Make your own stage for MikuMikuDance using SketchUp Models

Can you make your own stage for MikuMikuDance? How do you use Google Sketchup to make your own stage? Can you modify Sketchup models to make a stage in Miku Miku Dance?

Use Google Sketchup to make your own stage for MikuMikuDance

Google SketchUp has a huge library of models available for us. With a little work, many of them can be used to make your own stage for MikuMikuDance.

For this stage, I selected a fine looking house from the SketchUp library.

I know that most SketchUp models need to be enlarged by about 25% in order to be the right scale for MikuMikuDance. In SketchUp I drew some guidelines to outline a 25% floor plan size increase … and I used the Scale function to stretch the original model to fit those new guidelines. (Of course, you can always adjust the size of your accessory when you load it into MikuMikuDance.)

Next I wanted to remove some walls so I could make my own stage for MikuMikuDance using this SketchUp model. So, with the entire model selected on the SketchUp screen, I went to the Edit menu and selected Component (1 in model) and EXPLODE to ungroup the model’s pieces. With that done, I was able to go into the model and delete window glass, doors, walls, roofing, and window frames to create a nice shooting-stage set … suitable for a dramatic stageplay … or maybe a sitcom! I used the Rad-3 plug-in to save the model as a DirectX object.

I placed the character models and the chair accessories on the home’s “floor” after determining that, to set the sole of the model’s shoes upon the floor, the proper “Y” position was a value of 7.4. For each model or object (objects are attached to Dummy Bones) I raised the object to “floor level” using the Bone Numeric entry window to set that Y value to 7.4.

I can hardly wait to get in there and start shooting that script!