[WIP] rFactor Import/Export Scripts for Blender

Not sure what you want to "bridge" from > to. You can use Blender 2.79 with 0.79 to import and save a .BLEND file which can opened in Blender 2.8 (the reverse does not work). Two issues at this point: 1) rF2 metadata may get lost, 2) you don't have the ability to export a GMT. If you want to 'bridge' to some other 3D app - FBX, OBJ, DAE, 3DS are all workable. You would need to do tests to find which works best for your situation. If you want to export GMTs from Blender then 2.79/0.79 combo is the current solution.

 

@RusRob, I have never used Linux with the scripts. I do know that the scripts work in Mac OS and Windows, so at least the OS interface is working in those 2 enviornments.

 

The idea is to move things to/from Blender and 3DSimEd. Mostly to create buildings, fix mesh issues in an existing track, etc. And was wondering if FBX or DAE or others work better between those 2.

 

@RusRob I hasn't occurred to me to run the scripts with Linux. My system is dual-boot with Ubuntu 20.04, so I'll take a look.

 

Haven't used 3DSimEd in that manner. I would have to do tests to figure out if one was better than the other. Try a couple of small meshes with both formats, move like you want, and see if one gives a cleaner workflow for you. Both formats should work, just a question of which one works better for you.

 

Thanks @dxp_rlong!

 

@dxp_rlong

@RusRob, I have never used Linux with the scripts. I do know that the scripts work in Mac OS and Windows, so at least the OS interface is working in those 2 enviornments.

The interface is also working in Linux, but it just doesn't do anything when I try to export a mesh.

@Traveller
@RusRob I hasn't occurred to me to run the scripts with Linux. My system is dual-boot with Ubuntu 20.04, so I'll take a look.

I would really appreciate that. I would like to get this working as I only have 3D Studio ver8 which I don't think the export utility for rF2 will work on.

Thanks both of you for your input.

Cheers,
Bob

 

@RusRob Cause found. The solution is to make the scripts' file handling fully system independent. I'll be able to check Windows and Linux solutions. I'll need @dxp_rlong 's help checking the Mac. Fix in work.

 

@Traveller Thanks for all your effort in creating this plugin and especially for supporting it. So many things get produced but left behind with no support so thank you for helping.

Cheers,
Bob

 

Hello from the Linux half of my machine. It's taking longer than I thought it would. However, I'm plugging away. Loose GMTs and SCN files load. GEN files and textures don't. The root cause: Linux is case sensitive. Windows isn't.

EDIT: GMTs in properly structured GENs now load. Now to work on texture loads. Export not addressed yet.

EDIT: Textures now load. Working on non-standard vehicle and locations file structures.

EDIT: Got everything working in Linux. Export worked with no updates. Back on the Windows side to check the updated scripts there. Pro-tip: Watch the case of your letters.

 

@Traveller Thank you so much for working on this.
I assume that when you post the update us Linux users will just have to be sure we have the upper/lower case correct? I have been using Linux so long now it just seems normal.

Thanks again for your work.
Bob

 

I have an idea as to how to make watching cases not important. Anyway, posted what I had to the group for testing. A couple of issues were reported. Still working.

 

@Traveller
You said:
"posted what I had to the group for testing"

Is that the link in the first post of this thread? I see the date had not changed from "Version 0.79 scripts uploaded on 14 October 2018. Use with Blender 2.79b."

Or do you have a separate testing group?

Thanks,
Bob

 

Separate group.

 

I would love to be able to join said group if possible. I have written several blender scripts for use in my AC track builds/conversions, and have been bashing my head on the wall with getting AC tracks into RF2. The pipeline Blender(fbx)>>3dsimed>>gmas2 is fraught with all kind of manual edits to scn/db files etc, and quite frustrating. As I am neither a software pirate nor a millionaire the 3dsmax route is not my preferred route.

 

Version 0.80 uploaded. Link in first post.

1. Linux support added. Tested on my Ubuntu 20.04 install.
2. Import now looks for specific image files called for in the GMT.
3. Lists of GMTs and image files not loaded are now shown at the end of the import dump in the console.
4. Actual file path to the GMT now in the rF Object data panel.
@RusRob

 

@Traveller downloading right now. Thanks for doing another update for us Linux users. I wish I had your skills to do this stuff, When I first got into computers I thought I wanted to write code... after 6 months I knew I didn't have what it takes so I stuck to the graphics side of things.

Thanks so much to you and your team.

Cheers,
Bob

 

Hello guy. Just now im struggling with the export of the mesh with the script and the smooth shading in 3dsimed. Even when everything seems to be set correctly (vertex normals, defined sharp edges on the mesh) in 3dsimed these sharp edges are not visible. The model is rounded. Auto smooth, defined shap edges, separatin of the mesh doesnt transfer this information to the 3dSimed. Any idea what could be wrong?

 

I don't have 3DSimEd anymore. I'll add the experimental smooth group code from the 2.80+ version to the 2.79 version. See if that helps.

 

Finally i resolve it. In the 3dsimed there is a similar posibility of Auto smooth based on the angle like in blender so this function corrected normals exported by script. Unfortunatelly i have to use 3dsimed because i want to export models to Automobilista and there are a lot of unknown shader for this script. But this way works obviously.