2

Nintendo 64

In This Section:

• Converting to Nintendo 64 Source 22
• Using the Nintendo 64 Translator 24
• Testing the Output 30

This section describes how to use the interface of the Nintendo 64-specific Direct Translator.

For information on how to run the translator, see Using the MakeGame Plug-in on page 7 and Using Translators from the Command Line on page 14.

Converting to Nintendo 64 Source

Availability

The Nintendo 64 plug-in and its documentation are available to Nintendo-certified developers only.

The part number of the Nintendo 64 translator is PA-NU64N. To receive the translator you must request it from Alias|Wavefront and show that you are a certified Nintendo 64 developer.

Nintendo 64 Translator

The Nintendo 64 translator converts Alias wire models to C source code for use with the Nintendo 64.

Special Features

• The Partner 64 development systems are now supported.

• Hierarchy is preserved in the Nintendo 64 display list.

• Textures are converted according to the blind data set in the wire file (or a texture resource if no blind data specifies output).

Default texture output is a 32 by 32 pixel 32 bit RGBA image, but you can change this using the Ultra 64 shading options window.

• Polysets are optimized to minimize vertex cache loads, and increase the number of triangles rendered for each cache.

• Animation is translated using a base array of transformations, with new values copied into the array for each frame from a list of positions.

• Instances are converted intelligently.

Limitations

• Cameras are not converted.

• Lights are not animated.

• Textures are always wrapped.

• Textures are not checked against hardware texture size limitations.

• Soft body (vertex) animation is not converted.

• Before running the translator, you must open the Nintendo64 Texture Setting box and then close it (no modifications are needed).

Installing the Translator

See Installing Platform Specific Libraries on page 5.

To install the Nintendo 64 translator, run the InstallGame script to install the Nintendo-specific libraries.

See Testing the Output on page 30 for information on installing the sample viewer program on your Nintendo developer system.

File Layout

/usr/aw/alias/ODS/Games/

	bin/<shell scripts>

	Dtplugins/<translator>

	source/Nintendo/

		src/<translator source code>

		viewer/<viewer source code>

		f3dex/<new F3DEX viewer source code>

Options

When you run the translator from MakeGame, the Nintendo 64 Translator window appears. Use this window to set the options described below, then click OK to start converting.

Normals

• ON - stores normals on the vertices

• OFF - stores color data only

Reverse Vertices

Reverse the order of vertices in every triangle in the model.

Volume Culling

Generates volume culling code for each group in the model. (This option is not currently available.)

Float Matrices

Includes the floating point representations of the transformation matrices as comments.

DMA Transfer

Generates code to do DMA transfers of animation transformations into the display list.

Transparency Order

Sorts the groups so transparent groups are rendered after opaque groups. This is necessary for correct Z-buffering for models with both transparent and opaque groups.

Instances

Translates instances in the wire model intelligently (use the display list in the output code to simulate instances).

Network Output

Outputs MetaCycle information and source code.

Double-Sided Polys

• ON - uses the information in the Render Stats window to determine double-sided and single-sided groups

• OFF - translates all polygons as single-sided (with appropriate back-culling code)

Start Frame and End Frame

Starts and ends frames of animation.

Feedback Level

Numbers from 0 to 9 specifying the level of messages and updates to provide during translation.

Level 0 means the translator will only print error messages. Messages above level 3 are only of interest to developers for troubleshooting.

Lights Translated

specifies the maximum number of lights to translate into model code.

If you are outputting normals, set this number higher than zero. If you are using surface colors instead of normals, set this number to 0.

If you output normals, but set this number to 0, the model will appear brightly lit in a rainbow of colors (because the Nintendo 64 treats the normals as colors).

Geometry Scale

The translator will scale the whole model by this factor before conversion. This is in addition to scaling applied by MakeGame or DtExport.

2.0E compatibility

Turns off other options in the window that don't work with earlier versions of the Nintendo 64 microcode.

gSP2Triangles

Uses a new microcode command to render two triangles with one command.

Output Lines/Triangles

• ON - outputs lines and/or triangles

• OFF - outputs triangles only

The lines are the edges of the triangles that would be output otherwise. the translator does not output NURBS curves.

Vertex Cache Size

Choose from various default values corresponding to F3DEX microcode versions, or enter a custom value.

Files

The path and stub name (without any extension) of output files. You can use standard SGI drag-and-drop into the icon drop pocket on the left.

Script File

A script or executable to run after translation. The translator passes two arguments to the script: the directory containing the output files, and the stem name (see below).

See Testing the Output on page 30.

Alias|Wavefront supplies a script (nin_endscript) for automatically downloading and testing output code on a Nintendo development system.

Options File

A file containing GetNintendo settings (values for all the settings above). This file is read when the GetNintendo window opens, and saved when you click Save or OK.

Directory Path

The path to the directory where output files will be created. (This is the same as the directory path you specified in the MakeGame window).

Stem

The base name of all output files. Suffixes are added to this name to create the different types of output. (This is the same as the directory path you specified in the MakeGame window).

Output

Filename	Contents
<scene>.c	Top-level display list.
<scene>.h	External declarations of common data structures.
<scene>_vertices.c	Vertex arrays for model geometry.
<scene>_polygons.c	Displays lists to load and display model geometry as triangles.
<scene>_tris.c	Displays lists to load and display model geometry as lines.
<scene>_material.c	Displays lists to change material data, Display lists to load textures. Texture data.
<scene>_light.c	Displays lists to set up RSP lighting data.
<scene>_xfm.c	Array of all matrices in the model.
<scene>_xfm_static.c	Array of animated matrices for use in animation.
<scene>.raw	Binary image of animated matrices for use in animation.
<scene>_code.c	Code for updating animated data and lights.

Setting Nintendo 64 Properties in Alias

To open the Ultra 64 shading options window:

1

Make sure you have assigned shading and textures to your model.

In the Tool Palette, select Object Edit > Ultra64 -, or click it's icon. The Ultra 64 shading options window appears.

2

Change the texture attributes using the Xres, Yres, TileX, or TileY boxes, or choose from the standard Format options.

The Size buttons are available according to the Format you choose.

Testing the Output

Installing the Demo Viewer

The Nintendo 64 Demo Viewer is in the source tree, in the Games area of the standard Alias installation. You can use the Demo viewer with the Indy development system and the Partner 64 systems.

You need to do two things to install the Demo Viewer:

1

Copy the viewer source files to a working directory.

2

Customize the shell script the translator uses to start the Viewer.

I. Copying the source

You need to copy the sources from the Alias installation (which is owned by root) to a working directory in your home directory.

1

Type the following commands into a shell:

cd

mkdir -p n64/demo

cp /usr/aw/alias/ODS/Games/source/Nintendo/f3dex/* n64/demo