Question: Convert A 3D Model to .DDS Image

Hey, sorry for the late response, for some reason I've missed this topic However, unfortunately you can't just "convert" a 3D model into a DDS file. DDS is just a texture format, more precisely it contains compressed image data (just like JPG, with the exception that graphics cards can work with DDS files directly - the compressed DDS file is loaded into the VRAM and is decompressed "on the fly" by the GPU, while a JPG files always stays uncompressed in your VRAM, resulting in up to 8 times higher memory consumption).

But a DDS file does not store any model information. The "flattened" 3D model you've seen was probably a UV map. This is nothing but the texture of a model. Each triangle of the model is projected on the texture, or in other words, the model gets "unfold". The image represents the texture for every triangle of the model. Here you find more information about UV mapping: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UV_mapping

There are tools out there which enable you to generate a UV map automatically (more or less), but "proper" UV mapping has to be done manually and it is a rather complicated process, unless we're talking about primitive geometries like cubes, cylinders etc. UV mapping is usually done in the modeling software, e.g. Blender, Cinema4D, 3DS Max etc.

I can't say much about using 3D models from another game, usually this is always quite problematic in terms of copyright, but I'm not familiar with Bethesda's guidelines. However, these models are already uv mapped (the uv mapping information is stored in the model). The DDS file is just the texture of the model (which is used to determine the color of every polygon / fragment of the model).

If you're looking for more information about uv mapping with blender, there are several tutorials out there. This was just one of the first results I got: https://docs.blender.org/manua…ing/unwrapping/index.html

If you want to turn an image (e.g. a PNG or JPG file) into a DDS texture (DDS is really just a different file format), there are plugins for Gimp and Photoshop available on the net

Being an avid modeler, I can confirm Red is spot on here. DDS files (Direct Draw Surface) are not 3d models just flattened out. When it comes to changing or importing models from anywhere else, even free-to-use public domain models from TurboSquid or other market places, or even other games*, there are usually quite a few differences in both the model itself, and in what data the game engines require.

I’ve done some rather extensive work with Bethesda’s Elder Scrolls series of games, from Morrowind (I was the creator of the original Glass Display Case model and animations), through Skyrim (currently working to port my Horse Racing mod made for Oblivion), and can say there are considerable differences in most models just between these games. The output file used by the games’ engines are more that a little different!

I’m not sure what format Rising World uses, or what sort of import/export plugins exist or for what 3d modeling packages. Personally I use 3d Studio Max, and have for quite a long while.

UVW mapping, also known as “skinning” is how textures get applied to plain grey models. It isn’t short for anything, it’s just 3 consecutive letters, similar to XYZ, which are the coordinate plains used in 3d modeling, and explain to the program how to position a texture on a model, so it doesn’t look like plain grey plastic.

Hope this clears things up, and if I can answer any questions, feel free to ask - just don’t ask me how to model - lol it’s complicated to say the least, and there are reasons they offer college courses in doing it!