Turbo Squid

chris.p_5a506bb20e

Hey guys,
What's the best file format to choose when importing models bought through sites like turbosquid? .3ds? obj?

thanks

TapiocaTundra

Out of the two you specified the .obj is preferable.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wavefront_.obj_file

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.3ds

chris.p_5a506bb20e

Thanks for the info. Is there an even better option when a native Carrara format isn't an option?

3DAGE

Hi Agency51 :)

Carrara will handle both format's ,... but the OBJ format is preferable since it's normally "Quads",.
3DS format defaults to TRI's and even 3D-Max users will prefer native MAX scene files wherever possible.

Q: are you having problem importing with OBJ ?

Since you're asking for a better format.

Carrara can open or import many different types of files, but OBJ is probably the most used format for model transfer.
Before Genesis was released and the new DUF format,.. , all the Daz3D models were supplied as OBJ, and most content is still that format,. ...no plans to change it,. because it works.

:)

TapiocaTundra

It really depends what you might download and what it is for, fbx contains more info. there are the poser formats, it is always worth looking at what software uses what file formats and why. Generally though for static objects, props etc the .obj format is good enough, most if not all 3d applications support it.

chris.p_5a506bb20e

Cool. Thanks for the advice everyone! I haven't had any problems lately importing but was never sure of the pros/cons of some of those file formats. I'll stick with the .obj files. Most of the stuff we purchase are things like cars, billboards, buildings, etc.

I used to have problems a few years ago with stuff importing - but coming in all out of wack. Some parts would be at a different scale or completely out of position. But it might have been a bad model or maybe an older version of carrara. Luckily, I haven't had any of those issues for a while now.

WendyLuvsCatz

I know you are importing only static models but here are some things that are handy to know.

fbx and dae files with rigging and animation often import well, esp in the C8.5beta
there are a few Turbosquid freebies you can try this with inc a gargoyl with flapping wings.
you need to add ik restraints for posing yourself, I simply set all children to ball joint myself to avoid accidental translation of bones breaking mesh
Carrara does not like multiple animation takes though, you can fix this with the free Autodesk FBX converter saving as seperate takes.
if you create an animation group for your bone heirachy you can save these takes from each fbx import as NLA clips and apply then to the other imports of the same model.

3DAGE

Hi Agency51 :)

Many 3D programs have their own internal scaling systems, so it can depend on which modeller was used to make the model.

When you import any model into Carrara,. you should go to the motion tab on the right , and check the overall scale there, and you can change it to 100% if it's been sized incorrectly when imported.

In the vertex modeller, you can select the model and adjust the Scale, to make the model bigger or smaller, and this is a "Real scale" unlike the Assembly room scale, where changing the scale doesn't change the original model.

For things like Billboards or Buildings, you could try to model those yourself,. ..Car's can be tricky but it's not impossible to create them in Carrara,. and there are a load of simple car's in the Carrara Native content, which although they are low detail, can work well as "background" parked or passing cars,.
You could also use them as a starting point / Guide, ..for modelling your own vehicle,.

:)