Assimp

[Brian Beuken]

So far I've been using TinyObjLoader and my own MD2 and MD5 loaders, to load static and animated models, all of which work fine. But its fair to say finding models in those formats is a tad tricky. but we need to be able to cope with more modern systems and trust in our artists/modellers to produce models which are low tech enough to use. But they need to be able to save out in modern formats, which means FBX, 3DS, Blend, collada etc.

For that we need a modern and reliable import system!


So I've been having a bit of a tinker with Assimp and creating an intermediate flexible mesh class, which willl allow me to load various model types including the all powerful (but massive overkill for a Raspberry) FBX...Assimp is available in source and lib format, I am usiing the libassimp-dev lib which can be apt-get 'd on Raspberries and most other Linux os.

My initial tests are pretty good, but I need to work on it a bit more before I can release a fully working (at least with certain formats) system.

if anyone one has any advice/info on using libassimp-dev please let me know

[Brian Beuken]

Anyone tried it yet? Once you understand how TinyOBJloader works, Assimp is a nice step up in loading flexibility, its a little heavier on memory of course, but it is well worth the extra effort
post methods, views...fixes, issues, loves, hates.

[Brian Beuken]

installed in the terminal with
sudo apt-get install -y libassimp-dev



after which libs and includes are available in the /usr dir. Same as Bullet

[Brian Beuken]

Finding this to be a pretty amazing system, though it does struggle with some formats which contain extra data in the models, like section names and animation concepts. MD2 for example only loads 1 set of vertices... But as a basic load and see system its working fine in the new framework, and hopefully if I can get the FBX animations working we can use that instead of MD.
But loading data into usable content for at least 1 draw is up and running