This is a very weird effect so I had to check it several times, any zoom in or zoom out I do in Blender results in the object increasing size
in Command and Conquer: Generals. It's always increase no matter if the zoom is in or out.

Importing and exporting avsentry.w3d with plugin will break its muzzle flash hidden/visibility status.

This is how it will look when firing for the first time after an import and export without any edits:

Fixes the loading of animations for structures. Sometimes the skeleton is inside the model itself

When invoking a W3D HAM export via script, then the plugin will print log output twice.

Blender 3.4.1 (hash 55485cb379f7 built 2022-12-20 01:51:19)
Read prefs: C:\Users\x\AppData\Roaming\Blender Foundation\Blender\3.4\config\userpref.blend
Read blend: D:\Projects\TheSuperHackers\GeneralsModBuilder\SampleProject\GameFilesEdited\Art\Models\AVSentry.blend
INFO: plugin version: 0.6.7
INFO: mesh 'TURRET01.002' vertices have been split because of multiple uv coordinates per vertex!
INFO: Saving file: D:\Projects\TheSuperHackers\GeneralsModBuilder\SampleProject\.Build\RawBundleItems\SampleModels\Art\W3D\AVSentry.w3d
INFO: export mode: HAM
INFO: finished
Info: plugin version: 0.6.7
Info: mesh 'TURRET01.002' vertices have been split because of multiple uv coordinates per vertex!
Info: Saving file: D:\Projects\TheSuperHackers\GeneralsModBuilder\SampleProject\.Build\RawBundleItems\SampleModels\Art\W3D\AVSentry.w3d
Info: export mode: HAM
Info: finished

Blender quit

Invoked by

blender.exe "D:\\Projects\\TheSuperHackers\\GeneralsModBuilder\\SampleProject\\GameFilesEdited\\Art\\Models\\AVSentry.blend" -b --python-expr "import bpy\nbpy.ops.export_mesh.westwood_w3d(filepath='D:\\Projects\\TheSuperHackers\\GeneralsModBuilder\\SampleProject\\.Build\\RawBundleItems\\SampleModels\\Art\\W3D\\AVSentry.w3d',check_existing=False,file_format='W3D',export_mode='HAM',use_existing_skeleton=False,animation_compression='U',force_vertex_materials=False,individual_files=False,create_texture_xmls=False)"

Perhaps Plugin outputs debug when Blender does the same?

Right now we see discrepancies when importing and exporting W3D files with the Blender Plugin. Would it be possible to setup a test for the Blender Plugin to mass import and export w3d files and compare the new export with the original and then highlight the discrepancies? This way we could see where the Blender Plugins produces wrong results, either on import or export.

jonwil says:

I can tell you that if you export a w3d file multiple times in a row from the same it will produce the same output. At least with the max plugins (EAs or mine).

As you can see in the images, everytime i try to export to w3d, the process fails and blender show up this info log. It was not happening and i don't know what to do. Can someone please help me?

At the moment the plugin does not support multiple diffuse textures defined in materials. (e.g. Texture_0 and Texture_1 defined in FxShader/ShaderMaterial). This is due to the fact, that the currently supported shader node setup for import and export via python looks sth like that:

See https://docs.blender.org/manual/fr/dev/addons/import_export/io_node_shaders_info.html for more information.

This is a very small issue. While Feliwir was explaining to me his attempt to add alpha it seemed like he missed the Blend Mode setting which I have circled in the screenshot.

Here is an example of the shader material nodes and settings that I use to display alpha in Blender. The default render engine in Blender 2.8 is Eeevee and this setting is only available for Eevee.

I recommend using either the Alpha Clip or Alpha Blend setting.

This probably is a stupid question about something I'm supposed to know, but where is the file io_mesh_w3d-X.X.zip? The Installing the plugin section says "To install, open Blender's User Preferences panel, click the Add-ons tab, click the Install Add-on from File... button, select io_mesh_w3d-X.X.zip, and click Install." and I only see an io_mesh_w3d folder and an OpenSAGE.BlenderPlugin-master.zip file, not a io_mesh_w3d-X.X.zip file.

Right now we only support 1 level of detail (LOD) in our plugin since BFME rarely uses more LODs. However for C&C Renegade (and possible other parts of the series) this is not the case. I suggest creating a collection during import stage when a mesh has multiple LODs e.g. like this:

During export there should be an option to select the number of levels (defaulting with the levels found at import). In case a mesh has no low poly version we can easily generate one with Blender.

Part of this issue is that we must connect Hierarchy and the HLod with the BoneIndex instead of the BoneName

At the moment visibility channels do not work for bones.
This seems like an issue with blender where setting PoseBone.bone.hide makes the bone unselectable in browser and also renders its bone tab blank.
I think because of this isse no keyframes for the "hide" property can be created with:

PoseBone.bone.hide = True
PoseBone.bone.insert_keyframe(data_path='hide', frame=frame)

Also the Suggestion to retrieve the bone directly from rig.data.bones and setting via:

bone.hide = True
bone.insert_keyframe(data_path='hide', frame=frame)

does not create a keyframe.

See https://developer.blender.org/T72918 for more Information.

In Blender after Import:

In game after Export:

I installed the plug in correctly, and I decided to import C&C City.mix (mp_city.w3d).
While the mesh imported just fine, the only textures that were loaded were the surrounding backdrop city sky scrapers.

I checked the console, see attachment

When a model is loaded and one of its referenced textures is not found within the same foulder, on Export a corresponding material is created, which references no texture anymore. This causes the plugin and the w3dViewer to crash when that exported model is imported again.

At uncompressed animations from generals, it seems like the pose transform has to be applied to get the correct transform for the Animation, since the values in the channels seem to only describe Delta values from the pose transform.

For BFME/BFME2 uncompressed Animations adding that pose transform is not required, se we need a way to distinguish between those cases.

Importing UIWRKR_SKN.W3D file from GeneralsZH-104 causes error.

plugin version: 0.6.7
Loading file: D:\Projects\TheSuperHackers\GeneralsFiles\Generals-108-GeneralsZH-104-Loose\Art\W3D\UIWRKR_SKN.W3D
Loading file: D:\Projects\TheSuperHackers\GeneralsFiles\Generals-108-GeneralsZH-104-Loose\Art\W3D\UIWRKR_SKL.W3D
creating mesh 'BOX'
loaded texture: D:\Projects\TheSuperHackers\GeneralsFiles\Generals-108-GeneralsZH-104-Loose\Art\W3D\CTCrateBoxes.dds
creating mesh 'MINED_SKIN'
creating mesh 'WORKER'
Python: Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "C:\Users\x\AppData\Roaming\Blender Foundation\Blender\3.4\scripts\addons\io_mesh_w3d\__init__.py", line 205, in execute
    load(self)
  File "C:\Users\x\AppData\Roaming\Blender Foundation\Blender\3.4\scripts\addons\io_mesh_w3d\w3d\import_w3d.py", line 137, in load
    create_data(context,
  File "C:\Users\x\AppData\Roaming\Blender Foundation\Blender\3.4\scripts\addons\io_mesh_w3d\import_utils.py", line 46, in create_data
    rig_mesh(mesh, hierarchy, rig, sub_object)
  File "C:\Users\x\AppData\Roaming\Blender Foundation\Blender\3.4\scripts\addons\io_mesh_w3d\common\utils\mesh_import.py", line 130, in rig_mesh
    mesh.vertices[i].co = matrix @ mesh_struct.verts[i]
IndexError: bpy_prop_collection[index]: index 191 out of range, size 191

Plugin version of 0.6.9 still says 0.6.7 inside Blender.

Feature suggestion: Add automatic export mode.

Currently W3D export needs to be accompanied by H, A, M or a combination thereof. It would be nice if there was an "Auto" mode that determines the export mode automatically simply by the contents of the scene. Is there a hierarchy? Is there a mesh? Is there an animation? I expect this to be queryably through the Python API. It would be nice if the Blender Plugin would have this feature natively, otherwise it would have to be built externally around it.

I export the model and open the w3d file in the W3D Viewer from the BfME 2 SDK. The viewer crashes.
The model is pink (material issue) in World Builder.

The model is a cliff from CnC4.

RB Rock Cliff 01.zip

shell03brddur is BfME 1's shell map, a giant model of Barad-dur with a lightmap material and camera animation. I have just now tested other models with the similar materials like mmdbalin.w3d, yet they seem to work.

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "C:\Users\matt\AppData\Roaming\Blender Foundation\Blender\2.80\scripts\addons\io_mesh_w3d\import_w3d.py", line 226, in load
    mesh_ob.parent = bpy.data.objects[parent_pivot.name]
KeyError: 'bpy_prop_collection[key]: key "AAA_BOX01" not found'

During handling of the above exception, another exception occurred:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "C:\Users\matt\AppData\Roaming\Blender Foundation\Blender\2.80\scripts\addons\io_mesh_w3d\__init__.py", line 143, in execute
    import_w3d.load(self, context, import_settings)
  File "C:\Users\matt\AppData\Roaming\Blender Foundation\Blender\2.80\scripts\addons\io_mesh_w3d\import_w3d.py", line 228, in load
    mesh_ob.parent = bpy.data.objects[amtName]
KeyError: 'bpy_prop_collection[key]: key "SHELL03BRDDUR" not found'

location: <unknown location>:-1

The w3d format does not allow one vertex to have multiple uv coordinates. Due to this, the vertices have to be split on export.

This results on a roundtrip in this:

references:

Ball_Blender.blend.txt

https://blender.stackexchange.com/questions/165309/how-do-i-remove-multiple-uv-coords
https://blender.stackexchange.com/questions/156642/blender-2-8-api-seems-to-have-issues-with-uv-layers

Only happens for normal mapped materials. E.g.

But it should be like this:

The model cbharruin04.w3d cannot be opened.

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "C:\Users\matt\AppData\Roaming\Blender Foundation\Blender\2.80\scripts\addons\io_mesh_w3d\__init__.py", line 143, in execute
    import_w3d.load(self, context, import_settings)
  File "C:\Users\matt\AppData\Roaming\Blender Foundation\Blender\2.80\scripts\addons\io_mesh_w3d\import_w3d.py", line 188, in load
    amtName = hierarchy.header.name
AttributeError: 'NoneType' object has no attribute 'header'

location: <unknown location>:-1

First of all, thank you for someone caring about this old game engine.

However, I have a problem.
The textures are constantly renamed when exporting.
This doesn't matter for Blender.
In games, all points “.” are new objects.
The driver entry “normalmappet.fx” may be exported as “normalmappet.fx.00X”.
Would it be possible to stop this?

W3D works with Planes.
These are simple areas that show the game where something is limited. Be it for entering, climbing over, transitioning from the landscape to the model, as an obstacle, or in special cases, what can be undercut. These areas should be invisible.

A Hyrachian model needs no bones and no amature.
However the filter returns an error?

An amature is automatically created during import.
For buildings without animation, completely pointless.
In addition, some functions do not work with buildings.

I would ask you to assign names to the objects in the W3D options and to strictly adopt them.
Blender is constantly evolving. This is brilliant for filmmakers.
For us modders, that means spending hours tricking Blender and naming objects the way we need them.
A field in the W3D Proberties where you can enter the identifier that will be published would be extremely helpful.

Should I have missed something?
Then I politely apologize.
Where do I need to check the box or change the name?

Thank you, Johannes

Some models have corrupted uv coordinates after export:

Used for some vehicles in renegade as a mesh type. It's used e.g. for front lights and stuff like this. There are multiple dazzle types aswell which we must provide a dropdown list for in blender.

It would maybe make sense to put all the different geometry types (see image below) into one property setting.

W3D Import always creates a "Basic_Sphere" mesh that needs to be deleted manually. Otherwise it does end up in a W3D export, but will not be visible.

It would be good if the Importer would not do that.

right now blender 4.0 is not working due to changes to the python API.