This is about bone based formats.
Is today's jME (0.9, I suppose) working with md5 or x (imho the greatest formats in a balance of fuinctionality and 3d packages supported ) with some external loaders I saw in the past ?
Also, I donwloaded an XSI to java exporter, but I guess that is another story. And way less compatible (just one package, while with *.x(max, blender, xsi, maya, lw,etc,etc ) xsi is also supported, with md5, max, blender and importantly, gmax.
We will probaly use vertex animation for one kind of stuff, and bone based for another.
I use the existing md5 code with a pre .9 jme build the developer left before it could be porte , I'm not the best coder and have asked for help to port it as it I an excellent piece of code, I'll keep you informed on that though
have you considered using cal3d.
I'm writing a cal3d loader you can check a demo at User Showcase.
Cal3d supports bone animation and animation blending and there are exporters for max, maya, blender and milkshape.
that good too yes but does you system do model instancing, and weighted meshes, at present the md5 code also allow me to attach objects to limbs but they must also be md5 those and a few other attractive features allow me to do some interesting things that I no idea how to do in jme's own animation system at present.
cal3d also supports these features
nice! I'll see how adaptable it is to my needs,… when released.
would you be open to suggestions at that time.
I'll try to fixed the md5 loader though…I like the format 
8)
one more thing how is the data organised are you keeping animation separate from mesh data or writing to .jme in a single file 
The animations are separate files.
The cal3d philosophy is several submeshes connected to a skeleton and is ideal for rpg style games where you want armour and weapon meshes since the animation info (bones and skeleton) are seperated from the meshes and the meshes only keep reference of bone influences.
you might want to check the c++ cal3d library at http://sourceforge.net/projects/cal3d as it has some sample models and binary versions of exporters for 3d programs.
actually I know all about cal3d my question were specific to the way you would have choosen to impliment, it haven't looked at your demo yet I'm on dial up at home and it's painfully slow these days, no java in the office
the code so far is a direct port of the c++ version
okay cool
Very interesting replies. Thank you both.
I am more or less familiarized with md5. Even more with x.
I am starting a project with a friend, finally, with jME engine. I am now pretty unsure of what package will I use. But most probably will be Blender, XSI or Gmax(but wings for modelling). Anyway, I tend to use several for a single project. I have no problems animating with any of those (better with max, but only have max at work)
I'm realizing what a huge problem we have with game download size...So that's why the interest I have again on bones is increasing. Even when maybe weights calculation may kill some low machines, which would not be very nice...But the download size problem is worse. So I guess I will use some stuff in vertex animation, but heavily trust on a bone format, finally.
I am afraid we are using jme 0.9... (but yep, would like to know when md5(wouldn't it be sweet it or x were supported natively like md3..) gets supported,I'd appreciate a shout, Mcbeth ) So I guess cal3d format could be an option. I have known of its existence since long, but as Gmax has md5 support, and XSI has x support(and Blender support both, and cal3d, I knew that), and are formats supported by many tools, have headed to those preferently, since years. With x I have a lot of experience, even helped plugin authors.
I'll have a try at the cal3d format...after all now we're starting, and what we decide now is gonna be important for the rest of the project...