Documentation: 3DS Max Toolshttps://w3dhub.com/forum/documentation/tools/3dsmax/?d=1Documentation: 3DS Max ToolsenW3D Material Interfacehttps://w3dhub.com/forum/documentation/tools/3dsmax/w3d-material-interface-r29/ W3D Material Interface

Accessing the W3D Materials

To apply maps or add a material to the geometry in your scene, you need to use a special kind of material, used specifically for W3D and found in the material map browser. You can access this material by opening up the material editor (shortcut: M) and selecting a new swatch and clicking on the button labelled"standard" by default. This will pop open the material / map browser of which you can then select the following material.

image.png

 

This is the W3D Material editor Interface,

image.png

It contains 3 Roll outs It's where you will load your textures and adjust properties of the material. Here is a breakdown of the following elements:

  • Material Surface type:
  • Material Pass Count:
  • Pass Rollout:

 

Material Surface Type:

The Material Surface type is used in conjunction with an "ini" file which determines which events will occur when objects or projectiles collide with the surface your applying it to. Events vary and may contain any of the following: Decals, emitters, sounds, geometry and animaitons. Heres an example example of an effect of "wood" surface type applied to a box object: A bullet shoots at a wooden crate. The bullet collides with the box, leaving a decal of a bullet hole, an emitter that spits out a few splinters and a sound of a bullet hitting wood occur at the same time. This helps to make the occurence more convincing to the player.
Use the drop down list to select the type of surface that best fits the physical characteristics of the object your applying it to.

Light Metal:

A thin metal, used for metal that may become deformed slightly when hit, e.g. light armor cars and vehicles.

Heavy Metal:

A thick metal, used for metal that doesn't get penetrated easily or not at all. e.g. Heavy armor tank.

Water:

A liquid, used for creating splash effects when hit. e.g. A lake.

Sand:

Sand, e.g. A beach

Dirt:

A ground type of surface, e.g A dirt road.

Mud:

A muddy surface: used for creating that splashy mud effect. e.g. a mud puddle.

Grass:

A grassy surface: e.g. a grassy plain

Wood:

A wooden type of surface: e.g. a wooden crate.

Concrete:

A concrete surface: e.g. A sidewalk or bricks.

Flesh:

A fleshy surface, for use with most mammals, e.g. A human character.

Rock:

A rock type of surface. impenatrable and very hard. e.g. a large boulder.

Snow:

A snow type of surface: e.g. snow covered mountains.

Ice:

An icyy type of surface: e.g. A thin sheet of Ice on a frozen lake.

Default:

This is used if you want no collision effects.

Glass:

A Glass type of surface, e.g. a window.

Tiberium Field:

A Tiberium field type of surface: (for use with command and conquer associated games), e.g. a tiberium field.

Foliage Permeable:

A plant line permeable surface, (permeable meaning you can put a hole in it) e.g. A bush

Glass Permeable:

A glass permeable surface, (permeable meaning you can put a hole in it) e.g. shatterproof glass.

Ice Permeable:

An Ice permeable surface, (permeable meaning you can put a hole in it) e.g. Thick lake Ice.

Cloth Permeable:

A cloth permeable surface, (permeable meaning you can put a hole in it) e.g. A blanket hanging on a clothesline.

Electrical:

An Electrical surface, used for surfaces that give off a little electric shock when struck. e.g. a transformer.

Electrical Permeable:

An Electrical Permeable surface, used for surfaces that electrify when struck. e.g. A television or toaster.

Flammable:

A Flammable surface, used for surfaces that become on fire when flame hits them. e.g. A trail of gas.

Flammable Permeable:

A Flammable Permeable surface, used for surfaces that burn when caught on fire. e.g. Office papers.

Steam:

A steam type of surface. e.g. smoke rising from a chimney.

Steam Permeable:

The surface to use when steam can come out of it. e.g. Steam pipes.

 

Static Sorting Level:

Tells the game engine not to sort those polygons. The value you enter into the spinner next to it defines which bactch to render them in.

 

Material Pass Count:

Lets you set the number of passes that your material will use.

 

 Pass:

A single pass is basically the layer which contains the mapper info, texture map, color, ect. A second pass is a second map layer you have the option of adding. E.g: If you have a glass texture with a transparancy value to it on the first pass, you can assign a second pass with a reflection map. The outcome would create a more realistic glass window, however, Using multiple passes comes at a price as it can be costly on the game engines. You have a maximum of 4 passes you can perform. 
NOTE: Due to a limitation in our run-time engine, all materials used in a single mesh must have the same number of passes. -If you need to use materials with different numbers of passes, you will have to split the polygons into two separate meshes.
The pass rollout is broken down into 4 tabs:

Vertex Material:

Lets you set the material (mapper) properties.

W3D Shader

The original W3D Shader.

Textures

Allows you to select various bitmaps and set their properties.

 

]]>29Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000W3D Materials: Vertex Materialhttps://w3dhub.com/forum/documentation/tools/3dsmax/w3d-materials-vertex-material-r30/ Vertex Material:

vertex_mat.gif

 

This is the Standard material or texture for the geometry in your scene. It's important to realize that many items in here are co-dependant on each other, some things only work when others are enabled and to best get acquainted with it, experiment around to find the most useful combinations.

 

The "Args:" (Arguments) window allows you to enter in specific information that you'd want the mapper to do. When you see the Arguments listed in here for each type, do not include the "( )" parenthesis in your actual argument and the types are as follows:
(float) - any real number, ex: 1.8
(int) - any integer, e.g:: -.5
(bool) - either TRUE or FALSE

Ambient:

Ambient color is the color of the object's shaded portion.   Diffuse: The diffuse color is the color that the object reflects when illuminated by lighting, the base color of the object.  

Specular:

Disabled  

Emissive:

Acts as the base of the alpha levels in a map, however, It wont be effected by light, similar to a self illumination shader in max.
note_sm.gifNOTE: For in-game vertice coloring;
If emissive is any color other than black, ambient and diffuse have to be black.
If emissive is black, ambient and diffuse may be any color, but the colors must be the same color.  

Opacity:

Sets the opacity of the mesh, 1 = 100% opaque, and 0 = completely transparent.
NOTE: Doesn't work with the shader blending mode "opaque". Also note; when used in conjunction with the "alpha test" shader blending mode, the texture map you choose must have an alpha channel in it, for this to display correctly.  

Translucency:

Disabled  

Shininess:

Disabled: Controls the tightness of the specular highlights.  

Specular to Diffuse:

Obsolete   Stage 0 Mapping: This area is where you select the way the mesh will display in its environment. Refer to the Shader tab (blend area) to adjust more properties and to load a bitmap.

ball_mapper.gifA note about mappers:

When creating a Texture map for use with any type except "UV", you must flip your map vertically so that it will appear upside down in order for it to work correctly.

Stage 0 Mapping types:

Also known as "Mappers", Blending modes for the mesh in it's environment. UV:
f_uv.jpg For use with UV Mapping coordinates Environment:
f_env.jpg Uses the normals to look up the environment map. Hotspot of light always comes from top right no matter which direction the object or camera is facing.
Artist Notes: It has a couple downsides. It doesn't show the graduation of light across a flat surface as well as a World Space environmental and when used in conjunction with camera tracking the object, it wont appear to be as real because the light source remains constant. Classic Environment:
f_clasenv.jpg Similar to Environment; uses the reflection to look up the environment map, overall object has more contrast, (better for simulating metallic objects) Screen:
f_screen.jpg

Takes the screen coordinate and uses that as the UV coordinate, this makes the map always facing the camera.

Args:
UScale=(float) e.g: 3.0
VScale=(float) e.g: 0.5
UPerSec=(float) e.g: -0.1
VPerSec=(float) e.g: 1.0

Linear Offset:
f_linoff.jpg Same mapping type as "UV" except it allows you to make the texture scroll across the map at a speed specified in the arguments box. The Scrolling speed works on 1 unit per second basis. U is for horizontal, positive values move it left while (-) negative values move it right (based on UV mapping coordinates).   V is for vertical, positive values move it down while (-) negative values move it up(based on UV mapping coordinates) .

Args:
UPerSec=(float) e.g: -0.3
VPerSec=(float) e.g: 5.0 Silhouette:
f_obs.jpg Obsolete, not supported Scale: NEW
f_scale.jpg Scales the UV coordinates, useful for detail mapping.

Args:
UScale=(float) e.g: 3.0
VScale=(float) e.g: 0.5 Grid: NEW
f_grid.jpg

(e.g. Of a Grid Map)
f_gridmap.jpg

For use with a "Grid Bitmap" Similar to how the "Frame / UCoordinate" works in the emitter system; A grid bitmap is divided into individual frames that the computer reads as a grid, left to right, top to bottom, one frame at a time and displays each section of the grid as a single frame, then the next frame then so on, until it cycles through back to the beginning. This effect creates an animated map. You can Adjust the speed of your map in frames per second (FPS).

Args:
FPS=(float) e.g: 29.5
Log2Width=(int) e.g: 2

Grid Map creation parameters: (for use with all "grid" type maps.)
1 = 2 X 2 (2 frames across 2 frames down)
2 = 4 X 4 (4 frames across 4 frames down)
4 = 8 X 8 (8 frames across 8 frames down)
8 = 16 X 16 (16 frames across 16 frames down)

Rotate: NEW
f_rotate.jpg

Rotates a texture map about a specified center. The speed of the rotation is measured in radians per second, (e.g: 2 = 2 full rotations per second). Positive values rotate counter clockwise while negative rotate the map clockwise.
Note: by default the mapping coordinates center starts at the top left corner of the map. To make it start in the center of the map, make the UCenter and VCenter values of "0.5".

Args:
Speed=(float) e.g: 2
UCenter=(float) e.g: 0.5
VCenter=(float) e.g: 0.5

Sine: NEW
f_sine.jpg Moves the texture map around in the shape of a lissajous figure. (You can create figure 8's and such)

Args:
UAmp=(float) e.g. 1
UFreq=(float) e.g: 2
UPhase=(float) e.g: 1
VAmp=(float) e.g. 1
VFreq=(float) e.g: 2
VPhase=(float) e.g: 1 Step: NEW
f_step.jpg Similar to Linear Offset but jumps the map from location to location rather than the smooth scrolling motion of linear offset. (Doesn't interpolate between steps) SPS = steps per second.

Args:
UStep=(float) e.g: 1.0
VStep=(float) e.g: 1.0
SPS=(float) e.g: 1.0 Zigzag: NEW
f_zigzag.jpg Similar to linear offset but reverses direction periodically.

Args:
UPerSec=(float) e.g: -0.3
VPerSec=(float) e.g: 5.0 WS Classic Environment:
NEW
f_wsclenv.jpg World Space normal environment map.  Map coordinates generated procedurally.
Similar to World Space Environment mapper. WS Environment: NEW
f_wsenv.jpg World Space reflection environment map.  
Artist Preferred over the environment mapper for the following reasons:
Good for use in scenes with camera tracking.
Better with flat surfaces. Grid Classic Environment:
NEW
f_gridclas.jpg Animated normal environment map.

Uses a "Grid Bitmap" for animation.  This Combines the "Grid" type mapper, with the "Classic Environment" type mapper. Map coordinates generated procedurally.

Args:
FPS=(float) e.g: 29.5
Log2Width=(int) e.g: 2 Grid Environment: NEW
f_gridenv.jpg Animated reflection environment map. Works similar to "Grid Classic Environment" but different.

Uses a "Grid Bitmap" for animation.  This Combines the "Grid" type mapper, with the "Environment" type mapper.

Args:
FPS=(float) e.g: 29.5
Log2Width=(int) e.g: 2 Random: NEW
f_random.jpg Offsets and rotates coordinates at random in a "step" like fashion,.
useful for trying to make a map "shake".

Args:
UPerSec=(float) e.g: -0.3
VPerSec=(float) e.g: 5.0 Edge: NEW
f_nopic.gif Gives off Fuzzy edges, can be used as a glow as well.  Uses the "Classic Environment" mapping style but takes the top row of pixels in the bitmap and looks only at that to produce its fuzzy edge effect.
Artist tip: You can adjust the VPerSec argument to create an nice "pulsing" effect.

Args:
UseReflect=(bool) e.g: true
VPerSec=(float) e.g: 2.0   UV Channel: Select the UV channel to use.   Args: The "Args:" (Arguments) window allows you to enter in specific information that you'd want the mapper to do. When you see the Arguments listed in here for each type, do not include the "( )" parenthesis in your actual argument and the types are as follows:
(float) - any real number, ex: 1.8
(int) - any integer, er: -.5
(bool) - either TRUE or FALSE

NOTE: Only specific functions will work with certain mapping types, (see the mapping types for a list of the arguments allowed for that type). All arguments are CAse SENSitiVe, they have to be typed in exactly as shown.
New mappers will only work on the DX8 and WW3D2. Pre-DX8 viewers will not work.  

Stage 1 Mapping:

Same properties as stage 0 mapping but Adds another stage so that you may overlay and combine the two mappers. Stage 1 is considered to be the "detailer" because it is usually used when extra detail is needed. The advanced controls for Stage 1 Mapping are located in the advanced section of the shader tab. ]]>30Wed, 26 Jan 2022 21:36:56 +0000W3D Materials: Shader Tabhttps://w3dhub.com/forum/documentation/tools/3dsmax/w3d-materials-shader-tab-r31/ W3D Shader:

shader.gif

 

The Shader tab is directly related to the "stage" mapping or (mappers), which is located on the vertex material tab. The way in which these mappers will blend with the background and other objects in the scene will be determined by the blending mode you choose.

Everything in the advanced portion of the shader tab is directly related to the "stage 1 texture" or (detail texture). Use these setting to adjust how the texture behaves if you have enabled stage 1, from the texture tab.

Blend Mode : Select from this variety of ways to blend against the elements of your scene.

Opaque:

The map or color in its normal state with No Alpha opacity, and No blended overlay.

Add:

Looks at the color information in each channel and brightens the base color reflecting the colors behind it, creating the effect of an additive overlay. It creates an opacity value based on the grayscale levels of the map.

Multiply:

Looks at the color information in each channel and multiplies the base color by the blend color. The result color is always a darker color. Multiplying any color with black produces black. It creates an opacity value based on the inverted grayscale levels of the map. (Blacks are opaque, whites are transparent)

Multiple and Add:

Multiplies the base colors by themselves, lights become brighter, darks become darker. It creates an opacity value based on the inverted alpha levels of the map. (Blacks are opaque, whites are transparent)

Screen:

Similar to Add but not burning the brightness levels as much. It creates an opacity value based on the grayscale levels of the map.

AlphaBlend:

The map or color in its normal state, If the map contains an alpha channel, it uses the alpha channels grayscale values to establish the opacity of the map.

AlphaTest:

The map or color in its normal state, If the map contains an alpha channel, it uses the alpha channel to establish the opacity of the map however, it adjusts the threshold of the alpha channel to make it higher in contrast, no grays just black and white, resulting in harsher edges in the opacity.

AlphaTest and Blend:

Combines aspects from AlphaTest and Alphablend. Custom: You can create a custom blend mode using any of the combinations below;  e.g. If you select the Src to be Alpha, and you select 1 Src Alpha for the Dest, you will have created the "Alpha Blend" effect, however if you used zero for the source and zero for the Dest, this would produce pure black.
note_sm.gifNOTE: Many of these custom blend modes aren't very game engine friendly, use caution when making decisions to use these to avoid costly mistakes.   Src : This controls the source blend factor. Blending is specified by the following equation: (Destination Blend * Destination Pixel) + (Source Blend * Source Pixel). The destination pixel is the pixel which exists in the frame buffer while the source pixel is the pixel which has been generated by this material.

Zero:

Nothing will be the base.

One:

The map in its normal state.

Src Alpha:

Creates a grayscale value based on the color and uses this for the base.

1-Src Alpha:

Inverts the alpha channel of the map and uses this for the base. If map has no alpha channel then black is the default color.   Dest Src : This controls the destination blend factor. Zero: Creates no opacity value for the base and If the base has its own alpha channel, this will override and disable it so that the base will have no opacity values. One: Creates an opacity value for the base, based on the maps grayscale levels, also adds those levels to the base to increase the lightness of light areas in the base. Src Color: Overlays the colors in the object over the base. 1-Src Color: Creates an opacity value for the object based on the maps color levels, if no color is present, then it uses the grayscale levels. Src Alpha: Overlays the base with its own Inverted Alpha channel. 1-Src Alpha: This uses the the bases levels to establish and determine opacity values.  If the base has no alpha channel, then no opacity values will be established. Src Color PreFog: Uses the rgb values, then decreases the contrast to determine the opacity.   Write Zbuffer: This will enable / disable itself when certain blend modes are selected.   Alpha Test: This will enable / disable itself when certain blend modes are selected.   Defaults: Clicking this button resets the defaults for the advanced parameters.  
Everything Below here is directly related to the "Stage 1 Texture" which is the secondary (if desired) detail texture.
  Depth Cmp: (Depth Comapre) Tells the graphics card what to do with the polygon its rendering based on the value of the Zbuffer. Pass Never: New polygons never pass, polygons wont render. Pass Less: Renders the polygon if the Z value is less than the value thats in the Zbuffer already. Pass Equal: Will only render the polygon if its equal to whats already in the Zbuffer. Pass LEqual: -Gets used most often: Polygon gets drawn only if it's less than or equal to the Zbuffer value. Pass Greater: Only renders the polygons if they farther back than the closer polys. (If you want far away things poking through closer things) Pass NEqual: Only renders a polygon if it's not equal to whats in the Zbuffer. Pass GEqual: Only renders the polygons if they are Greater or Equal to the Zbuffer value. Pass Always: Draw the Polygon no matter what, -ignores the Zbuffer.   Pri Gradient: (Primary gradient) This tells it what to do with the diffuse lighting. Disable: Disables it, If you want it Not to use the diffuse lighting. Modulate: Multiplys the color of the pixel by the lighting color. Add: Adds lighting to the color of the pixel, e.g. Lightmaps   Detail Color: These allow for more specific detail in how the second texture is applied. Disable: Disables it, You wont see it at all. Detail: Overrides stage 0 mapping. Scale: Pure white in the overlay will remain unchanged, while darks become darker, increasing the contrast.   InvScale: Similar to add but doesn't burn as much. Creates a transparency based on the grayscale values of the map. A little more costly than add. Add: Looks at the color information in each channel and brightens the base color to reflect the colors behind it, creating the effect of an additive overlay. Sub: This works as a Subtractive overlay. Looks at the color information in each channel and darkens the color overlaying the brighter colors behind it. SubR: ? Blend: ? DetailBlend: Uses the detail texture and self illuminates it.   Sec Gradient: Disabled: (Secondary Gradient) controls the specular lighting. Disable: Disables specular lighting Enable: Enables specular lighting   Detail Alpha: This tells the map what to do with the Alpha Channel in the stage 1 texture. Disable: Disable it. Detail: Overrides the alpha of stage 0 mapping. Scale: Pure white in the Alpha's overlay will remain unchanged, while darks become darker, increasing the contrast. InvScale: Uses a transparency based on the grayscale values of the map. A little more costly than add.   ]]>31Wed, 26 Jan 2022 21:39:06 +0000W3D Materials: Textures Tabhttps://w3dhub.com/forum/documentation/tools/3dsmax/w3d-materials-textures-tab-r32/ Textures:

textures.gif

Here you can Load bitmaps and adjust their properties.

Stage 0 Texture: Enable this if you wish to use a bitmap on your mesh.   Stage 1 Texture (Detail Texture): Enable this if you wish to use a secondary bitmap (detail texture)on your mesh.   None: Click this bar to browse and select a bitmap.   Publish: This button instructs the runtime engine to make this a "swappable" texture. You are essentially publishing the existance of this texture to the programmers. This must be enabled for any textures that may need to be swapped or changed at runtime.   Display: This button controls whether the (W3D shader) texture is visible in the Max viewport.   Clamp U: Nearly Obsolete: For use in help with "T" junctions in geometry, Keeps the map to running across the U coordinate of the geometry in a linear way as to not have minimal seams showing.   Clamp V: Nearly Obsolete: For use in help with "T" junctions in geometry, Keeps the map to running across the U coordinate of the geometry in a linear way as to not have minimal seams showing.   No LOD: Tells it that there there is no L.O.D. associated with this material.   Frames: This spinner can be used to specify that the texture is animated. If you specify a number of frames greater than 1, the texture is assumed to be animated and the other frames for the animation will be generated from the filename you specify for the texture (.tga sequence) . You should use the first frame of the animation as the texture you use in Max.   Rate: Lets you set the frame rate for the frames you will be using, (tga sequence).   (drop down list): For use with Tga sequences. Loop: Loops the tga sequence from begining to end, then back to beginning, ect. Ping-Pong: Tga sequence starts from beginning, goes to end, then goes through the frames in reverse, back to begining, ect. Once: Tga sequence starts from beginning, goes to end, then stops, ends on last file in sequence. Manual: Manually enter the tga frame for it to cycle through.   Alpha Bitmap: A sort of compression tool for the alpha channel in a bitmap. If enabled, It tells the alpha to either be on or off, reducing it to 1 bit rather than 8.   Pass Hint: These selections do not produce visible results.  It is used to help optimize the code by specifying what type of pass it is so that it doesnt search to see what type of pass it is. Base Texture: This is the Default and most commonly used. This is just your normal texture. Emissive Lightmap: This specifies top the code that the texture is basically just a shadow. Environment Map: This specfies to the code that the texture is basically a reflection map. Shineyness Mask: This specfies to the code that the texture is basically a shineyness map. ]]>32Wed, 26 Jan 2022 21:40:56 +0000W3D Skinninghttps://w3dhub.com/forum/documentation/tools/3dsmax/w3d-skinning-r33/ W3D Skinning

WWSkin has now been deprecated.

 

For all relevant information on 3DS Max's skin modifier (which W3D exports now correctly support), please head here: https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/3ds-max/learn-explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2015/ENU/3DSMax/files/GUID-9596F6EF-3569-44F2-8D6C-6EB58C30BEDD-htm.html

 

The only point of note is that W3D models for Renegade and BFME2 only support up to 2 weights per bone.

Really old versions of Renegade as well as Generals and BFME only support 1 weight per bone.

 

To ensure your model only uses 1 or 2 bone weights, go to the Advanced Parameters tab in the sidebar while your skinned mesh is selected and set Bone Affect Limit to 1 or 2, depending on what you're working on.

]]>33Wed, 26 Jan 2022 21:43:48 +0000W3D Export Settingshttps://w3dhub.com/forum/documentation/tools/3dsmax/w3d-export-settings-r34/ W3D Exporter

The final part of the W3D plugin for max is the W3D Exporter.


Each object in the Max scene that is not hidden will be considered for export. A utility plugin is used to set the export options. Each mesh can have its transform exported for the animation system and/or its geometry exported. This separation exists due to the way the motion capture data comes into the system. There are often meshes in the system which are only there to provide transforms and vice-versa; there are meshes that are rigidly connected to those "transform-only" meshes. The exporter basically allows you to reduce the number of transforms that have to be calculated by the animation system.

 

Each object that is exported will have its name associated with it. One limitation of the w3d file format is that these names be 15 characters or less. If you try to use a longer name, it will be truncated when it is exported. If two objects with the same name are loaded, only the first object will be kept.

 

 

It's a good idea to configure your button sets, in the utilities panel in max, to display it by default. This way, you wont have to look under the "more" section every time you want to use it.

 

Here is a description of the various tools associated with exporting your selections to W3D.

 

Object Export Options: General Export Options

image.png

Selection Window: Displays the name of what you have selected.
Export Transform (Bone): Check this to only export a bone or animation.
Export Geometry: Check this to only export a mesh or geometry.
 
Geometry Options: These options allow your exported geometry to have different characteristics. You can select multiple options from choices on the right.
Normal Default mode, just a normal mesh with no specific characteristics.
Cam-Parallel Aligns the object to the near clipping plane of the camera, for example, if an object moves around the scene, it will remain parallel to the viewport. Kind of like a strafing effect.
Cam-Orient Aligns to the local X axis of the Camera: This makes the object always face toward the camera so where ever the object or camera is, the camera will always be facing the x-axis.
AABox This mesh is to be used as an axis aligned collision box.
OBBox Use this if you're exporting a bounding box.
Null (LOD) Indicates that its a NULL LOD object. Null LODs will not be rendered.
Aggregate

Export this mesh as a reference to another W3D. This lets you include other W3Ds, such as particle effects, in other objects. E.g. if you have a particle W3D called smoke_fx.w3d, then naming the mesh as smoke_fx would put that particle W3D there when the model is loaded.

You can have multiple aggregate meshes with the same name (if you need more than one instance of the W3D), but these aggregates need to have Export Transform unticked and linked to a bone that is in the position you want the other W3D in.

Dazzle Use this option to export a Dazzle. Set the dazzle type in the list below.
Cam-ZOrient Like Cam-Orient but is oriented in the Z axis only. Only usable with current versions of Renegade.
2Side Enable/Disable two sided rendering for the entire mesh.
Hide Use this option to make your geometry hidden, e.g. a bounding box.
ZNrm Uses normals that point in the +z direction.
VAlpha With this checked, your mesh will have a "vertex alpha", which is created from the grayscale values of the vertices that you have given to them in max. NOTE: texture blend mode must be "Alpha Blend" in order for this to work.
Shadw The mesh is not rendered normally, it is used to generate shadows only.
Shatter For use when your objects may need to shatter, such as glass.
Tangents Use this when you are exporting for Renegade and need tangent/bi-normal data.
Prelit Set this to cause the mesh to be ignored by the light generation code. Only usable with current 5.0 versions of Renegade.
Enable Static Sorting

Tells the game engine not to sort those polygons. The value you enter into the Sort spinner next to it defines which batch to render them in.

Always Dyn Light Tells Mammoth's static vertex lighting code to skip this mesh, and instead just render it using the dynamic lighting that dynamic objects (such as vehicles and characters) use. Only really useful for terrain objects. Only usable with current 5.0 versions of Renegade.
 
Collision Options: You can select the physical characteristics for your geometry that you are exporting.
Physical Select this for a surface that another object (such as a character or a vehicle) can't move through.
Projectile Select this if a projectile can hit it.
Vehicle Select this if you wish a vehicle not to proceed through or past it. (If a mesh has Physical ticked, you don't need to tick this! Use this for things that you want infantry to move through, while not letting vehicles through.)
Vis Select this when exporting your "Vis" areas. A vis area is a specific area within the cameras view, where the computer will not draw in geometry past that point until you crossed over into another Vis area.
Camera Select this in case you don't want the camera to go through it, or get stuck in it.
 
Select by W3D Type: Rather than Manually selecting objects in your scene to be exported, you can use these buttons select specific items for you.
Select Bones Selects all the bones in your scene.
Select Geometry Selects all the geometry in you scene.
Select Alpha Meshes Select all Alpha Meshes in your scene.
Phys Select all Physical Objects in your scene.
Proj Select all objects that are affected by projectiles in your scene.
Vis Select all Vis objects in your scene.
 
Naming Utilities: A convenient way to name a selected set.
Assign Node Names Opens the "Generate Node Names" window. This allows you to assign a root name, prefix and suffix.  After setting your preferences, all of the selected objects in your scene will be renamed in sequence according to the node name. 

Artist Note: 
You may want to de-select "Assign Collision Bits" because it will override what you already have selected, in the collision options box.
Assign Material Names Opens the "Generate Material Names" window. This allows you to assign a root name to your materials, After setting your preferences, all of the materials you affected will be renamed in sequence according to the node name.
Assign Extensions This will append an extension to your currently selected objects. LOD 0 should be your highest poly model, with increasing LOD numbers going to your lower poly models. Damage models should be extension numbers 1 and up.
]]>34Wed, 26 Jan 2022 21:50:39 +0000W3D Export Optionshttps://w3dhub.com/forum/documentation/tools/3dsmax/w3d-export-options-r35/ W3D Export Options

When you are ready to export into a w3d file. 

NOTE: Be sure and check to see that the type of export you will be doing matches what you have already selected in the "object export options" (export transform) and (export geometry) which is located in the W3D in Max > W3Dtools Exporter.  Use the Export command in the File menu.

Select the w3d file type from the drop-down box in the following file selector dialog. This will bring up the following dialog box. 

Hierarchal Model:

Use this option if you are exporting a model that will contain a hierarchy. (such as a bone)

image.png

 

Hierarchal Animated Model:

Use this option when you are exporting a hierarchical model with an animation.
Note: When using this option, make sure to set the number of frames you want to export with your animation from the frames selection below.

 

Pure Animation:

Use this option to export just the data for an animation.

 

Renegade Terrain:

Use this option to export your geometry in a renegade terrain format.

 

Skeleton:

This exports the hierarchy tree without any geometry or animation data.

 

Simple Mesh:

Use this option to export a mesh (model) with no hierarchy, no bones, and no animation.

 

Settings:

These extra settings become available depending on which type of export you have selected.

Smooth Vertex Normals Across Meshes

Smooths the look of curved surfaces.

Optimize Collision Detection

Generates data that will improve the speed of collision detection. Turning this on is definitely a good thing for Renegade. Its not needed for the RTS titles.

 

Export Using Existing Skeleton:

You can use this option if you are exporting a hierarchial model, a hierarchial animated model or pure animation. It allows you to select a skeleton.

Browse

Lets you browse for an existing skeleton you wish to use.

 

Frames:

Use this to set from which frame to which frame you plan to export. Make sure to set these when exporting animation data.

 

Review Log:

This opens a window that contains the various information about what was being exported.  Just so you can review what you've done if so desired.

 

 

]]>35Wed, 26 Jan 2022 21:53:44 +0000W3D 3DS Max Toolshttps://w3dhub.com/forum/documentation/tools/3dsmax/w3d-3ds-max-tools-r96/ The new w3d tools require 3DS Max 2017 to work. (tools for other recent versions of Max such as 2019 may be possible but porting and testing would be required)

The new w3d tools are 100% compatible with files made in Max 8 with the old w3d tools. When you load an old file, WWSkin data is converted to Max skin data automatically. All the material settings and export flags will be read in and converted as well.

Features from the old plugins not currently supported:

  • Animation compression
  • BFME2 FX shader chunks and associated data
  • NPatches (hardware that actually supports this feature has long since vanished and current versions of Renegade no longer support it)
  • Export with Std Mtls
  • Create Settings Floater

How to Install

  1. Download the plugin from here: https://w3dhub.com/forum/files/file/37-w3d-tools-3ds-max-2017-exporter/
  2. Copy the the files in the "W3D Exporter - Max 2017" folder to your 3DS Max 2017 directory. Default: "C\Program Files\Autodesk\3ds Max 2017\Plugins"
  3. Run 3DS Max and the tools will load with it!

 

Contents

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