Racer DOF exporter plugin for 3DS Max

QuadCoreMax · May 29, 2011

@Some1

2 different versions, same issue as jeff !
Anyways, how does it look like & what's the features ?
I would be using it, if it's doing his job quickly & properly.

@Dave

Lol Havok, I been testing it, I wasn't that convinced by the solvers...Better is Maya for doing hardcore dynamics. It seems like every app is 'specializing', so yeah I recently discovered a new character creation app (i.e.), that means 1/3 days max. for everything, didn't tested it yet, but probably will, for custom looping character animations in my city track like GTA 4 or Mafia 2.

Some1 · May 29, 2011

QuadCoreMax said:
@Some1

2 different versions, same issue as jeff !
Anyways, how does it look like & what's the features ?
I would be using it, if it's doing his job quickly & properly.

Ah crap, you're right, I did confuse 9 and 2009. Sorry about that.

QuadCoreMax: download the plugin and check out the readme to get a little overview.

Anyway, since I have migrated to Max 2010 myself, I don't think I'm going to support older versions any more.

Just get Max 2010!

QuadCoreMax · May 29, 2011

No worry !

Same as Jeff really, I have my old favorite CE2 (crytek engine 2) plugin + some others generators, which I verified. Seems that they haven't include the dlu files for upper versions....than the 2009.
Shouldn't be that hard, I imagine. Please, if I can avoid Modeler & directly use your tool to generate stuff, that would help me a lot...

Some1 · May 29, 2011

QuadCoreMax said:
No worry !

Same as Jeff really, I have my old favorite CE2 (crytek engine 2) plugin + some others generators, which I verified. Seems that they haven't include the dlu files for upper versions....than the 2009.
Shouldn't be that hard, I imagine. Please, if I can avoid Modeler & directly use your tool to generate stuff, that would help me a lot...

Well, you can have more than one version of Max installed, so why not use Max 2010 (just) for Racer?

QuadCoreMax · May 29, 2011

As I said, have some plugins which aren't suited for upper versions & I don't want to have a bunch of same application copies which basically do the same (you know it).

idk why you insist, is it that difficult to compile a slightly modified dlu 2009 version, what's the reasons ? You have enough knowledge/experience to create them, so just do it & I'll use it massively, for my newest city maps projects.

+ hopefully Jeff is also in the same situation, we'd be 2 more happy modders !

Some1 · May 29, 2011

QuadCoreMax said:
As I said, have some plugins which aren't suited for upper versions & I don't want to have a bunch of same application copies which basically do the same (you know it).

idk why you insist, is it that difficult to compile a slightly modified dlu 2009 version, what's the reasons ? You have enough knowledge/experience to create them, so just do it & I'll use it massively, for my newest city maps projects.

+ hopefully Jeff is also in the same situation, we'd be 2 more happy modders !

Technically, it is quite simple to compile another version. I just need the max SDK for that version.
Oh well, I guess I need to "find" the Max 2009 SDK then...

Mr Whippy · May 29, 2011

Haha... I bet you wish you never started with this sometimes Some1

Hopefully Cruden will release their Max > Racer tool at some stage this year, which will do everything (by-passing TrackEd almost totally I *think* )

However, it probably will only be for a certain version of 3DS Max moving forward.

Hey ho, will be good to have full coverage of the plugin. Would there be no way to make it a script instead, then at least users can maintain/tweak for their Max version. It seems frustrating to see you have to recompile so often just because Max can't support the same standard from one year to the next

God knows what they are changing?!

Dave

Some1 · May 29, 2011

Mr Whippy said:
Haha... I bet you wish you never started with this sometimes Some1

Hopefully Cruden will release their Max > Racer tool at some stage this year, which will do everything (by-passing TrackEd almost totally I *think* )

However, it probably will only be for a certain version of 3DS Max moving forward.

Hey ho, will be good to have full coverage of the plugin. Would there be no way to make it a script instead, then at least users can maintain/tweak for their Max version. It seems frustrating to see you have to recompile so often just because Max can't support the same standard from one year to the next

God knows what they are changing?!

Dave

Actually, some time ago a guy from Cruden asked the source of my plugin, so perhaps there will be some kind of hybrid.

Making the plugin as script would be possible I guess, but I don't want to learn MAXScript that much. Besides, MAXScript can change as well between versions.

I kinda think that I shouldn't really bother supporting every MAX version out there, I think the community should just agree on which MAX to use for content creation.

camsinny · May 29, 2011

Indeed, I think I have about 3 or 4 versions of Max installed...what's the big deal?

In fact it's more trouble to compile the plugin for a different version than it is to install a different version. I know this from experience.

Thanks Some1 for your hard work, if I'm ever over that way the beer's on me! Plugin's helped immensely with some recent projects.

Mr Whippy · May 29, 2011

Yeah, all said and done, this plugin is excellent.

It really has saved me days and days of just messing in TrackEd.

Dave

camsinny · May 30, 2011

Actually, while this is getting a bit of attention...would it be possible to add a checkbox that basically exports the selected objects into 1 dof as multiple geobs?
This would be invaluable for car development as it'd provide a really quick way to export a body.dof rather than stuffing about exporting to ASE, importing to modeler and exporting to DOF as if you make a little error (such as incorrect rotation as I always seem to do) it's a couple of good minutes to get it all in-game.

Some1 · May 30, 2011

camsinny said:
Actually, while this is getting a bit of attention...would it be possible to add a checkbox that basically exports the selected objects into 1 dof as multiple geobs?
This would be invaluable for car development as it'd provide a really quick way to export a body.dof rather than stuffing about exporting to ASE, importing to modeler and exporting to DOF as if you make a little error (such as incorrect rotation as I always seem to do) it's a couple of good minutes to get it all in-game.

What about just merging the selected objects before export in MAX?

camsinny · May 30, 2011

Then they show up as multi-sub objects though I'm pretty sure...

Some1 · May 30, 2011

camsinny said:
Then they show up as multi-sub objects though I'm pretty sure...

Ok, I don't really know how you work in MAX, but I suggest you use multi-sub object materials as the base material for the objects you want to "merged".

For example, if you have your car made up of different parts like doors, hood, trunk, chassis etc. then create a multi-sub object material that contains all materials you use for your car.

I think multi-sub materials are a perfect way to organize materials together.

camsinny · May 30, 2011

No I do use them. Modeler won't import them though. Seems to be something with Max 2010.
So I need to split the car up into each material and assign separate materials to each object until no object in the scene references a multi-sub.
Infuriating. As you say, it's the logical way to work...

Some1 · May 30, 2011

camsinny said:
No I do use them. Modeler won't import them though. Seems to be something with Max 2010.
So I need to split the car up into each material and assign separate materials to each object until no object in the scene references a multi-sub.
Infuriating. As you say, it's the logical way to work...

Wait, are you using the DOF exporter AND the Modeler?

If you are using DOF exporter, you do not need to use Modeler any more...

Mr Whippy · May 30, 2011

Indeed.

Just work however you want, then just before export, merge the whole car object into one, let Max generate a multi-sub, export via DOF export, but don't save (so retaining the nice layout of all the parts/materials in Max)

That should work perfectly fine. No need to go into Modeller then!?

Dave

camsinny · May 31, 2011

Hmmm
So I've messed around a bit and at least got everything into one object (I usually like to keep a few things detached, but doesn't really matter) however the DOF exporter messes up my normals on export...I can send you the max file if you like (max 2010 though).
About to attempt resetting the x-form to see if it helps but I have to wait because if I cancel the export progress then max crashes.

Yep, still messes up normals.

Some1 · May 31, 2011

camsinny said:
Hmmm
So I've messed around a bit and at least got everything into one object (I usually like to keep a few things detached, but doesn't really matter) however the DOF exporter messes up my normals on export...I can send you the max file if you like (max 2010 though).
About to attempt resetting the x-form to see if it helps but I have to wait because if I cancel the export progress then max crashes.

Yep, still messes up normals.

Yes, please send me the file! (Max2010 is ok)