Topic: AARRRHHHH! .......... Heeelp

[dbdbdb]

I've spent five freekin hours with max and a sample mesh ......... All I keep getting is an exported .mod file double in size, and a white shaped image of the mesh. No colored textures, even after I've converted the textures to .bmp. I've even isolated sections of the mesh and exported them separately as a test ...... still no textures are being associated to the output.

What am I doing wrong .......... or what steps am I missing.

I've seen used, help make, and read lots of tuts for modding other games, but finding one for this is like hitting the lottery.

I've disected other sfc3 models and can understand whats being done with the dynamic LOD system, but I am missing a critical step somewhere.

Any info is appreciated

[Tus-XC]

for the size, trying importing a sfc model and scalling your model down to a size that matches it

for the textures, make sure they are in same folder as the mod file (white model means no texture, or the generic one applied in max)

for the seperate parts, make sure every part is attached (ie pic on, go to to its modifier roll out and click attach all, this will let you select what parts to attacH)  if you do not the exporter will think that each shape is a different level of detal.

[Captain Pierce]

When you export to .mod, Max for some reason doesn't re-save the textures in the same folder as the .mod file you've created...  you have to manually copy them from the folder of your original .3ds file.  Freaked me out the first time, too... 

[dbdbdb]

Thanks for the input guys,

I imported a .mod file and noticed that it is only one object with only a couple hundred verts & faces. And the complexity of the object is basic.

But when I export my mesh to .mod format it still has separate sections\objects making up the whole. Also, the verts & faces are through the roof ... in the thousands. And the complexity is as you might guess very complex.

How do I make it one object and reduce the vert & face count and reduce the complexity of the object ????

Another thing, I tried baking an object [rendering to texture] and I always get a maxscript error. Could someone explain what is happening.


Thanks

[DookeyKing]

OK, I've never had any problem s exporting a multipart mesh.  It's hard on the game but MAX has never given me any problems over it.  As for the face count,  exporting does not increase the number of faces.  MAX uses four sided polies prtty much as the default, and a four sided poly has 2 faces.  When you export to mod,  it just switches the whole mesh to three sided polies. It looks like more, but it's not.  And reducing faces, someone has probably written a doctoral dissertation about that although I'm sure there are plenty here who could explain there poly reduction methods.

Scott

[Adonis]

OK, I've never had any problem s exporting a multipart mesh.  It's hard on the game but MAX has never given me any problems over it.  As for the face count,  exporting does not increase the number of faces.  MAX uses four sided polies prtty much as the default, and a four sided poly has 2 faces.  When you export to mod,  it just switches the whole mesh to three sided polies. It looks like more, but it's not.  And reducing faces, someone has probably written a doctoral dissertation about that although I'm sure there are plenty here who could explain there poly reduction methods.

Scott

That's not entirely accurate, forget about using the Smooth modifier, it can boost the poly count to the roof (and beyond).

Now, did ya reapply the textures through the Material editor?

Baking textures is for CGI models, not in-game one's.

[FoaS_XC]

Using a smooth modifier wont increase your poly count...but a Meshsmooth will....big difference.

anywyas, best bet is to keep a mesh under 4000 for average machines, 8000 for high-end....and a lot of people try to keep it under 200 for fighters.

[dbdbdb]

I want to make this perfectly clear .... I'm a total newbie with max. And my first objective is to convert one mesh [that I have permission to use] for use in SFC3. I actually got conversion permission for several meshes. Not for distribution, just to use within the game. manitoba1073 offered to help me out with one of my conversion goals. But in the mean-time, I want to try to do it myself, so when he gets time, I'm familar with the process and it will go smoothly.

So, these questions are coming from a newbie perspective.

1. how do I reduce the poly count and export everything [i.e. the mesh] as one object?

2. how do I re-attach the textures and export them?

3. mesh totals [vertices: 34567 faces: 66732] are these numbers high? and if they are, how do I reduce them.

4. what is the process to create this picture from a mesh:




Thanks a million for your help

[Adonis]

I want to make this perfectly clear .... I'm a total newbie with max. And my first objective is to convert one mesh [that I have permission to use] for use in SFC3. I actually got conversion permission for several meshes. Not for distribution, just to use within the game. manitoba1073 offered to help me out with one of my conversion goals. But in the mean-time, I want to try to do it myself, so when he gets time, I'm familar with the process and it will go smoothly.

So, these questions are coming from a newbie perspective.

1. how do I reduce the poly count and export everything [i.e. the mesh] as one object?

2. how do I re-attach the textures and export them?

3. mesh totals [vertices: 34567 faces: 66732] are these numbers high? and if they are, how do I reduce them.

4. what is the process to create this picture from a mesh:




Thanks a million for your help

Ok, converning conversions/ports mani is the guy ya looking for, everuything concerning max modeling'n'stuff just feel free to ask me, my msn is NSAdonis@msn.com

[FoaS_XC]

Using a High-Poly mesh for in game, even if you were to cut down the polies, isnt neededly the best idea..but none the less...

1) use a Multi-Res and Optimize modifiers, and that will get you started, usually.

2) if there is a need to, use a UVUnwrap modifier and unwrap the texture coorodinates do it, there is a tutorial around here somewhere for that.

3) Yes, by far - see answer to question 1...but again, reducing polies isnt really the best way to have a high-quality model...best thing is to just model it from scratch.

4) not sure what you are saying here.

[Adonis]

Using a High-Poly mesh for in game, even if you were to cut down the polies, isnt neededly the best idea..but none the less...

1) use a Multi-Res and Optimize modifiers, and that will get you started, usually.

2) if there is a need to, use a UVUnwrap modifier and unwrap the texture coorodinates do it, there is a tutorial around here somewhere for that.

3) Yes, by far - see answer to question 1...but again, reducing polies isnt really the best way to have a high-quality model...best thing is to just model it from scratch.

4) not sure what you are saying here.

For Starships the best way is to always use UV Unwrap

[Tus-XC]

check out the tut thread, there should be some stuff in there to help you out

[dbdbdb]

Thanks again for all your help guys


Here's something I found while doing a massive search:An In-Depth Look at UVW Mapping an Object in 3DS Max 5 and 6
http://waylon-art.com/uvw_tutorial/uvwtut_01.html

I'm getting closer