Exporting models from 3dStudio Max

[3dpoder]

exporting models from 3d Studio Max
res, dead-code, org.

here a simple help page that explains how todo export in.x format with the pandasoft exporter.

All the screenshots were taken using 3dsMax 8.
1. Prerequisites.
Well be exporting the whole scene, Even the hidden and Frozen objects, so you ned todo deleete from the scene all objects that you do not want exported. Just kep the model and its Bones or Biped, then hide the Bones or the bípedo.

In our Project we have generic animations that are shared among models so we export the model and the animations separately (of course all the models that use the same animations ned todo have the same bone Hierarchy), this is what i describe here.
We do not use the pandasoft tool (max scripts that call the pandasoft plugin) but we use the plugin directly though max file | export menú.
2. Exporting a model without animation.






Always make sure that left handed axis in the x file settings as this box sometimes un-checks itself for no reason. Actually, it is wiser todo un-chek it and re-chek it Even if it is already checked.

Then Simply click export.

Remark: it a god idea todo use texture dimensions that are Powers of 2 or some video cards Will resize the texture and your UV coordinates Will be all wrong.
3. Exporting the animations.

There are Many ways todo make animations in max, weve tested Many of them and here what we found:
Animation method:
Keyframes on Bones: works.

Keyframes on Biped: works.

Ik + keyframes on Biped: works (the exporter generates keyframes at a rate set by the user)
Ik on Bones: not tested, dont know if this is posible.

Skinning methods:
Physique: works (using either vértices or envelope method)
Skinning: doesnt work (using envelope might work, vértices definitely dont work).

All this has ben tested using wme 1.7beta.

To export the animations, un-hide the Bones or Biped then hide the model and use the following exported settings.






Remember todo un-chek it and re-chek left handed axis.
Were using Matrix keys and 3ds Max ticks for our animation options. Key frames didnt sem todo work (wrong speed). Positions, scale and rotate could be worth checking.
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