well, if you can do *that* then you
might as well put the config data right into that ASCII string in
the model file.

This is a much easier way to work - and somewhat guarantees that when
you rearrange the model's heirarchy for some reason, that the config
data stays attached to the correct parts.

The '.loc' file tends to have things of a more 'global' scope that
affect the whole model file.

> Also, since AC3D seems to be missing some useful features, is there
> any other format blender can export to that might suit our needs a lot
> better?

That would be a useful experiment to try.

The PLIB library (which is what is actually doing the file loading) supports
about 20 different file formats.  Some of these are well supported (AC3D
is a good one - because I maintain it!) - others are flakey because someone
implemented just enough of the format to get some job done - and then
contributed a half-baked solution.

All format are ALWAYS missing some teeny-tiny detail though.  Doing
utterly generic and *complete* 3D loaders is extremely difficult.

---------------------------- Steve Baker -------------------------
HomeEmail: <sjb...@ai...>    WorkEmail: <sj...@li...>
HomePage : http://www.sjbaker.org
Projects : http://plib.sf.net    http://tuxaqfh.sf.net
            http://tuxkart.sf.net http://prettypoly.sf.net
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