Author Topic: Exporting Models from Google Sketchup to Milkshape 3D (Read 6815 times)

XR-7 · October 24, 2013, 10:05:10 PM

I've been looking for other threads on this to solve my question, but I'm either not using the right keywords, or bad results turn up. I don't think I can add joints or finalize any modeling using Sketchup alone.

Do I need special plugins for exporting?

Also, please give a brief explanation (I'm bad with Internet/technology vocabulary, so please keep it simple).

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TheKhoz · October 25, 2013, 12:41:00 AM

I believe you need to use Sketchup Pro in order to do this. (You can use the trial version, I believe, but that has drawbacks.

XR-7 · October 25, 2013, 01:06:58 AM

I use Sketchup 8

Yndaaa~ · October 25, 2013, 04:39:57 PM

99% sure Sketch up can export to .OBJ.
.OBJ can be imported and exported by just about every modeling software, it's pretty much a universal model format

Barnabas · October 27, 2013, 09:03:21 AM

I used to export stuff from SketchUp, but that was the old version. Here is how it can be done with the free version of Sketchup 8

Once you have finished your model, move it to the origin point (the point where the red, green, and blue lines meet). You can do that by creating a point on the underside of your model and snap it there.

If you are using the Pro version you can export it as an .obj file, which could be imported to Milkshape without any problems, and your woes should end here.

However, if you are using the free version, things are bound to get messy...

The free version can only export as .kmz (as far as I'm concerned), which is the format for Google Earth. Anyway, export your model as .kmz, then rename the file extension (.kmz) to ".zip". Inside the zip file, you can find a models directory which contains the model in collada format (.dae).

Note: I presume that you are not really a power user so chances are you can't see the file extensions at all. You can fix that by the following in Windows 7: Open up Computer in Start menu and then find the "Organize" button and click "Folder and search options" Click the view tab, and find the item called "Hide extensions for known file types" and untick it.

Unfortunately Milkshape does not have an importer for collada files, so you need another program to convert it into something Milkshape can work with. For this, we are going to use the latest version of Blender.

Click on the File menu find the "Import" item and choose "Collada (.dae)". If you can't see your model, try deleting the Cube in the middle. Afterwards, select your model and go to File menu once more. Find "Export" and then choose "WaveFront (.obj)" Find the checkbox called "Selection only" and tick it. Once done, press Export. And that's pretty much it. You can now import it to Milkshape and mess around with it to your heart's liking.

You see, this is the kind of thing that motivated me to learn Blender as I found the whole conversion thing to be a major pain in the neck. You too might be better off if you learnt to model with Milkshape or Blender.

XR-7 · October 27, 2013, 11:16:00 AM

Hmm. I'll try going through these. Thanks. I wasn't completely sure what the file extensions were and .obj was giving me problems. All my next models though have been started with MilkShape.

Pandan · October 28, 2013, 03:59:55 AM

Sketch up is great for making your drawings come to life.

But it's not great for game modeling.
It creates unnecessary faces and polyes and often causes more hassle (Like barnabas pointed out)

you need to learn blender or 3ds max or wings. something real.
avoid milkshape. it's bad.

XR-7 · October 28, 2013, 04:17:39 PM

Quote from: Pandan on October 28, 2013, 03:59:55 AM

Sketch up is great for making your drawings come to life.

But it's not great for game modeling.
It creates unnecessary faces and polyes and often causes more hassle (Like barnabas pointed out)

you need to learn blender or 3ds max or wings. something real.
avoid milkshape. it's bad.

I can't use a ton of money right now. Blender and Wings are free aren't they?

Barnabas · October 28, 2013, 04:24:31 PM

Both are free

Pandan · October 28, 2013, 05:09:58 PM

Do your self a favor and learn blender.

Wings 3D is a great blocko sculpting progrom.
Very intuitive.

However; you'll still have to use blender as a post processor if you use Wings3D.

Might aswell just learn everything under one roof. (Blender)

3DS max is the only one i mentioned that costs money. However; if you're a college student, you can get a student license for free. (like me)

XR-7 · October 28, 2013, 08:36:13 PM

Quote from: Pandan on October 28, 2013, 05:09:58 PM

Do your self a favor and learn blender.

Wings 3D is a great blocko sculpting progrom.
Very intuitive.

However; you'll still have to use blender as a post processor if you use Wings3D.

Might aswell just learn everything under one roof. (Blender)

3DS max is the only one i mentioned that costs money. However; if you're a college student, you can get a student license for free. (like me)

Yeah I looked into 3DS last year and ended up getting Wings3D. Then the computer I had Wings on crashed and I didn't bother getting it on this computer. I'm probably going to get Blender.

knuckles31 · November 17, 2013, 07:41:53 PM

If you find the .obj plugin for the free version Sketchup 8, that will work. I've done it before. I'll look and see if I can find it on my old computer.

XR-7 · November 28, 2013, 04:08:57 PM

Quote from: knuckles31 on November 17, 2013, 07:41:53 PM

If you find the .obj plugin for the free version Sketchup 8, that will work. I've done it before. I'll look and see if I can find it on my old computer.

I tried doing this, but a lot of things were trying to sell me .obj plugins so I just decided a more expert program would work better to model.