Help beginners and intermediates become teachers

[ScreamingFox]

What you mean a 'template'?

(@Bobsobol: it is not about anything regarding textures (he couldn't even see the textures applied on it (they were without the proper paths..XD))

 

[Vormav]

Map is black because all light are in point (0, 0).
Delete all lights and 3DS will use global lighting.
SMD plugin for 3DS have problems with importing/exporting lights so you need to edit lights in .ASE format.

 

[ScreamingFox]

About the lights, for exporting, you just have to name them properly..

 

[bobsobol]

SMD plugin for 3DS have problems with importing/exporting lights so you need to edit lights in .ASE format.

You do have to import as ASE, or convert ASE to MDL / OBJ / FBX and import that, but mostly because the SMD that the import filter understands is an unrelated Half-Liffe SMD. PT's Stage Model Data files bare no resemblance to those at all.

I recomend sticking with ASE all the way through, since PT SMDs are compressed / compiled ASE files, and anything else will lead to quality degridation. Files with .MAX extension support all ASE features in the same form, but also support other features which .ASE (and therefore PT SMDs) do not. So you could use that, but must be aware that some tweaks you do which it presurves will not pass through to the game.

 

[masterdragon]

@ScreamingFox: Forget about "Template" ask. I was talk about a basic model of an item to help to be worked at you wish.

@bobsobol: I was talkin about SMD READER path, not 3DS path. All im talking about is that malfunctioning of the command line:
When ask for the SMD, OK. But the path to "texture" it ask, i noticed that if i give it a path with space " " or some characters it doesn't recognizes well, but still saying it was patched successfully. And the same as inverse.in other words: Every time is hard to know if everything was patched correctly. And that has f*cked me up all this time.

@Vormav: What lights? .bmp and .tga that has to do with lights of map? And what about SMD plugin for 3DS? It's not the ASE (which was converted by smd) u talking about?
-Im usind any patcher to bmp/tga, SMD reader to convert to ASE , and plugin to ASE importer/exporter. All it posted here:
http://forum.ragezone.com/f399/sandurrs-smd-converter-736316/
And all i got is "black map".

I really don't wanna to use that maps available in .MAX
Cause i wanna know how i do any map/item/etc i want, be be clearly showed in 3DS (at least not that black sh*t).

PS.: I did a stuff about it, even no one talking about:
I did the above procedure and used Biturn (

You must be registered to see links

) to convert the ASE to ASE again (of same map [in case, ricarten i was trying]), and it fixed the black appearance:
But im afraid it can cause some problems when inserted in game.
Don't know if its better (in Biturn) to convert to .ASE or .3DS (which opens it too).

But none of the formats of import, pop up for the textures (like maps in .MAX). I believe its not a problem right?

@bobsobol: Quick question> Using you patcher twice (in files that was already patched), it cause any corruption to files?
(Its cuz,in case, i don't know if any [at least] .TGA files was already patched)

PS.: Looking into my case, what is the most appropiate version of 3DS MAX? (im not asking whats the better, just that which have already worked well among these purposes).

You do have to import as ASE, or convert ASE to MDL / OBJ / FBX and import that, but mostly because the SMD that the import filter understands is an unrelated Half-Liffe SMD. PT's Stage Model Data files bare no resemblance to those at all.

I recomend sticking with ASE all the way through, since PT SMDs are compressed / compiled ASE files, and anything else will lead to quality degridation. Files with .MAX extension support all ASE features in the same form, but also support other features which .ASE (and therefore PT SMDs) do not. So you could use that, but must be aware that some tweaks you do which it presurves will not pass through to the game.

Thats a great information i wanted to know.

All i wanted is work through my own convert SMDs with properly appearance in 3DS (+textures).
Just like it:

You must be registered to see links

And at that point i wanna no more support instead i learn 3DS.

 

[bobsobol]

Files should be made in Discreet, 3D Studio Max 6 (which it is now illegal to install or use according to the current license agreement) and all PT files should work best in that version.

Yes, I think my patcher will still corrupt files if you try to patch them twice, because I can't easily identify if they are encrypted or not. I could probably get some more guess-work into it to suggest when it thinks the file may not need patching.

It's not the conversion tool which has problems with spaces and other characters, Windows doesn't support passing file or directory names with spaces in them. Everyone who uses a PC on a regular basis should be well aware of that, and that's why you never include spaces in file or directory names, and Windows makes special arrangements for the folders it creates which use them. (ie. the "My Documents" folder is the "Documents" directory, "Program Files" folder is found by the %ProgramFIles% environement variable and yout "Application Data\Local Low" is in the %AppData% variable etc.)

We deal with that M$ BS on a daily basis in everything you do on Winblowz, so why would converting SMD files back to ASE form be any different. XD lol

 

[Vormav]

About the lights, for exporting, you just have to name them properly..

My XYZ always changes to (0,0,0) when I'm importing. Don't think names have something do do with this.

You do have to import as ASE, or convert ASE to MDL / OBJ / FBX and import that, but mostly because the SMD that the import filter understands is an unrelated Half-Liffe SMD. PT's Stage Model Data files bare no resemblance to those at all.

I was talking about "SMD plugin" as plugin from SMD converter. Not really meant alternative plugin as there is non but I'm sure you know that.

And all i got is "black map".

It's because lights are too far from map. Delete them in 3DS. It's as simple as that.
It have nothing to do with textures. Default 3DS material is grey.

 

[masterdragon]

Thanks bob.

But, i wonder why of this:

SunnyZ:

Also, I never got a working version of 3ds max 6.
At the moment I use 3DS Max 8, and it works perfectly at importing ASE files directly created from the SMD reader.

You must be registered to see links

(http://forum.ragezone.com/f286/open-monsters-3ds-max-893582/)

And cause, from what i know, ASE importer only works in 3DS 6 and 7 (that was the 2 i did swap alot in order to get all it working).

 

[ScreamingFox]

If you want to make maps, and the map you want to make do not have any animated meshes, you can make it on any version of 3dsmax, just export them as ASE.. Weapons and shields are not animated, for an example, so you can make them on any version of 3dsmax and export them as ASE.. You will need the 3dsmax7,8 (the old ones, etc..) just to export something with physique..

And if you want to 'study' the maps, i would recommend the maps in MAX.. Instead of converting the SMD's..


@Vormav: I meant to export the map.. It is just to name them properly on 3ds..(do not need to edit the ase later, etc..)..

 

[masterdragon]

And if you want to 'study' the maps, i would recommend the maps in MAX.. Instead of converting the SMD's..

And why of it?

And about 3DS 8? Plugin ASE importer works on it?

 

[masterdragon]

See if i can work this way:

- I took village-2.MAX (ricarten)
- opened in 3DS 8 (i was able to use ASE plugin import on it. Great!)
- when prompted to bmp/tga missing, i added the new path which are from MisteryPT client
- it keeps prompting to files missing, but i hit continue
- exported to .FBX (i don't know whats better, cuz no ones told me, just have tried)
- imported the map in .FBX
- it was opened in 3DS just like in game
- Export it (again) at ASE format with these settings:

- i swapped the village-2.smd to village-2.ase i created, from client and server (both are MisteryPT) only for test
- I did all loading and no errors occurred, but my char showed up below the town. Literally.

Questions are:

- Again, in case i don't have any .MAX files of some item/map i want to change, what can i do to have at least this same result? (leaving aside about char underground)
- In this case (no .MAX / or if have some way to i convert to it) how can i do to see all textures and stuffs of the map inside 3DS?
- Whats .FBX? And what changes can i do with it?
- What format can i edit the map/item, like remove/copy/add something inside them?
- Are those export settings all right?
- And why my char thinks he's a earthworm (borning underground)?

 

[ScreamingFox]

When you exported to fbx, the exporter probably flipped the normals, so you could see the faces facing 'outward' (if you flip the normal of a 1 sided mesh (planes, etc..) it will become invisible or weirdly black)..

The FBX exporting/importing could have messed the object's coordinates, so it 'sinked' a little..

But the Priston Tale does not use the FBX format.. You would use it in UDK..

For items, the conversion is much simpler, for me it has never failed.. You can also instead of importing as ASE on 3dsmax, use the program Biturn and convert the ASE to 3ds and then open it on 3dsmax..


If you want to add stuff (like if you want to put a statue on the 'town's square'), use these files, they are ready for export and your character wont think he is an earthworm:

-

You must be registered to see links

About seeing the textures on 3dsmax:

In the case of the maps, just use the PT maps in MAX.. I have downloaded it here at RZ.. =D..

If you want to see the maps (i mean BMPs and TGAs) on the viewport:

-Run that windows 'search' for the BMPs, on the field folder..
-Copy all of those and paste it to a new directory(folder), called c:/textures or whatever..
-Run the same search, but now for the TGAs, and paste them to the same folder..
-Patch the BMPs and TGAs with your favorite patchers..
-Now open the map on MAX.. It will ask you for the textures..
-You point the folder you created and pasted the textures ('use path')..
-Now click on the map and press 'Z' (just to center it on the viewport)
-Press 'M' (will open the material editor)..
-In the material editor, you will see some gray balls (material samples), below those, there are some icons..
-Press the 'icon'(without a proper button) with an eyedropper (PT:'conta-gotas')
-Now click on the map.. It will put the map's material on the material editor..
-Now click on the map's material..
-And then click on the icon (on the material editor) that has a chess board and an lamp bulb (show standard map on viewport)..
-If you still can't see the textures on the map, just select the material and apply it again on the map..
-To apply a material, you must select the object (the map) and then (on the material editor) click on the icon that has a ball pointing to a cube (assign material to selection)..

 

[bobsobol]

The SMD to ASE converter of Sandurr was never completed, and exporting maps is performed in an incomplete manner. The released .max files have the features which could not be converted re-added by hand.

The FBX format is also a plain text form, but Autodesk have added considerable features to 3DStudio Max since they took it over from Discreet, and the Discreet ASE format doesn't support the newer features. Likewise, Priston Tale doesn't support anything ASE doesn't, and doesn't understand *all* of that, from the looks of things.

What it doesn't understand will not make it into the cached SMD file it makes from your ASE, but it is also possible that it may crash it.

 

[masterdragon]

@bobsobol:
So, whats the meaning? Have no any way to use/edit a map converted by smd reader?
And i don't got what u said about max files.

@ScreamingFox
--the village-2.SMD converted to ASE (with smd reader):

--normals flipped:

--village-2.MAX opened:

--Trying to add materials:

(Trying to click 10x at "Assign material to Selection". Nothing happens)

--Exporting "black map".ASE to FBX:

--First FBX importing i did:

--When i discovered/tried for myself to disable the light option from FBX import:

(This is what made me happy after this long time i wasn't being, trying to, at least, properly see the map in 3DS) :biggrin:
But in same way, this is what i've converted again to ASE, used in game, the map was showed fine but for this:

and this:

(And no light at light poles)
Maybe some others little things... T_T
(This time, somehow, my char doesn't appeared below the town.)


So, im kind in a middle of a confusion.
I wanna do the things for myself (Not have the need to use MAX maps), cuz i may want to:
*Edit the new ricarten/pillai that i was looking for it.
*Edit monsters. (at least change some textures/colors to renew some of them)
*And others specific things
Just the necessary to bring some new "apperance" to them.

BUT, its ok to use the MAX maps, if i can properly insert all the maps stuffs in 3DS and export it working fine in game. But I couldn't =X

 

[bobsobol]

So, whats the meaning? Have no any way to use/edit a map converted by smd reader?
And i don't got what u said about max files.

The second statement is obvious from the first.

The MAX files where created from the SMD reader, but it doesn't work properly for maps. What it messed up (which you are seeing) was corrected, by hand. (someone manually went in and fixed all the things it fscked up) We where not told how, or what work was done, only that the tool alone was not sufficient to recreate working and accurate ASE versions of the map.

 

[masterdragon]

The second statement is obvious from the first.

The MAX files where created from the SMD reader, but it doesn't work properly for maps. What it messed up (which you are seeing) was corrected, by hand. (someone manually went in and fixed all the things it fscked up) We where not told how, or what work was done, only that the tool alone was not sufficient to recreate working and accurate ASE versions of the map.

OK, thanks then.

I guess i have no other way than use MAX maps.
But its better than nothing. BTW Priston we work for private server is it all from scratch, right?
We rely on nothing but the goodwill of others.

I just hoped that, in cases like this (the search for the development of something that has the resources and knowledge too vague), people who have the knowledge (like these important ones), cared more about giving the "key" to those who strives to also spread a solid base of resources to help the next.
(It's just me thinking ^^)

Now i just need to know how can i porperly add the map things in 3DS, and add it fine to the game. (if possible also)

 

[masterdragon]

Map is black because all light are in point (0, 0).
Delete all lights and 3DS will use global lighting.
SMD plugin for 3DS have problems with importing/exporting lights so you need to edit lights in .ASE format.

LOL.
I had missed this reply.
Yes, about the "black" its really the lights in (0, 0). Deleted and it become fine like MAX map.
I mistook the light with pivot (¬¬). The reason i didn't even tried it:

But i still can't assign textures to map.
(I did what u said ScreamingFox, but nothing happens clicking "Assign material to selection")

 

[ScreamingFox]

LOL.
I had missed this reply.
Yes, about the "black" its really the lights in (0, 0). Deleted and it become fine like MAX map.
I mistook the light with pivot (¬¬). The reason i didn't even tried it:

But i still can't assign textures to map.
(I did what u said ScreamingFox, but nothing happens clicking "Assign material to selection")

Something happens, you assign the material to your selection.

If you can't see the textures, they are without the proper paths, or not patched.. 3ds will only read/render the patched images.. if you did not patch the images, then you wont see them in 3ds..

 

[Vormav]

Textures are there but ase importer is not assigning place in material editor so you can't edit them in 3ds unless you recreate them/fix ase importer.
<Q>+<Shift> should show you textured map, "File>Summary Info..." will also show that there are materials in scene.

Just change "Standard" to "Multi/Sub-Object" material and assign bitmap to diffuse and drop it on selected "element" to change part of map.