General Model Questions

[Paul]

As far as I know GMAX loads MD3s with animation and tags. You need the MD3 import scripts and the md3 export plugins as they don't go in the downloaded Gmax package.

[Nash]

All thanks to the guy who got me started and gave me the links to what I needed.

Whilst your in this thread... do you know of any way to import an MD3 into an editing program (any editing program) whilst preserving its animation? As you know, MilkShape doesn't load an MD3's animation so you can't load it into MilkShape, re-do the UV map and then save it again and keep the animation unless you also re-do the animation by hand too.

Not that I know of... Paul may be right about Gmax though. I doubt you're ready to install another (big) modeling program just to import a few MD3 frames...

[Paul]

I have been using GMAX for quite a while now. It is DA thing when it comes to making MD3's, in my opinion. The only things that piss me off are the poor unwrapping tools (box mapping totally doesn't work as it should) and the animation tools. The bones are easy to handle, though, and there are Inverse Kinematics, but setting them up with the Skin modified is a pain in the butt big time!

[Enjay]

You need the MD3 import scripts and the md3 export plugins

I have GMax and have tried to find the MD3 plugins. I have found a few but none seem to work. Do you have links to the ones you use (and any tips for using them)?

[edit] Actually, I've only found exporters. I can't even find an importer. [/edit]

[Paul]

Here they are.
ExportMD3 goes to plugins and import-md3 goes to scripts. To use the importer open up "Max Script Import" in the utilities and import the script.
EDIT:
1. Open up Gmax
2. To import something go to -> utilities bar -> Max Script -> Select MD3 import -> set settings and import
3. To Export go to -> File -> Export -> Select MD3 Export -> Select frames (for static models it is usually 0) and export. Remember the model must have UV mapping.

[Enjay]

Thanks, but I must be doing something wrong. The import option you mentioned is not in my MAX script menu:



I have tried placing the files in the following:

the dle in
gmax/stplugs

the ms in
gmax/stplugs
gmax/stplugs/stdscripts
gmax/scripts
gmax/scripts/startup

I have "Open"ed the script and tried "Run"ning the script too but no joy. Any ideas?

[Paul]

No no. Ms goes to scripts. On the right of your screen there is the section with the tools, right? Check out the Utilities bar (The Hammer icon, rightmost). Open it up and navigate to MAX Script there.

[Enjay]

OK, I'm getting closer, but I still can't get it to import anything. I notice a difference between your and my screenshots. You have a new menu item in that green-ish colour that says:

- Quake3 MD3 Import

I, however, do not.



I guess that I must still be missing out an important step.

[Janitor]

thanks for the info, nmn, but I seem to be having the same issue as enjay

[Paul]

Well I just click the script's name and select it in the window and it opens itself. Scroll down the menu, perhaps it's there but you don't see it.

[Enjay]

I'll check that again when I get home but I'm sure that's what I did. As for not seeing the menu, the vertical resolution of my screen is 1200 pixels, most of which in that area of the screen is just blank, grey space. In other words, there is definitely no sign of the menu.

[Enjay]

Yay! Success! I was just about to come back here and post about how it definitely wasn't working. i thought that I'd tried everything again but then, just as I was about to quit GMAX, my finger twitched and the extra menu appeared.

Funny thing was, I couldn't work out what I had done to make it appear.

@Janitor, you are probably doing the same thing I was: just clicking on the script name in the main box. What to do is click the down arrow then once the menu has dropped down, even though it only has one item in it (if you only have the one script) you need to move your mouse down and click on the copy of the name that has dropped down, not the one up in the box.



It seems so obvious and I'm sure that I had done that but I guess I hadn't. I feel silly now.

Now, after such a clumsy start, let's see if I can get the hang of this program and actually do something with it.

Thanks for the help Paul.

[edit] Eeek! I've just spent half an hour wrestling with the UV tools and achieved a grand total of nothing. Man alive! This is going to take some getting used to. I managed to pick up that side of things in Milkshape in a matter of minutes. At least MD3 models do indeed import into GMAX preserving their animations with this filter/script so thanks again.[/edit]

[Nash]

Which reminds me... I still intend to do the set of video tutorials that exclusively use Gmax for GZDoom modeling that I planned last year... I even have most of the script done (for the tutorial lectures). I just haven't had the time to get around to sit down and record the tutorials...

While Milkshape may be a much more lightweight and friendlier tool, Gmax does not limit a polygon to triangles (Milkshape's biggest limitation IMO), it has better modeling tools for easier sculpting, it supports vertex animation (so if you don't feel like rigging a model, you don't have to, just move the verts around -- for some kinds of models, skeletal animation just doesn't make sense anyway), and it's free... if one were to ask me for a recommendation on free software for the sole purpose of GZDoom modeling - between Blender and Gmax - I'd recommend Gmax simply for the easier learning curve.

(Blender is far far superior feature and toolset-wise but the UI is insane...)

[Enjay]

I can certainly see that GMAX has a lot to offer. I was just hoping (but not really expecting) that it would be easy to pick up and run with.

[Janitor]

D'oh, thanks for the heads up!!!

Argh. This was quite simple with Milkshape. Someone ought to post a vid demonstrating what to do when they figure it out.