Switch to IQM format from MD5 before release?

[MysteriousKieran]

Wouldn't this upcoming release be the perfect opportunity to switch to a much more reliable and supported model format? The IQM compiler converts md5s over and the only thing left to do is change the config to iqm instead of md5.
Right now a lot of the weapons still use the dated md5 format from what I can see which makes it a pain to try and import anything into blender 2.63 or create new weapon mods\skins.

[riidom]

Maybe I am reading this wrong, but are you saying there is an IQM - *im*porter for blender?

[MysteriousKieran]

Yes, and it can be found right here: http://lee.fov120.com/iqm/
Sure would make it easier for developers to submit content. MD5 is now basically obsolete in every way.

Edit - Or more specifically here - https://github.com/ccxvii/asstools

[Calinou]

The player model is in .iqm already, though some other models are still in .md5.

[MysteriousKieran]

The player model is in .iqm already, though some other models are still in .md5.

Well, I think it just makes a lot more since to have one format be consistent rather than having things be in multiple formats. It certainly couldn't hurt with encouraging developers to create and submit new content.
A lot of developers learn the required process of creating content specific to the respective game\s by example (especially when documentation is as sparse as with Sauer and RE). I know It was a real pain for me to figure some things out with the translations and rigging of weapons because there was no way to import anything into the current version of blender without jumping through hoops. The md5 exorter\importers available on the wiki are very out of date.

Let's face it the Cube2 Engine is somewhat lacking when it comes to instruction on how to use it (documentation, video tutorials, etc) That's a shame because it's such a powerful engine and their is so much professional level code donated by all the skilled developers who have and are contributing. Anyway, I just figured since we are approaching the 1.3 release it would be a good time to quickly recompile everything to a more modern and standard format.

[Calinou]

True, but a full IQM conversion would be quite hard to do before 1.3, considering we only have a few days.

[sireus]

What's the problem anyway? md5 is good enough, iqm is just more efficient and has additional features (which, however, would barely be used anyway). I'd say use iqm for new and modified models, but don't worry too much about the existing ones.

[MysteriousKieran]

What's the problem anyway? md5 is good enough, iqm is just more efficient and has additional features (which, however, would barely be used anyway). I'd say use iqm for new and modified models, but don't worry too much about the existing ones.

Well there is a converter that compiles them from md5 to iqm format through an automated process. It's a simple batch style operation through command line.

I don't think you could use .iqm for modified models such as the rifle without having the code changed so the file type is .iqm. So without an official release there's now way to change it to .iqm format because the functions still expects it to be .md5.

At least that's the way I think it works. Quin would have to confirm that though as I haven't looked through the RE engine code that much.

[sireus]

No, all you need to do is replace the md5 stuff (especially md5.cfg) with its iqm equivalents. The game doesn't expect the model to be in any specific format, any of md5, iqm and smd should work for skeletally animated models.

[MysteriousKieran]

No, all you need to do is replace the md5 stuff (especially md5.cfg) with its iqm equivalents. The game doesn't expect the model to be in any specific format, any of md5, iqm and smd should work for skeletally animated models.

Wow, just wow, that is incredibly useful information. I thank sireus. Perhaps this should be added to a sticky about adding custom skins\weapon models to the game?

[Calinou]

What's the problem anyway? md5 is good enough, iqm is just more efficient and has additional features (which, however, would barely be used anyway). I'd say use iqm for new and modified models, but don't worry too much about the existing ones.

A lot of games use .iqm format (Red Eclipse, Xonotic, Warsow, Sauerbraten, ioquake3-based games such as OpenArena), that's the main reason it is better than the (quite old) .md5 format.