scstudio - Blender Import-Export for .scm and .sca file formats

Blender addon to import and export 3D model/animation files used in the game Supreme Commander

Created by John Wharton

Installation

1. Download the most recent version at (https://github.com/Solstice245/scstudio)
2. Install the addon using one of these methods:

• Option A (automatic):
  1. From the Blender menu, navigate to Edit -> Preferences -> Add-ons.
  2. Click on the Install button and select the zipped folder containing the addon.
• Option B (manual):
  1. Extract the files from the zipped folder to scstudio directory.
  2. Place the newly made folder into the following location (Adjust for the installed version of Blender):
     • %APPDATA%\Blender Foundation\Blender\3.0x\scripts\addons (Assumes a Windows operating system)
  • (If the addon does not appear as a choice in Blender's preferences click the Refresh button or restart the application.)

3. Activate the addon in Blender's preferences by toggling the checkbox for the Supreme Commander SCM & SCA format entry in the Add-ons tab.

Usage

The following operation is added to the Import top bar:

• Supreme Commander Model (.scm)
  • Opens a file manager from which you can select multiple files at a time.
  • Option: Generate Materials
    • If the file is being imported from the same directory as the blueprint and texture files, Blender will try to have material nodes set up to use those textures automatically.
  • For each file, an armature object and child mesh object are placed into the scene using data from the file.

The following operation is added to the Export top bar:

• Supreme Commander Model (.scm)
  • Operates on all selected armature objects.
  • All mesh vertices must be rigged to their parent armature via vertex groups.
  • Opens a file manager from which you may select an output directory. The output file name is derived from the armature object's name.
  • The output data is derived from the armature object and all mesh objects which are parented under it.

The following panel is added to the Data tab of the properties editor:

• Supreme Commander Animations
  • Operator: Import (.sca)
    • Opens a file manager from which you can select multiple files at a time, and import the animation data into Blender. Once imported, the animation names are added to the animation list, and then assigned the action and custom frame range values.
  • UI List:
    • Lists all of the animations which have been imported onto the armature. Each entry has an action drop down and frame range values.
    • Selecting an animation in the list will automatically adjust the scene so that the armature is using the animation's action, and the timeline is using the animation's defined frame range.
    • To return to an unanimated state, right click an item in the list and select "Reset to Default Value" from the dropdown.
    • Operator: Export (.sca)
      • Operates on the selected animation in the list.
      • Opens a file manager from which you may select an output directory. The output file name is derived from the name given to the animation entry in the list.
      • The output data is derived from the animation's selected action and frame range.