Mesh/Cas/Engine - MaxScript version of GOAT tool

[johnwhile]

Prima di tutto mi devi dire che tipo di errore è, se appare un messaggio allora hai sbagliato qualcosa tu, se appare un messaggio scritto in rosso e appare anche lo script allora è un errore mio

1) hai visto se la sintassi del nome è corretta ? devi usare "Nome Gruppo : Nome Oggetto : numero 1/0"
2) Hai messo il modificatore Skin e collegato i vertici alle ossa? senza di esso lo script non importa quell'oggetto
3) Hai controllato se ci sono oggetti senza vertici, capita spesso quando si usa il comando detach, io mi dimentico sempre un oggetto senza vertici.

PS: io carico spesso versione corrette quasi una volta alla settimana se non di più.
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First of all I must know what kind of error is it, if appears a message box you've done something wrong, if a error written in red and the script text appears it's a my mistake

1) Did you see if the syntax of name is correct? you must use "Group Name: Name object: number 1 / 0"
2) You must assign the skins modifier and connecting the vertices to the bones? without it the script does not recognize the object
3) Have you checked if there are some objects without vertices, when i use detach command, I often forget some mesh without vertices.

[Dak28]

Allora mi sa che sbaglio io... Non ho capito bene la procedura di come si fa... queste cose non so farle ...


Ho controllato con il select from scene (h) e ci sono tre oggetti che non ci sono non esistono... il resto però non so come farlo è complicato?
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I think I'm wrong... I've not understood how to do 1) and 2)
I've controlled the "select from scene" (h) and I've found three objects which don't exist... how could I do 1) and 2)? Is it complicated to explain?

[johnwhile]

ma io ho messo dei video tutorial al primo post. Aspetta un attimo, sto facendo un totorial per le armi d'assedio e sto correggendo alcuni errori perchè ho cambiato una cosa dello scheletro e sto aggiornando lo script.

Comunque basta che vedi come è fatto un file importato, devi usare la stessa struttura.

Ma tu usi max solo adesso o lo sai usare ? se ti dico che devi aggiungere il modificatore Skin e collegare i vertici della mesh alle ossa stò parlando arabo o hai un'idea ?

[Dak28]

Ho una piccola idea ma sarebbe la prima volta ecco.... però se sei impegnato fa niente... magari un'altro giorno via e-mail o in una chat dimmi tu...

be so usarlo per fare modelli di armi per ora spade ecc... volevo provarli ma ho questo problema

[Isandlwana]

I just checked the new version of your tool (2.0) and got it to export without any error messages. However it doesn't work in game, i.e. leads to CTD.

The file attached was a working file, I just converted it without changing anything. I imported it (in 3DS max) with KE's skeleton (but not via KE's importer) and exported without a skeleton as mentioned in the description.

Would be nice if you could have a look at it sometime

[johnwhile]

sorry i put 49 and not 39 in the texture id XD
i will correct.

PS: i found a little issue in the <boneID> properties for special bone like bone_weapones , bone_shield ecc.... please look this string:
vanilla:
bone_pelvis 0
bone_rthigh 1
bone_rlowerleg 2
bone_rfoot 3
bone_abs 4
bone_torso 5
bone_head 6
bone_jaw 7
bone_eyebrow 8
bone_rclavical 9
bone_rupperarm 10
bone_relbow 11
bone_rhand 12
bone_lclavical 13
bone_lupperarm 14
bone_lelbow 15
bone_lhand 16
bone_lthigh 17
bone_llowerleg 18
bone_lfoot 19
bone_weapon01 20
bone_weapon 20
bone_weapon02 21
bone_weapon03 22
bone_shield01 22
bone_shield 22


bug that i will fix:
bone_pelvis 0
bone_RThigh 1
bone_Rlowerleg 2
bone_Rfoot 3
bone_abs 4
bone_torso 5
bone_head 6
bone_jaw 7
bone_eyebrow 8
bone_Rclavical 9
bone_Rupperarm 10
bone_Relbow 11
bone_Rhand 12
bone_Lclavical 13
bone_Lupperarm 14
bone_Lelbow 15
bone_Lhand 16
bone_LThigh 17
bone_Llowerleg 18
bone_Lfoot 19
bone_weapon01 20
bone_weapon 21
bone_weapon02 22
bone_weapon03 23
bone_shield01 24
bone_shield 25

i tested and work also for this new bone ID, but i think is utilized be the game to associate two different bone example bone_shield01 and bone_shield with the same secondary skeleton but with different animation....

[johnwhile]

ok, now i have tested in game your model.
Unfortunately, the script is very long and I often do a lot of little trouble

[Isandlwana]

ok, now i have tested in game your model.
Unfortunately, the script is very long and I often do a lot of little trouble

cooool, version 2.1 works now for me!!

Mille grazie!


... and yeah, I know about the troubles with scripting, it can be a pain in the a**

[bobbin]

Hi johnwhile quick question for you, what version of Max do you use?

I recently formatted my computer but before that I was getting some errors using the mesh and building tools, so I want to make sure I'm using to same version as you to prevent them from happening again.

[johnwhile]

i use max2011 because there are some new improvements , but in this period (a problem with my pc) i'm using max9 so I take this opportunity to make it compatible,
There are some little difference in maxscript of max9 and max2011, now i'm deleting and replacing some functions.

[johnwhile]

From a request of jmrc i add in the version 2.18 a LOD generator with MultiRes modifier. Look video tutorial (is only a video capture, wait for subtitles).

MultiRes is the best poly reduction algorithm, i test a lot of optimizer in the internet.

1. LOD stooping value : in the image you can see my idea for find a sort of "details evaluation" by total surface area. Example for legionary model with 393 vertex (look video) i record the vertex cont of multires and total triangle area: you can see what until vertex = 200 the surface change from 2.5 to 2.4 (99%) but after there are a substantial reduction. So you can chose a 98% for LOD1, 95% for LOD2 and 90% for LOD3. These value aren't universally used, depends by type of model, example for a simple sword (50 vertex) the LOD1 are identical to LOD2 , and after 80% you have a rapid degeneration and LOD3 is too different from original mesh.
2. SKIN modifier : I have not spent much time in this, I did something very fast, the script recompute a new SKINs values by "vertex proximity", so isn't a very good idea for high poly reduction where all vertex are repositioned anywhere
3. OPENGL FORMAT: the big problem with 3DStudio is the UVW map are independent from vertex, in fact you can assign a multi uvw value for each vertex, or detach map face with "UV-unwrap modifier" ecc... Normally the script keeps vertices and change mapping (with this script and building script) but MultiRes use mapping as important value in its algorithm, so , in this case, the script use the mapping to rebuild a new mesh like game format (OpenGL is a Vertex-Faces format, 3dstudio use Face-TFace-Vertex-UwvVertex format)

[jmrc]

The tool is awesome! This will finally allow us to produce the LODs with a reasonable effort. Thank you very much!

[wereturnip]

This is a pretty amazing tool, and has great potential. Everything that I have tried (so far) has worked very well. Thank you for the time you spent on it, it is very much appreciated.

One problem that I have found, and perhaps it is something that I am doing wrong with the tool. But it seems that the rigging (skin modifier) doesn't hold the information. When I export the mesh (biped) Things are completely rigged differently. The funny thing is, is when I import the .mesh back into Max the rigging info is correct. Odd.

I am using Max 2008, could this be the problem?

[Prisoner]

Hi! It's amazing! But i have some trouble with export =(
I'm have full complete model, but after export verticle attached to other bone =(
But when I imported model from mesh it lost weight (( and some verticles attach to other bones


it compatible with 2009 max? maybe trouble in ithis?

[johnwhile]

yes, I'm use max 9 now I'm trying to understand where the error is because it is the second time that this error happens. The Skin modifier has many malfunctions in Max ... also in max 2011 they haven't resolted it...

[Prisoner]

Also i have trouble with "convert to one skin" tools.

Same problems(lost weights) i have also when convert to ms3d file.
Solved only by this:

3ds->ms3d(weighting)->mesh->ms3d(weighting)->mesh

or

3ds->mesh->ms3d(weighting)->mesh

But this is not normal


And the same thing not only for the one model, it is for all new models, which I did make.
I lost many time for this manipulation.

[johnwhile]

uhm... i don't understand but it work for me... go to download page and look the image in the comment.
Have you see the video tutorial in the first post ?

If don't work please give me the corrupted *.mesh file

PS: the "Convert To one Skin" and "auto link" aren't completed.

[Prisoner]

Ok. Thank you very much =)
I'm send it to you in pm this night =)

[johnwhile]

ok, fix all, now i think work for all max scene layout

[Auto-Nabishtam]

Another time safer of your tools lod generator john thank you very much,
+rep
you deserve 10