Anyone have V16 and ResErect?

[ToaKaita47]

My friend and I are working on a project (have a look: http://www.hash.com/forums/index.php?showt...+Trek+Red+Squad ) and we are using two different programs. I use 3ds Max 2010, and he uses A:M v16. My question is this: has anyone used ResErect to export models between any version of Max and A:M v16, and if so, how well does it work?

 

Any help would be much appreciated

[robcat2075]

That's an old product. Does it even work with the current (v13 and later) A:M file format?

[serg2]

It works well.

But I have 3DSMAX v3.1 or 4 & ResErect 1.04.

 

From any version of the AM can be exported to AV2 format and loaded into the 3DSMAX v3.1 or 4.

After saving the spline(patch) model in an earlier version 3DSMAX, you can open it in a any later version 3DSMAX

[ToaKaita47]

Thats good info to know, thanks!

[pixelplucker]

Why do you need Max? 3.1 and 4 are pretty old. I think AM is much easier to animate in and has more predictable results. Rendering in AM is much much much faster especially if you have any raytracing.

 

Where do you get ResErect from?

[Darkwing]

He already has Max 2011, he has for some time. He's been a Max user as long as I've known him. The main thing is that I'm AM and he's Max and so we always have to completely separate tasks. Ironically, I'm a modeler, he's the animator so anything I model, he can't animate. He did have AM last year though Right now for Red Squad this works, but it's limiting for future (and past) attempted projects. Basically, one day, one of us is gonna have to learn something new

[pixelplucker]

Ahh thought he was still using 3.1 or 4. Newest Max is supposed to be pretty nice though personally I would rather deal with Hash than fine compassionate, caring selfless people at Autodesk. (note the sarcasm)

 

You should be able to export the Hash files out to obj and bring those into Max. Not sure what the import filters are for Max now but if you have options, make sure your not merging groups when you need them separate. The older versions of Max used a 3rd party importer that had loads of quirks. Max at that time also had limits on multi material single mesh objects and was best to keep objects relative to material groups. Not sure if that has changed.

 

Ultimate Unwrap might be a good solution to do any tweaking and has a Max plug-in. This should allow you to bring your AM obj files into that then over to Max nice and clean.

[Darkwing]

Well the main problem we've always found with exporting from AM, is that the mesh just doesn't look right once imported. Plus it doesn't keep textures :/

[Fuchur]

Well the main problem we've always found with exporting from AM, is that the mesh just doesn't look right once imported. Plus it doesn't keep textures :/

 

Can Max import directX? with that it should not be that troublesome...

or Unwrap3d of course...

 

I cant see why someone would like to animate with Max instead of A:M.... modeling maybe if you are more into box-modelling, but animating?

That is so much easier and fluid in A:M... (at least when I last checked Max in version 7 it was quite unpleasent...)

 

Anyway: Have a look at my FBX-Pipeline (see signature) too... that one could help you guys too.

 

See you

*Fuchur*

[Darkwing]

I thought with DirectX that you needed to have a directX graphic card or something? I remember once hearing about it and wanting to try it, but I'm pretty sure due to my nVidia card, it couldn't been done. I don't remember, was a long time ago, as long as it works on Mac

 

Also I'll check out your FBX thing later. Course I probably need Animation: Master, wouldn't I?

[serg2]

Well the main problem we've always found with exporting from AM, is that the mesh just doesn't look right once imported. Plus it doesn't keep textures :/

 

 

1) Nice features ResErect plugin are that in 3dsmax imported SPLINE/PATCH model with texture.

2) Imports in 3dsmax needed not for the animation, but for use different renderers - VRAY, MentalRay, Maxwell, FinalRender, Brazil, Renderman .... and many many others renders.

3) Unfortunately *.X files do not transfer the animation points (CP). This problem was partially solves the MDD export.

I would like to have an integrated option to export animations (bones + CP's + FX)

[Fuchur]

Unfortunately *.X files do not transfer the animation points (CP). This problem was partially solves the MDD export.

I would like to have an integrated option to export animations (bones + CP's + FX)

 

That would be Collada or FBX-fileformat at its best. But unfortunally you cant do that with A:Ms exporters right now. (especially FX is very challenging there.)

 

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

 

DirectX-fileformat has nothing to do with your graphiccard. (and I dont think that there is any graphiccard not using that... nvidia or ATI both give you the option, but on Mac the hardwareacceleartion is based on OpenGL... anyway, the fileformat should be working no matter what.

 

It is just another way to save geometry and animation-data. For rendering purposes, the Soulcage-Department uses another way so: They use OBJ-exports with the MDD-export-plugin to get the geometry and the animation into Modo (which has a nice renderer too).

 

Hopefully some of these informations will help you...

 

See you

*Fuchur*

[pixelplucker]

Obj files exported from AM should keep the textures, I'm pretty sure they do. You may have to re-assign them within the target application but the uv data is all there. If you don't have them then there may be a problem with the importer you are using.

 

Obj files also preserve quads except in the case of 5 point patches.

 

I have ported models from AM to Hexagon, Amapi pro and 3d coat with very few if any issues.

 

 

Is ResErect a stand alone program or a plug-in?

[Darkwing]

I suppose I should make a specification. Group attributes will translate over, decals will not. Even when I look in the separate file where the texture data is stored, it never seems to include the decal information even when exporting I set it to do so.

[robcat2075]

I suppose I should make a specification. Group attributes will translate over, decals will not. Even when I look in the separate file where the texture data is stored, it never seems to include the decal information even when exporting I set it to do so.

 

is that reported as a bug? It worked at one time didn't it?

 

Can anyone export an OBJ that include successfully carries its decals to the next app?

[Darkwing]

I always just figured it was one of the symptoms of the spline to poly barrier. Never actually thought to report it before Now I'm having stuff I want to test. I must get on purchasing AM again...

[serg2]

Is ResErect a stand alone program or a plug-in?

 

ResErect this plug-in for editing spline (patch) surfaces for 3DSMax.

Allows you to upload into 3DSMax spline (patch) model of the AM

[pixelplucker]

I suppose I should make a specification. Group attributes will translate over, decals will not. Even when I look in the separate file where the texture data is stored, it never seems to include the decal information even when exporting I set it to do so.

 

is that reported as a bug? It worked at one time didn't it?

 

Can anyone export an OBJ that include successfully carries its decals to the next app?

 

Made a sphere in AM, applied a grid to it in spherical projection and exported an obj. The obj doesn't call up the texture when opened in other programs but the uv data is still there. I had to just browse for the bitmap and scale my uv's to the region. Probably a fault with the exporter.

 

I am using the older one in 15j. If someone wants to test the exporter in the newer version it might be fine.

sphere.zip

[Darkwing]

What about a complex model? I'm kind of curious about the shaping.

[pixelplucker]

Complexity shouldn't matter, what is important is the uv's are still there.

 

You can post a test if you like. Do one with the normal export and one with the textures baked.

[Darkwing]

I'm still lacking AM at the moment. Its on my list of things to do though when I get it again

[Darkwing]

Ken, if you could be so kind, see if you can import this and get it's textures as well? Chris K has tried but all he can get is the model and no textures.

Midnight.zip

[Fuchur]

Just to show you guys what RectErect is:

Link

 

See you

*Fuchur*

[Paul Forwood]

Try copying your texture maps into the same folder as the obj file and see if that works.

[Willi]

hi,

 

if you are only doing modelling in max and your partner is doing only the animation part in a:m, you can provide the model as obj for the animation part.

all the modelling and texturing will be in max.

in a:m he could do all the rigging/setup/poses/etc stuff on the obj and then animating. later he could do an mdd export of the animation, and apply the mdd in max to the model.

as i know there is no native mdd importer in max (only pc2), so you have to buy a little plugin (ef9 point oven), or convert the mdd to pc2. maybe there are some free converters out there.

this workflow we use already for production here at our studio, and works ok. but if you remodel things in a:m to the imported obj, mdd export may not work anymore, because mdd is saving the vertex-informations of the model (frame by frame).

[Elm]

Remember:

After importing the model from Max into A:M, you FIRST have to export it again as an obj to Max, and use THIS obj for texturing and further processes in max, as the (later) exported mdds from A:M only work with the obj that has been exported from A:M.