w3d editing with Blender

[TE_]

Hi all,
I really hope that someone is using Blender to edit or create new w3d models and can help me. I wanted to slightly edit one "stock" model from BFME2 and I have done it but I have noticed later on that the model is not smoothed. Searching around I have realized that the "normals" weren't turned on but although I can see the model smoothed in Blender, after exporting it the model does not appear like that.

I am new to Blender and although I was using 3ds max for many years, I cant find the "right" combination to keep the smoothing on the model. I have enclosed a few screens, (1) is the imported model to Blender from the stock model, (2) is how it appears after exporting, modifying a bit and again importing, (3) how (2) appears with auto normals but again, after exporting and importing (3) back to Blender, the model looks again as (2).

I have noticed that Blender after importing isolates all triangles and thus I am merging all vertex to apply the "smooth shading". I have as well tried to split the edges while applying normals but no luck. I am pretty sure that I am missing something but cant figure out what.

anyone with experience with Blender?

Image 1: https://www.design.3d-sphere.com/index.php/s/pFp4sjitwxnqLMi
Image 2: https://www.design.3d-sphere.com/index.php/s/tKrBdccwCH5ajJa
Image 3: https://www.design.3d-sphere.com/index.php/s/DsSt6B53GfeWKaG

thx, Tomas
 

[TE_]

Hi,

it seems that the issue was caused by changing the UV coordinates of the Normal map but still I am little bit puzzled about how Blender handled the smoothing groups. I would need to dig in to this a bit more... I have solved my issue so far.

By the way, Smoothing the model will not help - Shade Smooth, it will get lost after export.

tomas