Easy model rotation.

[Legacy_Master Jax]

               Hey guys! I have been doing lots of work on 3DS Max, but I am still a newbie.

I found a great new model for the Gargoyle statue, one that actually works with the animation in which the gargoyles "break" out of the statue. However, the model is turned exactly 180° in relation to the original model, so I wanted to rotate it so as to use it as an override. However, the model is made up of about 5 different parts, and whenever I rotate them they all rotate in different ways and end up completely out of order, making the rotation mess up the model. This is the first time I have found this, so I was hoping you could give me some tips as to how to rotate the model parts in an easier way, without messing the model up. I did so manually, and also by typing the rotation offset directly, but both mess it up. Anyway, thanks in advance!
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Bannor Bloodfist]

               If this statue is animated, this will not work the way you expect, but here goes:

1) Select each object and BREAK the link to the mdl dummy.
2) Now select ONE object, and rotate it.
3) Go to nwmax menu, choose mesh options, click the button to "Reset X-Forms"
4) Now re-link that object back to the mdl base.
5) Go back to nwmax menu and re-click "Reset X-Forms" again.
6) Do that with each object.

Now, you might wonder why the reset x-forms needs to be done twice.  NWmax and 3dsmax are both slightly buggy.  The reset x-forms button re-centers and re-orients the object to the world space.  You must do this when you rotate an object or it will not export correctly.  Doing it before linking to mdl base is the absolute minimum, doing it again AFTER linking to mdl base just makes sure that everything is orientated correctly.

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Animated objects are much more complicated, and rotating the mdl will break all the animations.  This is not something that can be taught via text messaging, and I simply don't know how to accomplish that successfully except to re-animate everything.

I believe there is a way to adjust position of an object via script in the toolset, but I just don't know how to do that.  Accomplishing this with an override tile would also be problematic.

There may be a way to change the orientation of the animated statue that doesn't break the animation cycle, but I simply don't know how to accomplish that.  You might try the above method, export that rotated object to a separate file, then open the original again, and import the object from the second file and overwrite the objects that way.  

Good luck with it.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Frith5]

               Well, it it's just a statue placeable, you could attach all the parts into a single mesh, then rotate that easily.
Just select the main part, like torso or whatnot, then click the Modify tab, scroll down to Attach button and click that. Now mouse over each of the other parts and click to attach them to the original part. Once all are attached, click the Attach button again to deselect it. Now the mesh is a single object, which will rotate as a single object.
WARNING: This will do what it says. It will make the object a single object, so if you want animations that use parts, don't do it. Always back up things before trying something new. '>

Good luck!

JFK
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Master Jax]

               OH! Thanks, guys! I was actually going to point out I don't think I can make it a single object seeing as it holds the "breaking" animation of the statue! Oh well! Guess I'll have to use it for a while, and if the whole being turned around thing doesn't make it for me, I will simply ditch the override! '>