GMax > Pipeline > B3D?
Community Forums/Developer Stations/GMax > Pipeline > B3D?
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| Is there a version of Pipeline that will work with GMax? Is there any way to take advantage of all the features of the B3D format using Milkshape or another free/cheap mesh editor? |
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| Importing from GMax to Blitz3D will very likely break its terms of use. |
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| GMax > Pipeline > B3D > Jail Check out the Gmax site for the products terms of use. As I understand it the product can only be licensed by developers to distribute to their customers as a game editor to develop free third party game levels for the distributors games. The customer can't use it for any other purpose. |
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| I know of three export formats for gmax, it's own, .gmax, Plasma .p3d and .md2 which is through the freely available "Tempest" gamepak addon. There have been several plugins for import created but no other exporters. The only "non-sanctioned" conversion chain I know of is: gmax -> .md2 -> MS3D/UU3D -> <other format> but it's not very satisfactory for advanced characters and... Michael and Axeman are correct in that Discreet allows only export to licensed gamepak developers unless your modding a gmax supported game you own. Pity, it's a nice editor... |
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| Mike didn't mention but the best way to take advantage of the features of b3d file format if you don't have 3D Studio Max is using the B3D Tweak Utility in his sig. Export your b3d model from Milkshape (or Ultimate Unwrap or CharacterFX or whatever) and use B3D Tweak to, well, tweak the file. Mostly B3D Tweak is useful for setting up multitexturing and brush FX. Oh, and if you want to adjust the 2nd UV set then use Ultimate Unwrap before using B3D Tweak. Same for separate surfaces and setting up normals/smoothing. |
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| Multitexturing? FX? A utility that will take my usual Milkshape + Lithunwrap combo and turn it into a multi-layered texture extravaganza of normal maps and reflective surfaces? *ker-buy!* I don't even care that the screenshots look like crap! Sure hope it works as advertised! :D |
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| When you start using B3D Tweak don't be discouraged by what you see in its views. I don't know why Mike even bothered with 3D views. Those views have nothing to do with what the model will look like in Blitz. To see the stuff you are adding to the model you have to view it in Blitz. I don't know if this is worth the effort for something only useful to Blitz developers, but B3D Tweak would probably be a more attractive purchase if it was redone to a Blitz3D app using one of the GUI libs so that the 3D views would actually show what the model looks like. |
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| I disagree. The best way to do all the stuff you do in B3D Tweak and more, is to use gile[s]. Just my opinion. |
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| Does gile[s] really support all of the features of b3d file format? I know it supports multitexturing, but what about all the different texture flags and brush FX? Anyway, gile[s] is no good for animated models. Although I suppose I'm not 100% sure with B3D Tweak either; I seem to recall that B3D Tweak works well with animated models, but I may be making that up. |
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| Good point, gile[s] doesnt support animated files, Tweak does. I forgot that. gile[s] does support all the different effects and flags. |
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| I'm working from that extremely basic FPS demo, and I REALLY love that gun with the plasma flowing through it. ;) |
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