Need help with Max 9 exporter
by Dan Green · in Artist Corner · 12/06/2007 (7:32 am) · 12 replies
I'm using max2dtsExporterPro that I downloaded from one of the forums. I'm having problems using it. Now, either it's me being an idiot not knowing how to use it, or something's wrong with it, I don't know, but it's not letting me export anything. Can someone help me? Either directing me to a different exporter I can use or talking me through the right way to export would really help me out. Thanks!
#2
But for now though, I can't even get anything even without animation to export! I'm trying to export a pistol, and I want two nodes on it (a mount node and a muzzle node), a collision mesh, and some materials, except I can't export with those things on it. The only thing I've ever actually been able to export, ever, is a teapot with a simple bounding box on it. I think I may be doing it wrong. -_-U Do you know how to get materials, nodes, and collision meshes onto the model? Because I can't seem to do it right.
...of course...it could be that it is a really high-poly model. Would that affect it at all? If it is, it's fixable, so let me know if that's the problem.
12/06/2007 (3:02 pm)
Ok, thanks!But for now though, I can't even get anything even without animation to export! I'm trying to export a pistol, and I want two nodes on it (a mount node and a muzzle node), a collision mesh, and some materials, except I can't export with those things on it. The only thing I've ever actually been able to export, ever, is a teapot with a simple bounding box on it. I think I may be doing it wrong. -_-U Do you know how to get materials, nodes, and collision meshes onto the model? Because I can't seem to do it right.
...of course...it could be that it is a really high-poly model. Would that affect it at all? If it is, it's fixable, so let me know if that's the problem.
#3
So i can tell you where you do a mistake ever if you supply the schematic view of your scene. But i am sure you must have the every node the "gun" objects must have in your scene. In that sense the mount node and other nodes (if any). Collision meshes must be convex and they must be linked in a particular way to the root node and named in particular way. You have to look into the tutorials on TDN or somewhere around the site and find the node listing and schematic.
12/08/2007 (10:49 am)
I haven't made a "gun" object so far. Anyway i don't think it will be so difficult after i have succeeded to make an export of a model with skeletal animation. So i can tell you where you do a mistake ever if you supply the schematic view of your scene. But i am sure you must have the every node the "gun" objects must have in your scene. In that sense the mount node and other nodes (if any). Collision meshes must be convex and they must be linked in a particular way to the root node and named in particular way. You have to look into the tutorials on TDN or somewhere around the site and find the node listing and schematic.
#4
Ok, I had to join photobucket just to get this on here. If there's an easier way to post images, I'd greatly appreciate learning how. I hope this works.
s253.photobucket.com/albums/hh41/Dan-kun/?action=view¤t=schematic.jpg
oh, and here's a picture of the pistol itself. I give all credit to it's creation to a fella named TJ
s253.photobucket.com/albums/hh41/Dan-kun/?action=view¤t=pistol.jpg
For the nodes, I hit "weapon" under the node presets, then moved them to where I wanted them.
For the collision mesh, I selected it, and hit "Col-1", with "Use Volume" selected.
I didn't link anything. Was that my problem?
Oh, and the materials are both architectual. Does that make a difference?
12/09/2007 (3:00 pm)
Sorry! I didn't know you needed that. ^_^Ok, I had to join photobucket just to get this on here. If there's an easier way to post images, I'd greatly appreciate learning how. I hope this works.
s253.photobucket.com/albums/hh41/Dan-kun/?action=view¤t=schematic.jpg
oh, and here's a picture of the pistol itself. I give all credit to it's creation to a fella named TJ
s253.photobucket.com/albums/hh41/Dan-kun/?action=view¤t=pistol.jpg
For the nodes, I hit "weapon" under the node presets, then moved them to where I wanted them.
For the collision mesh, I selected it, and hit "Col-1", with "Use Volume" selected.
I didn't link anything. Was that my problem?
Oh, and the materials are both architectual. Does that make a difference?
#5
12/10/2007 (7:33 am)
Sorry i've missed " 't " after "can". I told you . I have never made it. I hope someone else here to give you a hand with that.
#6
It turns out that you have to add the word "node" to the end of each node (or at least that's part of what I changed, and I'm not taking chances), I had to make all the materials "Standard" type and put them in a "multi-sub object" material, and hit the "Link Bounds" button when creating bounds...a button I didn't notice before.
But the bounds are still giving me a problem. Every time I link the bounds to the pistol, it shifts along the y-axis then will not move back.
The collision meshes are giving me problems too. I used the "use volume" button with "Col-1", but when I imported the model into the game, the whole thing appeared as a large white box. The collision mesh apparently forgot to become transparent. Then when I tried it again with the "use copy of mesh" button, 3DS crashed on me! It said "optimizing meshes", then an error message popped up and shut the whole thing down.
Any help here? Thanks.
@Picasso-Oh...thanks anyway! I really appreciate your help!
12/14/2007 (7:01 pm)
Ok, I've experimented a little with it, and I got something to export. I exported the pistol with mild sucess and a small sphere.It turns out that you have to add the word "node" to the end of each node (or at least that's part of what I changed, and I'm not taking chances), I had to make all the materials "Standard" type and put them in a "multi-sub object" material, and hit the "Link Bounds" button when creating bounds...a button I didn't notice before.
But the bounds are still giving me a problem. Every time I link the bounds to the pistol, it shifts along the y-axis then will not move back.
The collision meshes are giving me problems too. I used the "use volume" button with "Col-1", but when I imported the model into the game, the whole thing appeared as a large white box. The collision mesh apparently forgot to become transparent. Then when I tried it again with the "use copy of mesh" button, 3DS crashed on me! It said "optimizing meshes", then an error message popped up and shut the whole thing down.
Any help here? Thanks.
@Picasso-Oh...thanks anyway! I really appreciate your help!
#7
1. make the mesh (perhaps add bones and skin as well)
2. I open the "dark industry" exporter pro menu
3. I select all of my meshes and then click "quick setup" (atop the menu panel)
4. Then i move to the "Collision" section and then select the choices I want and then add col-1(etc.)
5. I export the mesh via that pro exporter and animations via the max toolbar EXPORT (.dsq) selection
Everything works like a charm if you are used to the ridiculous workline.
If something gives a bother...just delete it via the schematic window and then redo it in the pro-menu window...simple as that.
be sure to use the "refresh button" often(atop that menu) or just RTFM
12/21/2007 (2:51 am)
This is what I do:1. make the mesh (perhaps add bones and skin as well)
2. I open the "dark industry" exporter pro menu
3. I select all of my meshes and then click "quick setup" (atop the menu panel)
4. Then i move to the "Collision" section and then select the choices I want and then add col-1(etc.)
5. I export the mesh via that pro exporter and animations via the max toolbar EXPORT (.dsq) selection
Everything works like a charm if you are used to the ridiculous workline.
If something gives a bother...just delete it via the schematic window and then redo it in the pro-menu window...simple as that.
be sure to use the "refresh button" often(atop that menu) or just RTFM
#8
I use the Dark exporter only for items and at all simple objects because it has "Quick setup" , the other stuff like players and their animations i use Max2DTSexporter.dle, except morph animations, which are exported with no errors using the Dark Exporter.
12/21/2007 (8:20 am)
Eb, i can't believe you do successfully export skeletal animation using the Dark exporter in 3ds max. Are you sure you do it using the Dark expoter? I use the Dark exporter only for items and at all simple objects because it has "Quick setup" , the other stuff like players and their animations i use Max2DTSexporter.dle, except morph animations, which are exported with no errors using the Dark Exporter.
#9
eb said: ""animations via the max toolbar EXPORT (.dsq) selection"" = FILE, EXPORT - DSQ
- The separation of the actions was done by the word "and" ...I understand that the sentence reads funny, but if you think about it..the english is proper.
So , no, I do not use the dark exporter for dsq. ;)
12/23/2007 (1:46 am)
I suppose that I shorthand my sentences too "short".eb said: ""animations via the max toolbar EXPORT (.dsq) selection"" = FILE, EXPORT - DSQ
- The separation of the actions was done by the word "and" ...I understand that the sentence reads funny, but if you think about it..the english is proper.
So , no, I do not use the dark exporter for dsq. ;)
#10
i just misunderstood you.
12/23/2007 (9:39 am)
I haven't said anything about your english, eb. My english is bad :) , it's not my mother tongue.i just misunderstood you.
#11
It turns out, (I think) there were way too many polygons on it. (that, or I did something else different and didn't realize it) The friend of mine who made it likes to use turbosmooth. I had to manually go in and fix it, but it exported.
...but...
It came into the game completly white. Is there any special way to get materials into the program? I checked all the samples, and each shape file has a texture file next to it that looks like it was UV Unwrapped. I tried the UV Mapper program I have, and I tried the UV Unwrap modifier in 3DS, but I still don't understand how to work either. If you can help me out one more time, that would be awesome.
01/22/2008 (5:54 pm)
It finally exported!! Thanks you guys! *hug*It turns out, (I think) there were way too many polygons on it. (that, or I did something else different and didn't realize it) The friend of mine who made it likes to use turbosmooth. I had to manually go in and fix it, but it exported.
...but...
It came into the game completly white. Is there any special way to get materials into the program? I checked all the samples, and each shape file has a texture file next to it that looks like it was UV Unwrapped. I tried the UV Mapper program I have, and I tried the UV Unwrap modifier in 3DS, but I still don't understand how to work either. If you can help me out one more time, that would be awesome.
#12
Edit:
Also, for the sake of completeness: In that first shot, your pistol was outside of the shape hierarchy. It needs to be linked to the start01 node. Second, the pro exporter doesn't work in max 9, you need to use the less pretty but more powerful "old" exporter, which is also found on the artists page. Though the meshsmoothed pistol has way more faces than a pistol needs to have, unless its around 10000 or so, it should export without a problem.
01/22/2008 (8:26 pm)
Textures have to be either jpg or png. you apply the texture to it in max and then make sure its there in the same directory as the dts. Also, it has to be a power of 2 so 512x512, 256x256, 1024x512, etc.Edit:
Also, for the sake of completeness: In that first shot, your pistol was outside of the shape hierarchy. It needs to be linked to the start01 node. Second, the pro exporter doesn't work in max 9, you need to use the less pretty but more powerful "old" exporter, which is also found on the artists page. Though the meshsmoothed pistol has way more faces than a pistol needs to have, unless its around 10000 or so, it should export without a problem.
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