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I'am a .NET web developer, I really do not know anything about 3D yet. In Silverlight 5 3D API you draw stuff on the screen by code, no XAML for the 3D Objects/Models, I am wondering how 3D developers can make that cool sophisticated animated 3D games and scenes like the SL5 3D 'Windows Cafe' demo? which software is used to draw the model and make that light effects.. etc? how to import the models? how to animate them? I just want to know headlines/basics.

Now in Silverlight 2D the practices are clear, we draw everything with Expression Blend/Design or import graphics from Adobe Illustrator as XAML, then we use code and/or SL built-in animations to animate the XAML elements. What are the equivalents to make 3D with Silverlight 5?

Thank you.

Moutaz Shams
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Most 3D modeling applications support a huge number of export formats. XNA uses the .X format which is supported by most modeling tools.

Have a look at this tutorial

Emond
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  • Thanks Erno, I read that tutorial but is this really the best practices? draw models in Maya or other 3D modeling apps, convert the models to OBJ or other easy format, read file lines, foreach and convert every 'v' or 'vt' to Vector object.. etc ?! I do not know, it seems time consuming and error-prone to me. Do XNA guys use this way to make games? – Moutaz Shams May 11 '11 at 10:09
  • Yes they do. But most of the time they automate it by writing an exporter plugin. There are already many of those (commercial and free) – Emond May 11 '11 at 10:29
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for .OBJ import from Silverlight read this article: http://silverlight.bayprince.com/tutorials.php?tutorial=11

at part 2 of that article they also show how to load textures: http://silverlight.bayprince.com/tutorials.php?tutorial=13

at the sidebar on the left, they seem to have more articles on Silverlight 3D that may be interesting

George Birbilis
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