Here are some sites for 3dz and RS knowledge:

Shreck's 3dz Studio tutorial: http://raf-roy.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=71
Cord's site: http://www.cordseawpage.de.vu/, Click '3dz tutorial' and 'Utilities-3d models' links on the left frame
Chompy's RS tutorial: http://www.sandbaggereaw.com/chompyadd.html
Gurney's RS (BSP) Tutorial: http://members.fortunecity.com/gurney/RS/RS.html
RS pseudocode from MPS developer: http://www.SimHQ.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=143;t=000002
more RS chat:
http://www.SimHQ.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=143;t=000001
Moggy's manual RS adjustment method: http://mogggy.org/tech/techrend.htm
Crashin' Jack's 3dz tutorial: http://members.aol.com/brokenputer/3dz_tutorial.htm

This is very good reference spot for all interested. I must admit that got pretty convinced and sold to this 3dz "craze".

I encourage anyone and all to try his/her hand at this modeling because results are pretty interesting and satisfying. It takes little time, I know, to get all that rolling, but when it is it gives specific pleasure of creating mathematically ideal and precise pieces. Each vertex (or how we call here a node) has its precise place and one click out of it makes a profound and visible difference.

Hopefully soon with WB we will be able to show something to confirm all that and give an little example to start.

After you modify a .3dz, you have to then adjust the Normals, which are found in the 3dzToText file like this:

According to Chompy from the EAW forum, you must adjust the Normals before adjusting the RS.

To adjust the Normals, EAW modders use a tool called 3dz Vector2.exe which can be found here:
http://www.sandbaggereaw.com/LFtoolsandutilities.html

With it, you open your .3dz file, then click 'Calculate normals', then save the text file to disk. You then open that file, copy and paste the newly calculated Normals to the 3dzToText file of your model, then convert back to .3dz.

Vector2 crashes when I try to use it with Gunship! models, probably because Gunship! models are roughly 10 times the size of EAW's. So, I created my own Normals calculator, called 3dz Analyzer which can be downloaded here:
http://members.fortunecity.com/whb11/GunshipTool/Gunship.htm#3dzEdit , or from the link in my sig below.

Here's the definition of a Normal:

An Element's Normal is the vector that is perpendicular to its plane and points to the origin 0,0,0:



We can also describe the normal as an infinitely long line stretching off to infinity in either direction.

The element's entry in the [NORMALS] section of the .3dz file also includes it's 'D' value, which defines where on that line the plane sits, i.e. the D value will increase or decrease as you slide the plane up and down on that line.

Every polygon or element, if you extend it's plane, will have a point on it where you can draw a line from 0,0,0 that's perpendicular to its plane, not necessarily to the element or polygon itself, but to the plane that it's a part of. The origin, 0,0,0 could be toward either the positive or negative arrows in the picture above. This is the way the game decides what plane is facing the viewer at any given time, and, therefore, what elements to draw and their angle to the viewer. It's really ingenious. The nice thing about Gunship! is that the rendering engine seems to work perfectly, but the model .3dz files might be sometimes wrong, though.

I have made some significant improvements to my program, 3dz Analyzer, and added a new function, to display the binary RS (Rendering Sequence) tree.

Previously, to make a change to the RS tree required writing it out by hand, but my program does it automatically, and also does some error checking that would be difficult, if not impossible, to do by hand.

3dz Analyzer can be used for either EAW or Gunship! modeling.

The other day, I wanted to move some points but preserve the relative distances between them so I added a new function to 3dz Analyzer to display a 'Distance table' that shows the distances between all the points in the .3dz file, and, optionally, the distances between all the elements (using the element centers)

This could also be helpful when mapping to the .pcx texture.

You can also calculate the distance between any 2 specific points in the .3dz file or .pcx file. Another new feature is the ability to save the output to disk.

Here's how the output looks in 3dz Analyzer:



And, here's how it looks when imported into a spreadsheet:

One of the most difficult things about 3dz Editing, is making a Rendering Sequence, aka Binary Space Partition tree. Previously, this task had to be done by hand, because we didn't have the original Microprose tool(s) to do it. You can read about these difficulties in the links at the top of this thread.

But, after some months of work, I've now added an RS Generator function to 3dz Analyzer, which you can download here: http://members.fortunecity.com/whb11/GunshipTool/Gunship.htm#3dzEdit

Please see the readme for details.

I've uploaded a new version of 3dz Analyzer, version 2.33.

It has new tips about how to create Normals for type 1 and 2 elements, and how to generate a better Rendering Sequence, and I clarified a few other topics.  To display the manual, just press F1 after running the program.

Some enhancements to the program were also added, including a new alternative for creating Normals for type 1 or 2 elements, which saves time and makes things easier.

Also, I fixed a problem when creating a partial RS. You can generate an RS for just one specific part of an object, or even generate each part separately, then glue them into one RS. You don't even have to renumber/resequence any element #'s. This capability was already in the program before, but I found out that it didn't work all the time, so I fixed it.

Link: 3dz Analyzer

Great stuff, WB.

How dfficult would be to gather all specifications of 3DZ to make 3dz->3ds and vice-versa converter?

I know the there is 3dz editor, I know that there is utility to convert it to dxf. But what I wanted perhaps is full fledged converter allowing export to any popular editor and back maintaing properly all RS, textures coordinates, pivots and animations.

Some time ago I spoke to author of 3dObject Converter Mr. Zoltan Karpaty http://web.axelero.hu/karpo/ . He suggested that if he had specification of the format he would be willing to include that into his Project.

I have finished my

- MicroProse (Gunship!) *.3db
- MicroProse (European Air War; Fleet Defender Gold; Gunship!) *.3dz

loader modules and I have released the 3D Object Converter v7.045 as web updates:

How to get the 3D Object Converter v7.045:
Download the 3D Object Converter from 3doc.i3dconverter.com and install it or download and use the portable version.
After it just use the Help/Check for updates... function to get the v7.045.


Turn on the Draw / Show back-facing geometry to get the correct view.

I have no idea of the purpose of this tool, and who it's intended for, but thanks for sharing anyway

The main purpose of the 3DObjectConverter is to enable easy conversion of 3dz and 3db formats for further manipulation and enhancements using more popular 3D editors. For full compatibility, we still need to be able to save in addition to load as well as work the textures. Let us hope that all may come in due time.

Still, it is great progress by KZ3D and thank you.

Thanks, Polak. Looking good.