[xenthorious]

Originally posted by xenthorious


Getting the same error as deepblue.  Plug-in was not listed in plug-in manager.  Attempted to add it into plug-in manager.  Failed, same error.
Is there a DLL file you have, that maybe we do not?  Might as well be in your Windows directory.

BTW, I know this problem can not be entirely mine or user error.  The following link is a totorial to making models for the game Neverwinter Nights (which I may add, is a bit more powerful then FS2).  In this totorial, there is a FTP which provides plug-ins that work for 3DS Max 4 & 5.
These plug-ins are installed on my 3DS Max v5, and are loaded right now.  The totorial can be found here:
http://www.bricksbuilder.com/nwn/tutorials/placeables1/

This is a clip letting you folks know that indeed have there plug-ins loaded fine:
http://talimoor.game-host.org/clip.jpg

Here's the error I recieve when adding the plug-in from the plug-in manager:
http://talimoor.game-host.org/clip2.jpg

Here's the error I recieve when loading 3DS Max 5 while the plug-in is in the './plug-in' directory:
http://talimoor.game-host.org/clip3.jpg

I would really like to see my version of 3DS work for FS2Open modding.  It will be a disapointment beyound reasonable interest to see this not fixed.  Thanks much for your patiance.

[GT-Keravnos]

We all want to see this working, all of us.

Please be patient.

[xenthorious]

I'm sure he is.  It's just been about 1.5 fields of forum chat since the last notation of it not working, so I'm  =)

I read through each and every one.  I'm very impressed with the work.  I do not know if this would be helpful at all, but it seems the project lead has little experience with 3DS Max?  Might want to contact that group from the link I gave you above, asking for a bit of advice.  There pluggins work flawlessly.  They may be able to give you the edge that is needed.

[aldo_14]

Originally posted by xenthorious

I read through each and every one.  I'm very impressed with the work.  I do not know if this would be helpful at all, but it seems the project lead has little experience with 3DS Max?  Might want to contact that group from the link I gave you above, asking for a bit of advice.  There pluggins work flawlessly.  They may be able to give you the edge that is needed.

Who, Styxx?

He's got a ****load of experience with Max IIRc, he's just a generally very busy bloke

Got to be honest, I've not encountered your problem since using the the newest version of the plugins... so what is going wrong for you, I don't know.

[Sandwich]

Ok, in the interest of community bug-fixing, I was using the plugin with no problems at all, exporting to POF multiple times w/o crashes, on a model that I had not yet put any helpers in. Once I added a helper - BOOM. Crashes every 2nd time like clockwork.

Anyone care to confirm my observation?

[aldo_14]

Originally posted by Sandwich
Ok, in the interest of community bug-fixing, I was using the plugin with no problems at all, exporting to POF multiple times w/o crashes, on a model that I had not yet put any helpers in. Once I added a helper - BOOM. Crashes every 2nd time like clockwork.

Anyone care to confirm my observation?

i had a crash using the helpers for a path, but that may be because I misfolllowed the instructions (I can't load the example max scene for some reason, maybe version differences).

I've succesfully converted a model with helpers for the weapons banks, subsystems and thruster glows, however.  

Only thing is that the thruster glow is pushed back on the z-axis ingame... compared to its position on modelview. i.e. modelview shows the thruster glow where it should be (when converted), fs2_open seems to shove it back a substantial distance.  I don't think this will be a conversion problem, though.

[xenthorious]

Originally posted by aldo_14


Who, Styxx?

He's got a ****load of experience with Max IIRc, he's just a generally very busy bloke

Got to be honest, I've not encountered your problem since using the the newest version of the plugins... so what is going wrong for you, I don't know.

"You?"  Did ya not go through the forum, BLOKE!
No really, I'm not the only one having this problem. And as you can see from my links, it ain't my problem either.  One set of plug-ins doing a similiar thing should not work if it was.  This shows that a valued resource is not being retreived correctly, which I feel,  is the fault of the plug-in.  Was the video card a possible option?  I use an ATI card (which did have its difficulties with FS2SCP).

Oh well, I'm sure he'll figure it out sooner or later.  Just don't let him forget about us BLOKE!

[xenthorious]

Hey guys, I have a question for you.  I want to take one object and apply two different skins.  How do I do this?

For example, in the object I have here:
http://talimoor.game-host.org/sample01.jpg
The faces of which are highlighted in red, I desire one skin.

Now, in the second sample:
http://talimoor.game-host.org/sample02.jpg
I would like to apply a different skin.

I do not know what this process is called, and I do not know how to do this.  Could someone explain please?  Thanks a but load.  

[Bobboau]

well you should avoid doing this as much as posable, it slows down rendering, though if it's a capship you don't have much choice.

[aldo_14]

Originally posted by xenthorious


"You?"  Did ya not go through the forum, BLOKE!
No really, I'm not the only one having this problem. And as you can see from my links, it ain't my problem either.  One set of plug-ins doing a similiar thing should not work if it was.  This shows that a valued resource is not being retreived correctly, which I feel,  is the fault of the plug-in.  Was the video card a possible option?  I use an ATI card (which did have its difficulties with FS2SCP).
 

bloke?

Anyways, I don't think anyone who was using the newest version of the plugin suffered from the loading problem; that seemed to only occur in the first plugin version, at least for me & the initial sufferers.

I presume you definately have the newest plugin files?

Originally posted by xenthorious
Hey guys, I have a question for you.  I want to take one object and apply two different skins.  How do I do this?

For example, in the object I have here:
http://talimoor.game-host.org/sample01.jpg
The faces of which are highlighted in red, I desire one skin.

Now, in the second sample:
http://talimoor.game-host.org/sample02.jpg
I would like to apply a different skin.

I do not know what this process is called, and I do not know how to do this.  Could someone explain please?  Thanks a but load.  

Just drag the material from the materials editor over the highlighted sections.

NB: is it Uv-ed? You'll need to do that to have the texture show (in the modifiers choose 'edit mesh', select faces, drag over material (still in edit mesh), then 'uvmap object'.

[xenthorious]

Originally posted by aldo_14


Just drag the material from the materials editor over the highlighted sections.

NB: is it Uv-ed? You'll need to do that to have the texture show (in the modifiers choose 'edit mesh', select faces, drag over material (still in edit mesh), then 'uvmap object'.

I figured that was what I had to do, just don't think I did it in the right order.  I'll try in the order you gave me, see if that works.  Thanks a bunch.

As for the plug-in, I believe I have tried evey version of it.  Just to be on the safe side, I'll search it out and try it again.

Another question if I may; when making a model, what polygon count should I keep the model limmited down to?  Ah, also when making turrents, should the objects used to make the turrents fall under that same polygon count?  Sorry to bother and thanks for the information.

[xenthorious]

I got the two skins placed on the same object.  Thanks again for the information.

[xenthorious]

Originally posted by Styxx
New version, with Glow Point generation support. You'll still need to adjust the data on PCS, but it'll create the glow point groups and the actual glow points (eliminates the hassle of manually entering the position of each glow point).

http://www.3dap.com/hlp/staff/sticks/pofexp.zip

I'm accepting suggestions regarding how to define the normal of each point, and the on/off data. Right now it uses some presets and you have to edit them on PCS.

This is the most recent post which also contains a link via ftp to the most recent plug-in I can find.  It does not work.  To add, this post came before other posts (eg. deepblue's post) which indicate I am not the only one having this problem.  If there is another release of this plug-in and it's more recent, please provide a URL.  Thanks a bunch.

[aldo_14]

Originally posted by xenthorious


I figured that was what I had to do, just don't think I did it in the right order.  I'll try in the order you gave me, see if that works.  Thanks a bunch.

As for the plug-in, I believe I have tried evey version of it.  Just to be on the safe side, I'll search it out and try it again.

Another question if I may; when making a model, what polygon count should I keep the model limmited down to?  Ah, also when making turrents, should the objects used to make the turrents fall under that same polygon count?  Sorry to bother and thanks for the information.

Polycount should include all objects on that lod, so yep; include turrets&debris plus any other stuff.

The limits.... I'm not sure if there is a hardcoded limit with FS2_open.  FS2 retail had a limit of about 850 per subobject and I think about 5000 overall (all lods)

I'd recommend - for SCP;

Fighters / small ships; 1500-3500 LOD0, roughly halfing for each lod below that
Cruisers / small ships; 3500-5500 including turrets for LOD0, obviously can cut a lot of polys for lower lods with removal of turrets
Destroyers / Large ships; 4000-9000

These may be a bit high, though, especially for large ships.  Fighters tend to have a lot of polys if you model in a cockpit as I do, but this drops drastically on lower lods (which have no visible cockpit)..

[LOKO]

I got 3d max, I've downloaded the files but where do I install them too? sorry me = noob and trying to learn

[xenthorious]

Originally posted by LOKO
I got 3d max, I've downloaded the files but where do I install them too? sorry me = noob and trying to learn

Look in the 3dsmax directory there's one called plugin.  Install it there.

[Deepblue]

Originally posted by xenthorious


BTW, I know this problem can not be entirely mine or user error.  The following link is a totorial to making models for the game Neverwinter Nights (which I may add, is a bit more powerful then FS2).  In this totorial, there is a FTP which provides plug-ins that work for 3DS Max 4 & 5.
These plug-ins are installed on my 3DS Max v5, and are loaded right now.  The totorial can be found here:
http://www.bricksbuilder.com/nwn/tutorials/placeables1/

This is a clip letting you folks know that indeed have there plug-ins loaded fine:
http://talimoor.game-host.org/clip.jpg

Here's the error I recieve when adding the plug-in from the plug-in manager:
http://talimoor.game-host.org/clip2.jpg

Here's the error I recieve when loading 3DS Max 5 while the plug-in is in the './plug-in' directory:
http://talimoor.game-host.org/clip3.jpg

I would really like to see my version of 3DS work for FS2Open modding.  It will be a disapointment beyound reasonable interest to see this not fixed.  Thanks much for your patiance.

Yeah! Someone else with the same problem!

Fix it Styxx! Maybe you are using the wrong version of the SDK for us...

[Taristin]

*bump*



Any status on this project?

[Styxx]

Been too busy with job and coursework lately, but after the first week of January I'll have the time to start looking into it.

[Bobboau]

hey styxx, just so I know for future reference, if I/we were to make totaly diferent BSP geometry definitions is you program sutup in such a way as to allow you to make such channges easily?