converting .CRAFT files into another format such as .OBJ?

[mobious44]

As the title suggests, i would like to convert a .CRAFT file of a ship i designed and convert it to a .OBJ file so i could then import the design into another program such as BLender3D. Is this possible at all?

[Diazo]

Erm, not with the tools we have I don't think.

AFAIK, a .craft file is not a 3D model file, rather it is a list of parts and their details. (Location, rotation, where they connect to other parts, etc.)

You would have to write a program that examined a craft file and then pulled all the 3D model files from the parts directories and placed them into a combined 3D model file.

That might be possible as a plugin to blender, but I would not have a clue where to start.

D.

[Xaiier]

A .craft file is just a textual description of which parts are connected to what and their locations. Technically, it should be possible to create a converter that uses the actual part models and a .craft to build a .obj or whatever, but I'm not sure if it has been done. I do remember hearing something about this awhile ago though.

EDIT: Ninja'd

DOUBLE EDIT: Apparently KSP uses .mu files which are specific to KSP and can't be reverse engineered, so unless you get the originals from Squad, theres no way to directly grab the parts and use them.

Edited November 12, 2013 by Xaiier

[allmappedout]

The only way that this could be done is if you had a sub-program which contained all of KSP's assets and was solely used to render the craft. It'd probably be trivial to create for squad but on the other hand it'd require updating at every iteration so it probably wouldn't be worth their time to keep it updated as it'd just be KSP-lite.

[mobious44]

unfortunately you've all confirmed what i already thought but hoped wasn't true. Thank you all. but the idea of writing a script/program to analyze a .CRAFT file and make a .OBJ file from that sounds interesting... But my coding skills are very lacking, nonetheless I may try to create something like that, although i probably won't ever finish it. If someone who is actually adept at writing code did this i would be very thankful.

[RocketTurtle]

Actually there are things like 3D Ripper DX or Ninja Ripper.

[mobious44]

Actually there are things like 3D Ripper DX or Ninja Ripper.

This... This looks promising! Thank you!

[Smidge204]

DOUBLE EDIT: Apparently KSP uses .mu files which are specific to KSP and can't be reverse engineered, so unless you get the originals from Squad, theres no way to directly grab the parts and use them.

They absolutely can be reverse engineered. After Googling around on the subject, it appears Squad has asked people to not do it, and to not develop/distribute tools to do it. But it absolutely can be done... after all, the game is able to decode them for display!

Capturing the 3D models directly from memory (a la Ninja Ripper) is by far the most direct method.

=Smidge=

[Sma]

It maybe possible, but then you're getting into the area of ripping off their IP so to speak. You would be better off just modeling it by hand I would think. I've been thinking of doing that but then I'd have to take some time away from playing the game...

[mobious44]

It maybe possible, but then you're getting into the area of ripping off their IP so to speak. You would be better off just modeling it by hand I would think. I've been thinking of doing that but then I'd have to take some time away from playing the game...

I'd never rip off this IP or any other. I just merely wanted the 3D models of the ships I've made in an attempt to see if I could 3D print them off. Thought it'd be cool to have a physical version of them.