[back]Creating
furniture items for IMVU using Blender 3D
Resources
If
you get stuck you can ask questions on either my
IMvu dev group or my
forums, both of which are good places to get information on
developing and/or using Blender 3D to do so.
Contents
Introduction ^
The following on "creating furniture items for IMVU using Blender
3D" should be regarded as aa 'quick and dirty' tutorial
on how to use the template file that accompanies this text to create
furniture items for IMvu using Blender 3D. It is not intended
to cover the finer details of the process but instead give a brief
overview of what needs to be done in order that a Blender 3D scene/set
of objects can be exported to CAL3D for use with IMVU. The following
is for Blender 3D v2.45
You will need a basic understanding on how to use
Blender as well as how to create products for IMVU using their Previewer
tool.
Contents of the furniture template file ^
The downloadable
(and freely available) zip file that accompanies this tutorial text
contains a number of objects, either as individual objects or 'groups'.
The following list is each object individually - mesh_object, RIG_furniture,
RIG_Sitting, HELPER_sitting, RIG_standing, HELPER_standing
-
mesh_object : Base Template mesh object. Parented to
furniture armature before export. Mesh object can be any shape/size
relative to item/product required in IMVU as 'furniture'.
-
RIG_furniture : Master armature to which everything
must be connected either directly in the case of other armature
sections, or indirectly using 'parenting' (Ctrl+P). DO NOT
alter the position or rotation of this object.
-
RIG_sitting
-
RIG_sitting : Seat node template for avatar in sitting/seated
generic pose spot. Once positioned correctly, need's 'joining'
to 'RIG_furniture' (Ctrl+J) - un-parent 'helper' (see below)
before joining (Alt+P).
-
HELPER_sitting : A visual aid to assist in placement
of sitting pose nodes. This object is not required for furniture
items so needs to be 'un-parented' (Alt+P) before exporting
completed product. Select 'RIG_sitting' when moving the
'sitting' unit.
NOTE : Select 'RIG_sitting' when moving/rotating/positioning
the 'sitting' node unit. NO FURTHER EDITING IS
REQUIRED, simply use the objects as is.
-
RIG_standing
-
RIG_standing : Seat node template for avatar in standing/upright
generic pose spot. Once positioned correctly, needs 'joining'
to 'RIG_furniture' (Ctrl+J) - un-parent helper (see below)
before joining.
-
HELPER_standing : A visual aid 'helper' to assist
the placement of standing pose nodes. This object is not required
for furniture items so needs to be 'unp-parented' from 'RIG_standing'
(Alt+P) before exporting completed object.
NOTE : Select 'RIG_standing' when moving/rotating/positioning
the 'standing' node unit. NO FURTHER EDITING IS REQUIRED,
simply use the objects as is.

Contents of furniture template file
How to use the furniture template file ^
Once you have your furniture item modelled (your 'mesh'), the various
elements that make up an actual IMVU product must be positioned relative
to each other and the desired look you want the end result to have;
seat node units need to be duplicated (if/where required) and positioned/rotated
for the desired effect.
NOTE : furniture items DO NOT REQUIRE seat nodes to work
All these separate part then need connecting together;
-
Un-parent the helper meshes (Alt+P - select "..keep transform..")
-
Select all the armatures and fix their positions/rotations (Ctrl+A)
WARNING : DO NOT TAMPER with the SEATING
Armature objects except to rotate, position & connect
them to the main product Armature. DO NOT scale or otherwise
muck about with the SEATING Armatures themselves or the
individual bones contained within the armature except
to rename and parent them to Skeleton.Scene once connected
to the main Armature. Ignoring the above warning will render the
seating nodes useless.
-
Select all the armatures - "RIG_furniture" must be
selected last (so that it is outlined in brighter pink
than the others) - and join them together (Ctrl+J) into
one larger armature unit.
-
Ctrl+A to fix position/rotation of now joined armature
to make sure it's position/rotation is set correctly.
-
Ctrl+A to fix rotation/position of MESH
-
Select mesh and enter EDIT MODE ('TAB' key)
-
Select all faces/verts/etc ('A').. and press 'T'
to triangulate the mesh ('tessellate').
-
Still in EDIT mode, in "LINKS & MATERIALS"
panel add a new VERTEX GROUP and call it "Skeleton.Scene";
select all face/verts ('A') and "ASSIGN"
the group to the mesh. Exit edit mode (TAB).
-
Select Mesh then the armature, then parent the mesh
to the armature (Ctrl+P), you can check this by selecting
and moving the armature, if parented correctly the mesh will move
with the armature (the mesh will outline 'white' when moved in
this way).
-
Open up the ACTION EDITOR (SHIFT+F12) and add
a new action, call it "idle".
-
Select the armature only and go into POSE MODE
(Ctrl+TAB).
-
Select all ('A') and then press the 'I' key to
'insert keyframes' for "LocRotScale" -
(yellow) markers will appear in the Action editor window. Exit
pose mode (Ctrl+TAB).
-
Select the mesh then the armature and export the files
- "File > Export > Cal3D", leave defaults
in pop up window and 'OK'. Export process saves all the relevant
files at the same time to the same location (your project folder)
as the working file.
-
Build product using IMvu Previewer tool using the exported assets
-
Upload to catalogue.