Monkey Frog Studio

Thanks for the reply, Josh. I do have a question/observation, and that's mainly because I am not the brightest bulb in the pack (and not yet a programmer). I hear what you're saying about this being a code problem and not a problem with my art pipeline, but isn't this something more than a LUA issue? Isn't this more of a Leadwerks issue? The reason I say this is because I am importing an FBX file from TWO DIFFERENT sources and getting TWO DIFFERENT outcomes. The FBX file from Blender cannot be selected in the Leadwerks' editor's viewports. That's not a LUA issue, right? The FBX file from MODO can be selected in the Leadwerks' editor, but it cannot be picked up in-game. That could be a code issue. However, the FBX file from Blender CAN BE picked up in-game. This seems to indicate that there is something going on either with Blender's FBX export, MODO's FBX export, or Leadwerks' FBX import (or all of the above?). Else, each FBX file would be the same in Leadwerks. From MODO I tried two different FBX exporters ... FBX 2015 and FBX 2018. Both give me the same results (can be selected in the Leadwerks' editor's viewport, cannot be picked up in-game no matter what is set for mass).

Thanks. I appreciate the input. And I agree, it looks like all my current issues are with collision hulls, which appear to not be operating correctly.

Additional information - If I open the object in the Leadwerks' model viewer, collapse the model, and add a basic physics object (box, etc.), the objects can then be picked up. So, here's what's going on in Leadwerks 4.5: Blender objects (with collision hulls made in Blender) operate normally in-game (can be collided with and can be picked up, depending on mass), but cannot be selected in the Leadwerks viewport (only in the Leadwerks scene tree). Collapsing them and adding a basic physics object (box, etc.) fixes the viewport selecting issue. Modo objects (with collision hulls made in Modo) can be collided with in-game, but cannot be picked up via pressing "E". They can be selected in the Leadwerks' viewport and scene tree with no issues. Collapsing the model in the model viewer and adding a basic physics object (box, etc.) allows the object to then be picked up in-game. Do any objects imported into Leadwerks via FBX work correctly when you make a custom collision hull for them (if both the object and collision hull are exported at the same time)? For most instances, using the basic physics object will be fine as simple shapes will be all I'll need. But there will be times when a custom collision hull will be needed. So, what's the answer here?

Alright, I am running into a different issue than the one from Blender I had started a thread on last week or so. I am testing getting 3D objects from MODO to Leadwerks via FBX. So, far, the model comes into Leadwerks at the correct size. If I have a "child" object named "collisionhull", then collision works perfectly in Leadwerks. And, unlike the Blender objects, I can select the models from MODO in Leadwerk's viewports without an issue. BUUUUUT ... there is another issue. Using the stock fpsplayer model, I cannot PICK UP the objects exported from MODO. For example, when I am close to an object with physics set to Rigid Body, Collision Type set to Prop, and a mass other than 0.0, a "hand" icon appears indicating I can pick up the object by pressing the "E" key. Hey! It's fun to toss stuff around, right? With the objects exported from Blender, this works perfectly. However, with the objects exported from MODO, the hand icon does not appear and pressing "E" does nothing. Everything else works. I can push the object around by walking into it. I just can't pick it up like I can other objects. So, any ideas here? I've attached the test model. ModoCube2.fbx

I've not the knowledge (yet) to really talk about the Flow Graph, but I like the idea. I like the idea of reusable code and of "generic" code that serves a simple purpose that can be used over and over and linked up (via the Flow Graph) as needed. Code the door opening code once and use it for every single door you have. Make the LUA code so you can access variables in the Scene Editor so you can adjust the code (like the door opening upward, downward, left, right, or swinging open). So, with this way of working, you code once and use over and over again, using the Flow Graph to link up triggers, switches, pressure plates, etc., without creating new code. This could work for most things in a game, me thinks. I'll be able to speak more intelligently about it when I've actually been using both LUA and the Flow Chart. I plan to dive a bit into it this weekend.

I'm a non-programmer who has to learn (am an artist by trade). I do like the idea of the Flow Graph in general. It should make some tasks simpler (like the door/trigger example in the docs and the door/switch example you bring up). It allows for generic, re-usable scripts, which is nice and, with proper planning, could be a real time saver.

Maybe I'm missing what you're saying, but I'm not sure how it is. The model imports correctly, looks the correct scale in the Leadwerks editor, and behaves correctly when the game is run. The only issue is selecting it in the viewport. Please forgive me for being dense about this (today has not been my best day ). EDIT - I was only clicking the first link. Ugh! I'll go and read the second link you posted now ... EDIT2 - Now I see. I think I can find a way around this until Josh re-releases 4.6. Thanks!

I created the collision hull in Blender with the model by making a child of the model and renaming it to collisionhull (as per the Leadwerk's docs). Then I export it as one FBX file. Here's the link to what it says in the docs: https://www.leadwerks.com/docs.php?page=Tutorials_Editor_Models-and-Animation#section6.2

Just did another test. I double-clicked on my model in Assets to bring up the model viewer. I then went to Tools>Collapse and saved. This lost the collision hull, so I could no longer collide with my mesh in the scene, BUT I can now select it in the viewports and it turns red when selected. This makes me think it has something to do with the collision hull I created for in Blender. EDIT: I went back into the model viewer, when to Physics, and added a Sphere to it. Now I can collide with my test sphere and I can select it in the viewports and it turns red. Yay. So, I really think I've done something wrong with the collision hull when I made it in Blender with the test sphere model. I'm not sure what I did. But I want to find out because I'll be needing to create custom collision hulls for more complex models.

Another thing I've noticed - If I bring in a model that ships with Leadwerks, like one of the crate models, I can select it freely in any of the viewports. When I select it, the model turns red to indicate it is selected. My test models cannot be selected in the viewport, but can be selected in the scene tree. However, once selected in the scene tree, they do not turn red in the viewport to indicate they are selected. Even so, the move gizmo handle appears, so I can still move the model and it moves just fine. So, the model looks correct in all viewports, but I cannot select it and when selected in the scene tree, it does not turn red. I can still manipulate it (move, rotate, and scale) as long as I click+drag the gizmo handles.

I'm using the latest version. I have Steam setup to keep it updated to the latest beta. However, the latest version is v4.5 because Josh said he rolled it back from v4.6. Also, scale in Blender is set to 1.00. Just FYI.

Here you go. This should be a sphere with a collision hull on it. SphereTest.fbx

Take a look at the Doors tutorial in the Leadwerks documentation here: https://www.leadwerks.com/learn?page=Tutorials_Games_First-Person-Shooter_Doors Scroll down to the sliding door script section and it will show you how to use the Flow Graph.

Do you want the actual model (as in FBX) or would you like the files created by Leadwerks (mdl, meta, phy)? And, thanks, btw.

Actually, it looks like you are working at too small of a scale, especially with the icons looking that big. If you look to the bottom bar in the Leadwerks editor, you will see the grid size. It will say something like Grid Size: 32cm (just about a foot), Grid Size: 128cm, etc. So, in a sense your grid space represents a real-world size. Whenever I am working in the editor, the icons I see for lights, etc., are actually pretty small. And I am rarely ever zoomed in that close to the grid.

Hello. I am testing bringing models from Blender into Leadwerks with collision hull. It is working perfectly and seems to be simple to do. However, I am noticing a difference between my models and the ones that come with Leadwerks. I cannot select my models in the viewport at all. I can easily select them in the Scene tree, though. So, what am I doing incorrectly that makes my models unselectable in the viewport? Thanks for any help.

I would definitely allow glTF to import BOTH models and textures, else you sort of defeat the purpose of glTF. It is, after all, a SCENE export/import format, importing geometry, materials, lights, animation, etc. With glTF, I can set up an entire scene in my modeling program, comprised of many models, many materials, several lights, etc., and export the entire scene in one shot. Or, if I choose, I can just export out a single model. It's up to me. So, glTF would be great for creating level prefabs, consisting of wall and floor segments (for example), etc. There's not much sense, as far as I'm concerned, to only use glTF to import models and then have the end-user have to import the materials separately and apply them afterward.

Sure. No worries. Anything I can do to help.

Got ya. So, you are thinking of replacing MDL and TEX with glTF then.

It would be great if we could click an "eye" (for example) to hide/unhide items in the scene tree, like you do with layers in programs like Photoshop.

Hey, Josh. Here's an idea for you. I was watching a video on a game engine that is about to be released (Sheesh! There are zillions of them these days!) and the reviewer showed importing a glTF model into the engine via drag-n-drop (which is a nice feature, btw). When they dropped in the glTF, an import dialog opened. Earlier in this thread you had talked about wanting to use glTF just to bring in materials. Well, perhaps this could be done via an import dialog. So, for example, the end-user opens or drags-n-drops a glTF into Leadwerks, an import dialog opens and asks what they want to import ... model, material, etc. The end-user could just check/uncheck what they want (the default being all checked). Thoughts?

Just a suggestion (and I hope you don't mind), but since the tutorial is aimed at non-programmers, it might be good to go into a little more explanation on things. For example, it might be good to have pointed out that things like "string.upper" is a LUA command and what it does. Even clarifying some things like explaining that the name, like MyFunction, can be any name, like how you name a variable however you choose. You sort of do this, but a little more would be helpful to complete newbs to programming.

Ah! Thanks. What confused me was "upper" because the function name also contained "Upper" (though with a capital. Even though LUA is case sensitive, I was seeing the same thing when I read it. I understand this function now. Duh!

Hello. I am fairly new to programming (been an artist all my life) and am learning from the Leadwerks Tutorial on LUA scripting. All is pretty simple to understand in principle, but I am struggling to understand this one example from Function Arguments: function PrintUpper(text) print(string.upper(text)) end PrintUpper("Functions can be fun.") The actual code in the function, print(string.upper(text)) ... what is going on there? I get "print" and I get "string", but what is "upper" in this case? Actually, a little help understanding what is going on here overall would be a big help. The other ways of using/declaring functions seem to make sense to me, but this one is eluding me for some reason. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

Yeah, glTF shouldn't be the only format. OBJ and FBX should probably still be offered. However, I don't believe it will be long before most 3D programs offer glTF as an export option. Substance Painter already does. MODO and Blender already do (Blender via an AddOn). From a Google search I see that Babylon.js offers a glTF exporter for MAX. There might be others exporters for the other 3D apps, too. Oh! And there appears to be a number of tools to convert file formats, like FBX, to glTF, too. So, you can just export out of your 3D app via FBX, for example, convert it to glTF, then simply bring it into the app that requires the glTF file.