Overview
This is where I am going to add/document my efforts into developing the models for the new game. At present the engine I have built handles Wavefront OBJ file format which include the material files. This was chosen because its easy to understand and is supported in Blender which is the tool I am currently learning to develop the models.
As an aside I got bored one evening and decided I wanted to see the classic Elite ships/objects rendered in my game engine. I found the classic models online at https://elite.bbcelite.com/ and decided to write a Python program to take the ship details and convert them to OBJ Wavefront format so that I could view them in Blender and load them into my game engine.
Progress Log
27/11/2025
Python Conversion Program
Take the details found online and convert the data to Wavefront Obj format
.SHIP_COBRA_MK_3
EQUB 3 \ Max. canisters on demise = 3
EQUW 95 * 95 \ Targetable area = 95 * 95
EQUB LO(SHIP_COBRA_MK_3_EDGES - SHIP_COBRA_MK_3) \ Edges data offset (low)
EQUB LO(SHIP_COBRA_MK_3_FACES - SHIP_COBRA_MK_3) \ Faces data offset (low)
EQUB 157 \ Max. edge count = (157 - 1) / 4 = 39
EQUB 84 \ Gun vertex = 84 / 4 = 21
EQUB 42 \ Explosion count = 9, as (4 * n) + 6 = 42
EQUB 168 \ Number of vertices = 168 / 6 = 28
EQUB 38 \ Number of edges = 38
EQUW 0 \ Bounty = 0
EQUB 52 \ Number of faces = 52 / 4 = 13
EQUB 50 \ Visibility distance = 50
EQUB 150 \ Max. energy = 150
EQUB 28 \ Max. speed = 28
EQUB HI(SHIP_COBRA_MK_3_EDGES - SHIP_COBRA_MK_3) \ Edges data offset (low)
EQUB HI(SHIP_COBRA_MK_3_FACES - SHIP_COBRA_MK_3) \ Faces data offset (low)
EQUB 1 \ Normals are scaled by = 2^1 = 2
EQUB %00010011 \ Laser power = 2
\ Missiles = 3
.SHIP_COBRA_MK_3_VERTICES
\ x, y, z, face1, face2, face3, face4, visibility
VERTEX 32, 0, 76, 15, 15, 15, 15, 31 \ Vertex 0
VERTEX -32, 0, 76, 15, 15, 15, 15, 31 \ Vertex 1
VERTEX 0, 26, 24, 15, 15, 15, 15, 31 \ Vertex 2
VERTEX -120, -3, -8, 3, 7, 10, 10, 31 \ Vertex 3
VERTEX 120, -3, -8, 4, 8, 12, 12, 31 \ Vertex 4
VERTEX -88, 16, -40, 15, 15, 15, 15, 31 \ Vertex 5
VERTEX 88, 16, -40, 15, 15, 15, 15, 31 \ Vertex 6
VERTEX 128, -8, -40, 8, 9, 12, 12, 31 \ Vertex 7
VERTEX -128, -8, -40, 7, 9, 10, 10, 31 \ Vertex 8
VERTEX 0, 26, -40, 5, 6, 9, 9, 31 \ Vertex 9
VERTEX -32, -24, -40, 9, 10, 11, 11, 31 \ Vertex 10
VERTEX 32, -24, -40, 9, 11, 12, 12, 31 \ Vertex 11
VERTEX -36, 8, -40, 9, 9, 9, 9, 20 \ Vertex 12
VERTEX -8, 12, -40, 9, 9, 9, 9, 20 \ Vertex 13
VERTEX 8, 12, -40, 9, 9, 9, 9, 20 \ Vertex 14
VERTEX 36, 8, -40, 9, 9, 9, 9, 20 \ Vertex 15
VERTEX 36, -12, -40, 9, 9, 9, 9, 20 \ Vertex 16
VERTEX 8, -16, -40, 9, 9, 9, 9, 20 \ Vertex 17
VERTEX -8, -16, -40, 9, 9, 9, 9, 20 \ Vertex 18
VERTEX -36, -12, -40, 9, 9, 9, 9, 20 \ Vertex 19
VERTEX 0, 0, 76, 0, 11, 11, 11, 6 \ Vertex 20
VERTEX 0, 0, 90, 0, 11, 11, 11, 31 \ Vertex 21
VERTEX -80, -6, -40, 9, 9, 9, 9, 8 \ Vertex 22
VERTEX -80, 6, -40, 9, 9, 9, 9, 8 \ Vertex 23
VERTEX -88, 0, -40, 9, 9, 9, 9, 6 \ Vertex 24
VERTEX 80, 6, -40, 9, 9, 9, 9, 8 \ Vertex 25
VERTEX 88, 0, -40, 9, 9, 9, 9, 6 \ Vertex 26
VERTEX 80, -6, -40, 9, 9, 9, 9, 8 \ Vertex 27
.SHIP_COBRA_MK_3_EDGES
\ vertex1, vertex2, face1, face2, visibility
EDGE 0, 1, 0, 11, 31 \ Edge 0
EDGE 0, 4, 4, 12, 31 \ Edge 1
EDGE 1, 3, 3, 10, 31 \ Edge 2
EDGE 3, 8, 7, 10, 31 \ Edge 3
EDGE 4, 7, 8, 12, 31 \ Edge 4
EDGE 6, 7, 8, 9, 31 \ Edge 5
EDGE 6, 9, 6, 9, 31 \ Edge 6
EDGE 5, 9, 5, 9, 31 \ Edge 7
EDGE 5, 8, 7, 9, 31 \ Edge 8
EDGE 2, 5, 1, 5, 31 \ Edge 9
EDGE 2, 6, 2, 6, 31 \ Edge 10
EDGE 3, 5, 3, 7, 31 \ Edge 11
EDGE 4, 6, 4, 8, 31 \ Edge 12
EDGE 1, 2, 0, 1, 31 \ Edge 13
EDGE 0, 2, 0, 2, 31 \ Edge 14
EDGE 8, 10, 9, 10, 31 \ Edge 15
EDGE 10, 11, 9, 11, 31 \ Edge 16
EDGE 7, 11, 9, 12, 31 \ Edge 17
EDGE 1, 10, 10, 11, 31 \ Edge 18
EDGE 0, 11, 11, 12, 31 \ Edge 19
EDGE 1, 5, 1, 3, 29 \ Edge 20
EDGE 0, 6, 2, 4, 29 \ Edge 21
EDGE 20, 21, 0, 11, 6 \ Edge 22
EDGE 12, 13, 9, 9, 20 \ Edge 23
EDGE 18, 19, 9, 9, 20 \ Edge 24
EDGE 14, 15, 9, 9, 20 \ Edge 25
EDGE 16, 17, 9, 9, 20 \ Edge 26
EDGE 15, 16, 9, 9, 19 \ Edge 27
EDGE 14, 17, 9, 9, 17 \ Edge 28
EDGE 13, 18, 9, 9, 19 \ Edge 29
EDGE 12, 19, 9, 9, 19 \ Edge 30
EDGE 2, 9, 5, 6, 30 \ Edge 31
EDGE 22, 24, 9, 9, 6 \ Edge 32
EDGE 23, 24, 9, 9, 6 \ Edge 33
EDGE 22, 23, 9, 9, 8 \ Edge 34
EDGE 25, 26, 9, 9, 6 \ Edge 35
EDGE 26, 27, 9, 9, 6 \ Edge 36
EDGE 25, 27, 9, 9, 8 \ Edge 37
.SHIP_COBRA_MK_3_FACES
\ normal_x, normal_y, normal_z, visibility
FACE 0, 62, 31, 31 \ Face 0
FACE -18, 55, 16, 31 \ Face 1
FACE 18, 55, 16, 31 \ Face 2
FACE -16, 52, 14, 31 \ Face 3
FACE 16, 52, 14, 31 \ Face 4
FACE -14, 47, 0, 31 \ Face 5
FACE 14, 47, 0, 31 \ Face 6
FACE -61, 102, 0, 31 \ Face 7
FACE 61, 102, 0, 31 \ Face 8
FACE 0, 0, -80, 31 \ Face 9
FACE -7, -42, 9, 31 \ Face 10
FACE 0, -30, 6, 31 \ Face 11
FACE 7, -42, 9, 31 \ Face 12
Results in the following OBJ file format
# Python Code Conversion
# http://localhost:8888/lab/tree/FileConversion.ipynb
mtllib ship.mtl
o Cobra
v 32 0 76
v -32 0 76
v 0 26 24
v -120 -3 -8
v 120 -3 -8
v -88 16 -40
v 88 16 -40
v 128 -8 -40
v -128 -8 -40
v 0 26 -40
v -32 -24 -40
v 32 -24 -40
v -36 8 -40
v -8 12 -40
v 8 12 -40
v 36 8 -40
v 36 -12 -40
v 8 -16 -40
v -8 -16 -40
v -36 -12 -40
v 0 0 76
v 0 0 90
v -80 -6 -40
v -80 6 -40
v -88 0 -40
v 80 6 -40
v 88 0 -40
v 80 -6 -40
vn 0.000000 0.894427 0.447214
vn -0.301363 0.914023 0.271557
vn 0.301363 0.914023 0.271557
vn -0.283418 0.921946 0.263988
vn 0.283418 0.921946 0.263988
vn -0.112910 0.993605 0.000000
vn 0.112910 0.993605 0.000000
vn -0.514488 0.857481 -0.005359
vn 0.514488 0.857481 -0.005359
vn 0.000000 0.000000 -1.000000
vn 0.000000 0.000000 -1.000000
vn 0.000000 0.000000 -1.000000
vn 0.000000 0.000000 -1.000000
vn 0.000000 0.000000 -1.000000
vn 0.000000 0.000000 -1.000000
vn 0.000000 0.000000 -1.000000
vn 0.000000 0.000000 -1.000000
vn 0.000000 0.000000 -1.000000
vn 0.000000 0.000000 -1.000000
vn 0.000000 -0.000000 -1.000000
vn -0.146747 -0.971064 0.188415
vn -0.161079 -0.966473 0.199960
vn 0.000000 -0.979260 0.202606
vn 0.000000 -0.979260 0.202606
vn 0.146747 -0.971064 0.188415
vn 0.161079 -0.966473 0.199960
usemtl Material.001
f 1//1 3//1 2//1
f 2//2 3//2 6//2
f 1//3 7//3 3//3
f 2//4 6//4 4//4
f 1//5 5//5 7//5
f 3//6 10//6 6//6
f 3//7 7//7 10//7
f 4//8 6//8 9//8
f 5//9 8//9 7//9
f 13//10 14//10 19//10
f 13//11 19//11 20//11
f 15//12 16//12 17//12
f 15//13 17//13 18//13
f 23//14 25//14 24//14
f 26//15 27//15 28//15
f 6//16 10//16 7//16
f 6//17 7//17 8//17
f 6//18 8//18 12//18
f 6//19 12//19 11//19
f 6//20 11//20 9//20
f 2//21 4//21 9//21
f 2//22 9//22 11//22
f 1//23 2//23 11//23
f 1//24 11//24 12//24
f 1//25 8//25 5//25
f 1//26 12//26 8//26
Main stumbling blocks included:
- Triangulation of certain faces
- Ordering of vertices for the correct 'normal'
- Learning Ploty to draw lines from/to mode
[DATE]
[Milestone Title]
[Description of what you accomplished, problems solved, or experiments conducted]
[DATE]
[Milestone Title]
[Description of what you accomplished, problems solved, or experiments conducted]
Gallery
Conversion Program
Loaded into Game Engine
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[Image Description]
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