Max6/7 exporter !! Updated 12/25/04 .

#41 Matt,
Is the latest version still in Debug mode? As the one I took off the main artist page takes me 16min to export my 2500 poly character.

Toby.

#42 Just depends on the model and how complex it is in the rig. Biped's definatly take too long. Alex Swanson made the source code availible to liscensed SDK owners (see resources) If you know anybody who can fix it feel free. Its a real mess.

I have never had anything take that long though..

Matt

#43 Hmm sorry for the newbie question, i'm fairly familiar with max and grabbed this plugin hoping to make a weapon, I've got the plugin loaded and max and i have the export to .dts along with me simple test pistol modeled and textured but when i try to export it says no data to export? i've got the bounds box set up and everything looks okay in the max render but for somereason the plugin thinks i've got nothing? maybe i'm trying to use this all the wrong way, any help is appretiated,

-steve

#44 If you'd like I can take a look at it for you.

send it to support@smdlabs.com

B--

edit: Also, did you click the Embed Shape button under the dts exporter menu so that your schematic view looks like the pic?

#45 Thanks a bunch i just sent over the .max file and the textures..dont laugh too hard :P

-steve

#46 Ok Steve, here goes; Here is a list of things you need to do:

Step 0: Start over... I know, but your first import is a learning experience!

1. convert each basic primitive you created into an editable mesh.
2. merge all the pieces into one mesh. (make sure they are editable mesh, and not poly!)

Side note: Ideally you would not want to design models that way, as the poly count will be high and the mesh will not be solid and continually flowing which will make skinning UV maps near impossible, but I will continue.

3. Now look at the pic above, and with the weapon mesh selected click the Embed Shape button in the DTS Exporter Utility menu.

4. Click the Whole Shape export button, and save into your game folder near where the stock crossbow shape folder is. Be sure to include your images in the same folder as the .dts file.

Side Note2: You scale is WAY too big! In 3dsMax 1 unit = 1 meter (3 feet), so your weapon was roughly the size of the Titanic! :)

I just finished modeling a robot, and he was 2.57 units in Max (Over 6 feet tall), so go ahead and warm up your zoom key in Max! Start by creating a box of your desired size (Think 0.3 to 0.5 units long), and zoom extents to center it into the viewport.


Hope that gets you going in the right direction. Nice Sci-fi weapon BTW!

Let me know If you need more help,

B--

#47 Wow thanks for the quick reply, I've converted each editable poly to an editable mesh and adjusted my scale, but i cant figure out how to mege the meshes into one editable mesh, i tried using the group function in max then selecting the group and exporting whole shape but it says no details to export :-/ sorry if this is obvious im still learning,

thank you again,

-steve

#48 Steve: Ok, click on whatever editable mesh you want to be your main mesh. Under the modify tab click attach list and select all the other primitives you converted to editable mesh.

I went ahead and repaired your max file, and got it imported into TGE, here is a screen shot. I'm emailing it back to you.

Note: You should read some tutorials on polygon box modeling. It will make your life easier when you start UV mapping your model. You really want just one 128x128 jpg map applied to it. I went ahead and scaled your pipe6lights.jpg down to 128x128 and just applied it as a material in max, but again ideally you want to UV map your mesh and have just one image, but this will work as an example. Here is the screenshot.


Hope that helps you.

B--

EDIT: We really should have started a new thread... oops