Exporting to Gamestudio?

Could anyone tell me effective ways to export models to GameStudio complete with animation as seamlessly as possible?

I am not referencing any specific 3D application to do this with, though I will say that I am not interested in Max or Maya because of the price. I want to keep the price under $1000. I would like to use XSI but I have read that there is no way to export from this application and keep the animation.

Also, I would like to know if complex animation can be achieved from within Gamestudio itself. If so, would I be better off animating withing GameStudio?

I am simply seeking the best alternatives that require the least amount of tweaking.

Thanks.

The best alternative i know ist blender: it has a wide range of modelling and animating functions. There also exists a very very good exporter by ventilator, just check his sig for it.

Hiya.

You can export from XSI (in .x format), and it will keep animations. However, the bones will be useless (and screwed up). I haven't really sat down and tried every little export/import and creation/naming convention to try and find a way to make it work. But, as I said, if you don't need the bones intact (for bone animation via scripting in-game), then you can use XSI just fine.

My latest 'experiment' involves using Hash Animation:Master, building a 'duplicate bone rig' (same names and structure) in it, using that to animate and export as .bvh (or .fbx for the new A7 I suppose). Use Fragmotion to import my model, bone it as mentioned, import .bvh/.fbx and export as MD7. I haven't had a chance to try this, but everyone seems to think it will work... I guess I'll find out in a while.

Is there nothing a bit more straight-forward?

Use MilkShape
3DGS can import the ascii version

I appreciate the tip regarding Milkshape but I truly have an aversion for that software.

Maybe I am missing something, just not reading closely enough, but it would seem to me that there should be some type of solution that is guaranteed to work whether it be in-house or 3rd-party. This is after all game development software and there should be some infallible way of getting content into it. Is there perhaps something within 3DGS itself that allows you to bone and animate meshes?

There simply has to be one excellent way to get content into the engine or else why use it?

Blender is good (in conjunction with vent's MDL7 exporter), Milkshape is adequate but dated, fragMotion is the way to go. The developer listens to his users, so if you suggest something he'll listen (in most cases). It's specialty is animation and it will export (natively) to every version of 3DGS MDL format including vertex and bones (MDL7 format of course). He's also awaiting the libraries to the newer MDL7 versions, so when that arrives, he'll implement it. I'll be sure to suggest he makes it MDL7 A7 (provided Conitec doesn't change it to MDL8) for compatibility purposes. It will also export to X and eventually FBX (which A7's MED will export and will allow for up to 4 bones per vertex in your rigs):

Anyway, it's $20, constantly in development, and probably the best indie targeted animation program on the market:

http://www.fragmosoft.com/

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Is there perhaps something within 3DGS itself that allows you to bone and animate meshes?

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Our own model editor MED will allow this (and the A7 version has many feature enhancements...see beta page at top of page), but if you have an aversion to Milkshape, you probably have one to MED, as well.