what is the easiest way to write extensions to messiah?

#1

compiler?

I want to take a crack at an object sequence loader, since i have some programming experience but never tried plugins for a 3D program, any suggestions or tips would be greatly appreciated.

#2

Hi Stooch,

I didn’t write any plugins myself yet, but plan to do so one of these days too. You should check out the SDK docs, which, even if they are a tad outdated (hum hum) have a section on compiling, and they give an overview of the coding procedures for plugin in messiah along with some example tutorials. As for the compiler, I believe that almost everyone is working with MS Visual C++ here. Hope this helps.

#3

Get yourself a free license of Microsoft Visual C++ Express VC2005.
Superb IDE, fast, optimizing compiler, works like a charm with messiah.

BUT: As it is now, you can’t import any geometry into messiah with the SDK. You could only load all the objects by hand and write a tool that goes through them one by one.

That is the reason why there isn’t a RealFlow importer or other things like that.

Cheers,

#4

so how does the existing lwo loader work then? its hardcoded?

#5

Yes, all importers are hardcoded by pmG.

#6

damn. Im at a point where id like to use messiah and see an opportunity to fit its render engine into the picture but it seems like ill have to make do with lw9 once again. :frowning: I only hope the new realflow release might address their lw plugin issues… its such a pain to use.

#7

Well, talk to pmG.
I don’t know how far away the SDK is from allowing the generation of meshes and access to the file formats.

IMO it is absolutely mandatory for integration in any serious pipeline to be able to write importers (.xsi, colada, real flow, game engines, full lwo loader (with weightmaps) and generate meshes…

Or - since the RealFlow formats are pretty simple and it would open up a new world - maybe you can convince them to do it on their own.
They would even get a RealFlow license for free for writing a full plugin (see the RF site).

Cheers

#8

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