Author Topic: Max to PCS2 tutorial (Plus ideas how to make work simplier)  (Read 30100 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline chief1983

  • Still lacks a custom title
  • 212
  • ⬇️⬆️⬅️⬅️🅰➡️⬇️
    • Minecraft
    • Skype
    • Steam
    • Twitter
    • Fate of the Galaxy
Re: Max to PCS2 tutorial (Plus ideas how to make work simplier)
Preventing the need for that search and replace in the DAE file for -node" with " would probably be nice.  Don't know if that would break any compatibility though.
Fate of the Galaxy - Now Hiring!  Apply within | Diaspora | SCP Home | Collada Importer for PCS2
Karajorma's 'How to report bugs' | Mantis
#freespace | #scp-swc | #diaspora | #SCP | #hard-light on EsperNet

"You may not sell or otherwise commercially exploit the source or things you created based on the source." -- Excerpt from FSO license, for reference

Nuclear1:  Jesus Christ zack you're a little too hamyurger for HLP right now...
iamzack:  i dont have hamynerge i just want ptatoc hips D:
redsniper:  Platonic hips?!
iamzack:  lays

 
Re: Max to PCS2 tutorial (Plus ideas how to make work simplier)
Preventing the need for that search and replace in the DAE file for -node" with " would probably be nice.  Don't know if that would break any compatibility though.

That would be nice, if nothing else have a checkmark box for it. Also, group numbered glowbanks is also highly recommended and well as properties.
That's cool and ....disturbing at the same time o_o  - Vasudan Admiral

"Don't play games with me. You just killed someone I like, that is not a safe place to stand. I'm the Doctor. And you're in the biggest library in the universe. Look me up."

"Quick everyone out of the universe now!"

 
Re: Max to PCS2 tutorial (Plus ideas how to make work simplier)
I've updated the max script a bit, the one that gives the properties.  It would only give properties to anything that had the word "turret" or "thruster" in it, including the arm and destroyed ones. 

Just copy over the existing one.
http://scoobydoo.freespacemods.net/Completed/Misc/Freespace-GiveThemProperties.mcr

Here's a couple more might be useful ones:

Remove all user properties from selected objects: http://scoobydoo.freespacemods.net/Completed/Misc/Freespace-RemoveAllProperties.mcr
Renumbers intakes (if anyone uses intake subsystems): [urll]http://scoobydoo.freespacemods.net/Completed/Misc/Freespace-IntakeNumber.mcr[/url]
That's cool and ....disturbing at the same time o_o  - Vasudan Admiral

"Don't play games with me. You just killed someone I like, that is not a safe place to stand. I'm the Doctor. And you're in the biggest library in the universe. Look me up."

"Quick everyone out of the universe now!"

 

Offline Galemp

  • Actual father of Samus
  • 212
  • Ask me about GORT!
    • Steam
    • User page on the FreeSpace Wiki
Re: Max to PCS2 tutorial (Plus ideas how to make work simplier)
Scooby, thanks for your work. Please do the community a favor and expand the Wiki page on the Max exporter to include this information.

The more helpful stuff we have on the wiki, the less people have to hunt through the forums for.
"Anyone can do any amount of work, provided it isn't the work he's supposed to be doing at that moment." -- Robert Benchley

Members I've personally met: RedStreblo, Goober5000, Sandwich, Splinter, Su-tehp, Hippo, CP5670, Terran Emperor, Karajorma, Dekker, McCall, Admiral Wolf, mxlm, RedSniper, Stealth, Black Wolf...

 

Offline chief1983

  • Still lacks a custom title
  • 212
  • ⬇️⬆️⬅️⬅️🅰➡️⬇️
    • Minecraft
    • Skype
    • Steam
    • Twitter
    • Fate of the Galaxy
Re: Max to PCS2 tutorial (Plus ideas how to make work simplier)
What does Scooby's guide have to do with Styxx's exporter?
Fate of the Galaxy - Now Hiring!  Apply within | Diaspora | SCP Home | Collada Importer for PCS2
Karajorma's 'How to report bugs' | Mantis
#freespace | #scp-swc | #diaspora | #SCP | #hard-light on EsperNet

"You may not sell or otherwise commercially exploit the source or things you created based on the source." -- Excerpt from FSO license, for reference

Nuclear1:  Jesus Christ zack you're a little too hamyurger for HLP right now...
iamzack:  i dont have hamynerge i just want ptatoc hips D:
redsniper:  Platonic hips?!
iamzack:  lays

 

Offline JGZinv

  • 211
  • The Last Dual! Guardian
    • The FringeSpace Conversion Mod
Re: Max to PCS2 tutorial (Plus ideas how to make work simplier)
In general I agree with chief, but they are related in a sense that you really
need to read both tutorials in some cases to understand what needs doing for a step here or there.

Scooby's is by far the most complete, but Styxx's is like the appendix and index of the encyclopedia.
Without both you're still left scratching your head at times.

Mine is a lengthier hybrid.. but Scooby's and Styxx will still be necessary for certain parts.
My hope (if I can get some info *wink-wink*) is that with the three guides, anyone should be able to get ships in game.
True power comes not from strength, but from the soul and imagination.
Max to PCS2 to FS2 SCP Guide
The FringeSpace Conversion Mod

 

Offline chief1983

  • Still lacks a custom title
  • 212
  • ⬇️⬆️⬅️⬅️🅰➡️⬇️
    • Minecraft
    • Skype
    • Steam
    • Twitter
    • Fate of the Galaxy
Re: Max to PCS2 tutorial (Plus ideas how to make work simplier)
Ok fine, they're both a good read, but unless you're to rename that article, info specific to this conversion process really has no business in Styxx's exporter's article.  The two could be merged into a new article though.
Fate of the Galaxy - Now Hiring!  Apply within | Diaspora | SCP Home | Collada Importer for PCS2
Karajorma's 'How to report bugs' | Mantis
#freespace | #scp-swc | #diaspora | #SCP | #hard-light on EsperNet

"You may not sell or otherwise commercially exploit the source or things you created based on the source." -- Excerpt from FSO license, for reference

Nuclear1:  Jesus Christ zack you're a little too hamyurger for HLP right now...
iamzack:  i dont have hamynerge i just want ptatoc hips D:
redsniper:  Platonic hips?!
iamzack:  lays

 

Offline warfull

  • 23
Re: Max to PCS2 tutorial (Plus ideas how to make work simplier)
HI this is the way I import helpers and paths from  3DSmax to PCS2.1

For turret :



and subsystem.

For  bay path :



here you need to rename every "pathxx" into "bayxx" in PCS2

And for dockings points :




In this way every path is linked with it's parent but I still have trouble with vertex numbering. It seems that when exporting to .dae vertex are added one by one without following the numbering i've used in 3Dsmax. So the result is that vertex 2 become vertex 3 and vertex 4 become vertex 1 and so on.
I dont know what is the logic of the software , I know it's not a time creation order cause i've tried.
I've tryed to use spline to create path but it has never worked.

So how do you import paths in pcs2 ?

 

Offline JGZinv

  • 211
  • The Last Dual! Guardian
    • The FringeSpace Conversion Mod
Re: Max to PCS2 tutorial (Plus ideas how to make work simplier)
Please take a look at the guide in my signature.
There's a section on paths that covers basic stuff.

I'm "still " working on an update to fix some things with it,
been too busy as of the last month or so to spare the time for it.
True power comes not from strength, but from the soul and imagination.
Max to PCS2 to FS2 SCP Guide
The FringeSpace Conversion Mod

 

Offline zookeeper

  • *knock knock* Who's there? Poe. Poe who?
  • 210
Re: Max to PCS2 tutorial (Plus ideas how to make work simplier)
According to my experience...

Quote
v.   Duplicate this helper dummy and rename it to “firepoints”, don't move it
You should align the firepoints dummy to the arm's pivot, not to the base's pivot. Otherwise the shots will appear in the wrong place in-game. When you align it to the arm's pivot, the firepoints will appear in the wrong place in pcs2, but correctly in-game.

Quote
a.   A simple dummy node named “eyepoint” is placed where the eye should be (same thing with the direction of the eye faces)
It should be named "eyepoint01".

 
Re: Max to PCS2 tutorial (Plus ideas how to make work simplier)
According to my experience...

Quote
v.   Duplicate this helper dummy and rename it to “firepoints”, don't move it
You should align the firepoints dummy to the arm's pivot, not to the base's pivot. Otherwise the shots will appear in the wrong place in-game. When you align it to the arm's pivot, the firepoints will appear in the wrong place in pcs2, but correctly in-game.
You are absolutely correct... Thank goodness I haven't redone many cap ships yet.
That's cool and ....disturbing at the same time o_o  - Vasudan Admiral

"Don't play games with me. You just killed someone I like, that is not a safe place to stand. I'm the Doctor. And you're in the biggest library in the universe. Look me up."

"Quick everyone out of the universe now!"

 
Re: Max to PCS2 tutorial (Plus ideas how to make work simplier)
You should align the firepoints dummy to the arm's pivot, not to the base's pivot. Otherwise the shots will appear in the wrong place in-game. When you align it to the arm's pivot, the firepoints will appear in the wrong place in pcs2, but correctly in-game.
So PCS2 shows firepoints for multiparts at the wrong place? Here's another suggestion for the UI revamp...

 

Offline FUBAR-BDHR

  • Self-Propelled Trouble Magnet
  • 212
  • Master Drunk
    • 165th Beer Drinking Hell Raisers
Re: Max to PCS2 tutorial (Plus ideas how to make work simplier)
Wait I've had no problem with multipart turrets.  I simply get the coordinates of the firepoint from Max and enter them into PCS2.  You have to adjust for the axis differences but it works just fine. 
No-one ever listens to Zathras. Quite mad, they say. It is good that Zathras does not mind. He's even grown to like it. Oh yes. -Zathras

 
Re: Max to PCS2 tutorial (Plus ideas how to make work simplier)
Wait I've had no problem with multipart turrets.  I simply get the coordinates of the firepoint from Max and enter them into PCS2.  You have to adjust for the axis differences but it works just fine. 

If you center the "firepoints" helper on the turret arm pivot point, then the individual fire points will not show up correctly in PCS2, but ingame they are correct.
That's cool and ....disturbing at the same time o_o  - Vasudan Admiral

"Don't play games with me. You just killed someone I like, that is not a safe place to stand. I'm the Doctor. And you're in the biggest library in the universe. Look me up."

"Quick everyone out of the universe now!"

 
Re: Max to PCS2 tutorial (Plus ideas how to make work simplier)
Thanks for your tutorial i used this a lot in the past.
What is Wong with me is that i still was not able to have correct turret in game.
I've reset the turret's xform before making hierarchy, aligned the helper+firepoints with :
1st : The base turret's pivot point
2nd:  turret's arm pivot point

In the two cases the firepoint are misaligned, either in pcs either in game  :(
Now what is special in this turret is : The base turret's pivot point and the arm's turret pivot point are not at the same place : that may cause that problem?
I made a plan to explain:
[
$Formula: ( every-time
   ( has-time-elapsed "0" )
   ( Do-Nothing
   )
   ( send-message
      "#Dalek"
      "High"
      "Pro-crasti-nate"
   )
   )
)
+Name: Procratination
+Repeat Count: 99999999999
+Interval: 1

 
Re: Max to PCS2 tutorial (Plus ideas how to make work simplier)
It's kinda hard to make out the diagram... how about  this?


As for arm pivots and turret pivots being in different locations, none of my turret's arms are centered.

Ok let me see if I got everything right... sounds like you did though

1. you placed the firepoints, firepoint and helper on the model.
2. aligned "helper" with the turret base's pivet point (in Max you can use Alt-A for quick align)
3. aligned "firepoints" to the turret's arm pivot point
4. placed the "firepoint"(s) to the turret barrel end(s)
5. linked everything correctly.

If the turret's firepoint(s) normal is pointing in the wrong direction, that's an easy fix.
That's cool and ....disturbing at the same time o_o  - Vasudan Admiral

"Don't play games with me. You just killed someone I like, that is not a safe place to stand. I'm the Doctor. And you're in the biggest library in the universe. Look me up."

"Quick everyone out of the universe now!"

 
Re: Max to PCS2 tutorial (Plus ideas how to make work simplier)
Ok my turret has the same configuration as yours that's perfect!
Quote
1. you placed the firepoints, firepoint and helper on the model.

Yes
Quote
2. aligned "helper" with the turret base's pivet point (in Max you can use Alt-A for quick align)
Quote
3. aligned "firepoints" to the turret's arm pivot point
Hmm i've alligned (with alt+a) helper and firepoints together with the turret base pivot and then as it did have misalignement  i then alligned them to the turret's arm
here is probably my mistake, so, if i understand well, the helper should be aligned with the turret base and the firepoints helper to the turret's arm?
because on the first post , it is written :
Quote
Duplicate this helper dummy and rename it to “firepoints”, don't move it
If this is the origin of the mistake, it would be a good thing to modify this point :)

Quote
5. linked everything correctly.

If the turret's firepoint(s) normal is pointing in the wrong direction, that's an easy fix.

yup no problem with that!

On a side note i know how to make multipart turret (naming and hierarchy etc...) but how about single part one?


« Last Edit: October 25, 2010, 04:49:33 am by Reprobator »
$Formula: ( every-time
   ( has-time-elapsed "0" )
   ( Do-Nothing
   )
   ( send-message
      "#Dalek"
      "High"
      "Pro-crasti-nate"
   )
   )
)
+Name: Procratination
+Repeat Count: 99999999999
+Interval: 1

 

Offline SeeNeYe

  • 25
Re: Max to PCS2 tutorial (Plus ideas how to make work simplier)
Quote
Duplicate this helper dummy and rename it to “firepoints”, don't move it

Maybe this is the right way to do it... only if your base and arms have their pivot points at the same place ?  :pimp:

Interesting explanations though.  :D
-----------------
The Thuth is a pathless land

 

Offline SeeNeYe

  • 25
Re: Max to PCS2 tutorial (Plus ideas how to make work simplier)
Quote
2. aligned "helper" with the turret base's pivet point (in Max you can use Alt-A for quick align)
3. aligned "firepoints" to the turret's arm pivot point

We fixed it this way but it doesn't seem to change anything, there is a huge gap between the turret barrel ends and the point where the fire is coming out...  :(
« Last Edit: October 25, 2010, 09:30:26 am by SeeNeYe »
-----------------
The Thuth is a pathless land

 

Offline SeeNeYe

  • 25
Re: Max to PCS2 tutorial (Plus ideas how to make work simplier)
I fixed the huge gap by correcting the normals of the "helper" and "firepoints" dummies. But, there is still a little gap which seems to correspond to the gap between the "helper" position (at the same place as the base pivot point) and the "firepoints" position (at the same place as the turret arm pivot point).

Any idea ?
-----------------
The Thuth is a pathless land