Just wanted to know if anyone is interested in loading Blizzard MDX models and if any of you guys have done this before. If you do not know already .MDX files are the models for games like Warcraft III, and Starcraft. I''m in the process of creating a Loader for the MDX format now. So far I can get the texture coords, vertex coords, normals, and indexes to a face array (In short draw a static model). The real challenge will be understanding the bone animation that is stored in the file. I was thinking about writing an article about this for NeHe when I''m finished I just want to know if anyone out there is willing to help me with trying to figure this file format out. Its a good oppurtunity to learn about bone animation. There are currently applications out there that will convert MDX files to an OBJ format however I do not know of any apps that will actually animate the model. The few apps I have found to do conversion do not come with the source code so its slow going at best. Anyway respond if your interested but before you do respond know that this is not going to be something that is easy to do. -Cheers

I just started this same task about a month ago, I even thought of making a turtorial out of it. I can currently load the same items you have listed. And I also have some of the geometry animation working. I can load the human buildings with their animations cycles displayed properly. The test app renders the models at different times throughout the animation, and you can see all the animation sequences for each of the models, and some include moving parts (like the saws). My implmentation uses C++ and OpenGL.

There are very few resources on the file format, but I found one that defines approximately 90% of the info in the file, plus whatever I figured out.

I can load the .BLP image files as well, although I don''t think the alpha values get loaded.

BioWare''s Neverwinter Nights models are much easier to figure out, plus they have some for free download on their site.

I''m up for the challenge of the MDX file loader though.

Cool, sounds like you have gone a further than I have.

"I found one that defines approximately 90% of the info in the file"

Were you talking about this site? http://kmkdesign.8m.com/downloads/ I have been to this site but it does not go into much detail at all. Is this the same one you were talking about? I look forward to working with ya on this btw.

Some people are just information whores!

Seriously, you think there would be better tools out there if someone just provided
better docs to do it.

When someone does provide a script, it''s usually encrypted.

I would rather see a tutorial on decoding encrypted MAX scripts.

It''s just encrypted text...

Well let me just say the idea here is to understand the file format. Once fully understood myself and others plan to write a doc on the mdx format. The idea is to be able to load mdx files directly into your own opengl projects. We are not making another converter, plug-in, or script. Instead gathering information about the file format to be put inside a doc for everyone to use. Then you can use the doc to write your own plug-in or whatever.

The folks at www.wc3campaigns.com have not done this already. They are going to send a petition to Blizzard for the MDX format. http://www.petitiononline.com/wc3mdx/petition.html They realize they don''t fully understand the MDX format and that is why they are going to ask blizzard to release it. Personally I don''t ever see this happening.

it IS fully understood. what was holding them back was the math in converting the way max stores quats to the way wc3 stores them. i understand it fully, i made an exporter that supports animations for milkshape. i dont really have a need for what you are doing, but if you guys want some help with the bone rotation ill be glad to help. another thing, there is some code in the wc3 exe (i think thats where it is) to convert mdx files to an ascii format and back again. this is what i used so i didnt have to mess with binary, and so did citizensnips and republicola.

if you want to talk to me, republicola or citizensnips go to #wc3campaigns on irc.wc3campaigns.com . at least one of us should be there most times.



[edited by - kyldub on October 23, 2003 4:47:44 PM]