Blender .m3 Plugin
blendm3 - Blender plugin to work with Blizzard .m3 files
The latest version of this plugin and additional information can be found on this site:
http://code.google.com/p/blendm3/
You should regularly check this website for updates. New features are continuously added. The project aims to fully support the .m3 file format.
Latest Release
0.14 on 2010-09-07
- Works now with Blender from trunk (tested with r31786)
- Can now be used with the Blender add-on installer
- Option to search for texture asserts added
- Much more improved import of material (diffuse, specular, emissive and normal)
- Added import of decal texture layer
- Imports now all UV layers
Acknowledgment
This plugin would not be possible with the tons of information about the .m3 provided by the libm3 project. The project homepage is 'http://code.google.com/p/libm3/' and is a great source for information about the file format. Also a big thank NiNtoxicated who developed a 3DS Max plugin which is also a great source to understand the .m3 file format.
Installation
The following files are included with the distribution of the plugin:
. |-- COPYING Copy of the GPLv2 license. |-- README.TXT Description and installation instruction. `-- import_shape_m3.py The actual plugin.
To install the plugin just copy the file 'import_shape_m3.py' into your blender plugin directory. After restarting Blender the import menu should contain a 'Blizzard M3 (.m3)' entry. The plugin is tested with Blender version 2.53.
Usage
To load textures assure that the 'Assets' directory is in the same directory as your model. After selecting import assure that the 'Create Material' in your file selection window is set.
Loading textures is experimental and does not work correctly on some models. Furthermore, to show the models textured in the preview window you have to manually assign the texture to the models faces.
Screenshots
Importing geometry data:
UV editing:
Thanks for ahring this info, it's helpful and useful!
I started using Blender, this 3D program is good for "organic" modelling, or the sorts of models that are sculpted.
I own a XP-Pen Artist 16 (2nd generation) screen drawing pad which is perfectly usable for drawing, sculpting, or modeling.
I plan to revive my old project. I moved the source to https://github.com/stante/blendm3 and added patches to at least make the addon visible in Blender again. However it is untested and I don't know if file format changed over the years. I will look into more detail in the next days.
@Mirrindamoon: Go
Older version doesn't do anything either. I clicked import m3 file, selected the m3 file, and nothing happened. Nothing at all. Zilch.
Figures it was completely abandon. Everything good tends to become abandon very quickly.
An older version of blender still works with this addon. http://download.blender.org/release/Blender2.54beta/ You can still get the mesh and UV data from this.
If you want textures you might have to extract them directly from SC2 files by browsing them and finding exactly the right ones by name. Either with the SC2 editor itself or a MPQ extractor: http://www.zezula.net/en/mpq/download.html
I had to set up the materials myself with unity3d but it looks more or less correct.
@composure19d: Go
Try .mdx<->.blend<->.m3 if that is possible, im a beginner.
.blend<->.m3?
Can it convert .mdx to .m3?
Wheres the plugin directory, i just got blender so idk where stuff is yet, if you could show me an image of where it is that would be very helpful, ty ^^
:[ I really need this! D:
For now, it's abandoned. I emailed the author, and he says he just doesn't have time anymore.
I don't think it's compatible with 2.55 :s
please get this project going....blender is awesome...
Is this project abandoned? :'( I hope not!
i cant find how to upload the damn addon.. :(
cool what do you do with it?
Animation is currently not supported, but will be the next big goal. In a first step I plan to correctly support the importing of bones. About export, I think it you have to wait till the functionality is implemented. As I said, feedback especially if something does not import correctly, is very welcome.
how is it possible to export a m3 out of blender, so that I can use it in sc2 again.
Does this support the animation as well?
Has anyone else noticed that (even on the 3ds max one) the faces are all not attached to anything? They are just floating there aligned.