Blender Tutorial

[Omnivore]

To import KSP\'s Collada .DAE files (at least some of them), the following worked for me:

Opened up the dae file with scite (or any decent text or xml editor), found the following section:

 <library_images>
  <image id='Map__0-image' name='Map__0'>
   <init_from>file://C:/Games/KSP/Mods/Omnikorp/Parts/2mhalffueltank/textures/2m_fuelTank_Texture.png</init_from>
  </image>
 </library_images>

Change the file path to point to your local copy of the texture file, it\'ll be pointing to the original creator\'s path which probably doesn\'t exist on your file system. Remember to use forward slashes in the path.

Use the free Autodesk Softimage Mod Tool 7.5 along with Autodesk\'s Crosswalk v2012.5 (also free). Open up Softimage, select a scene (doesn\'t matter use default and delete model(s) or create a new one), go to File->Crosswalk->Import.. menu selection, import the modified dae file. Then go to File->Crosswalk->Export.. menu selection, set file type to COLLADA 1.4.1, set your target file name and path, and hit the export button.

The dae file regurgitated by Softimage/Crosswalk should now load up in blender.

This works with at least some of the dae files, for any that it doesn\'t work for, check the console window for Blender which should list the error(s) it encountered.

It seems that Blender is a bit picky on the Collada format and if something doesn\'t resolve to its satisfaction it refuses to load it. Crosswalk is a little less picky on import and seems to have an export format that satisfies Blender.

PS: I\'m not a 3D modeller, I\'m a retired programmer with way too much time and curiosity Now that I\'ve gotten a model to successfully load in Blender I have no idea on how to mod it LOL!

UPDATE: Always try to open up with Blender first, some dae files will load ok, some will load ok after setting the filepath, some will load after getting rid of the diffuse section (as posted by GeorgeTirebiter earlier) and oddly enough at least some of the ones that load fine in Blender will cause Softimage/Crosswalk to crash to desktop.

[Technical Ben]

Thanks for the info. It will help me set up some 'example' scenes in blender. Once I have them, I\'ll upload them here for others to use and modify to add their parts to.

That way modding should be easier for everyone.

Could not get the material to import by changing the texture location. So deleted the reference completely. I can now import!

[Omnivore]

If I knew the minimal set of XML tags (sections) that KSP expected for a model from a dae, I\'d write a python script to strip everything else out.

[Technical Ben]

Ooooh. Sounds good. No doubt they will add that to the actual game files at some point. I was looking at the game files and wondering if any of the extra stuff is even needed? I doubt reducing the file by a couple of bits will make much difference to the resource load, but you never know.

[Omnivore]

I was thinking also that such a tool could also strip dae files for import to blender Blender itself seems to, by default, export a bunch of unneccessary stuff - does the game even need camera and scene specific info?

On another issue, about the z vs y axis thing, under the first asset tag in the dae exported from blender, last item is an up_axis tag, blender seems to like setting that to Z_UP - I\'ve had success with just manually changing it to Y_UP.

[Technical Ben]

Ohhh. That sounds good. As said, Blender corrects the scene (else the game does) so parts export correctly. Individual objects in the parts keep their Blender axis though, which is a pain. You either need to manually change axis, or rotate the models.

[mincespy]

I could use a tutorial too right now...

[Redneck]

This is what I will be using this weekend in my free time courtesy of Epsilon http://www.cdschools.org/54223045235521/blank/browse.asp?a=383&bmdrn=2000&bcob=0&c=55205

Download the pdf book here http://www.cdschools.org/54223045235521/lib/54223045235521/BlenderBasics_4thEdition2011.pdf