How do you guys export from 3ds max 2011?

BlitzMax Forums/MiniB3D Module/How do you guys export from 3ds max 2011?

Gun Ecstasy(Posted 2011) [#1]
I've programmed with BlitzBasic/Plus/3D (on and off) for 6 years now, and PureBasic for the same amount of time.

I get 3ds max discounted through my school and I've used it for years, so it's what I like.

I've purchased all except BlitzMax, and I've finally decided it's time to upgrade.

I just have a couple problems. Firstly I was wondering, is it practical to use 3ds max 2011?

For Bitz3D, I had to use 3ds max 2009 with the b3d pipeline. But it's been 2 years and the pipeline still hasn't been updated. And I'm sick of using the 2009, 32 bit version.

But it seems there's still not many options. I'm not spending $50 on ultimate unwrap or fragmosoft just so I can export to .b3d.

Are there any free routes to go from 3ds max 2011 to .b3d?

Secondly, it seems (from forum posts) that MiniB3D itself is buggy when loading meshes. Are there are huge considerations I need to account for when designing simple models? I wont even get into animations, I'm just worried about basic models and textures appearing correctly.


Kryzon(Posted 2011) [#2]
I know what you want. Please wait a few weeks.

Until that time, use PaceMaker.


SLotman(Posted 2011) [#3]
I've made an exporter with Maxscript, with a 'custom loader' for miniB3D - which works pretty well so far... the only problem is that I don't know how to export animations yet, and I'm not exporting b3d for now.

It's years behind what b3d pipeline is, but at least, it is some option. That being said, I don't have max2011, so the script may need some adjusting to work.

That being said, my exporter is here: http://www.blitzbasic.com/Community/posts.php?topic=92768


Gun Ecstasy(Posted 2011) [#4]
Thanks, both of you!

Yeah SLotman I read you thread after I posted this and I was amazed. In a little bit I will test your code to see if it works in max 2011.

If worse comes to worst... I suppose I can design everything in max 2011, send it over to max 2009, and finally through b3dpipeline.


Gun Ecstasy(Posted 2011) [#5]
It seems that PaceMaker wont open .3ds or .x files. I'm using Win7 64bit and I tried administrator and compatibility mode... just says "Loading 0%" forever.

Using Blitz3D, I refreshed up my memory and did some tests using 3ds max 2011 and Panda .x Exporter.

Using .3ds, it seems that UVW unwrap and animations work perfectly. With .x, the UVW unwrap works the same but animations don't work.

I'll test multitexturing in a moment. But what other features am I missing out on by using .3ds instead of .b3d? If I have texture mapping, animation, and multitexturing, there's not much more I really need for my purposes.

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Kryzon(Posted 2011) [#6]
The animation used by .3DS is Morph-Target\Hierarchical, not Skeletal.
I also think you won't get multi-texturing with 3DS since it does not have that "brush" system, typical of the Blitz3D architecture - I think it only holds one texture at a time.

The X format does support Skeletal animation, but Blitz3D does not 'read' it. You'd have to use a more modern engine for this.

The only way to get both Hierarchical and Skeletal animations with Blitz3D is by using the B3D format.

PS: You can get pseudo-skeletal animations with the MD2 format, but this one is so obsolete and flickery I won't even recommend. There's even MD4 now.


Gun Ecstasy(Posted 2011) [#7]
Thanks so much for your input, Kryzon!

However, now I have another problem! It seems the download for B3D Pipeline v0.8 has disappeared! The website only has v 0.73, which is incompatible with max 2009!

I can't find this download anywhere... does anyone have the latest B3D Pipeline that works with 3ds max 2009?


Kryzon(Posted 2011) [#8]
Hmm. That's true, it's not there anymore. Weird.

I have no idea what language this is in, but it seems to have the original files: http://forum.boolean.name/showpost.php?s=4430b79b6e1ed6b782d2cb373c29406f&p=149062&postcount=2

In Soviet Russia, the file downloads you.


Gun Ecstasy(Posted 2011) [#9]
OMG you are a life saver!!!! Thank you so much!!!!!!!!!

Rofl good one. So true xD

This file needs to be stickied and reuploaded everywhere!

If I ever get bored enough, I may take a crack at the source code and recompile it for 3ds max 2010/2011 (I imagine it wouldn't be too hard).

One more slight, embarrassing problem that I can fix easily myself... I forgot that 3ds max 9 and 3ds max 2009 are two different programs! I left that disc at my parents house so I'm about to drive there now to dust it off and then *hopefully* everything should be good.

Thanks again!!!! =D


Gun Ecstasy(Posted 2011) [#10]
Alright so, it seems none of the formats that 3ds max 2011 export to can be imported into max 9 and keep their UVW unwrapping. Kinda weird that Blitz3D is actually more compatible with .3ds than 3ds max itself >_>

So, I've decided to see what I can do with the b3d pipeline source code.

Edit: It seems the full source code is not included, it's actually just some extra batch scripts that were thrown in. Pity.

However, I was finally able to figure out that I can export from 3ds max 2011 as a .3ds, then import into 3ds max 9, and finally export a .b3d, all while keeping animation and texture mapping. Hallelujah!

I suppose to lesson to be learned here is "You can't have your cake and eat it too".

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Rick Nasher(Posted 2013) [#11]
I noticed above can also be used for importing Sketchup models directly into 3DSMax11 and then export as .3DS to 3DSMax9.

From there export to .B3D using the B3Dpipeline plugin.

I find Sketchup extremely easy to use for intuitive design of buildings, but downside is that this generates *a lot* of unnecessary(?) geometry that gives weird lighting, artefacts and high polycount, rendering it virtually unusable (real pitty).


Rick Nasher(Posted 2013) [#12]
@Gun Ecstasy(or anyone else that is willing to shine a light on the mater):

"seems none of the formats that 3ds max 2011 export to can be imported into max 9 and keep their UVW unwrapping. Kinda weird that Blitz3D is actually more compatible with .3ds than 3ds max itself"

I've seemed to have bumped my nose while trying..
Did you mean by that it is impossible to keep textures with the .3ds model going from 3ds Max 2011 to 3ds Max 9 in your findings?