Blender BLB Exporter [v2.0.0]

Author Topic: Blender BLB Exporter [v2.0.0]  (Read 17546 times)

Blender BLB Exporter

GitHub · Downloads · Blender

It's been a long time in the making but I've finally reached the point where I'm comfortable with a public release. I present to you: an add-on for Blender 2.67 or newer for exporting Blockland bricks. No need for a command-line program or exporting to .OBJ to create .BLB files. This plugin allows you to harness the power of Blender and export a brick that appears in-game exactly as it did in the viewport. It supports all .BLB file features*, has several convenience features such as exporting multiple bricks in one go or using Blender modifiers, and even fancy things like per-vertex colors. The exporting process is customizable enough that you can easily export bricks that have been modeled for use in another exporter. Importing .BLB files is not yet supported.

See the downloads page for the latest release and installation instructions. See the GitHub page for instructions on how to use the add-on and a full feature list. Hover over the options in the Blender export dialog for descriptions of each option.

If you want to be on the cutting edge of most recent developments or I've gone AWOL for some reason, download the develop branch and install it. See the commits for new features. I can't guarantee it will work as expected though, that branch is called "develop" for a reason.

Please post in this thread if you have any suggestions for features or issues with using the add-on.

Example Bricks with Source Files
Primary features in parentheses.

Basic
  • Candy Cane Bricks (Collision, material colors, multiple brick export using groups)
  • Clover Monument Brick (Brick grid, bricks within bricks, collision, material colors, modifiers, smooth shading)
  • Snowmen Bricks (Collision, material colors, multiple brick export using layers)
  • Torii Brick (Brick grid, collision, material colors)

Advanced

* DTS collision is not yet a part of this exporter. Use Port's Blender DTS Importer/Exporter for now.
Default single brick export properties from v2.0.0.
« Last Edit: December 05, 2017, 02:53:04 PM by Demian »



wait so does this support texturing or no? ive been wanting to do that for the longest time but never figured it out

wait so does this support texturing or no? ive been wanting to do that for the longest time but never figured it out
There is no automatic UV calculation for brick textures but I'm working on it, it will hopefully be in the next release. You can manually define UVs though.

You should round the normal values to reasonable digits, it's not necessary to have like 20 on the sphere bricks

You should round the normal values to reasonable digits, it's not necessary to have like 20 on the sphere bricks
The exporter writes up to 16 decimals. I decided not to round the normal values to get the most accurate results but I could add-in an option to round normals.

The exporter writes up to 16 decimals. I decided not to round the normal values to get the most accurate results but I could add-in an option to round normals.

Default bricks are rounded to 6 digits, so you should just do that aswell

Default bricks are rounded to 6 digits, so you should just do that aswell
Huh, I never noticed. Thanks for pointing it out. I've added a property for optionally rounding the normals. It will be in the next version.

There is no automatic UV calculation for brick textures but I'm working on it, it will hopefully be in the next release. You can manually define UVs though.
do you have a guide anywhere on this? id check the github but im on mobile for the next 20 hours or so

i already sorta know how to UV map, just unsure whats the proper process to assign textures and stuff

also huge huge thanks for the example bricks - i will certainly use them.

do you have a guide anywhere on this? id check the github but im on mobile for the next 20 hours or so

i already sorta know how to UV map, just unsure whats the proper process to assign textures and stuff

also huge huge thanks for the example bricks - i will certainly use them.
Here's a direct link to the latest readme: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/DemianWright/io_scene_blb/master/README.md

It's reasonably readable in its plain-text form. Be aware that assigning brick textures isn't as simple as just unwrapping all the faces and going with the default coordinates. There's some basic math involved to get the correct coordinates. If you're in a hurry, download the uvs branch where I have some initial work done on the UV calculation.

When i install the add-on into blender, it doesn't actually show up in the add-ons list for selection.
« Last Edit: November 11, 2016, 07:12:22 PM by Perry »

When i install the add-on into blender, it doesn't actually show up in the add-ons list for selection.
It appears I never tested with the download from the releases. Blender cannot handle the .-character in the version number. You need to download the master branch instead of the release.

Updated installation instructions: https://github.com/DemianWright/io_scene_blb/releases/tag/v1.0.0

It appears I never tested with the download from the releases. Blender cannot handle the .-character in the version number. You need to download the master branch instead of the release.

Updated installation instructions: https://github.com/DemianWright/io_scene_blb/releases/tag/v1.0.0
thanks this worked.

Another question I have: are additive/subtractive colors supported? I want to color the brick in a certain way so that when you spray it it will take on the color that i sprayed but darker.

thanks this worked.

Another question I have: are additive/subtractive colors supported? I want to color the brick in a certain way so that when you spray it it will take on the color that i sprayed but darker.
BLBs do not support such a feature as far as I know. If they do, please give me a link to a brick that does it.