using 3dsmax as a scene/map editor...

[michael520]

as a scene editor, I think we can use 3dsmax only to locate objects, nothing more.

I don't know if anyone has the experience??

making a WYSIWYW map editor may cost more than a month's time. so I wonder if I can just use 3dsmax to manage this.

[Mobeen]

as a scene editor, I think we can use 3dsmax only to locate objects, nothing more.

I don't know if anyone has the experience??

making a WYSIWYW map editor may cost more than a month's time. so I wonder if I can just use 3dsmax to manage this.

3dsmax is good at modelling objects esp. static geometry like levels. I create my levels in max and texture them. Once textured I then export them as 3ds to DeleD where i apply the lightmaps and finally save the level as dmf which is loaded easily with irrlicht. Have a look at this level that i am currently working on.

Thanks
Mobeen

[afecelis]

I'm sure michael520 knows you can create levels with 3dsmax. What I understand he's asking in his post is if 3dsmax could be used as "scene editor" to place nodes (like lights, sprites, particle systems and perhaps 3d audio nodes) similar to EtCaptor's visual editor so that then Irrlicht could grab all this info in the scene and load it (perhaps via an xml exporter or something). I think it's an interesting idea but it would require a deep knowledge of both Max SDK and Irrlicht API.

am I getting your idea right, Michael?

[michael520]

yes, afecelis got my idea!

what Mobeen meant is to use 3dsmax to make models such as terrain, right?

in my mind, a level is not just a terrain, but also houses, trees, roads, blocks, animals, etc. and these objects have some attributes that we can't easily set in 3ds max.

In fact, we may use max sdk to let 3dsmax do more job, but i don't have such experience until now, but i think it's feasible.

[Mobeen]

yes, afecelis got my idea!

what Mobeen meant is to use 3dsmax to make models such as terrain, right?

in my mind, a level is not just a terrain, but also houses, trees, roads, blocks, animals, etc. and these objects have some attributes that we can't easily set in 3ds max.

In fact, we may use max sdk to let 3dsmax do more job, but i don't have such experience until now, but i think it's feasible.

I actually thought u meant to use it for doing modelling. But as seen in my level the doors are entities which i made separately. U can write maxscript for exporting entity properties like position in an external file from max and load it easily in irrlicht. This is what i have done this far and its working out ok for me.

Thanks
Mobeen

[michael520]

Mmmm, Mobeen. In fact, I make different models seperately, too.
Then I will put them together at the right position in the scene, and export them seperately, which will contain their position automatically.
But what i wanna do is to write some extra scripts, which would let me define extra attributes for different models in the scene. Then export them, which will be the final scene/map file!

How do you think ?

[Mobeen]

Mmmm, Mobeen. In fact, I make different models seperately, too.
Then I will put them together at the right position in the scene, and export them seperately, which will contain their position automatically.
But what i wanna do is to write some extra scripts, which would let me define extra attributes for different models in the scene. Then export them, which will be the final scene/map file!

How do you think ?

Sure its upto ur own design whatever way u feel comfortable. create a simple design for the attributes and then start implementing it.

[oleo]

Have a look at this level that i am currently working on.

Hi Mobeen!
I'm trying to do the same thing... (without success) Can you tell me the correct method step by step?
1) create a map (.3ds) in 3DStudio Max
2) texturize for example with LithUnwrap
---NOW I CAN SEE MY TEXTURIZED MAP IN IRRLICH---
---But I want more: for example light and lightmaps---
3) import the .3ds in DeleD (I have the lite version: any problems?)
4) ...???

Thanks,
Fabio.

[Mobeen]

These are my steps
1)Create a level in 3ds max.
2) Texturize it in 3ds max.
3) Export 3ds file of the level from 3dsmax. Make sure that the textures are placed alongwith the 3ds file.
4) Import 3ds file in DeleD lite.
5) Place lights in DeleD Lite.
6) Generate lightmaps in DeleD Lite.
7) Save the level (lightmapped) as dmf file in DeleD Lite.
(8) Either provide your DeleD texture path to Irrlicht for loading textures (I personally don't do this because then you are not sure what textures are being used by ur level and u are copying unrequred textures.) or
This is my solution. I edit the dmf file and remove all the textures that are not used. You have to do this carefully. By default dmf files store all the default textures in the dmf files and if u let it this way then Irrlicht would complain that the textures are not found (unless you have given the DeleD texture path to Irrlicht). Further make sure that after removing the textures from material list, u change the index in the face index buffers in the dmf file too. For eample if the texture u were using was having an index 15 in the material list and after removing all the unnecessary textures, it become the index 0, then you would replace every face entry with texture index of 15 with index 0. Have a look at the dmf file format in the DeleD docs for details.
9) Copy the level's textures + lightmaps from DeleD into a folder in a subfolder within your C++ program folder. I create a media folder and copy the files in it.
10) Load the dmf like any other mesh in Irrlicht.
11) Doors and other such entities are loaded similarly.I created my own format for entites, export their info from 3dsmax and create a simple loader for them for loading in Irrlicht.
If u need any more info, then drop me an email.
Thanks
Mobeen

[megalomania666]

These are my steps
1)Create a level in 3ds max.
2) Texturize it in 3ds max.
3) Export 3ds file of the level from 3dsmax. Make sure that the textures are placed alongwith the 3ds file.
.
.
.

Hi Mobeen,

I have got my hands on a really cool looking .dwg (Made in Architectural Desktop 2005) which I want to turn into a map. But when I export it to .3ds in 3D Studio Max 8 and then open it again all the walls are pushed together into "one" wall. Do you know what may cause this!

(I have the object enabler installed)

Here is a screenshoot : http://www.megalomania666.com/xjobb/pics/wall.JPG


Regs.

M666

[Mobeen]

A couple of questions,
How are you loading dwg file? Is the loader loading mesh as a whole or piece wise? Are the walls selectable before export to 3ds.

[megalomania666]

A couple of questions,
How are you loading dwg file? Is the loader loading mesh as a whole or piece wise? Are the walls selectable before export to 3ds.

I just Import the .dwg file into 3d Studio Max,
Before I export it to .3ds the objects is klickable and I get a nice 3d structure (which I can see in the perspective view)

I can export to wrm and "fly" around in the "file"/"world" using a wrml viewer, so the 3d "data" must be there!


regs.

M

[oleo]

These are my steps
1)Create a level in 3ds max.
2) Texturize it in 3ds max.
CUT

Thanks for your help!
Now I've another question: I placed some light with DeleD and I've created the lightmaps... The model loads well in Irrlicht but it doesn't respond to dinamic lights. I set the material to EMT_LIGHTMAP_LIGHTING.
Any suggest?
Fabio.

[hybrid]

As before. Enable dynamic lighting for each mesh that should be affected by dynamic lights. And don't forget to insert at least one.