Hey Everyone,

I am looking for a utility that will allow me to convert my Carrara files (or .3DS, .OBJ) to .fbx or .x format (for use with Microsoft's XNA). Has anyone stumbled upon such a conversion creature?

Thanks for your time!

Well, Carrara Pro can export directly to .fbx. ;)

Wow, man... I just suffered an acute case of "Man Vision". I've had C5 Pro this long and didn't even notice. Embarrassing!

Thanks for the tip, Mark! I promise to better use my eyes from now on! ha ha!!

In case you need some more options...like batch conversion check out> free FBX Converter Transfer project data from one application to another quickly and easily with the FBX Converter. This utility lets you convert OBJ, DXF™ and 3DS files to and from the FBX file format. FBX 2006.11 Converter FBX 2006.08 Converter FBX Converter 6 http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/index?siteID=123112&id=6839916

Hey, thanks! That's very cool!!!

Here's a followup question.  I'm looking to export Carrara animations to an FBX animation for use within Unity, a game engine.  Yes, Carrara exports directly to fbx, but I cna't figure out how to export animations.

Any help or hope?

 - Dex

Hi Dex, FBX in Carrara is a mixed bag. Many of the "big players" seem to have quite a few issues with .fbx as well. I don't know all the issues but apparently it's pretty tough on 2nd party developers to keep up with in addition to being a little quirky. As far as use in Carrara, the .fbx importer is more successful than the exporter. You can import .fbx keyframes with it but not export them. There are issues with lights, textures and the list goes on. So, exporting animations is not an option at this time. :-/ Probably not what you wanted to here. Mark

Hey, Mark -

Thanks for the response.  I'd actually eventually figured that all out for myself, too.  Exporting with bones to FBX is possible, and the UV coordinates travel with the model (though the texture itself doesn't -- odd).  Carrara's Z to Y remaping seems to confuse part of the workflow, too.  There are just a few too many issues with it.

We're trying out Cinema 4D now; expensive, yes, but the game engine we're using reads C4D files natively; seems to be the answer.

We have Lightwave, and it's FBX exporter is buggy at best.  (Carrara's works -- it just can't export the animation.  LIghtwave's doesn't even work.)  Oh, and don't even get me started on using Lightwave for boning.  Their boning system is a NIGHTMARE.  And the program crashes randomly on both our Mac Quad-Core G5 and our MacBook Pro.  Carrara is five hundred times more stable.  Who'd-a-thunk?

 - Dex

I have a question...

I've got C5, not Pro. Is there a way for C5 to import FBX files?

I know C5Pro can do it, but I'm not interested in upgrading since I already own TransPoser.

Thanks!

I don't believe so. :-/

You might give this a go:
http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/item?siteID=123112&id=9256041
It is the free FBX converter from Autodesk.
It will take an fbx and turn it into a 3ds or obj file that Carrara standard could load.
Not sure if it will bring in the animation - don't think Carrara can use keys from a 3ds file, at the least you should get the mesh and textures.

wayne k
guam usa

Opps, just read up and see the fbx converter link was already posted.
Sorry for the double vision.

wayne k
guam usa

Drat! I was hoping to directly import my DAZ Studio files into Carrara 5 without upgrading to Pro.

Does anyone know if I could still apply Poser textures and such to characters using this converter?

Thanks everyone!