3DS Max boolean operators
by Jeroen Broekhuizen · in General Discussion · 04/29/2004 (11:14 pm) · 5 replies
I was moddeling a building in 3ds max using the boolean operator substract to make an empty interrior in a box. Exporting it to a map file succeeds, but when I then convert the file to a dif file (using map2dif_debug) a possible division by zero is detected and the program terminates.
This makes me wondering if those operators are supported. If so, can someone please tell me what I do wrong? Is it also possible to create portals in max?
This makes me wondering if those operators are supported. If so, can someone please tell me what I do wrong? Is it also possible to create portals in max?
#2
Logan
04/30/2004 (8:55 am)
Another very important thing that you should always do if you are crazy enough to use a boolean operation is to put and STL Check modifier on your final result to see if there are problems with the resulting geometry. Boolean operations sometimes will generate funny results that might appear okay but are in actuality bad data.Logan
#3
04/30/2004 (12:04 pm)
Why crazy? If the boolean operator isn't good, what method can I then better use to make the interior of a box? I already have been thinking about just using multiple boxes to form together a box (meaning 1 floor, 1 ceiling and 4 boxes for the walls.
#4
Cut holes in walls and use shift+drag edges to make new walls. which is often better than using the extrude toolsanother thing you cn do is simply draw splines and then bevel the spline to make walls.
allways to a STL check to make sure you don't have holes, spikes and double faces. Allthouhg I think your probably wasting your time as using these methods completely defies the purpose ofa tool like 3dsmax. Either use a CSG editor or an alternative to TGE for creating your games if your dead set on using 3dsmax, only problems with alternatives are that very few of them are cross platform, so if you want to be published by GG, it will be pretty difficult if your not using their engine.
Not sure, but I think theirs is about the only one that can be reliably compiled on a mac, llthough there should be other alternatives coming out soon.
Booleans with max are a pretty bad idea for almsot any kind of modeling unless you have the money to invest in a commercial alternative like Powerbooleans. its just too messy. one nice problem with booleans is that you can only boolean with closed objects so if your model disapears you know it had a hole in it :) (usefull under these circumstances, but a pain most of the time).
04/30/2004 (10:54 pm)
Um, easiest way is to make a box and us ethe normal modifier to flip normals. subdivide your box at usefull heights, like window top bottom and top of door, you can then use slice to put in vertical slices and extrude. Cut holes in walls and use shift+drag edges to make new walls. which is often better than using the extrude toolsanother thing you cn do is simply draw splines and then bevel the spline to make walls.
allways to a STL check to make sure you don't have holes, spikes and double faces. Allthouhg I think your probably wasting your time as using these methods completely defies the purpose ofa tool like 3dsmax. Either use a CSG editor or an alternative to TGE for creating your games if your dead set on using 3dsmax, only problems with alternatives are that very few of them are cross platform, so if you want to be published by GG, it will be pretty difficult if your not using their engine.
Not sure, but I think theirs is about the only one that can be reliably compiled on a mac, llthough there should be other alternatives coming out soon.
Booleans with max are a pretty bad idea for almsot any kind of modeling unless you have the money to invest in a commercial alternative like Powerbooleans. its just too messy. one nice problem with booleans is that you can only boolean with closed objects so if your model disapears you know it had a hole in it :) (usefull under these circumstances, but a pain most of the time).
#5
04/30/2004 (10:57 pm)
Ok, thanks! I will try it out the way you described. 
Torque Owner Jorgen Ewelonn
The problem is that you are not allowed to use concave (curved like the inner surface of a sphere) brushes in a map or dif, this will never compile.
If you want some solid info on how maps for games (quake, torque, half-life) work check this out:
www.planetquake.com/qxx/bsp/
This is a good primer on how a BSP tree work and how CSG is applied to this.
When you understand how this works you can probably figure out how to use the tools in Max or any other program allowing .map output....
Hope this help.
[EDIT]
Tori Spelling
[/EDIT]