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Softimage-3D Importer - Overview Features |
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The is one of Okino's premier and best selling import converters which allows complete Softimage-3D .hrc
model files and/or Softimage-3D databases to be loaded, including polygonal
meshes, NURBS patches, bicubic patches, geometry hierarchy, lights, cameras
and all texture info. It is an optional add-on "load and render" converter that imports and
accurately translates all aspects of the scene file so that little or no
modifications must be done in the target rendering program to produce
equivalent results to that created by the Softimage renderer.
When used in conjunction with Okino's "NuGraf" this
import converter can load and render most Softimage scene files, including the accurate replication
of texture map modulation methods. The initial release represents 5 months of
intense development which has concentrated on producing a clean and accurate
converter. As with all of the PolyTrans converters we will continue to
refine this Softimage converter as user suggestions are forwarded to us.
Please note that these import plugin modules have been developed
to work in conjunction with the data processing and user interface
functions of Okino's NuGraf and
PolyTrans products. As such, they are
not plugin modules for Softimage but rather plugin modules for Okino's
software products. This actually benefits users of Softimage since the
NuGraf & PolyTrans software have many additional features necessary for fast and accurate
data translation (such as
polygon processing functions,
the selector window,
batch 2d and 3d translators, and so forth)
that a Softimage plugin would not have.
Production houses should find this converter invaluable in their daily
production work for conversion of Softimage scenes or model files to other
file formats. Advanced features include tuned conversion of all
texture modulation methods (ambient, diffuse, bump, etc), alpha channel
mapping, direct database intergation, accurate (u,v) texture coordinate
conversion and dozens of export options (see below). The NuGraf/PolyTrans
software can also convert or recognize
Softimage '.pic' formatted bitmap images.
Demonstration Versions |
The Softimage import/export converter modules are available as an optional
add-on feature to Okino's NuGraf
and PolyTrans products. These modules can be
evaluated by downloading the combined PolyTrans/uGraf demo program. They are only limited
in the fact that every fifth polygon exported from the programs will be deleted.
It is recommended that you download the NuGraf software since it has the
added ability to render Softimage scenes. This will allow you to properly
evaluate the Softimage import converter without needing to export to another
file format first for rendering.
Main features of this converter |
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All meshed geometry is read in and processed, including polygons with holes.
Geometric and vertex normals will be computed for polygons without such
information.
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Import of NURBS patches and bicubic patches. This took a significant
amount of work to develop since Softimage uses a non-standard method to store patches
which use "closed" curves (their NURBS knot vectors are non-standard).
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All (u,v) texture coordinates are read in and stored along with
the meshed polygon data.
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If a polygon has been assigned a material which uses a XY, XY, YZ,
UV, Cylindrical or Spherical texture projection method then that texture
projection will be evaluated on-the-fly (using the current
object's inherited location in space) and the resulting (u,v)
texture coordinates will be explicitly assigned to that polygon.
This is a significant feature of this import converter!.
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The original scene hierarchy is completely recreated, including
all groupings and their related transformations. The hierarchy
mechanism also takes into account the inheritance of material and
global/local texture maps (the converter properly assigns
material and textures that have been inherited from previous
levels). This is a significant feature of this import converter!.
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Batch conversion of Softimage .hrc model files and scenes to other 3d file
formats (such as 3D Studio, DXF, Lightwave, etc.) using the batch 3d converter in the main
NuGraf/PolyTrans program. The batch
conversion process can also perform a wide variety of processing operations on the batch converted
polygonal data including fast vertex welding, unification of the normals, removal of duplicate coordinates and
removal of double sided polygons.
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Batch conversion of Softimage ".pic" formatted files to other bitmap
formats using the batch image converter in the main
NuGraf/PolyTrans program.
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All texture mapping information is imported and completely mapped to
equivalent NuGraf/PolyTrans texture mapping methods, including alpha channel
usage. Over half of the development
time was dedicated to this aspect of the import converter (see below for
more information).
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In addition, this converter reads in every material attribute and
accurately translates the shading parameters to equivalent
shading parameters used by this converter. Okino's NuGraf
renderer will be able to render any Softimage file with little or
no modification and with results that are almost exactly the same
as within Softimage. The following describes some of the shading
parameter translations:
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Constant, flat, Lambert, Phong and Blinn shading modes are
translated properly.
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Ambient, diffuse and specular color components are mapped to
equivalent colors inside the converter's database.
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The specular decay, reflectivity, transparency and refractive
index are mapped to equivalent internal values.
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Likewise, all Softimage texture mapping information is imported
and stored within the converter's internal database. This is one
of the more interesting aspects of this converter since it
provides a 1:1 mapping of the Softimage texture map information
to that of this converter's internal database. The following are
some highlights of this translation process:
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All Softimage texture projection methods are supported: XY, XY,
YZ, UV, Cylindrical and Spherical. An algorithm has been written
which simulates the texture projection methods and converts the
projections to explicit (u,v) texture coordinates.
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Each 2d bitmap texture's "scale', "offset" and "count" parameters
are properly untangled and mapped into equivalent "scale",
"offset" and "wrap/no-wrap" parameters of this converter's
internal database. Note the Softimage performs scaling and
offsetting of texture maps relative to the upper-left corner of a
bitmap image whereas this converter performs the transformations
relative to the lower-left corner. This change of coordinate
system is properly handled for all variations of Softimage scale,
offset and count parameters (quite messy actually).
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This converter is quite smart when it comes to untangling
Softimage's assignment of global and local materials, 2d textures
and 3d textures. Basically the rules are:
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- If no material is assigned to an object then inherit the material
as well as the 2d & 3d textures from the parent object.
If a material is assigned to an object then ignore the inherited
global 2d & 3d textures; instead, use the global 2d & 3d textures
assigned at the model level.
- Local textures are layered on the NuGraf surfaces, followed by
the global textures. Proper 'blending' is done so that the global
textures will mix with the local textures.
Explanation of Texture Mapping Conversion |
All Softimage texture modulation types are properly read into
this converter. Since Okino's PolyTrans and NuGraf software incorporate a multi-layer/multi-modulation
texture mapping system they can import and render (in the case of
NuGraf) any form of complex Softimage texture mapped scene. The
translations from Softimage to NuGraf/PolyTrans are performed as
follows:
Softimage Texture Parameter | NuGraf/PolyTrans Texture Parameter |
Ambient Color |  | Ambient color modulation
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Diffuse Color |  | Diffuse color modulation
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Specular Color |  | Specular color modulation
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Transparency |  | Transparency color modulation
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Reflectivity |  | Reflected color intensity
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Roughness |  | Bump mapping modulation
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Reflection Map |  | Spherical environment map
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Scale/Offset/Repeat Parameters |  | Scale and offset parameters
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XY, XY, YZ, UV, Cylindrical and Spherical |  | Translated to explicit (u,v) coords
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Blending Method (Alpha channel or RGB) |  | Color mixing source (alpha or RGB)
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Map Component (Alpha channel or RGB) |  | Effect source: Alpha channel or RGB
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The converter can also read in Softimage .pic formatted bitmap
files. This allows, for example, Softimage files to be converted
to Apple QuickDraw 3D with the added benefit of embedding
Softimage .pic files directly in the QuickDraw 3D file.
Supported and Unsupported Softimage Entities |
The following Softimage entities are currently supported:
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Polygonal meshes with holes.
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Trimmed NURBS surfaces (open and closed)
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Bicubic patches ('linear' patch not supported for first release)
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Inherited materials and textures (local and global)
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Geometry hierarchy
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All material attributes
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All 2d bitmap texture parameters
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Lights and cameras
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The following Softimage entities will be supported in subsequent
releases of this converter (this data is already imported but not
converted):
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Faces defined by NURBS or spline curves
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Import of animation function curves
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The following Softimage entities are currently unsupported:
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Spline curves
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Lattices
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Spline and patch fitting
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Shape deformation animation
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Constraint-based animation
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3D texture definitions
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Performing Batch Bitmap Image Conversion |
This software has the ability to read or write Softimage .pic formatted
image files. This allows it, for example, to render .pic textured-mapped
objects directly within the NuGraf software, or to export .pic files to
other file formats.
Note: Many Softimage users have voiced the need for a batch
bitmap converter which can bidirectionally convert .pic files
between other formats. Such a batch image converter
is available via the 'Bitmap Image Functions/Batch Convert Image Files...'
menu item of the main program. It can convert a variety of bitmap
file formats to .pic format and/or convert .pic formatted files
to other formats.