Importing, rigging and posing BF2 msh`s in Blender?

[SkinnyODST Profile Website]

I`m wondering if it`s possible to import Battlefront 2`s unit msh files (specifically clone troopers) into Blender so I can rig and pose them, what I really just want to do is pose them and make 3D renders with them. I have Blender but I don`t know how to add in BF2`s msh`s. In fact, I`m quite new to Blender, but literally all I want to do at the moment is pose and make some cool 3D renders of clones using BF2`s models. I have YouTube tutorials I`ve been watching on how to rig things and basically just use Blender in general. Is this possible and if so how? Any useful topics or videos would be appreciated

[Marth8880 Profile Website]

You'd likely have to import the MSH into XSI, export it as FBX (or some other format that supports skeletons and weightmaps - and that Blender also supports), and import it into Blender.

[SkinnyODST Profile Website]

I don`t have XSI, I searched for a download and found a lot. Can you provide me a link to it plez?

[Teancum]

Check the 3D Modeling and Animation forum here. Specifically these two topics

viewtopic.php?f=36&t=14467
viewtopic.php?f=36&t=26664

[SkinnyODST Profile Website]

Alright so I`ve managed to convert the rep_inf_clonecommander.msh into an obj file. I can put him in Blender now but have some problems:

Hidden/Spoiler:

Alternative link to pic: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C92SmBeU0AAUPxN.jpg:large
1. He`s facing downwards

2. He doesn`t have his kama

and 3. He doesn`t have his pauldron addon msh.

Do any of you know how to fix these problems/add on the missing items?

Thanks for your help so far too!

EDIT: Also there`s 2 models (I moved them away from each other here)

Hidden/Spoiler:

Alternate link to pic: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C92UOKaUAAAiU1Z.jpg
It looks like the lowrez version, I can just delete it but I figured I should show it anyway

[CdtFox Profile]

Alright so I`ve managed to convert the rep_inf_clonecommander.msh into an obj file. I can put him in Blender now but have some problems:

Hidden/Spoiler:

Alternative link to pic: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C92SmBeU0AAUPxN.jpg:large
1. He`s facing downwards

2. He doesn`t have his kama

and 3. He doesn`t have his pauldron addon msh.

Do any of you know how to fix these problems/add on the missing items?

Thanks for your help so far too!

1) I used Blender a while back, you just need to move the mesh (or the scene) in order to be at the right position. For the scene try this : Shift +Middle-Mouse-Button click-hold drag (Shift+MMB) will hopefully 'grab' the scene and move it.

2) Maybe the kama chunck is hidden in Blender or maybe it get erayse during the obj export.

3) Wasn't the pauldron attached via .ODF coding? If so, you won't see it in any 3D sowftware. You need to import them separately and then enveloppe to the corresponding bone.

[SkinnyODST Profile Website]

Yeah I can move around with shift + middle mouse but that doesn`t move the model. And yes it`s attached via ODF. So yeah I know that`s why it doesn`t show up.
Also, I did the same thing with the standard clone trooper (ep3trooper.msh) and it looks like this -

Hidden/Spoiler:

Alternate - https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C92W-edUMAAS3ui.jpg:large
It`s in 3 parts, 1 is the main body, 2 is the lowrez version I think and 3 is the helmet, shoulder pads and some other small parts. Veryyy strange

[CdtFox Profile]

Yeah I can move around with shift + middle mouse but that doesn`t move the model. And yes it`s attached via ODF. So yeah I know that`s why it doesn`t show up.
Also, I did the same thing with the standard clone trooper (ep3trooper.msh) and it looks like this -

Hidden/Spoiler:

Alternate - https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C92W-edUMAAS3ui.jpg:large
It`s in 3 parts, 1 is the main body, 2 is the lowrez version I think and 3 is the helmet, shoulder pads and some other small parts. Veryyy strange

Hum I'm not sure, the lowrez version of the model is completly different, it might be Blender's version, of some other kind of mesh. Check with SWBF Viewer.

[SkinnyODST Profile Website]

Yeah I can move around with shift + middle mouse but that doesn`t move the model. And yes it`s attached via ODF. So yeah I know that`s why it doesn`t show up.
Also, I did the same thing with the standard clone trooper (ep3trooper.msh) and it looks like this -

Hidden/Spoiler:

Alternate - https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C92W-edUMAAS3ui.jpg:large
It`s in 3 parts, 1 is the main body, 2 is the lowrez version I think and 3 is the helmet, shoulder pads and some other small parts. Veryyy strange

Hum I'm not sure, the lowrez version of the model is completly different, it might be Blender's version, of some other kind of mesh. Check with SWBF Viewer.

They show up like they should in SWBFViewer

Hidden/Spoiler:

Hidden/Spoiler:

(Alternate links)
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C92awKUUwAAd5S4.jpg
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C92awwzVoAAWiuu.jpg
Btw, do the hidden images show up for you?

[CdtFox Profile]

They show up like they should in SWBFViewer

Hidden/Spoiler:

Hidden/Spoiler:

(Alternate links)
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C92awKUUwAAd5S4.jpg
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C92awwzVoAAWiuu.jpg
Btw, do the hidden images show up for you?

So yeah these are two different models and no the images won't show up only alternate links work.

[SkinnyODST Profile Website]

They show up like they should in SWBFViewer

Hidden/Spoiler:

Hidden/Spoiler:

(Alternate links)
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C92awKUUwAAd5S4.jpg
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C92awwzVoAAWiuu.jpg
Btw, do the hidden images show up for you?

So yeah these are two different models and no the images won't show up only alternate links work.

Yeah, so Blender loads up both models? Because I only import the one highrez model. And hm, that`s strange, works fine for me.

EDIT: I found out how to rotate things so the facing down problem isn`t a big deal anymore

[Teancum]

You might just be better off using XSI Mod Tool in this case (see my post above), as there's no export to .msh option in Blender, so no matter what you need XSI Mod Tool to export the model to the game format either way. If you were used to Blender I would say you could rig everything up and export to XSI Mod Tool, then from there export to .msh, but since you're new just skip Blender all together.

[Marth8880 Profile Website]

Alright so I`ve managed to convert the rep_inf_clonecommander.msh into an obj file

OBJ isn't going to work, as it doesn't support weight deformations or skeletons. Again, you need to use a format that supports those, such as FBX.

[SkinnyODST Profile Website]

Ok so I`ve just gotten into XSI and I can`t figure out how to open msh files. I can`t locate them. I don`t understand the directory. I click import and go into data_*** and look for the msh files but I can`t see them