How do I export my Blender model to OGRE XML format for jMonkeyEngine 3?

Question

I'm an amateur software engineer with several simple 2D-game projects under my belt. I'v recently turned my attention towards creating a basic 3D game, nothing too fancy, just to get a grip on things.

I used jMonkeyEngine 3 (RC 2) because I'm interested in Java, and open-sourced games. Unfortunately, being an independent project, jME3 is not as complete as other Game Engines, and its community is not as large.

I've followed most of their basic how-to tutorials to get me started on jME3, but one area always escapes me; the use of models in a game. jME3 recommends Blender, and also recommends exporting the models as OGRE XML files.

In my experience, jME3 can import .blend files directly, but at the loss of anything other than the very basic model itself. No bones, no animation, and so far, my attempts at giving it a solid color failed as well.

I'm only interested in using and seeing my model in game, with bones, if at all possible. Animations an come later. I've followed their tutorials on how to import models here:

http://jmonkeyengine.org/wiki/doku.php/jme3:beginner:hello_asset

But I get stuck on "Open the menu File > Export > OgreXML Exporter to open the exporter dialog."

For one, there IS no Export to OgreXML (in Blender). I've fiddled around in the preferences and still found nothing. I've installed the required 'stuff' by going through jME3 and clicking 'install OGRE plug-ins.'

I've also tried to download a converter from Ogre itself, but all I get are some command line parameters that open CMD and close it way too fast for me to do anything.

Am I missing something?

My experience with Blender and modelling is even more limited than my experience in programming, so I don't really understand scripts, and python and whatever it is I found on the net in my research.

I used:

• Blender 2.65
• JMonkeyEngine 3.0 RC 2
• Windows 8 (ick)

Answer 1

Install the blender2ogre add-on in Blender and you can select what you want to export. You just need to place the python script in the scripts/addons folder where you have Blender installed. Once you are ready to export, go to File->Export->Ogre3D (.scene and .mesh).

Answer 2

I just import the Blender file with Spatial spatial = assetManager.loadModel("Models/sample.blend"); For me that works great. (Dont forget to remove the belnder light and camera :) )

Answer 3

I had to manually enable Ogre3D in blender user preferences > add ons > Import-Export also the direct .blend import does support animations