HowToExportFromBlender

just a few notes on exporting, we should make a proper tutorial someday

guide

• install OgreBlenderExport_v1.4.0_prefixpatch :
  • download http://ghoulsblade.schattenkind.net/ogre/OgreBlenderExport_v1.4.0_prefixpatch.zip
  • (this is a modified version i made to automatically prefix all material names and filenames with something to avoid conflicts with other models)
  • unpack and move the everything inside (also subfolders) it into
    • (win:) YOUR_BLENDER_DIR/.blender/scripts
    • (linux:) YOURHOME/.blender/scripts

• install python
  • for win : http://python.org/download/ : Python 2.5.1 Windows installer
  • for linux : "apt-get install python" or something like that

• install OgreXMLConverter :
  • for win : OgreCommandLineTools_v1.4.0.msi
  • for linux : OgreXMLConverter is included in the ogre package or the ogre source

• open the .blend file you want to export (e.g. double click the .blend file)
• select the object you want to export using rightclick
  • (you can only export single objects, but you can make multiple subobjects somehow)

• open the "script-window"
  • rightclick the seperator between the 3d-view and the bottom panel and select split area
  • on the left button of the new panel select "script-window"
  • next to it a "scripts" button appears, select "Scripts":"Export":"OGRE Meshes" there
  • enter a unique prefix for you model and materials in the line saying "Prefix all names with this :"
    • (avoid spaces and special letters, something like ke_gpl_biotube_ is good)
  • the broad "copy texture" button should be active/pressed
  • select a directory where to export
    • creates multiple files, .material and .mesh file, and texture images are also copied
    • i suggest using a new empty directory
  • the "OgreXMLConverter" button should be active/pressed so we get a .mesh instead of a .xml
  • hit export
  • if you only got a .mesh.xml file, but no .mesh file, then the exporter couldn't locate the path to the OgreXMLConverter
    • to fix this, click "Preferences"
    • in "OgreXMLConverter Location" : click "Manual"
    • on win : select the path to the OgreXMLConverter.exe , e.g. C:\OgreCommandLineTools\OgreXmlConverter.exe
    • if you can't find it you need to install OgreCommandLineTools_v1.4.0.msi , see above

• the model will probably have to be rescaled, recentered and rotated ... see below

• see HowToTestModelsIngame

restrictions

• one object ingame is one object in blender, so you have to combine multiple parts to a single object to export it
• texture images should have a size that is a power of two, e.g. 32,64,128,256,512,1024,...
• don't make textures too large to save video ram ingame, 256x256 should be enough for most things, but please keep a backup of the original high-res texture
• most blender texture effects and shaders will not work ingame, a plain texture is the easiest to get to work

old notes

resizing, rotating and recentering has to be done in blender until we find the time to implement an editor for something like this in sfz.

• press n : transform window,
  • set pos to 0
  • lower right of the transform window should be near 1,1,1 for one ingame tile (press s to scale the model)
• move the middlepoint to a position on the grid
• go to edit mode and move the mesh so that it is aligned to a unit-sized grid

• this forum thread in iris2 about exporting ogre models might also be interesting : http://www.iris2.de/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1061

tips

• on the lowest panel, select "buttons window" on the menu on the left.
• if you want to edit object and mesh names : on the "Panels" menu select "Editing" : "Link and Materials" panel
• if you want to edit material names : on the "Panels" menu select "Shading":"Material"
• if you want to edit texture names and image paths : on the "Panels" menu select "Shading":"Texture"