[RazorsKiss]

First, does anyone have a model they are willing to let me see, in a 3dsmax format, that shows how the hierarchy system works, that also is known to work correctly with  the .pof exporter? 

I've been trying to puzzle out how, exactly, the hierarchy system works, in max, and I've always been best at reverse engineering. 

Secondly, I'm working with models converted from another format, complete with textures.  I'd like those textures to be redone, later on, but I'd like to put a temporary texture on them, in the meantime.  Just a single color - doesn't matter which.   If the models already have texturing information with them, how would I go about removing it, and changing it to a single, uniform texture?  (I'd rather leave the texturing to someone that knows what they're doing...)

Thirdly, in 3dsmax, what would be the best tool/combination of tools to create the triangulated shield mesh, untextured, as is required? 

If you need to see screenshots, or etc, I'm more than willing to show you whatever you need to see.  I'm using Max 7 - and still very much learning it.

Thank you very much for your help.

[Turey]

First, does anyone have a model they are willing to let me see, in a 3dsmax format, that shows how the hierarchy system works, that also is known to work correctly with  the .pof exporter?

.pof exporter should come with one. It did for me.

Thirdly, in 3dsmax, what would be the best tool/combination of tools to create the triangulated shield mesh, untextured, as is required? 

I've been unable to get shields to work. They tend to cause errors for me. What I've done is find a ship with a similar shape, imported them to my un-shielded model, and use Modelview to scale and deform the shield until it looks good.

[RazorsKiss]

Ok.

I took that model you mentioned out, and opened it in max.

Here's what I see, including the hierarchy.



Are the subsystem boxes supposed to be separated from the model body like that? 

(I removed the shields, incidentally)

So, basically, the model itself is a single mesh, and you do all the rest separately, as shown?  Or is that wrong?

[DaBrain]

You have to collaps all modifiers and convert the models to poly.

I might already work after that. Well... not sure about the "$Communications" thing... To be honest, I can't remember what the light green meens? Maybe grouping?

[Vengence]

About the shield, all I do is create GEOSPHERE and morph it to cover the model. Geospheres are basicly triangles or other geometry connected to form a sphere  .

Hierarchy... I only know a few things:

detail-0 is the mother of all other details. All other detail-# are linked to it. Each LOD (detail-#) has its own turret LOD. Debris are NOT linked at all. I don't remember if the firepoints of fighters need to be linked to the main body.

I may have a model for you. But its loaded with textures.

[RazorsKiss]

You have to collaps all modifiers and convert the models to poly.

I might already work after that. Well... not sure about the "$Communications" thing... To be honest, I can't remember what the light green meens? Maybe grouping?

Well, that's the example model that comes with the pof exporter plugin of Styxx's.  Not mine.  Really, though, I was speaking more of how the various subsystems boxes are *not* even in the model/hitbox boundaries at all. 

About the shield, all I do is create GEOSPHERE and morph it to cover the model. Geospheres are basicly triangles or other geometry connected to form a sphere  .

*Nods*

That was how it was in the example.

Hierarchy... I only know a few things:

detail-0 is the mother of all other details. All other detail-# are linked to it. Each LOD (detail-#) has its own turret LOD. Debris are NOT linked at all. I don't remember if the firepoints of fighters need to be linked to the main body.

I may have a model for you. But its loaded with textures.

*nods again*

Hey, as long as it's one that'll convert, I can reverse engineer it.

Thanks   I'm still wondering if anyone can shed some light on how the texturing/uvmap tools work, exactly, in max - anyone up to explaining a bit of it?

[RazorsKiss]

Ok, I have hierarchy figured out (I think).

Problem now is that the textures, although it lets it export, do not show up.

I have all of the subsystems showing up, firepoints, gunbanks, etc, etc.

I may have some issues with the thruster pointed the wrong way, but we'll see how that works later.

In max, what is the best way to just make a model a single, monochromatic color, and get it seen by modelview/fs2?

[Vengence]

Actually I think the tex problem is actually because Modelviewer only looks inside the VP files. ModelView KNOWS it has textures, it just can't find them. If you put the textures in the right folders they will look fine ingame.

[Turey]

Actually I think the tex problem is actually because Modelviewer only looks inside the VP files. ModelView KNOWS it has textures, it just can't find them. If you put the textures in the right folders they will look fine ingame.

no, it's because it only looks in the default freespace2 folder and its VPs, not the subfolders and their VPs. This can be changed by changing the FreeSpace 2 directory in the options.

[Vengence]

I said ingame, didn't I? I still get that no texture thing in ModelView so I just ignore that, rig the ship, and put it ingame and behold: the textures are on the ship.

[RazorsKiss]

Vengence - could I get a look at that model?

[Kieve]

!.! I should've looked at this before. I have max 5, but this answers a lot of questions, primarily on naming conventions. Hooray for knowledge. [It fills me. It is neat.]

So I popped the example file open and had a look m'self - Between the meshes and the hiearchies, I get [most] of it... but could someone elaborate a bit on the "dummy" boxes? I see they're filed under a "glow-0" device... but their positioning has me confused. Is that "glow" spawned from a shield hit, or just a lightsource? (If "just lightsource", I don't get why it's positioned where it is... "gunbank-0" firing glow?)

...so much left to learn have I.

[Vengence]

Vengence - could I get a look at that model?

Sure. Just don't put it in a mod. My creations are for MY mod.

Edit: Its going into your e-mail.

[RazorsKiss]

Not a problem.  We've already got dozens of models to use for ours, and we aren't planning on using anything but Tach's ships.  I just want to look at how y'all do the heirarchies

Thank you much!

[diamondgeezer]

OH FFS

[RazorsKiss]

OH FFS

Wha?

[Taristin]

Ignore him until he's sober...

[aldo_14]

Tsch.  And there was me missing the clever dry wit of DG........

[RazorsKiss]

Ok, after some time messing with the models:

I CAN get them grouped out, and working for the exporter.  I think



That look about right?

Note that I haven't done LODs, docking points/paths or debris yet.

I'll get to that in a minute.

Here's some texturing questions:

1. If it has textures already applied, in the initial model I import, how do I *remove* all textures, as well as their UVmap, in 3dsmax7?

2. Once I remove them, is it still ok to put that model into lithunwrap, or will that trash my grouping setup?  I have someone else doing texturing, because I think I suck at it    I am NOT an artist, by any means.

EDIT: OR, would it be better to open a *pof* in lithunwrap, and do it that way?

3. When I do debris, LODs - do they go onto the same texture map, or do they need their own?

Here's some modeling questions:

1. Can someone step me through the process they use to create debris?  (I'm needing pretty basic info, I think.  I can't figure it out.)

2. When you create LODs (I actually HAVE several LODs of every ship, I just need to import them), they each have their own texture, correct?

Just a few Q's to start me again.  Thank you, very much, for your answers.  Remember, I'm not the greatest modeler - in fact, I'm practically a newbie - so please... be gentle?

[Roanoke]

debris is just chunks of your ship. Haven't done much myself but the cut tool should be just the ticket.