Sketchup Models/3D warehouse

[Pronam]

There is a large community using sketchup and a large database of free models at the Google 3D Warehouse.

I've read the standard agreement. It's quite clear in my language and there it states it's a "worldwide non exclusive license......" and the standard things they say with free models, but the english one puzzles me (and google states the english version takes precedence before any other.). Anyone that has a clue? If no additional agreement is put on (user added comment), can you convert them for usage with blender and then for a game (oblivion, fallout. new vegas/dragon age...whatever)?

 

My second issue was this. Sketchup has a paid and free version. The free version doesn't allow much of an export. Using any sketchup import for blender mostly failed at my side.

Some while ago I found a OBJ exporter as a sketchup-plugin that's made by some random user, which isn't foolproof...but exports most details and provides a working model you can modify. However, the paid version offers full .OBJ support.

 

Which all leads to the question again...is it allowed? As I don't know if that .OBJ export is just meant for the user/creator to use it with other tools, or if anyone can with that. As that might have got .OBJ to the paid version to make a clear distinguish between that it's to be used for personal use and not to convert all kinds of models of sketchup to any other for free >.>.....

 

//

ZombieUK shared a link to a translator/converter. It still being there suspects it survived google yet, although it may also mean they didn't see it yet >.>

[LHammonds]

To import into Blender, you used to be able to take the file SketchUp saves, rename it to have the extension of .zip and extract the files. Then take the .dae file and import it into Blender as a Collada input file. I don't know if this process still holds up to the recent SketchUp version 8 files.

 

LHammonds

[Ghogiel]

to be perfectly honest, depending on what you are doing, the amount of work involved to clean up, uv, high poly, bake, texture, rig, export, collision, world models, exported and set up for in game use, it hardly seems worth it to use nearly anything found on free model sites. In fact, i don't think i have seen any sketchup model that wouldn't require me to build the entire project completely from the ground up anyway. most of it is either crap, inaccurate, a mess, high poly but not a sudD, or very incomplete for use as a game mesh. hardly anything is clean optimised mesh, is UVed and textured to a high standard.

 

this is why modders work is targeted by thieves. 100 to 1 you see models taken from other modders and ripped/ported from games, rather than models from free websites, as those actually take some skill and effort to do anything with.

[Pronam]

It's a bit more work mostly, I have definitely experienced that. On top of what you mentioned, there's the bonus not everything will get transferred that well and missing complete sections. However, modifying large models. Like the amphitheater I've once tried to do before (got lost with a pc crash. :( ), it's a lot of fixing, deleting unnecessary things and adding more things..but it's worth it as I'm good in changing vanilla/resources rather than creating them from scratch. Especially with large things. It's always a big gamble if indeed it wouldn't have to much polys, but there are a lot of models that are worth changing. Earlier this year I've been busy for hours on a pie model to remove high poly cream/chocolate lines, but I'm really glad with the result as it's exactly looking the way I wanted it to.

[ZombieUK]

Err... Im not doing anything wrong am I?

 

I just need to clarify this and if so, I will stop what Im doing.

 

Just my alarm bells started ringing when I first read this. Most of my models for modder's resources have nearl all been from The Google Sketchup Warehouse and I have looked about for any legal information about usage.

 

Some Models said that they can be used aslong credit and links are given.

 

I hope Im not breaking any rules here still.

[devinpatterson]

Check out the last post in this thread;

http://www.gamedev.net/topic/537007-google-3d-warehouse-for-commercial-game/

Mona Ibrahim a trademark & entertainment attorney clarifies that these models can be used freely, even in commercial games.

[Pronam]

Thanks for the heads-up :), it never was really clear and this might let me dive into their database again :D

[LHammonds]

The last paragraph of the last post is something EVERYONE should be aware of when using content not created by YOU.

 

However-- bear in mind that you're relying on the integrity of the person who uploaded the content. If THEY infringed on someone's copyright in creating the work and you later use that work, you may also be brought into an infringement action.

 

It is the same issue we deal with here. Modder A rips content from Game A and inserts it into Game B and then illegally distributes that content saying everyone is free to use "his" models/textures any way they want. Modder B comes along, uses the assets in their own mod and later find out that moderators have their mod under review for using copyrighted materials.

 

I hate these kinds of scenarios because it gets people into trouble that might have thought they were doing everything right all because of some dishonest and glory-seeking idiot pretending his stolen assets are "his" to be given away.

 

LHammonds

[Pronam]

Especially with Google's focus on buildings placed in Google Earth. A lot of them are tied to brands or certain property, so yeah...watch out with what you pick.

[jhardingame]

To import into Blender, you used to be able to take the file SketchUp saves, rename it to have the extension of .zip and extract the files. Then take the .dae file and import it into Blender as a Collada input file. I don't know if this process still holds up to the recent SketchUp version 8 files.

 

LHammonds

 

But Sketchup can just export .dae files o_O What's the point of doing all that since Sketchup can already export .dae files?