Model Extraction

[wolfie]

Anyone have the meshes from EnB extracted and if so what tools and how?

 

Kinda looking for the ship and MOB models but would be cool to get the stations too.

[Mimir[IS]]

I'm getting old, but I think I have posted how to extract the ships (including the new ones).  Search for my posts should still be around here.

 

 

[wolfie]

Shoulda posted.  I got the mix files extracted. Now trying to search for the ship and station files.  Was trying to see if they were at all useful for 3D printing as meshes.  I know a lot of the old games' meshes were flat planes with texture maps but I had hoped that maybe some surface shape would be present I could massage into a usable file.  Thought it might be cool to have a 3D printed JE explorer ship sitting on the desk   Or maybe a nice print of Jove's Fury.

[Mimir[IS]]

I guess I didn't upload enough info.  I had the models pulled out to do the very thing.  Either 3D print or paper models.

 

Here is a link to a screen cap in Dremel 3D

 

https://ibb.co/iwwDkk

 

Look for my post...directions for how to pull all for printing are there.

 

Just saying,

Mim

P.S.

It is more than just extracting the mix files.... there are several parts to the ships that reflect the upgrades.  Takes a bit of work not easy but doable.

 

[wolfie]

15 hours ago, Mimir said:

I guess I didn't upload enough info.  I had the models pulled out to do the very thing.  Either 3D print or paper models.

 

Here is a link to a screen cap in Dremel 3D

 

https://ibb.co/iwwDkk

 

Look for my post...directions for how to pull all for printing are there.

 

Just saying,

Mim

P.S.

It is more than just extracting the mix files.... there are several parts to the ships that reflect the upgrades.  Takes a bit of work not easy but doable.

 

 

I did a search on your posts and the only reference (within reason) is:

However, neither link works in your OP.  Any chance you can post them online again?  Preferably the obj as I can work with those directly without conversion

 

Also, in the last post in that thread, you say...

Quote

I also fount the original EnB transmission files, these should be located in the project archives.

I don't know what that means nor where these project archives are to even try to look.

 

And, yea, I know the ships change with the upgrades as well as having different hulls and wing combos and equipment loadout.  Baby steps.

 

 

[Mimir[IS]]

I'll see if I can find the files.  I think they are in a zip file... more later.

[wolfie]

Thank you my friend.

[wolfie]

Forgot to ask, if its possible if you would describe some of the filenames from the mix files.  Having a heck of a time finding any of them.  Though I did find the Tada-O commercials.  Now have a new ringtone   But thats another thread.

 

I would eventually like to convert some of the stations and other game assets into printable files too.  Sorta hoping that those would be easier as they don't have multiple options like the player ships do.

[TempestNWK]

having moderate success with blender at the moment and a w3d importer.

 

will do a write up of all the steps later.

 

viewing the models in the old W3D viewer i seem to be spotting them not being "airtight"

 

so they will have to be edited for use by a 3d printer for example.

 

ship hulls seem to follow a format somewhat

 

SPW31

ship progen wing 3 1

etc.

 

more later.

 

 

[TempestNWK]

also. the dream of a complete 3d printed model will have to be built with the profession, wing, hull variants (as you said. multiple options.)

 

and the wings need to be broken down if you wanted them articulated (in case of the PW)

 

maybe there are some 40k enthousiasts about these places. ive seen non standard kits/projects being sculpted with what they call "green stuff". neo d. magnet joints etc.

[TempestNWK]

W3D viewer : https://secure.w3dhub.com/tools/W3DView.zip

Blender import script : https://github.com/sage-team/W3D-Tools/releases

XCC Utilities : http://xhp.xwis.net/

 

the xcc mixer tool can extract fairly large chunks of W3D/DDS files without crashing (still looking for a batch extrac method rather then opening each mix-file and extracting the contents)

 

after installing blender you need to install the W3D importer tool

File > User Preferences > addons > "install add-on from file" point it to the w3dtools.zip you downloaded earlier. (no need to unzip the contents, its just python scripts)

 

when doubleclicking the .zip  should open a window with the w3d plugin unchecked, tick the checkbox. (save user settings if you want it to auto-load)

 

after that you should have a "westwood3d (.w3d)" option via : File > Import.

 

 

 

 

for some reason though, some files open, some don't. most load with model and textures (if you extracted the .DDS's aswell)

 

 

Wolfie, as for you stations;

 

they seem to be scattered across mixfiles.

 

the only thing i found is e.g.;

 

PSS06A.w3d

 

P = Progen , T - Terran , etc.

S = Station ?

S = ?       variants with D in them seem to be dock interiours

 

06A looks to be random numbers

 

 

 

 

 

[TempestNWK]

forgot how much fun blender was.

 

good news for the arm section ( i think) they're already made into separate bits.

 

most 3d parts seem to have problems though, the hull for example, has overlapping faces, vertices etc which need to be cleaned up before its considerd to be "printable" for a 3D shoppe.

 

to be continued... back to blender tutorials..

[TempestNWK]

i've attached a .blend if someone want to fiddle with it.

 

- stripped the low poly LOD parts

- stripped the textures

 

 

untitled.blend

[TempestNWK]

some parts clean up nicely with some repairwork

 

 

[TempestNWK]

some testing putting the thing together, and thinking about how to assemble it in RL. think i'll leave the arms as is (hexagonal) and leave them in the fixed position instead of making them actual cylinders. 

 

still missing the engines i found out...  will need to dig through the mixfiles again.

 

also need to invent something for the weapon mount. maybe stick a cilinder straight through the end of the arm, dunno.

 

most separate parts should now be "manifold"

 

PLA is also much cheaper, might even be affordable scaling it up a bit.

 

Edited May 7, 2018 by TempestNWK
ytpos

[TempestNWK]

and the .blend for those who want to mess around with it. (7-zipped, was 883Kb)

 

 

 

 

testassembly.7z

[Mimir[IS]]

+10 on this renewed effort! 

 

 

3D Now!

Mim

[TempestNWK]

aight, it's off to the printing shop. est delivery 6-7 days

 

scaled up the STL's to twice the size, basicly ~15cm's from nose to tail-end.

 

to be continued..

 

 

[Kyp [LDEV]]

Very nice.

[TempestNWK]

got my parts.

 

https://imgur.com/a/6y6Eg9w

 

rough patches in the PLA is where support material was affixed.

 

is see some sanding + primer / filler work to be done in the future.

 

pretty impressed with the surface details on some bits, others are problematic.

 

the "beams" (which fit in blender) wont fit at the moment, maybe the 0.2mm process just wasn't accurate enough. wondering if i should have just left them connected, its pretty hard to judge the capabilities of the printer. (this was all done by an ultimaker S5, which should be pretty high end i'm told.

 

might just replace them altogether with something from the local hardware store.

[Dragonfly [CDEV]]

.2mm should've been more than enough resolution to get a good result. Whoever printed that for you needs to dial that machine in because there are some real issues with the top and bottom layer both. Supports should not have left any marks on the print itself if they were set properly. As for the pieces not fitting together, that is because the extruder is not calibrated. It is over extruding causing the parts to be larger than expected. 

 

I'm going to see if I can find your stl file here and see if I can generate a better result. 

 

EDIT: I haven't taken the time to learn 'Blender' and the file doesn't open in Fusion 360. If you post the STL I'll be happy to have a gander, but I'm not going to learn blender to to create one

[TempestNWK]

Thanks for your input Dragonfly,

 

seeing your [CDEV] tags i am a bit worried though, to distract you from other potential projects, ahem 

 

i've attached them below, reading up on fusion 360 i'm assuming you won't need me to convert the .blend to something else since it can import STL fine?

 

these are basicly the w3d files i tried to clean up (intersecting faces mostly, and non-sensical edges in the wing section)  modified with Booleans to "difference" 2 parts into something kind of mechanically workable. dissolved edges to make quads (3d printers dont seem to care?)  removed double vertices (assuming these were overlapping because of the different LOD meshes were stacked on top of each other?)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

STL 200%.7z

[alurra [Fmr. ADV]]

My apologies, wearing the wrong 'clothes'. Thank you for the STL, Tempest. I'll see about checking it out and getting printed today. I'll update with pics when I'm finished.

 

 

[alurra [Fmr. ADV]]

Update so far: 

 

Looking at the various pieces of the STL, there are areas that are going to prove 'difficult' in printing. In particular the wing sections as the ends of the wings are rather 'fine' and will require some interesting supports in order to get them printed properly. I have opted to give them an extra shell to see if they will prove a bit more secure. Update when I have more for you.

[TempestNWK]

yeah, the spikey bits at the end of the wings are quite flimsy.  (the geometry analizer didn't raise any flags though concering wall thickness < 2mm

could probably get away bending the "canon" look with a bit of creative freedom/tinkering, but i tried not to break any geometry while cleaning it.

 

some of the terran hulls look a lot more sensible, will have look at those shortly i think

 

never even mentioned the manufacterer btw, this was forwarded to a local manufacturer in my country via 3dhubs.com, prices seemed reasonable enough.

manufacturer did mention using PVA as additional support material, although that tended to drive the price up. the guy is kinda suspect now though, lol, as you easily pointed out several flaws in his printing technique/setup.

 

happy with what i got though, i have a few contacts in the automotive refinish industry which are looking for helpfull products which can be used with PLA (plastic primer/fillers etc)

some products contain ethyl compounds though (akin to nail polish remover) which are a big no-no as those should dissolve PLA i'm told.