I was just thinking of this. Please tell me if its possible - not if its plausible - I like to do strange things:)....
Its just an example of what I might try...
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Export model in OBJ format...
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Make a quick app, to create a list of vertex coords for each "bone".
Perhaps using the pickPolygon to select a few.
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Save those coords in an xml file.
Also save any skeletal movements.
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Load actual model in jpct.
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At load time...
Get mesh somehow, and create a new one, finding the object space coords(same as in modeler? would think so)...
Rotate them around the already found(guessed;)) bone pivots,
and save as a new mesh.
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Put all the meshes into a keyframe animation like you would with multiple 3ds files, as we once discussed.
Is this possible?
If it is, I would like to make a generic bone editor, and a skeletal-like api,
that could be used if needed.
I do not know how others achieve this effect, but I see it as this:
SimpleVectors,
Rotation Around Pivot(with parent/child)
Storage(in xml) of each bone, its parent/children, and the connected vertexes.
For each mesh vertex, apply rotations.
Make keyframe animation from skeletal stages.
Some form of this is the only thing missing from the jpct features.
It need not be included by default, but as another jar, if needed.
I'd like to do this myself, as my contribution:)
How would I know which vertex is which? Well, by its original coordinate:)
doubles might cause trouble, but I don't own a model that has vertexes in the EXACT same place:)
The bone editor could be programmed to point out these double vertexes, so i dont think its a problem.
Now, whats the point of this? Well, you could get the data for the model, and do the same for clothing, and be able to make a new skeleton animation, without having to manually mess around with all of the clothing sets you've made! I have no idea why I needed to point that out. Its obvious;)
Still, if this is even a tiny possibility, it would be great! An MMORPG game would benefit from such dynamic animation, and it wouldnt have to be blocky.
I heard rolz used a kind of skeleton system by making each limb an object, and rotating them.
It would be like that, but the limbs could be connected, and not hinge-like(I am assuming here, unless you found a way to join the arms with the torso, etc).