3ds max 9 CMP Exporter (Help Request)
-
That’s well cool. I’ll give it a shot and see how it goes. You never know maybe this will be enough to spark some interest in a 3ds max exporter. Biggest thing I can think of for functionality is the ability to export more than 18 mesh groups. That was my main aim when I started converting this for use in 3ds max. Fact being that’s what I see as the biggest draw back of the milkshape version. I dunno if it’s a milkshape thing or what ever the reason for that is. I just know that thing’s would be much simpler if we could export more than the current mesh limit.
-
Yes, that’s also what Im thinking.
I’d like to make it possible so that every 3ds max object (so every “mesh”) is exported as a component.
Ideally, there should only be one exporter that exports all, a .sur, a complete .cmp and .mat. Maybe we can extend the max exporter to provide all of that functionality one day but for now, my aim is to make it export unlimited components, correct smoothing (the milkshape exporter or milkshape itself sucked at doing that) and finally optional tangent information for normal mapping.
The latter two are already done, just need to add the component functionality and then Im pretty much done on it, leaving it to other motivated devs -
I gave it a try, I’m guessing it’s not compiled for 3ds max 9 though? Because it wouldn’t load in my version.
None the less it never worked for me. What version is it for? It’s no big deal, I imagine it could be recompiled to work in most versions, 3ds is funny that way.
-
Yeah, the version of 3ds and the sdk I have are for 3ds max 9. No worries, I can recompile it myself when the source becomes available.
EDIT: And no, the only way to make 3ds plugins backwards compatible is if you compile it with the relevant sdk.
The only plugins I’ve seen work on more than one version is I think 2009 or 2008 and 3ds max 9 because the sdks are simular.
I dunno what the new versions of 3ds are like though.
-
Mine is version 2008.
Hope someone can recompile it for mine at some point please?
-
Yes but when you say things like this, kosacid, you have to explain it, because people who don’t know much about this subject will still not know after reading this thread, and the search facility on this forum is next to rubbish. And the EOA site is down so I can’t link to that either.
So here goes…
Havoc Tools for 3DS Max includes Convex Hull, which makes convex shrouds around each of the mesh groups. You can do this then export them as a model in Lightwave or Wavefront format, or now cmp, and then import that into MilkShape.
Then from MilkShape you can export the sur using Sur Exporter v1.1, either as a complete sur or as individual parts and then splice them using Sur Splicer. Remember if you want to use Sur Splicer you should add “_lod1” to the end of each group name and then export them one at a time.
When you want to use Sur Splicer, by keeping this name format you will remember the naming, which will be correct, (the first part will be named Root, and just remove the “.sur” file extension from the remaining parts when making the sur input file) and then you don’t need to import the cons_fix.dat file into the cmp file, because all it does is fix the part names which were corrupted by the author’s method of naming them “zomgbayxx” and adding additional surplus dummy groups in MilkShape. This method uses ship part cmp group names, which is what Freelancer does. In some cases you may need to add a few additional dummy cmp parts but I advise against this, split your ship into more groups instead so that you have a sur part covering and having the same name as each ship group.
-
PhysX also has a tool that works better in some cases, Havok sometimes dosn’t create a convex shape, you can check this using 3dsmax’s built in convex shape checker thing. Usually when this happens PhysX will do the job and vice versa.
Also one allows you to go over 64 faces, think that’s Physx aswell.
-
Sorry my mistake - Havok Content Tools…
http://software.intel.com/sites/havok//?page=tryhavok/PhysX Tools v2.01:
http://developer.nvidia.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=3990
But note:
"Some PhysX features available in the previous plug-in are not (yet) exposed on the new version. Fluids, cloth, force fields, and soft bodies are not supported with this release. "What can the PhysX plugin do for convex shapes, and how to use it?
-
@SilentAssassin82 if it dosent crate it there a error in the model try weld if that dont work you have to fix it manuel
thats why i like using it
i found also if havok can sur it LS sur builders fine
so its a good test to see if there errors in the first place -
I found this PhysX plugin today, an earlier version for 3DS Max v9…
-
There’s a part of the physx plugin that’s called rigid body tools or somthing like that, it’s just the same as havok. Just works better sometimes.
I don’t remember the exact ins and outs, it’s been a while since I used it.
I’ll look through my stuff and see if I can find the version. I remember 1 thing though. One of them you could select every mesh in your model at the same time and it would make 1 hitbox mesh for each mesh group. I’m sure it was the physx one, I’m sure havok would just make 1 shrink wrap mesh round the entire model if you done that.
-
There is a User Guide in the zip I attached in my previous post.
-
Alright, the source is on the svn if you’d like to try compiling it:
http://forge.the-starport.net/projects/maxcmpexport/repository
-
Have you thought about whether you plan on working further on the exporter or if you’d rather make a OBJ->CMP exporter?
-
Ok, I’ve compiled the plugin using 3ds max 9s API and it does work as far as I can tell. It even exports smoothing.
I only gave it a quick shot though since I have stuff to do.
EDIT: Got a chance to play around more with this.I dunno if it’s the same in the 2011 version but if you tick
Export tangent/binormal info
The model just comes out all mashed.
Got it exporting the Hardpoints though, not that it’s very important though.
-
FriendlyFire wrote:
Have you thought about whether you plan on working further on the exporter or if you’d rather make a OBJ->CMP exporter?I think I’ll stick to 3ds max for now because its API is actually pretty comfortable to work with as regards sub-objects and their bounding boxes which I’ll need for the multi-component cmps.
Maybe later somebody can rewrite the API functions to make it use with .obj files.Got a chance to play around more with this.I dunno if it’s the same in the 2011 version but if you tick
Export tangent/binormal info
The model just comes out all mashed.
Got it exporting the Hardpoints though, not that it’s very important though.
You need to have the latest UTF editor version (from the SVN), it can display models with tangent/binormal info. However, ingame the models should work okay (it’s compatible to FL’s rendering pipeline).
I deleted the hardpoint code because with HardCMP and soon the new UTF editor, it’s already a lot more comfortable to edit hardpoints rather than in a modeling program.
-
That’s true, I just like to be able to do as much as I can in the one programme.
-
Good work W0dk4
I’ve not had time to get the SDK and compile it yet but I will asap.