3D Objects: from Maya into Second Life

In the virtual world of Second Life objects can be built with the aid of primitives (cubes, cylinders etc). Objects can also be imported from CAD programmes (computer aided design) such as Autodesk Maya and 3DStudio using an ‘offline builder’. This tool, however, was unable to convert complex or existing models.

The TU Delft Second Life working group has now written an import function for doing this from Maya. So now all technically drawn objects such as buildings or cars can be converted in one go into Second Life.

TU Delft is going to deploy this import routine to let residents of Second Life see and experience the numerous eye-catching prototypes of TU Delft researchers and students. TU Delft will also make the script available to the Second Life community so that everyone can benefit from the import routine and pursue its further development anywhere in the world.

Import routines are also being developed for such packages as 3D-Max and AutoCAD. In addition, work is ongoing to facilitate the importation of textures. The behaviour of objects cannot be imported. So this remains to be programmed in Second Life.

TU Delft recently bought two islands in Second Life, which are scheduled for opening in September 2007. One the island will host this floating city.

Technical University Delft press release
(via SLforum.be)

Tags: building, importing objects, news, RL to SL

13 Responses to “3D Objects: from Maya into Second Life”

Kimo P wrote a comment on June 28, 2007

Thanks for posting this Vint. Something I’m very interested in.

Vint Falken wrote a comment on June 28, 2007

Kimo, also check out this one on importing sculpties over at New World Notes.

(And next time, leave a working email address behind, so I don’t write a whole ~~male~~ mail to you only to get it returned undelivered.)

Nock Forager wrote a comment on June 28, 2007

You better check this out too.

“LightWave 3D importer to SL”
http://www.dstorm.co.jp/info/press/press_text449.htm

I tried, and it worked. Same as “prim.blender”.
“Meshing technology” will be the keypoint of those import things.

Vint Falken wrote a comment on June 29, 2007

Ty. I think there is an English tutorial too about how to export from LightWave. If you want to, I’ll look it up later tonight.

csven wrote a comment on June 29, 2007

Interesting and good news. Thank you.

One thing though. Technically, neither Maya nor Max (nor Lightwave) are “CAD’ programs. CAD applications are those programs like SolidWorks, Pro/ENGINEER, CATIA, aso which are intended to create manufactured product. While real goods can be taken through a pipeline including those other applications, it’s very rare. Hence, they’re usually just called “modeling applications”.

And just to be even more “tekkie-wikinistic” (!), there is another class of applications called “surfacers”. They include Rhino, Alias Studio, MOI, FreeDimension, aso. They’re usually NURBs-based but with features that makes their integration with CAD applications much better than a Maya or Max.

Otay.

Thanks again for the news. Enjoying your blog.

loki wrote a comment on June 29, 2007

Reading your reply to Kimo … Vint, send him a FEmale next time … I’m sure that won’t come back undeliverable…. ;-)

Kimo P wrote a comment on June 29, 2007

Ooooh, great updates! When I first read about ’sculpties’, I was sure I knew I could prolly get a CAD outline into SL and extrude. But JW Au’s article is fantastic documentation of his exercizes. Glad you mentioned that.
Sorry ’bout the email…I threw in a net instead of a com…hehe!
But that’s not bad considering I can misspell Torley and tutorial is the same sentence twice.
And that Loki! …he’s been drinkin again hasn’t he?
*looks for a shot glass to join him*

Vint Falken wrote a comment on June 30, 2007

@Csven: Huh?! *scratches ears* ;)

@Loki: Pfffff! :p

@Nock: The other Lightwave vs. SL sculpties tutorial I mentioned, by Patchouli Woollahra.

@Kimo: Hmm. You can write ‘Vint’ correct, no? ;)

aus wrote a comment on July 17, 2008

Hi
this is what I want..I need to import Maya objects into second life..here anybody tell me the full procedure of How to import maya objets into secondlife..My e-mail id is ,”austin@carbonon.com”

Tourma wrote a comment on May 10, 2009

I’m looking for information for a French friend who wants to import from objects from Maya to SL. Are there any websites or video tutorials in french to help him?

Vint Falken wrote a comment on May 13, 2009

Not that I know off. Did (s)he consider using Google Translate as an extra help on the information available?

Tourma wrote a comment on May 13, 2009

Haha OK … I guess I’m his translator then ;) Was just trying to find something easier for him.

What’s the best explanatory website/tutorial, in your opinion? Tx!