Exporting the 3d models of ships to 3d printing

[Skywolf]

Hi everyone
i own a 3d printer and a friend of mine asked if i could print him some of the ships he fell in love with :)
i have exported 3d models from other games in the past but this time i'm having a really hard time, i found the .mtl of the ships but it looks like they are cripted somehow (i can't open them even using programs that usually can open .mtl files)
there is a way, maybe a program or a batch file or something that can convert the models in .obj (or any other format that chan be opened by 3d modelling programs) ?
thanks in advance

[Zenoslaf]

Uh, I'll tell Valdyr to contact you, he was playing with that in our office, we were trying to print some ships on our cheap, lame 3D printer.

[Skywolf]

Ok thanks a lot!
Than I'll wait for Valdyr message ;)
Out of curiosity, witch printer you have in your office? :)

[Zenoslaf]

Not sure of the exact model, but a lame one, tbh.

[valdyr]

Hi!

Sorry for late response.

There is a tool in StarpointGemini2 root folder called ScyptCompiler.exe. It is a little tool for converting script, sector or some other game files to binary (so it is faster for the game to load).

It also has a button named: "Whale Model to OBJ", which converts game's .mdl files to .obj files. You need to browse for the .mdl file you want to convert by clicking the "Browse" button which is on the right of the "Whale Model to OBJ" button. When you click on "Whale Model to OBJ" it will convert the model you selected and save it as <modelname>.obj in the same dir as the original model :D

We also tried to print the ships but the printer is of a lower quality as Zeno said, and it's a FreeSculpt 3D printer (which is a re-branded Myriwell printer). The models that came out weren't good, partially because we printed them as a whole, (we should have divided them into smaller easier-to-print parts). We'll give it another try though...

If it won't be of much trouble, could you post some photos of the models when they are printed, we're interested how they will came out :D

[Skywolf]

I will indeed post some photos, i will start printing in a few days
however... it seem fair that you (and zeno) chose the first ship to be printed ;)
however i may know why you diddn't manage to print the ships, the 3d models of the ships haven't been designed to be 3d printed so there are some "errors" on the .gcode
to make the models surely 3d printable you can use a free program called meshmixer that has a command to repair 3d models and make them printable

[Zenoslaf]

Try to do something simpler like Tzar, it's basically a cigar shape. :)

[Skywolf]

Hello again, it took a little more time than expected because the feeder of my printer broke and i having to repair it decided to compleately upgrade my ultimaker and it did took some times
however here are some models i printed over the last two days ;D
http://imgur.com/a/9IXqB
p.s.
i forgot to print the Tzar but the Horizont is a nice substitute until i print it i hope ;)

[Veki]

They look great. Very detailed.
Now all they are missing are some model paint on them (and mybe print them a bit bigger so they are easier to paint).
What printer and software are you using?

[probe]

That is fricking awesome. Cool models

[Skywolf]

Originally posted by Veki:

They look great. Very detailed.
Now all they are missing are some model paint on them (and mybe print them a bit bigger so they are easier to paint).
What printer and software are you using?

I am using a Zmorph 3d printer and it's default slicing software (Voxelizer)
i also made the model printable using meshmixer
they would look wonderfull painted but unfortunatly all my attempts failed miserably XD
I will indeed try to paint them nonetheless and we shall see how they will come out ;)

[Veki]

Are you using model paint for painting? I think those would be good for painting.
And please post pictures when you paint them.

[Zenoslaf]

I would so much love to paint those. I'm usually painting miniatures so this should be even easier since it's bigger.

Black primer, then primary color, then shading, layering, details and varnishing. There are some tutorials on YouTube, just go with acrylic paints and you'll be good. :)