A start on the .MESH file format

[GrumpyOldMan]

Hi @KE

Yes the smd format is fairly simple but for now the weighted vertices won't load into Milkshape, but it look's like smd wil be the first cab off the rank for imported formats, Mete Ciragan, Milkshape's owner, programmer, etc had this to say about the changes to 1.7.11 :-

I will update the SMD, PSK and maybe Max Payne2 support. Others like MD3, MD2 are updated automatically. But I start with SMD and look how far I come. Of course with time every format that can support weighted vertices will be updated.

I got the weighted vertices into MS3D by using the binary format rather than the ascii format. This supports the recording of vertex weights. If you're using the binary spec be aware that the byte storing the weight is in the range 0-100 rather than 0 -255 as per the spec. The spec and SDK will be updated with 1.7.11. Mete confirmed the weight storage was the case but didn't mention if the ascii format will be updated.

Good luck with the looking at meshes , it may sound strange but let me know as soon as possible if you find any that can't be converted .

Edit: Just had a thought on .smd, yes you will lose groups and names if you export a whole figure but why not look at using it to export single groups? The Mesh file is neatly put together so that all vertices and triangles used for any group are in sequential order. So if you wanted to look at any particular group the vertex numbers would range from the Lowest - number of vertices in all preceding groups, to the Highest - highest vertex listed in the triangles of the current group - ( I just read that and I'm not sure if that explains it well enough ). I'll write out some pseudo code if you need any clarification.

Sorry for boring anybody else out there.

Cheers

GrumpyOldMan