Shadowspawn on 27/2/2005 at 20:33
I'm trying to find out what the formats for the objects and AI are. I'm starting to think they are unique to T3 and DXIW.
However, they don't look too insane to take apart, so maybe we can figure out what's in them. Then we might be able to build converter tools.
Still too early to worry about this, I'd like to find out if 3DS Max can open the object format file (.TIM) or if this is just a custom 3DS Export format. And I have no idea where the AI come from.
dracflamloc on 27/2/2005 at 21:02
Well since all export DLLs do is expose a few functions so 3ds can call them, we just need to call them. Technically this does not break any reverse engineering laws as they are publicly exposed functions and require no disassembly to use.
Of course the real trick is figuring out what to do with said functions.
Ulukai on 27/2/2005 at 21:43
The plugins also import & export material libraries in T3 format, you need that functionality too.
Easy Solution: Get 3ds Max 5.1 :D
jermi on 27/2/2005 at 21:51
Calling max plugins outside max, dracflamloc? Sounds more than a bit iffy but apparently that's what you have to do if you haven't got max 5.1. Converting to/from 3ds or max files isn't enough, you really need the plugins. At least for me, the plugins didn't work with 5.0 or 6.0. Since there's nothing else in between (is there?), I guess the plugins work with 5.1 only.
Max isn't required, but without it, you'll be filling the levels with static meshes from the OM's that everyone has already seen. You can do new stuff with brushes, but on the other hand because of the way the engine works, you want to use a small number of brushes and make almost everything a static mesh. So (as a simplification and exaggeration) one might say that max 5.1 (the exact version) is required if you want to make anything original or unique and make it run well, performance-wise. Right?
Ulukai on 27/2/2005 at 22:10
Right. That's not to say you can't re-use the included meshes in an almost infinite number of ways.
plebeian on 28/2/2005 at 00:07
What about making custom characters and animations?
jermi on 28/2/2005 at 07:21
You can replace the texture maps for existing characters. For anything else than that, 3dsmax is required.
LordK2002 on 28/2/2005 at 10:23
Quote Posted by Ulukai
Easy Solution: Get 3ds Max 5.1 :D
Unfortunately that's not so easy for those of us who don't have 2 grand kicking around and don't believe in using warez.
Now if somebody could write a Blender export plugin for use with T3Edit, that would be worth getting hold of.
Kokopelli on 28/2/2005 at 18:40
You can download GMax, which is free, and uses the same functions as 3ds. (built on an older rev I believe) The only difference witusing it, is that you will have to go through a longer process to import your mesh in the "Builder."
darkcosmos on 28/2/2005 at 20:17
Hm... I thought gmax had no export functions at all, or has that changed?
