Workflow

Dark Exporter automates the manual export process. The typical manual method consists of the following consecutive steps:

• 1. Creating the model in Blender.

  2. Exporting the model to 3DS format.

  3. Invoking n3ds2e.exe program in order to convert 3DS file to an intermediate E file.

  4. Manual editing of appropriate lines in E file. Adjusting transparency, self-illumination etc...

  5. Invoking bsp.exe program to convert customized E file to a final BIN format.

  6. Copying BIN file to the OBJ subfolder of Thief 1/2 installation folder.

This method requires knowledge of E file syntax and forces the user to perform the same steps every time the model is exported. It's possible but very tiresome.

This is where Dark Exporter comes in handy. Below I describe the procedure of exporting via the plugin assuming the user is exporting the model to a filename test.bin in the user selected folder. The plugin performs the following automatic steps:

• 1. Checking if n3ds2e.exe and bsp.exe files are accessible. If not, the error message is reported in the Blender Console. If both files are accessible the next step (2) is performed.

  2. Exporting the selected 3D model to 3DS format. In the folder selected by user a new file is generated. Its name is test.3ds.

  3. n3ds2e.exe executable is launched in order to convert 3DS file to E format. An E file is generated with name test.e.

  4. Copying E file to E_ORG file for backup/comparison. In the selected folder a new file test.e_org is generated. It's a copy of test.e file. This step enables the user (if needed) to verify what has been changed by Dark Exporter by manual comparison of test.e and test.e_org.

  5. Performing the analysis of the 3D model in Blender. In Dark Exporter 2 this process has change entirely. Only materials are being tested. The result is stored in the analysis table.

  6. Automatic adjusting of the test.e file according to analysis table.

  7. bsp.exe program is executed in order to convert customized test.e file to the final test.bin format.

  8. Copying the test.bin file to the OBJ subfolder of the Thief 1/2 installation directory.

The whole workflow is depicted on the following diagram (click to enlarge):