tazpn's DAO Tools 1.3
=====================

This packages includes an command line application for
converting Dragon Age models from the native format
to something that can be manipulated or used a reference for
non-derivative works.

Currently the package only converts from native MMH files to
FBX, 3DS, DAE, OBJ formats which are probably the most widely
interopable formats used in the industry.

Included is a viewer largely derived from the Autodesk FBX SDK
modified slightly to support DDS files and loading MMH files
directly.

Enjoy!



Quick Start:
1. Use daocmd.exe or ErfEditor.exe to unpack ERF and RIM files in
Dragon Age\packages\core\data
> daocmd erf "%ProgramFiles%\Electronic Arts\Dragon Age Origins\packages\core\data\modelhierarchies.erf"
> daocmd erf "%ProgramFiles%\Electronic Arts\Dragon Age Origins\packages\core\data\textures.erf"
> daocmd erf "%ProgramFiles%\Electronic Arts\Dragon Age Origins\packages\core\textures\high\texturepack.erf"

2. Convert MMH to FBX
> fbxcmd Convert c_berkbeara_0.mmh "%TEMP%\c_berkbeara_0.fbx"

3. Convert MMH to 3ds
> fbxcmd Convert c_berkbeara_0.mmh "%TEMP%\c_berkbeara_0.3ds"

4. Convert MMH to COLLADA DAE
> fbxcmd Convert c_berkbeara_0.mmh "%TEMP%\c_berkbeara_0.dae"

5. Convert MMH to Wavefront OBJ
> fbxcmd Convert c_berkbeara_0.mmh "%TEMP%\c_berkbeara_0.obj"

6. View Scene
> viewscene c_berkbeara_0.mmh
> viewscene "%TEMP%\c_berkbeara_0.fbx"
> viewscene "%TEMP%\c_berkbeara_0.dae"

7. Convert FBX to MMH.XML
> fbxcmd convert c_berkbeara_0.fbx c_berkbeara_0.mmh.xml

8. Compile MMH.XML to MMH and MSH.XML to MSH
> "%ProgramFiles%\Electronic Arts\Dragon Age Origins\tools\ResourceBuild\Processors\MMH\GraphicsProcessorMMH.exe" c_berkbeara_0.mmh.xml
> "%ProgramFiles%\Electronic Arts\Dragon Age Origins\tools\ResourceBuild\Processors\MSH\GraphicsProcessorMSH.exe" -platform pc mmdtogff c_berkbeara_0.msh.xml

TODO:
- Support physics models (collision import/export)
- Clean up existing conversion
- Way too much to list here really


Anticipated Issues:
- When converting from FBX files I expect a lot of 'required' information
will not be available so hand editing files (or additional tools)
may be required to get content to work in the game.


Known Issues:

- While the tools aim to support widely supported formats 3DS, FBX, DAE
these formats are not really transportable across in the various 3d
modeling packages in practice. Useful information is frequently lost.

- My experience is that XSI, blender, 3ds max, MotionBuilder cannot really
import or export the files properly. This seems likely to mostly due
to limitions of the importer/exporter adapters in those packages. I aim
to get as compatible as possible but that is a very tall order.