Hacking Animation from Switch model format isn't working

[Spamzilla]

I have a dump of NSW Link's Awakening models and I'm trying to get the animation working. They look great in Switch-Toolbox and the .DAE format looks great in Blender. The problem is that when I try to import a .SMD into Blender everything gets messed up. The model will also animate as if there was nothing wrong with it.

 

[LucaJones]

Looks like there might be an issue with the .smd import process in blender. Double check the import settings and ensure you're using the correct plugin for .smd files.
You could also try alternative methods for importing animations.

 

[Spamzilla]

It can't be Blender or the Blender source tools. I know because I made some .MD3s out of a Half--Life deathmatch model. SMD is the only format I can use that Switch-Toolbox can export. I can't find anything on the internet about these other formats.

 

[belliq]

Animations for Switch models don't work properly in Blender because the way Blender does bones is different (worse) from other programs, and unfortunately there's no way to get a clean conversion other than importing the model and animation into 3DSMax and then exporting out after resetting the bones to a format Blender is capable of editing. However I was able to figure out that if you import the model as an .fbx (use this converter) with a -Z forward and Y up orientation then import the .smd also with Y up orientation it should work properly. However while it does run, you can't edit any of the bones because as you probably already know .smds use the Euler XYZ rotations of each bone and rotating or moving any bone on the existing skeleton changes those rotations for any of the child bones.

 

[Spamzilla]

That is exactly what I was looking for! Thank you for the information.

 

[belliq]

That is exactly what I was looking for! Thank you for the information.

No problem, I'm so happy I can share as there was no info on this anywhere when I was looking into it last year and it's good to know it's helpful beyond satiating my own curiosity. Wish there was a proper solution on the user end that made things editable but the only options are on the program ends: either Killz changes Toolbox to support custom bone axis on .dae export (or adds fbx) which is a ton of work for them and they're just one person, or Blender does away with its bizarre requirement for bones being Y+ oriented. I'm hopeful for the latter as it's preventing synergy with Unreal Engine so the pressure from professionals exists and the Blender devs do major updates all the time.