A short guide: How i got my characters to export correctly
by Michael K. · in Artist Corner · 12/05/2008 (3:11 am) · 6 replies
Hi,
for anyone having a very hard time exporting characters using any of the dts exporters for max... here is how i got my character up and running within a matter of minutes!
at first i was having a VERY hard time trying to export a character (using physique and a translucent texture)... either my texture was completly strange or my character didn't export correctly and so on...
so... here's how i got the result that i wanted:
1) If you don't already own "Ultimate Unwrap 3D"... then go get it :-)
2) Download and install the "Unwrap 3D import/export plugins for 3dsmax"
http://unwrap3d.com/request_id.aspx?file=max_extras_pro.zip
3) Download and install the "DTS"-Plugin for Unwrap 3d
http://unwrap3d.com/downloads.aspx
4) Open up your character in 3ds max and export it to the "Unwrap 3d"-Format.
5) Open Unwrap 3d and your exported character
6) Under "Animation" you can setup/edit your animations (if you haven't already done that).
7) "Save As" your character as dts. In the exporter popup you can adjust your settings (for example click on "more" in the "options" panel and click on "Translucent" if your using a texture with transparencies).
8) click on "OK". It now creates your player.dts and .dsq !
Your done!
Hope this helps someone.
- Michael :o)
for anyone having a very hard time exporting characters using any of the dts exporters for max... here is how i got my character up and running within a matter of minutes!
at first i was having a VERY hard time trying to export a character (using physique and a translucent texture)... either my texture was completly strange or my character didn't export correctly and so on...
so... here's how i got the result that i wanted:
1) If you don't already own "Ultimate Unwrap 3D"... then go get it :-)
2) Download and install the "Unwrap 3D import/export plugins for 3dsmax"
http://unwrap3d.com/request_id.aspx?file=max_extras_pro.zip
3) Download and install the "DTS"-Plugin for Unwrap 3d
http://unwrap3d.com/downloads.aspx
4) Open up your character in 3ds max and export it to the "Unwrap 3d"-Format.
5) Open Unwrap 3d and your exported character
6) Under "Animation" you can setup/edit your animations (if you haven't already done that).
7) "Save As" your character as dts. In the exporter popup you can adjust your settings (for example click on "more" in the "options" panel and click on "Translucent" if your using a texture with transparencies).
8) click on "OK". It now creates your player.dts and .dsq !
Your done!
Hope this helps someone.
- Michael :o)
#2
the problem is that the 3ds max dts exporters does not like physique. using unwrap 3d fixed that and additionally removed the issues i was having using textures with transparencies (tested with tgea).
edit: typos
12/05/2008 (6:04 am)
@peterthe problem is that the 3ds max dts exporters does not like physique. using unwrap 3d fixed that and additionally removed the issues i was having using textures with transparencies (tested with tgea).
edit: typos
#3
I am curious about your use of a translucent material with an animated character, the "official" stance is that transparencies with characters aren't supported... at least with tge.
12/05/2008 (10:58 am)
Why not just use the SKin modifier instead of Physique, per the documentation? There is also a tool included with MAX that converts Physique to Skin. Never tried it though...I am curious about your use of a translucent material with an animated character, the "official" stance is that transparencies with characters aren't supported... at least with tge.
#4
Its not that they arent supported but that its more grief to sometimes get working the way you want it to work than its worth if you have to start dealing with sorting issues with polygonal drawing order.
12/05/2008 (11:50 am)
@ThomasIts not that they arent supported but that its more grief to sometimes get working the way you want it to work than its worth if you have to start dealing with sorting issues with polygonal drawing order.
#5
well unfortunately the character artist used physique. i tried the physique to skin converter (but it didn't work out for me).
i don't recall reading anything about characters not supporting transparencies (i could be wrong though - doesn't the skeleton pack for tge use transparencies around the rib area). Oh well, i'm using tgea anyway and it worked there :-)
12/05/2008 (11:57 am)
@thomas,well unfortunately the character artist used physique. i tried the physique to skin converter (but it didn't work out for me).
i don't recall reading anything about characters not supporting transparencies (i could be wrong though - doesn't the skeleton pack for tge use transparencies around the rib area). Oh well, i'm using tgea anyway and it worked there :-)
#6
i noticed that tge/tgea has some issues with transparent textures in general. the engines always seams to display some kind of dopple transparency around the edges of the drawn textures (especially noticeable on trees). One can look right through the whole object.
12/05/2008 (12:05 pm)
@logani noticed that tge/tgea has some issues with transparent textures in general. the engines always seams to display some kind of dopple transparency around the edges of the drawn textures (especially noticeable on trees). One can look right through the whole object.
Torque 3D Owner Peter Pedersen
Wandering Willow