Hard Light Productions Forums
Off-Topic Discussion => General Discussion => Topic started by: JBX-Phoenix on October 17, 2001, 07:53:00 pm
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Does anyone know the differences between GMax and 3D Studio Max? Might be a bad question, but the screen shot look different and so I thought there would be different features and all. I'm also interested to see if it's easier. I'm downloading it now.
BTW,
How many people actually bought 3D Stdio Max 4 or 5 or whatever for the full price?
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Ich kann nicht eine Sache des Deutschen sprechen!!
ICQ: 123370135
Lead designer of the new campaign
Freespace: Earthforce (//"http://www.maxpages.com/fsearthforce")
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nobody I'd guess... who could aford 1000$ (it's even more in fact, but I don't even dare checking the price, the old 3ds3 was the most expensive anyway)
Gmax, seems to be oriented more toward game production, so I suppose they got read of all the complex rendering stuffs, the video post and volumetric effects, combustions and all that kind of things. Better check tho.
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GMax is mainly for making mods. I may give it a try just for kicks...
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"You know you've played Freespace too much when you're driving along trying to use countermeasures to shake off pursuing highway police." - Top Gun
Material Defender Studios ("http://www.mdstudios.f2s.com/index.html")
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Looks great to me. I haven't been able to use a real 3d-modeling proggy for a while, this looks like it could be the ticket...
but my last attempt to download was coming in at about 600 BYTES a second. I'll try again later.
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lol i hate it when that happens.
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Originally posted by JBX-Phoenix:
BTW,
How many people actually bought 3D Stdio Max 4 or 5 or whatever for the full price?
What do you think? Heheheehe (http://dynamic.gamespy.com/~freespace/ubb/noncgi/biggrin.gif)
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GTD Excellence ("http://freespace.volitionwatch.com/excellence") Webmaster
< [b][email protected][/b] >
"The first step in avoiding a trap, is knowing of its existence"
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Originally posted by NeoHunter:
What do you think? Heheheehe (http://dynamic.gamespy.com/~freespace/ubb/noncgi/biggrin.gif)
Found mine at a flea market for 50 bucks (http://dynamic.gamespy.com/~freespace/ubb/noncgi/biggrin.gif)
Its probably hot..
Oh well, not my problem anymore...
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Has anyone actually tried Gmax yet? Do max plugins work in it? Things likt the D3 exporter, etc?
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And how does it render?
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Gmax is a cut down version of 3dsmax.
They cut out ALL the rendering, most of the materials editor/shadetree and some of the more complex animation systems.
Basically what you have is a fully customisable 3D application designed specifically for in-engine game design.
I saw discreet demoing a version called..err...something that was done for quake3. You can create flash-based control panels for in game entities so it becomes easier to use and easier for you to create a moddable game because you wont have to code your own SDK.
GMax is fully compatible with 3DSMAX insofar as they share the same architecture. 3dsmax obviously wont natively open proprietry game 3D files (still no POF? time to grill volition over a Gmax sdk? anyone?)
On the other (rendering) side..anyone played with Final Render yet?
Oh..and i found out a softimage XSI 2.0 student license will only be £300 (http://dynamic.gamespy.com/~freespace/ubb/noncgi/biggrin.gif) yippee!
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AARGGH!!
My Normals' Flipped!!
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Originally posted by wEvil:
Gmax is a cut down version of 3dsmax.
They cut out ALL the rendering, most of the materials editor/shadetree and some of the more complex animation systems.
Basically what you have is a fully customisable 3D application designed specifically for in-engine game design.
I saw discreet demoing a version called..err...something that was done for quake3. You can create flash-based control panels for in game entities so it becomes easier to use and easier for you to create a moddable game because you wont have to code your own SDK.
GMax is fully compatible with 3DSMAX insofar as they share the same architecture. 3dsmax obviously wont natively open proprietry game 3D files (still no POF? time to grill volition over a Gmax sdk? anyone?)
On the other (rendering) side..anyone played with Final Render yet?
Oh..and i found out a softimage XSI 2.0 student license will only be £300 (http://dynamic.gamespy.com/~freespace/ubb/noncgi/biggrin.gif) yippee!
well, sounds perfect to me (http://dynamic.gamespy.com/~freespace/ubb/noncgi/smile.gif) everybody: go get it (http://dynamic.gamespy.com/~freespace/ubb/noncgi/smile.gif)
oh, about that Max2pof converter... oh well, this subjevt just pisses me off. Damnit they released the one for Red Faction, but for Freespace, no way (http://dynamic.gamespy.com/~freespace/ubb/noncgi/mad.gif)!!!
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Don't worry, there will be one. I know someone is working on it...
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"You know you've played Freespace too much when you're driving along trying to use countermeasures to shake off pursuing highway police." - Top Gun
Material Defender Studios ("http://www.mdstudios.f2s.com/index.html")
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I'm not too optimistic about GMAX, discreet originally claimed it was going to be the be all end all modelling tool for modders. Then they started adding the moneymaking clause.
A game will only have GMAX compatibility if the company shells out for a licence to make plugins for it, with production costs being what they are I'm sure most companies will be slow to consider adding GMAX compatibility. I was also told that GMAX won't actually work unless you have plugins from a compatible game, I'm not sure if that is accurate but it would mean that you can't simply load the proggie and build a model.
I'm still waiting to get the modding community's verdict but I'm not holding my breath.
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Originally posted by Maeglamor:
I'm not too optimistic about GMAX, discreet originally claimed it was going to be the be all end all modelling tool for modders. Then they started adding the moneymaking clause.
A game will only have GMAX compatibility if the company shells out for a licence to make plugins for it, with production costs being what they are I'm sure most companies will be slow to consider adding GMAX compatibility. I was also told that GMAX won't actually work unless you have plugins from a compatible game, I'm not sure if that is accurate but it would mean that you can't simply load the proggie and build a model.
I'm still waiting to get the modding community's verdict but I'm not holding my breath.
So you couldn't build, say, a 3ds model and do your stuff in 3dEx?
Damn.... and I just started DL-ing this.
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Originally posted by aldo_14:
So you couldn't build, say, a 3ds model and do your stuff in 3dEx?
Damn.... and I just started DL-ing this.
Don't jump the gun yet, as I said I was told this and I'm not sure if it's accurate.
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Gmax is okay, I just finished downloading it. But we really need plugins. You can ONLY save in .gmax form and ONLY load .gmax files.
And the tool layout isn't the best either.
[This message has been edited by JBX-Phoenix (edited 10-18-2001).]
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Originally posted by Maeglamor:
Don't jump the gun yet, as I said I was told this and I'm not sure if it's accurate.
Well, I checked the Discreet site, and only GMax Dev exports 3ds - that is,of course, the one you pay for (http://dynamic.gamespy.com/~freespace/ubb/noncgi/frown.gif) (http://dynamic.gamespy.com/~freespace/ubb/noncgi/mad.gif)
Could export to Quake 3 format and convert with 3d Ex of course, but I don't think it's worth the effort.
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Urrr, just found this at the Lancers reactor:
GMAX info ("http://www.lancersreactor.com/t/forum/topic.asp?topic_id=3251&forum_id=7&Topic_Title=G+MAX+3d+editor&forum_title=Editing+Forum&cat_title=Starlancer&M=False")
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Adam P replies about GMax support for Red Faction.
http://vbb.volition-inc.com/ubb/Forum10/HTML/000651.html ("http://vbb.volition-inc.com/ubb/Forum10/HTML/000651.html")
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Wel what would you expect?
3dsmax is a world-class product at a very reasonable price considering its extensibility and the R&D that has to be put into creating something that complex. Any of you that understand the basic tenets of 3D scene description will sympathise with this.
So quit moanin' - its still a great tool and no doubt 3D exploration will start support the .gmax format (http://dynamic.gamespy.com/~freespace/ubb/noncgi/smile.gif)
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AARGGH!!
My Normals' Flipped!!
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Doubtful...I think they would need legal permissions that I'm not optimistic they'll get.
Still, it looks like it could be a very useful utility for future game mods.
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Originally posted by Anduril:
Doubtful...I think they would need legal permissions that I'm not optimistic they'll get.
Still, it looks like it could be a very useful utility for future game mods.
they'd need permissions only if they use discreet code.
[This message has been edited by venom2506 (edited 10-19-2001).]
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Here's the link, in case anyone's interested.
http://www.discreet.com/products/gmax/ ("http://www.discreet.com/products/gmax/")
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Originally posted by wEvil:
Wel what would you expect?
3dsmax is a world-class product at a very reasonable price considering its extensibility and the R&D that has to be put into creating something that complex. Any of you that understand the basic tenets of 3D scene description will sympathise with this.
So quit moanin' - its still a great tool and no doubt 3D exploration will start support the .gmax format (http://dynamic.gamespy.com/~freespace/ubb/noncgi/smile.gif)
Discreet claimed (a few months back) one of the fundamental reasons for releasing GMAX was to give modders a tool so they would be less inclined to get a pirate copy of 3DSmax.
Lets face it, the number of people getting a pirate copy of 3DSmax for modding is far higher than those who want it for rendering. People who want to get into rendering and non game 3D work generally buy a legit copy of the program.
Modders make models for games, games are supposed to be fun so if you have to pay a couple of grand for a tool that you want to use as a hobby then you're more likely to want to pirate it. Discreet seem to have shot themselves in the foot with GMAX, they obviously sniffed the fact that they could make money from it and forgot one of the top reasons they were making it. Frankly I'm going to wait for a pirated copy of the DEV version to come along before I move from 3DSmax.
BTW I know there are strong cases for why pirating is bad but when I first got into model building for games I had aspirations to perhaps do it as a job. 3DSmax is industry standard software and if you can use it effectively you're going to have far better employment prospects than someone who's been using blender and needs to be retrained.
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I wouldnt even be in 3D if it wasnt easy to "pirate" stuff.
Damn..what a god awful misleading term that is. RIght out of the RIAAs' little box of tricks no?
SO...i sit there on my raft, and watch a ship chock full of poor defenceless little programs chugging along in front of me...then i grab my eye patch and sword and gun, jump on board, kill the crew, rape the women and make off with the software?
Does that sound even REMOTELY realistic?
Software Sharing is a much more correct term to use because its not straight from a money-grabbing fat arsed corporate.
SOFTWARE SHARING is not bad - actually its the best possible marketing tool available to any company selling any software.
If you hear any idiots referring to software sharing as pirating i suggest you take similar measures to re-educate them from their sadly misinformed, corporate spoon-fed state.
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AARGGH!!
My Normals' Flipped!!
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It seems a massive wasted opportunity..... they had a great idea, and tarnished it by being greedy.
I mean, the only people that only use Max for modelling are modders... most professionals can not only afford iot, but also do rendering projects, etc. Could V had used GMAx - no! they had to make animations/ movies.
This whole GMax thing seems a bit cynical to me...
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Howabout this scenario? Autodesk decides to pay Discreet a bit and allow free .3ds export, because then Joe Gamer could do his modding work without pirating their software. Saving them money.
Makes sense to me, although I'm not confident that they'll think of it... Email campaign anyone? (http://dynamic.gamespy.com/~freespace/ubb/noncgi/wink.gif)
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Originally posted by wEvil:
SO...i sit there on my raft, and watch a ship chock full of poor defenceless little programs chugging along in front of me...then i grab my eye patch and sword and gun, jump on board, kill the crew, rape the women and make off with the software?
Does that sound even REMOTELY realistic?
Arrrr, that it does matey!!
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Snack samurai sandwiches!! We slice 'em, we dice 'em, you eat 'em!!
(may contain traces of body parts)
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I'm going to watch the communities as more game support is added. Quake, for example...
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<--Spoon-fed corporate goon, thank you very much. Wait till someone steals your creative works, maybe you'll understand how software developers feel. It costs a great deal of money to make this stuff. If you don't want to pay for it, use the open source stuff, that's why it's there.
Software Piracy laws have been around for a LONG time.
And it's still illegal. Justify it all you want, just don't get caught, or, you'll be out more than the cost of the software...
The point of the thread: Too bad GMax isn't what it was supposed to be, I remmeber trading emails with these guys to be in the beta program, then work took me in another direction. Live and learn. Maybe they will add some more support for more formats.
[This message has been edited by Inquisitor (edited 10-20-2001).]
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Originally posted by Inquisitor:
And it's still illegal. Justify it all you want, just don't get caught, or, you'll be out more than the cost of the software...
Just a quick note, this is HLP guys, you can discuss the moral implications of warez if you wish but not where to get them, how to use them or anything else nonlegit.
I'm not being paranoid, I've seen sites get warned and in one case almost shut down due to people discussing warez on it, keep it above board and if you really want to get warez at all discuss it on ICQ.
BTW you can get a longer jail sentence in the UK for trading warez than you get for selling ecstasy so unless you can deal with jail time don't do it!
[This message has been edited by Maeglamor (edited 10-20-2001).]