So I decided to start coding some again. Stupid world of warcraft and studies steal all my time. Anyhow, Ive started doing a "game" for fun. Hopefully it will be playable. See, Ive created somewhat of a Milkshape 3D Model read for my program(powerbasic) however I do not understand the join section. Ive included to where I currently am with my loader(it works and display my model) furthes down on this page. How do the joints work? What Im assuming is that each joint is a vertix(x,y,z) which have a number of triangles vertixes assign to it and when I move the joint the triangles moves to where the joint is but I dont seem to understand what is what. word nNumJoints; This is the number of joints that is in the model. typedef struct { float time; // time in seconds float rotation[3]; // x, y, z angles } ms3d_keyframe_rot_t; ------------This is the type that includes the rotation for that joint and how -------------long it lasts(time). typedef struct { float time; // time in seconds float position[3]; // local position } ms3d_keyframe_pos_t; ------------This is the type that includes the new position for that join and --------------the time it lasts that way. typedef struct { byte flags; // SELECTED | DIRTY char name[32]; // char parentName[32]; // float rotation[3]; // local reference matrix float position[3]; word numKeyFramesRot; // word numKeyFramesTrans; // ms3d_keyframe_rot_t keyFramesRot[numKeyFramesRot]; // local animation matrices ms3d_keyframe_pos_t keyFramesTrans[numKeyFramesTrans]; // local animation matrices } ms3d_joint_t; ------------This is the actual joint. How many of these exist is specififed in -------------beginning, it contains the original position and rotation of the ---------------joint and the information for each new fram(keyFramesRot,and Trans). This is how I have understood this. However, Nowhere is there written what triangles are connected to the joints. If I have understood anything wrong then please, enlighten me :D thanks /RedWraith

Quote"The MS3D Vertex structure has a BoneID which is how the vertex is attached to a joint. The triangles are just indexes to the vertices. Everything else that you have said seems correct.

Member of the NeHe team. | SheepLib - My OpenGL helper library"

Thanks for the slow reply. Let's see if I get it straight.
Each vertex that exist AND have a bone_id that isnt -1 is connected to a joint.
So, if I get it right, when Im drawing the actual model:

each vertex that is connected to a joint actually becomes:

vertex.x = vertex.x + KeyFramesTrans(Frame).position(1)
vertex.y = vertex.y + KeyFramesTrans(Frame).position(2)
vertex.z = vertex.z + KeyFramesTrans(Frame).position(3)

for each frame. Playing through the entire animation would mean Delaying "time" amount of seconds before Frame=Frame+1 which would go to next jointdata for this current item?

Thanks yet again.

/RedWraith




typedef struct
{
byte flags; // SELECTED | SELECTED2 | HIDDEN
float vertex[3]; //
char boneId; // -1 = no bone
byte referenceCount;
} ms3d_vertex_t;

typedef struct
{
byte flags; // SELECTED | DIRTY
char name[32]; //
char parentName[32]; //
float rotation[3]; // local reference matrix
float position[3];

word numKeyFramesRot; //
word numKeyFramesTrans; //

ms3d_keyframe_rot_t keyFramesRot[numKeyFramesRot]; // local animation matrices
ms3d_keyframe_pos_t keyFramesTrans[numKeyFramesTrans]; // local animation matrices
} ms3d_joint_t;

from the .h file.

Hahaha Im sorry mate...didnt mean slow i meant Fast..my bad.

Thanks for the help Ill study it some and try implement it..

/RedWraith