Guide how to import STK kart(s) into Blender?

[forum]

Hello,

Is there are recommended guide how to import STK kart(s) into Blender? I would like to use an existing kart for some very first beginner experiments. Thanks for your hints.
By the way, I am happy to first have something possible in this direction, i.e. STK => Blender, and would take care about importing it back to STK later after having enough experience.

[forum]

PS:
Should I use Blender version 2.6, 2.8 or something else to get the import scripts working later on?

Again, for now I would be happy to be able to get an existing kart model, e.g. Pidgin, into Blender to "play around" with it a little bit.

[forum]

PPS - got it:

http://svn.code.sf.net/p/supertuxkart/c ... ts/pidgin/

[forum]

There are scripts for Blender 2.6:
https://sourceforge.net/p/supertuxkart/ ... lender_26/

So is Blender 2.6.9 there the latest version for which these scripts work?
https://download.blender.org/release/

I also found a folder "blender_28", but from what I read in some forums, there is still work in progress, so I should not try this, right?
https://sourceforge.net/p/supertuxkart/ ... lender_28/

[forum]

Now I deinstalled the latest Blender version and instead installed Blender 2.6.9. However, the path described there does not exist:
%APPDATA%\Blender Foundation\Blender\<version>

So I created manually:

C:\Users\master\AppData\Roaming\Blender Foundation\Blender\2.6.9\scripts\addons

But when I go into the Blender settings/addons and search for 'SuperTuxKart', nothing is found.

So I assume that the guide is for later Blender versions. Where is the roaming user profile of Blender 2.6.9 and how can I get the scripts working?


(I know that all this is for importing stuff later from Blender to STK, whereas right now I am happy to play it the other way, but I would like to have a working environment. )

[benau]

use blender 2.79 is possible, also you should use our media repo instead of importing karts

[benau]

use blender 2.79 is possible, also you should use our media repo instead of importing karts

[forum]

Ok, I try this. BTW, there are several 2.79 subversions available. Interested users might want to take note of the Readme:

These are the last buildbot builds of the 2.7 release series, with additional
bug fixes and new features on top of 2.79b release.

These features are now part of the 2.80 release. They never made it into an
official release of the 2.79 series.

The latest build of 2.79 for Windows 64bit is from 29-Jul-2019:
https://download.blender.org/release/Bl ... -win64.zip

However, after executing blender.exe, again there is nothing created in the roaming profile. Therefore, I will now go further back to plain 2.79 and try that (there are also 2.79a and 2.79b versions - maybe they work, too).

EDIT:
Oh, well, in Blender 2.79, there is no Roaming profile either. However, the addons are there:
C:\Program Files\Blender Foundation\Blender\2.79\scripts\addons

So I assume that the STK-related scripts go there as well, which means that I could go forward again and try the aforementioned 2.79 git version e045fe53f1b0-win64. Sorry, guys, reading my "step-to-step" (and step sideward/backward/forward) might not be that entertaining for you.

[benau]

So can you use the blender_26 script now in blender 2.79?

[forum]

Well, I can import the pidgin.blend file into the latest Blender 2.79 git version and get him (or her? ) moving (Alt+A). Nice!
With regard to exporting it back (via the blender_26 script), I have not yet tested this, since I never used Blender before and have yet to understand how to get around. Is there something specific (and easy ) I could test for this purpose?

EDIT:
E.g., could I change the beak's colour, save it, and see it in STK?

test.png (24.5 KiB) Viewed 14232 times

[forum]

By the way, I first installed this:
https://download.blender.org/release/Bl ... dows64.msi

Then I downloaded this:
https://download.blender.org/release/Bl ... -win64.zip

And placed all files from that latest git version over the files installed from version 2.79 under "C:\Program Files\Blender Foundation\Blender" (replacing the original files).

And I followed the guidance there:
https://supertuxkart.net/Installing_Tools#Blender

(with the exception that the STK blender_26 script go rather there:
C:\Program Files\Blender Foundation\Blender\2.79\scripts\addons

And not under "%APPDATA%\Blender Foundation\Blender\<version>\scripts\addons\" as mentioned in the guidance. Maybe somebody want to add a note there?


That seems to work so far. Well, there might be unwanted adverse effects, but I see this rather as a testing environment for me to get to know Blender better.

[forum]

Benau, I have another question (sorry that it does not seem to fit anymore to the original thread's titel - I hope neither you nor other bother):

I checked out as described there:
https://supertuxkart.net/Media_Repo

Now I read there:

The media repository is place where all the original files of 3D-Models, textures, sound and all the other game art used in STK. This is necessary because those files are normally too large or even incompatible with the game, so they are shrinked or converted before being shipped with the game.

The recent STK 1.2 RC1 seems to include lots of assets, correct? Does that matter in light of the above-quoted? I.e. can I test my own modified pidgin kart from Blender 2.79 in STK 1.2 RC1, or would I have to test it in an STK git version?

[benau]

No no so many assets changed in 1.2-rc1

Yes you can use whatever stk version to test

[forum]

Sorry, another - maybe dumb? - question:

Whenever I modify an asset, e.g. a kart, with Blender and export it back to the locally checked out STK assets foldern, how can I test that in the game?
Do I have to compile/build every time again after a modification of an asset, or is there a way to tell STK to pull the assets (incl. the modified one) from that checked out (via SVN) folder?

[benau]

You need to press explore button everytime

[forum]

Which explore button do you mean? In Blender? How does STK know that I have modified an object in the library, e.g. a kart, a lamp post etc.? I would like to see the results of my humble efforts not only in Blender but also in-game. And I do not yet understand if for this purpose, I have to compile/build the whole STK source again and again or if the executable can pull/use modified objects (from where?).

[benau]

yes in blender, and you don't need to recompile stk, when stk see the newly explored .spm file it will auto update

[forum]

I feel embaressed, but I am still unsure how the SVN files play together with the installed STK files. :blush:

I checked out (this time, using TurtoiseSVN in a Windows 10 sandbox, i.e. not in Debian/Ubuntu) like this:
svn checkout https://svn.code.sf.net/p/supertuxkart/code/media/trunk stk_media_repo
The folder "stk_media_repo" is in another folder "STK" that is on my Desktop.

I installed STK 1.2 RC1 under "C:\Program Files\SuperTuxKart 1.2 RC1", but there is no "pidgin.blend" file under "C:\Program Files\SuperTuxKart 1.2 RC1\stk-assets\karts\pidgin". The "pidgin.blend" file is only in the SVN repo, so I do have to open that in Blender. Then I modify it, will try to export it back to where exactly?

Your great help is really highly appreciated. You must think I am a complete noob - well, I am. But I am also very much willing to learn, so thank you very much!

[benau]

press the explore kart button and choose folder C:\Program Files\SuperTuxKart 1.2 RC1\stk-assets\karts\pidgin

[QwertyChouskie]

Explore->Export (typo? lol )

[forum]

Yes, it is "Export" (I guessed that already). So far, I am too stupid to understand how Blender works and therefore am unable to even only change the beak's colour. :blush:
Anyway, I exported Pidgin's kart, and observed that under "\stk_media_repo\karts\pidgin\" before the export, there were these files:

43439 pidgin-exhaust.png
208226 pidgin-kart-uncolorizable.png
185511 pidgin-kart.png
14123 pidgin-plate.png
1469656 pidgin.blend
165841 pidgin.png
14074 pidginicon.png
370 pidginwindow.png
24650 stktex_aztekFeather_a.png
1051374 wheel.png

After the export (without any modifications in Blender), there are now these files (the boldes ones are new):

1811 headlights.spm
2039 kart.xml
331 materials.xml
43439 pidgin-exhaust.png
208226 pidgin-kart-uncolorizable.png
185511 pidgin-kart.png
14123 pidgin-plate.png
1469656 pidgin.blend
165841 pidgin.png
219693 pidgin.spm
14074 pidginicon.png
370 pidginwindow.png
24650 stktex_aztekFeather_a.png
32771 wheel-front-left.spm
32771 wheel-front-right.spm
32771 wheel-rear-left.spm
32771 wheel-rear-right.spm
1051374 wheel.png

So opening in Blender and exporting from there creates new files. I know that I should not upload via SVN, but I am curious what to do with these extra files.

And I am struggling with the whole concept of Blender (had hoped that e.g. recoloring something to quickly see effects in-game would be easy, but for me it is not).

[ssamsamm]

So opening in Blender and exporting from there creates new files. I know that I should not upload via SVN, but I am curious what to do with these extra files.

And I am struggling with the whole concept of Blender (had hoped that e.g. recoloring something to quickly see effects in-game would be easy, but for me it is not).

it takes some time to get used to, that's true, but if something happens and your working machine spontaneously shuts down you will be glad you have those separate uncorrupted files