Author Topic: Export FF7 Battle models  (Read 8445 times)

psiphre

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Export FF7 Battle models
« on: 2019-10-28 20:40:51 »
I'm looking for a tool that will allow me to export battle models from any version of ff7.  i've gotten ifalna working insofar as i can view the models i'm looking for but exporting them to any sort of file other than BMP is a no-go.  i'm trying to fiddle with the models in blender (or really any other 3d modeling progam, i'm not picky)
« Last Edit: 2019-10-28 21:23:24 by psiphre »

Quid?

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Re: Export FF7 Battle models
« Reply #1 on: 2019-10-29 02:12:10 »
It depend on what you are trying to do, if it is to mod the game, have you tried Kimera?
http://ngplus.net/index.php?/files/file/13-ff7-model-editor-kimera-by-borde-pc-only/
FF7 models are divided in parts and doing modifications can mess up the animations if you aren't careful, again it depend on your goals but I don't think you could check how your models are holding up in that regard with a program like blender, while you can with kimera.

If it is for a other purpose than modding the game, I think there are some converters used by graphic packs to put models in png format somehow but I can't tell you what tools they use for that. They must be around though.

Fewtch

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Re: Export FF7 Battle models
« Reply #2 on: 2019-10-29 04:43:23 »
I've yet to see any program that exports models, battle or otherwise into a usable modern format with a skeleton. All of the currently available tools are made with modding in mind only and can only export piece by piece, sadly.

psiphre

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Re: Export FF7 Battle models
« Reply #3 on: 2019-10-29 04:52:25 »
I'm not trying to mod the game.  i'm trying to get useful 3d meshes with skeletons for personal use!   :D

the animations that ifanla is able to play are icing on the cake... if i could export a specific frame of a specific model's specific animation i would be in 7th heaven.

i have a bunch of programs working.  i spent all day poring through the forums... as i mentioned i have ifalna and i can display the models and watch their animations, i got biturn working but the .objs that it exports have the skeletons all messed up.  i have kimera working but it doesn't look like it can export the models to a format useful to me (unless i'm just blind and using it wrong).  i got proudclod but it wants to import scenes and i just want the model...  i got pcreator but it's complaining about a dll file that didn't come with it so i've given up on it.

the whole thing is super frustrating :(


Quid?

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Re: Export FF7 Battle models
« Reply #4 on: 2019-10-29 13:19:54 »
Kimera don't export the files to a new format so you aren't using it wrong. Proud Clod is for modding battle formations, enemies stats and AI, not the models.

I only read about graphic packs like Reunion or Satsuki pack, I don't use them but from what I understand, the latter at least do convert models to png format somehow. So it must be possible.

UpRisen

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Re: Export FF7 Battle models
« Reply #5 on: 2019-10-29 18:00:03 »
https://mirex.mypage.sk/index.php?selected=1

The program you are looking for here is Biturn.

you will first have to extract the files from your lpg files with ulgp  https://forums.qhimm.com/index.php?topic=12831.0

psiphre

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Re: Export FF7 Battle models
« Reply #6 on: 2019-10-31 01:59:48 »
I've got biturn working! :D i've actually exported a bunch of the meshes and working with them isn't as difficult as i thought it would be.  unfortunately the skeleton is beyond me and the animations are even further out... unless there's some cool feature of buturn that i'm not understanding how to use?

psiphre

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Re: Export FF7 Battle models
« Reply #7 on: 2019-10-31 09:23:47 »


so based on your last message, i did some investigation and learned that biturn exports LWOs, and with some clever clicking, blender can import LWOs.  cool!  the old version of LWO imports alright with her skeleton and meshes in her default battle pose (but with no animations).  the new LWO, "lightwave 6.5", exports with the skeleton only in her default battle pose and her meshes all f'd up (shown).  thank you, i think i am making progress, but it's still not quite what i was hoping for XD

psiphre

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Re: Export FF7 Battle models
« Reply #8 on: 2019-11-01 05:16:53 »
i'm getting closer and closer.  i realized tonight that biturn will export the RUAA as "old" lightwave and have a perfect battle pose mesh.  then i also realized that biturn will export the RUAA as "new" lightwave and have a perfect skeleton but f'd up mesh.  but they're not joined!  so i deleted the f'd up mesh and transposed the skeleton from the "new" file onto the mesh from the "old" file.  and i have this!



combined tifa on the left, my attempt at importing individual meshes and assembling her from scratch on the right.

now it's "just" a matter of weighting the mesh to the bones and de-posing her back to A or T, and i should be in business!  and now that i have a process, the other characters will be super easy.

LordUrQuan

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Re: Export FF7 Battle models
« Reply #9 on: 2019-11-01 12:46:07 »
Seeing Tifa meshed like that reminds me of Madonna's pointy-bra phase back in the 80s :D

psiphre

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Re: Export FF7 Battle models
« Reply #10 on: 2019-11-01 20:32:58 »
Seeing Tifa meshed like that reminds me of Madonna's pointy-bra phase back in the 80s :D

XD

after i get her all rigged and weighted i plan on doing some subdividing and mesh smoothing to get her at least into the late 2000s.  aiming for around 8-10k tris i think.  no major modifications to her overall shape but just to get her looking not so "pointy".

my plan last night to reuse the combat pose model and skeleton was disastrous so i'm back to rigging my assembled pose in mixamo and weighting/re-weighting by hand.  i'm also planning to add dynamic bones!

LordUrQuan

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Re: Export FF7 Battle models
« Reply #11 on: 2019-11-01 22:50:49 »
Have you tried asking Kaldarasha about how to go about working on these, either via DM or on the Discord?

Kaldarasha

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Re: Export FF7 Battle models
« Reply #12 on: 2019-11-02 10:23:04 »
It's not that I haven't read it. It's more that I have no clue myself how to export the model with mesh, skeleton and animation. My hopes where with Kujata but sadly picklejarr didn't work on it anymore. Bitrun destroys all the vertex shading.

LordUrQuan

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Re: Export FF7 Battle models
« Reply #13 on: 2019-11-02 14:41:21 »
Oh?  Then how have you and cmh been working your magic?  Just insanely detailed textures overtop the existing skeletons and meshes?

Kaldarasha

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Re: Export FF7 Battle models
« Reply #14 on: 2019-11-02 15:23:54 »
Bitrun exports the model in its current position, from there on you can work on the model. But you have to recolor it or uv map the whole model and texture it.

obesebear

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Re: Export FF7 Battle models
« Reply #15 on: 2019-11-02 16:05:59 »
I think Noesis can export the playstation model files, not sure about PC though

psiphre

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Re: Export FF7 Battle models
« Reply #16 on: 2019-11-02 16:41:59 »
we have a discord?!

strife98

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Re: Export FF7 Battle models
« Reply #17 on: 2019-11-02 16:49:50 »
Yup, check the front page where it says "Discord" :p