lighting or shading problem with AC3D .ddd object

[BdR]

I'm trying some 3D stuff and I created some cubes and spheres in code using X_OBJSTART, X_OBJADDVERTEX, X_OBJEND etc. I really like the flat shaded 3D objects. They look kind of oldschool, like Virtua Racer or Star Fox for SNES. See image below what I mean with flat shaded, the red sphere on the left-hand side.



So now I wanted to create some more interesting objects, other than the simple cube or sphere. So I'm using AC3D as a model editor, export it to 3ds file and convert it to .ddd using Convert3D tool.

But when I load the resulting .ddd object, it looks like the objects aren't lighted or shaded correctly. See image below, I draw a row of the same object, using X_MOVEMENT, X_ROTATION around y-axis and then X_DRAWOBJ.



The colors between the 2 example are slightly different because of material settings in AC3D, so that's not the problem.

The top halve is 1 object created in code with X_OBJSTART, X_OBJADDVERTEX, X_OBJEND, and when I draw a row of this one object it show correctly. The bottom halve is a cube created with AC3D, loaded from X_LOADOBJ. The shade of the bottom part of each cubes is different. This is not expected, because the bottom parts are all facing the same direction. There is a X_SPOT_LT with same position and angle as X_CAMERA, so the light is comming directly from the view angle.

I've tried changing X_AUTONORMALS before doing X_LOADOBJ but that doesn't make any difference. Do I need to set some surface properties in AC3D before exporting it?

[BdR]

Oops never mind I can answer my own question..

I just found out about the AC3D plug-in. I copied the ddd_export.p file from \GLBasic_v11\Plugins\AC3D\ into the AC3D plugin folder, and it gives improved result.
It now looks exactly the same as the cubes created from code.

[mentalthink]

Hi Bdr, for 3D my counsil it's uses the Opengl Port of Kanonet or mine (sorry I think it's in the 3D thread but I don't stay sure).
The Kano library I think it's more easy for use... but whit the both you can have very very nice effects over the 3D surfaces... GLbasic in default it's a bit poor whit the 3D...

You will add specular and shinnes and chnaging a lot of thing in the lighting...

PS: If use my library , and you don't undertand too much, send me a PM, and I try to answer, I don't rebember too much what I did 

[kanonet]

BdR for lighting maybe you will find this post interesting, my light fixes are linked there too.