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Topic: Porting problem...  (Read 5970 times)

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Offline Centurus

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Porting problem...
« on: June 25, 2010, 09:12:52 pm »
Ok, so I've been making all my models in MAX 9 in edit poly mode.  I've made sure that every component is welded along the seems.  I don't like unifying meshes, cause I like to be basher friendly.

Ok, so here's the problem.  Whenever I export to 3DS format, or any type of format, and import to MAX 5, the model tears itself apart along the seems.  I re-weld all the seems and make sure everything is good, vert by vert, and yes, that takes a long ass time, and when I try exporting out to SFC format in MAX 5, I bring the ported SFC model into another instance of MAX 5, and the ship's torn itself apart again along the same seems.  I rinse and repeat, and things never get fixed.

Any ideas people.  If not, I'm gonna need someone more experienced than me to port my models for me.
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Offline FoaS_XC

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Re: Porting problem...
« Reply #1 on: June 25, 2010, 09:33:47 pm »
Can you post the Max file? I still have 3ds Max 9 on here, i'll take a look when I get home tomorrow :-)
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Offline Tus-XC

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Re: Porting problem...
« Reply #2 on: June 25, 2010, 09:37:10 pm »
try converting it to an editable mesh before export or use FoaS exporting tool which i think might solve your problem.
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Offline FoaS_XC

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Re: Porting problem...
« Reply #3 on: June 25, 2010, 09:46:57 pm »
the Borislov Petrov File Format will create a script that you can run in an earlier version of max. This means that Cent has to have said previous version of max. ... Do my video tutorials cover it? can't recall.

Still, post the max file if you wish :-)
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Robinomicon
"When I was 5 years old, my mom always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down “happy.” They told me I didn’t understand the assignment and I told them they didn’t understand life."

Offline Centurus

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Re: Porting problem...
« Reply #4 on: June 26, 2010, 02:37:51 am »
I tried attaching all the various components into a single object, I've had the model smoothed with groups of 30 and even 45, and once with a smoothing of 20, and several times with no smoothing at all.

Sometimes, in MAX 9, converting the model to editable mesh, some of the edges literally disappear.  Not sure if that's normal or not.

Anyway, Fury, if you don't mind, I'd like to e-mail you the MAX file to the e-mail listed in your profile.  As for your exporting tool that TUS mentions, this is the first I've heard of it.
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Offline FoaS_XC

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Re: Porting problem...
« Reply #5 on: June 26, 2010, 07:05:20 am »
You can email it, no problem. you can do Furyofaseraph (at) gmail (dot) com or Rob (at) Robinomicon (dot) com

I'll have to rewatch those video tutorials, see if I cover the export/re-import process.
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Robinomicon
"When I was 5 years old, my mom always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down “happy.” They told me I didn’t understand the assignment and I told them they didn’t understand life."

Offline Centurus

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Re: Porting problem...
« Reply #6 on: June 26, 2010, 02:08:20 pm »
Thanks for the help.

I don't understand why I'm having this problem, never had this problem during my kitbashing days.  Then again when I was a kitbasher, I never used any other program than MAX 5, and all the ships were already in SFC format.

Just don't know what's causing it.  Maybe it's a bad install of MAX or something, I don't know.  I might be rebuilding this machine soon, I do know I have to reformat my system anyway.  Maybe I'll set up a spare drive with a MAX 5 install on it and keep MAX 9 on my main machine only.  I don't know.

Anyway, Fury, you should have an e-mail hopefully soon.
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Offline FoaS_XC

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Re: Porting problem...
« Reply #7 on: June 27, 2010, 09:44:44 am »
I exported the model as a 3DS format and brought that back into max 9. it split.

That is a quality of 3ds format that I have never before encountered. my solution? don't use it. Use OBJ. or use the file format tus was talking about.
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Robinomicon
"When I was 5 years old, my mom always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down “happy.” They told me I didn’t understand the assignment and I told them they didn’t understand life."

Offline Centurus

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Re: Porting problem...
« Reply #8 on: June 27, 2010, 11:17:15 am »
OBJ doesn't work.  It always crashes on export, and MAX 5 for some reason can't import it.  Also, even if I fix the model in MAX 5, and then do a final export to SFC format, it does the same thing all over again.

Also, TUS didn't mention a file format to export to.
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Offline FoaS_XC

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Re: Porting problem...
« Reply #9 on: June 27, 2010, 11:29:40 am »
Tus was referring to a Max Script that I make use of to convert my max scenes from max 9 into max 4.2, which lets me then lets me export to MOD format. I'll make a video tutorial as soon as i use the bathroom if you'd like.
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Robinomicon
"When I was 5 years old, my mom always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down “happy.” They told me I didn’t understand the assignment and I told them they didn’t understand life."

Offline FoaS_XC

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Re: Porting problem...
« Reply #10 on: June 27, 2010, 01:21:09 pm »
Part 1 of my Conversion Workflow tutorial.

[youtube]Uhs4m42uKjs[/youtube]

Part 2

[youtube]ruHoWcePeNI[/youtube]

Maxscript tools referenced in this video (Including the BFF format exporter) are available on my site: here
« Last Edit: June 27, 2010, 01:45:14 pm by FoaS_XC »
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Robinomicon
"When I was 5 years old, my mom always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down “happy.” They told me I didn’t understand the assignment and I told them they didn’t understand life."

Offline Centurus

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Re: Porting problem...
« Reply #11 on: June 27, 2010, 02:47:28 pm »
When I'm on the main machine, I'll start on the tut and let you know.  Question though, did you follow that same process of yours when trying to convert the ship I sent to see if it would also tear itself apart?
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Offline FoaS_XC

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Re: Porting problem...
« Reply #12 on: June 27, 2010, 02:49:31 pm »
No, but only because I didn't have the textures. Just remember to collapse the objects down to Editable Poly and Reset the Transforms before you export. I'd watch the whole tutorial first, before running through the process.
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Robinomicon
"When I was 5 years old, my mom always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down “happy.” They told me I didn’t understand the assignment and I told them they didn’t understand life."

Offline Centurus

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Re: Porting problem...
« Reply #13 on: June 27, 2010, 03:59:14 pm »
What do you mean by resetting the transforms?
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Offline FoaS_XC

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Re: Porting problem...
« Reply #14 on: June 27, 2010, 05:21:32 pm »
I will make yet another video to explain it, and why its important >.<
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Robinomicon
"When I was 5 years old, my mom always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down “happy.” They told me I didn’t understand the assignment and I told them they didn’t understand life."

Offline FoaS_XC

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Re: Porting problem...
« Reply #15 on: June 27, 2010, 07:40:31 pm »
A video that quickly explains why you need to reset your transforms as well as how to do it.

[youtube]quOI3cmtA6M[/youtube]

Sorry if it seems like I was rushing it, but I tried 4 times to get it below 10 minutes.

Note also that the video may still be processing, so video quality won't be great at first. Give it 10 minutes or so and it will be fine.
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Robinomicon
"When I was 5 years old, my mom always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down “happy.” They told me I didn’t understand the assignment and I told them they didn’t understand life."

Offline Centurus

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Re: Porting problem...
« Reply #16 on: June 28, 2010, 02:37:51 pm »
Question, when you split your file, does it double the number of verts the ship has, where the groups are split? 
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Offline FoaS_XC

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Re: Porting problem...
« Reply #17 on: June 28, 2010, 02:39:11 pm »
The only way it will double is if you have no smoothing groups assigned. The Split is designed to break apart polygons by smoothing groups. Basically it splits hard, non-smoothed edges.
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Robinomicon
"When I was 5 years old, my mom always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down “happy.” They told me I didn’t understand the assignment and I told them they didn’t understand life."

Offline Centurus

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Re: Porting problem...
« Reply #18 on: June 28, 2010, 03:11:06 pm »
I'm having problems getting the max scripts to run.  I can't seem to generate a toolbar for them at all.  Also, I just realized that your scaling tools, that I have used before, aren't available anymore, yet the script files are exactly where they were before.

Maybe I'm doing something wrong here.

P.S.

When I try to run the script for reducing the materialIDs, I get this error...
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Offline FoaS_XC

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Re: Porting problem...
« Reply #19 on: June 28, 2010, 04:10:37 pm »
You have to select to the objects to which the material you are condensing are assigned to.

As far as the scripts? I'm not sure to tell you. I tend to just run them directly from the file whenever I need them. Otherwise you can drag and drop the script onto the toolbar. They are listed under the category "Drag and Drop" in the Customize User Interface. If you give me a bit I'll make proper Macroscripts out of them, this way you can just add them a toolbar and not have to worry any longer.
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Robinomicon
"When I was 5 years old, my mom always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down “happy.” They told me I didn’t understand the assignment and I told them they didn’t understand life."
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