Need 3DSMax advice: Bits and Pieces

**sleighr** · March 22, 2008, 04:36 PM

Hi folks. Got a problem here that perhaps other modellers could help me with. When you detach a piece of an object -say the base of a helmet- thereby making two objects, how do you keep them looking like they are still one piece? I don't move them in the texture, but every time I detach a piece both it and the object it came from change, so that one piece is visibly darker than the other. I believe it's a lighting issue. Is there a way to fix this after separation, or keep it so that it doesn't change?

I'm using Max 6 BTW.

Thanks.

**Arthum** · March 22, 2008, 04:49 PM

Hey, aren't you the guy who made those great phalangites (was a lurker back then) ?Great Job !

EDIT:NVM,seems I skipped a part of your question and got it wrong.

**Halie Satanus** · March 22, 2008, 05:28 PM

Does the change show up in game?.

**sleighr** · March 22, 2008, 06:28 PM

Originally Posted by Arthum

Hey, aren't you the guy who made those great phalangites (was a lurker back then)?

Yeah, that was me. I have an update of them hopefully coming soon, once I finish this project.

Originally Posted by Halie Satanus

Does the change show up in game?.

It shows up in the render screen of Max, which usually is a good indicator of how it will look in-game, but no, I haven't tried it in the game yet. haven't even finished the model yet.

Does it usually show up different?

Here's what I've got:

Before detaching:

And after (note the now visible line):

I can't really try it in-game, as the model has a thousand pieces at present. If you think it'll look different though...

**Halie Satanus** · March 24, 2008, 10:06 AM

Generally units look different in game from Max renders, renders are higher quality and unaffected by the in game lighting, saying that, I can't see the difference between the two pics.

I've seen the sudden (slight) jump between detached sections, but I don't think it shows in game, not that I've ever noticed anyway.

All I can suggest is testing in game and see what happens.. Sorry.

**Ummagumma** · March 24, 2008, 10:59 AM

It is probably due to the smoothing groups. The material can appear lighter when attached to other faces due to the shading process over the faces, but once detached the influence from the surrounding faces disappears.