I’m working for a company that want me to include some 3D animated models in a scene. Problem is they can’t get me md5 files (they say it’s a deprecated format and they have no way of creating that) but they do have 3DMax 2012 and Maya 2012.
My question is, what kind of file should they give me that can be parsed by away3D parsers and still contain animation sequence I can use? Like for example they gave me obj files which I can load fine but they don’t have anything for animation. Can 3Ds files do that? I’m pretty sure they can’t do AC3D or any AWD or MD2. But basically what are my options?

That’s an area where we are actively busy atm.

Right now, your options left over are md2 like for vertexanims and awd2 (tho we are now finalizing the format, so possibly exporter/parser will require an update).

Very soon Collada will be one of your options. Prefab already reads and plays skeleton animations stored in these. Note that we encourage you (once awd2 will be fully up&running;) to never use these for your the final version of your project.

You can get it a try
http://away3d.com/forum/viewthread/2236/
Wonderful!

Fabrice Closier - 13 April 2012 09:34 AM

Note that we encourage you (once awd2 will be fully up&running;) to never use these for your the final version of your project.

You mean never use collada? Why is that?

I was looking forward about the 3D animated models and this post supplies thhose fact very keenly. Thanks! Keep it up!!.....

@aswc Collada is an exchange format. Not suitable for online applications.
It is too bloated (about 20 times larger than awd2)

That having said, till we are not done with awd2 and tooling for it.
There is for some cases (especially animations) not much alternatives atm.
We’re busy changing this.

Oh and I haven’t said: you must, said we encourage you to do so.
Choice will always be yours.

Fabrice Closier - 13 April 2012 09:46 PM

Oh and I haven’t said: you must, said we encourage you to do so.
Choice will always be yours.

Ok J’ai pas compris cette phrase la.

Fabrice Closier - 13 April 2012 09:34 AM

That’s an area where we are actively busy atm.

Right now, your options left over are md2 like for vertexanims and awd2 (tho we are now finalizing the format, so possibly exporter/parser will require an update).

Very soon Collada will be one of your options. Prefab already reads and plays skeleton animations stored in these. Note that we encourage you (once awd2 will be fully up&running;) to never use these for your the final version of your project.

I’ve written a Collada parser this weekend for Away3D as I had to use animated models created with Cinema 4D. It supports materials, skinning and skeleton animations, but not morphs (yet).

Will that be helpful or you already finish your parser?

An official Collada parser in Away3D would be really helpful

mth4 - 16 April 2012 09:15 PM

I’ve written a Collada parser this weekend for Away3D as I had to use animated models created with Cinema 4D. It supports materials, skinning and skeleton animations, but not morphs (yet).

Will that be helpful or you already finish your parser?

I’ll be happy to test and see if that might be of use for my project.

ASWC - 17 April 2012 12:03 AM

I’ll be happy to test and see if that might be of use for my project.

No problem. Just send me at least one sample model made in Maya or Max and I will make few fixes. Collada is complicated and each software writes it’s files with some differences so probably it will be necessary.

Unfortunately due to copyrights issues I can’t send anything concerning that project.