NWMax Plus and NWgMax Plus Updated

[Legacy_Lord Sullivan]

               

SO I decided to give that util/script another shot using 3D Studio Max 2013 and I finally was able to export a model by unchecking ALL sanity checks. However, isn't there a way for the script to pick up on some "saved settings" that a user previously unchecked some or in my case all sanity checks so that when the user loads 3D Max again the sanity checks remain unchecked AND the script picks up on that to ignore the sanity checking part of the script?

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Michael DarkAngel]

               

SO I decided to give that util/script another shot using 3D Studio Max 2013 and I finally was able to export a model by unchecking ALL sanity checks. However, isn't there a way for the script to pick up on some "saved settings" that a user previously unchecked some or in my case all sanity checks so that when the user loads 3D Max again the sanity checks remain unchecked AND the script picks up on that to ignore the sanity checking part of the script?

 

Yes, if you follow my post above and uncheck the sanity checks that you want to in the General Utils rollout of NWMax Plus, then press the Set Sanity Checks button, this should save your Sanity Check preferences.  You may need to make sure you have write privileges for your 3DSMax install directory, as IIRC this causes some issues.

 

[EDIT] Just checked, and it does not do what I said it should do.  Something I need to fix. [/EDIT]

 

You can also turn off sanity checks prior to exporting by unchecking "Do Sanity Checks" in the model base parameters rollout.

 

If you don't mind me asking, what type of model were you trying to export and do you know what sanity issues you had?

 

Thanks for giving it another shot

 

 MDA

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Lord Sullivan]

               

 

Yes, if you follow my post above and uncheck the sanity checks that you want to in the General Utils rollout of NWMax Plus, then press the Set Sanity Checks button, this should save your Sanity Check preferences.  You may need to make sure you have write privileges for your 3DSMax install directory, as IIRC this causes some issues.

 

[EDIT] Just checked, and it does not do what I said it should do.  Something I need to fix. [/EDIT]

 

You can also turn off sanity checks prior to exporting by unchecking "Do Sanity Checks" in the model base parameters rollout.

 

If you don't mind me asking, what type of model were you trying to export and do you know what sanity issues you had?

 

Thanks for giving it another shot

 

 MDA

 

The model was a Tile which I had extracted from the games resources. I don't remember the message telling me which sanity checks it failed, could be I wasn't paying enough atention. Either way, I don't intend on using sanity checks anyway cause I do my own in my own way. I only need the models to export without the script complaining. '>

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Michael DarkAngel]

               A lot of models from the game will fail NWMax's sanity checks. They were written to be a bit more strict than what Bioware originally used. Don't let that dissuade you from using them, however.


I found some other sanity check related issues and I'm almost finished with the fixes. So with the next update you'll soon be able to save your sanity check preferences (thanks to Lord Sullivan) and turn sanity checks off completely when performing mass scaling operations (thanks to pstemarie).



 MDA
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Pstemarie]

               

This latest iteration of NWMax is completely mangling skinmesh weights on export. These are models in which I have done nothing to the skinmesh that would constitute the need for Max to rebuild the weights.

 

The last model I noticed this on was the giant slug. I had imported the model to adjust some vertices on the tail fin, which is not a skinmesh. Nor is it connected to the skinmesh in any way. On export, the weights were all corrupted, forcing me to copy and paste the weights from an earlier version of the snail.

 

I'm not 100% certain its NWMax. It might be something I'm doing, but I didn't have this problem before the last update.

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Michael DarkAngel]

               

I just ran a quick a test with the c_sharkhm model, imported it, did nothing to the model, exported it, imported the new model.  Nothing changed.

Ran another test, imported the model, moved a few verts around, on a mesh that is not skinned, exported it, imported the new model.  Again no changes.

 

[EDIT] Maybe I have found the issue.  Third test, I did a 'Reset X-form' before exporting, imported that new model and all skin weights were now screwed up.

 

This looks as if it may be a 'Reset X-form' issue, and something that has been around for quite some time.

 

Dirty fix would be to unselect any skinmeshed items prior to performing a 'Reset X-form'. [EDIT]

 

Not sure where to find the giant slug model.  If you could point me to that model or provide me the one you used, I'll take a look at that.

 

Was going to release, but I'll wait a little longer to see if I can track down this issue.

 

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Pstemarie]

               

I just ran a quick a test with the c_sharkhm model, imported it, did nothing to the model, exported it, imported the new model.  Nothing changed.

Ran another test, imported the model, moved a few verts around, on a mesh that is not skinned, exported it, imported the new model.  Again no changes.

 

[EDIT] Maybe I have found the issue.  Third test, I did a 'Reset X-form' before exporting, imported that new model and all skin weights were now screwed up.

 

This looks as if it may be a 'Reset X-form' issue, and something that has been around for quite some time.

 

Dirty fix would be to unselect any skinmeshed items prior to performing a 'Reset X-form'. [EDIT]

 

Not sure where to find the giant slug model.  If you could point me to that model or provide me the one you used, I'll take a look at that.

 

Was going to release, but I'll wait a little longer to see if I can track down this issue.

 

 

The Reset X-Form could be the culprit, as I had used that on another object in the model. Ran another test and the model exported OK. 

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Michael DarkAngel]

               

A couple fixes for this version.

• 'Reset X-form' is now skipped for Skinned meshes.  Not sure if this is the right thing to do, but skin weights appear to get screwed up when the 'Reset X-form' operation is performed on a Skinned mesh.



• Quite a few Sanity Check issues have been dealt with.  You can now save preferences in regards to Sanity Checks and turn Sanity Checks off completely when performing mass scaling operations.

Thanks to Lord Sullivan and pstemarie for bringing those issues to my attention.

 

NWMax Plus v5.04.27 Now Available!!!

 

NWgMax Plus v5.04.27 Now Available!!!

 

Links remain in the first post

 

 MDA

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Michael DarkAngel]

               

NWMax Plus v5.05.17 Now Available!!!

 

NWgMax Plus v5.05.17 Now Available!!!

 

As requested by Rolo Kipp, cappear2 and cdisappear2 have been added to the creature animation list.

 

On a side note, I think there may still be more animations that can be added.  If anyone has a definitive list, let me know.

 

As always, links are in the first post.

 

Thanks for your support,

 

 MDA

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Michael DarkAngel]

               

NWMax Plus v5.05.18 Now Available!!!

 

NWgMax Plus v5.05.18 Now Available!!!

 

Sorry Rolo.  That's what I get for not testing before release.  Added it to one spot but not to a second spot where it also needed to be added.

 

cappear2 and cdisappear2 have really been added to the creature animation list this time.

 

As always, links are in the first post.

 

Thanks for your support,

 

 MDA

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Michael DarkAngel]

               

1000 Downloads

 

Thanks to everyone for making it possible.

 

 MDA

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Lord Sullivan]

               

Ok, I've run in to unfamiliar territory as far as NWMax is concerned. I'm totaly at lost as to how am I suppose to create a PWK and/or tile Walkmesh?


I guess I'm spoiled having used MDLSuite for so many years where creating a PWK is a no brainer.

 

[EDIT]: Neverwmind, I found some tips on the net and figured how to do it with NWMax. However, it would be a lot simpler with a custom MDL Walkmesh modifier like in MDL Suite to create walkmeshes. You'd simply start with creating the walkmesh, apply MDL Walkmesh Modifier, select

the type of walkmesh from AABB, PWK, DWK, WOK, then select the surfaces using select buttons (triangle, polygon, object) and finally select the type of material (material ID) all laid out in a list with their names. Sooooo, simple. After linking it to the model, just export.


As oppose to having to have a dummy as parent and selecting the Material ID by number of which until you've memorized all IDs you need a separate list in text to check the material ID. It's kind of wonky.

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Michael DarkAngel]

               

It's possible you have already done this, but then again it's also possible that you haven't due to the fact that when working with placeables or doors NWMax/NWMax Plus will paint a Non-Walk material on the faces for you, as long as you have the bits and pieces necessary.

 

Apply an "Aurora Walkmesh" modifier when making any kind of walkmesh, be it for a tile, placeable or door.  Choose to select by face.  Select the faces you wish to paint.  Scroll down the right side panel until you see Surface Properties.  In there you see Set ID.  Use the scroll buttons to flip through the different Walk Material types.  In the dropdown box below Select ID, you'll see the names of the different Walk Materials.  See the image below for clarification (I hope).

 

 

I know it's been talked about before that some things were easier to do with MDL Suite.  Unfortunately, due to one of my recent hard-drive crashes, I lost my copy of 3DSMax5 and never did get a chance to try MDL Suite for myself.

 

 MDA

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Lord Sullivan]

               

This is how it is...

 

 

 

Note that MDL Suite is a plugin not a script, so if we're to compare here it has to do with the Aurora plugin along NWMax. So probably, there is nothing to do about it.

 

Also, I noticed that in newer 3D Studio Max, the elements/object scheme shows less elements then in old version 5... unless this is just a matter of settings.

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Shadooow]

               

Im reposting my two older requests.

1) keep last imported file name in the field as it was in first NWMax version. Its extremely annoying for me to work with this. And I cant see absolutely no disadvantage or reason why this should be erased.

2) button to hide all objects with tilefading other than 0

 

thanks