XSI game export

Xsi
1

Hi,

I need to export game data (poly meshes, bone structures, skin weights and animations) from XSI.

As far as I can see the XSI cd does not contain a SDK, but there is a separate SoftImage|SDK product on their homepage.

Will SoftImage|SDK include the XSI sdk?

Do I need an additional separate license of XSI as well, even though I'm only going to create a couple of plug-in exporters? Or will SoftImage|SDK include a copy of XSI for developers?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,
Peter

2

Games are not my area, but I think I can help some.

  1. The SDK, or Software Developer's Kit is a different license and purchase. I do not know how much it costs, but all companies including Maya do this. The XSI SDK will not ship until the end of the year. It should contain all the hooks a developer would need (using C++) to customize or integrate the product at any level.

  2. Something that most people don't notice is the significance of the product's name. XSI came from the name of a game viewer and format that Softimage developed. While it has some use for all users as a previewer, it is really most important to game developers. Isn't it odd that they suddenly changed the name from Sumatra to a game format named XSI?

  3. You can convert your data for the XSI viewer. The Viewer can be downloaded free by anyone on their site. In this format it is ready to be used by some game environments. However, I do not know the specifics on this. I only know that XSI is very commited to gaming and this format is to facilitate this.

  4. You have probably heard about the joint vernture that Softimage has with Sony in their high definition (HD) simulation environment. Sony makes other things too...but you will have to figure that one out for your self.

Note: Interest in games will not effect Softimages interest in television and cinema. It is just that the gaps between them are closing in ways that we couldn't imagine.

Sorry I can't help more,
Urp

3

Thanks Urp,

I do not know how much it costs, but all companies
including Maya do this.

Hmm... but I also have the Maya, Lightwave and MAX packages and they do have a SDK on the cd.

Oh, doesn't really matter, since I'm not the one paying for the package, I'm just a programmer at this company. =)

Note: Interest in games will not effect Softimages
interest in television and cinema. It is just that the
gaps between them are closing in ways that we couldn't
imagine.

Couldn't agree more!

We're at the point today where we tell our artists to create models as if they we're to be included in a movie. 25000 poly characters with up to 4 bones per vertex is common.

I just love the way technology advances! =)

In two years we won't be able to see the difference between a game and Jurassic Park...

Cheers,
Peter

4

Wow, I didn't know anyone gave their SDK away. Maybe I am mistaken about Softiimage too. I guess I should have asked someone first.

Perhaps the market has changed. The XSI student license has dropped to $500, so it would seem Softimage is trying to stay competitive on pricing and therefore it wouldn't make sense if they charged for SDK's when Maya doesn't.

Urp

5

It should be mentioned that Softimage has some great deals for developers, BTW. If you intend to write software/plugins for XSI I would absolutely get in touch with Softimage, as in the past their developer's programs have offered the software at very low cost and there may be other perks offered right now too.

The only thing I can tell you from personal knowledge is that you'll at the very least receive a bunch of info in a way-cool binder which my wife (a software engineer) hasn't let me take a look at (NDA with another party) And that she was very pleased with Soft's program for developers. It's probably worth the effort to discover the details for yourself (and if you aren't under NDA tell us here what the scoop is!)