1

My project is not complicated, it's a group of spheres and they simply move around. Some have emitter particles, some hair particles, some got wind force fields, there are armateurs involved with follow path modifiers and some parts have lights attached inside.

My question is, how do I export it (as a single file or many files that can later be put together) so that I can use the whole thing in another program?

.obj file doesn't work, it just moves it as an object, no animation. .FBX doesn't work either, it moves the animation + textures and materials but NOT the particles, attached lights or the wind forces.

I've tried using the convert modifier to make the particles into mesh but that only works for hair and doesn't render when I test the .FBX

Anyone can give me a simple solution or list of pathways to do this? (Not super familiar with blender) Thank you

Sofie.C
  • 13
  • 1
  • 4
  • What are you exporting to? – FreemoX Aug 04 '17 at 09:12
  • I don't know, someone asked me to make this. Is the procedure different depending on what you move it to? – Sofie.C Aug 04 '17 at 09:13
  • I know the .fbx doesn't work simply because I test run it by importing the thing back into blender. I figured if it works by importing it back, it should work to other stuff too. But it doesn't work so I'm confused how to fix it. If it doesn't work by importing it back into blender, it probably won't work elsewhere. – Sofie.C Aug 04 '17 at 09:14
  • 1
    Yes, there are slightly different procedures for exporting to different software, especially a complete project. If you don't know what you're exporting to, how can you even export a complete file with textures, meshes, animations, etc..? – FreemoX Aug 04 '17 at 09:19
  • I'm testing the export by exporting it as a file on my computer, and then importing the file back into a new blender scene. Which is where I'm seeing the problems. It should work, shouldn't it? or does blender not always read it right? – Sofie.C Aug 04 '17 at 09:22
  • Have you made sure to select the "Pack all external files"? – FreemoX Aug 04 '17 at 09:24
  • Have not tried that, I will give it a go, for now I'll have to leave you but I'll let you know if it works. (the idea is basically to put the thing on a usb or send in an email for them to use in their software) I'll try your suggestion later, thanks for your time :P Probably back tomorrow. – Sofie.C Aug 04 '17 at 09:26
  • 1
    Particles won't be exported, this is animation system unique for Blender (e.g. if you created a model for Unity game engine which has particles in the concept you'd need recreating them in Unity, at least as one way). Materials are something unique for 3d app as well, Blender in particular, hence FBX won't have those after importing (only some basic ones),it's required to bake them to textures and recreate in final app. Follow path animations and alike need to be baked into keyaframes as they are based on constraints only Blender knows of, see https://blender.stackexchange.com/q/68142/1245 – Mr Zak Aug 04 '17 at 10:16
  • 1
    Just to be clear no format you choose other than native saving files will ever export all features used in any application in intact form ever. All native features will have a variable degree of losses depending on the format and exporter – Duarte Farrajota Ramos Aug 04 '17 at 13:05
  • Thank you guys for clarifying things up. The software the person is using is called ''vuforia'' which I had a little look into on what it supports to move. Might complicate things but If anyone does have a method of moving stuff from blender to there, do let me know. Thanks for the help. – Sofie.C Aug 05 '17 at 07:50

1 Answers1

1

You should first ask for which software you are exporting. It can be very different if you target 3d printing, VR or an animation short.

Maybe your colleagues are using 3DS Max (there is a .3ds export) or Unity3D (you can use Blender files). However some features like particles for example might not be supported. You should be able to find workarounds (convert the particles to mesh: see here or create particles in the targeted software, Unity3D has a lot of options for example).

J'hack le lezard
  • 126
  • 3