Eshaktaar on 5/3/2005 at 13:31
I've been trying to create a static mesh which only uses standard textures from TDS' material libraries (so I don't need to create custom MatLibs):
By using 3ds max's Utilities->MatExport I could create a .mat file out of one of TDS' material libraries. When I browse the library in the Material/Map Browser, however, I just get a large list of "Diffuse Color: (Ion Shader)" entries. Curiously, if I apply one, it shows up correctly in the Material Editor, with the maps and material category set.
If I apply such a material to my mesh and export it as .tim into TDS' StaticMeshes directory, I can choose it in T3Ed's Static Meshes browser, but it doesn't have any textures applied. Did I miss a step here?
Shadowspawn on 5/3/2005 at 15:26
Eshaktaar,
Since you've got all the pieces, could you do a quick experiment for me? No one else has been able to answer it yet.
Can 3DS Max import a .TIM file? I know it exports it, but can we open the existing objects and modify them? I'm guessing the answer is no, but it would be nice to know...
The purpose of this is to determine if we need a .TIM -> something (3DS, MAX, etc.) converter, so we can start with existing meshes and mod them.
Thanks in advance!
Eshaktaar on 5/3/2005 at 17:27
I tried to import a .tim file, but 3ds max wouldn't recognize it as a valid import file. I guess we'd need the import equivalent to StaticMeshExp4.dle
rujuro on 5/3/2005 at 18:19
What I've noticed with the material application is that while you can assign it in Max to preview it, you still need to assign the material in the editor by importing the matlib you were using into the browser and selecting the material and applying it to the mesh. You then right click the mesh, go to Static Mesh -> Add Skin and give it a name, then it will be added to the skins you select in the static mesh browser for that object. You may need to open the mesh browser and choose the skin at that point, but I'm not sure if that step is necessary.
Hope that helps.
Eshaktaar on 5/3/2005 at 19:15
Thank you, applying a texture in the editor and adding it as a new skin worked.
Maybe somebody knows why the default skin doesn't properly import from 3ds max?
jermi on 5/3/2005 at 20:02
I also have to conclude that we probably need an import plugin to load the existing static meshes into max. Since we're not going to get one - there's a good chance that such a plugin doesn't even exist - a converter has to be written if we want to edit the existing static meshes.
I wonder if any of you can help me with this problem: in the material editor, if I go to another material, then back to the Ion Shader, all the texture maps are reset to "None". Other parameters, such as colors, slider positions, etc. are retained, but the textures disappear. Actually, since I don't see any textures in the material preview, I suspect the textures never get assigned in the first place. Any ideas?
Squid3d on 5/3/2005 at 21:00
I've had this 'disapearing materials' behaviour on a few occasions. It seem to be when i apply a material on anything other than a editable mesh or i use any display driver other than dx8.1.
jermi on 5/3/2005 at 21:29
Tried all of them; SW, OpenGL, DX8.1 and DX9. No luck. :(
