PlayerModel Export Difficulties

#1 Taking a quick look at your character it has many problems.

First you cant use editable polys, you need to use editable meshes.
Fix:
To convert from poly to mesh:
Add a mesh select modifier to the stack
Place the modifier above the editable poly
Select the mesh select modifier
Choose collapse to

Second the MultiRes was not generated.
Fix:
Select the MultiRes and press the generate button in the modify panel.

Third your main mesh was missing the MultiRes info.
Fix:
Select your MultiRes mesh and choose properties
Click the user defined tab and copy the information via ctrl+c
Select your main mesh and choose properties
Click the user defined tab and past in the info from the MultiRes mesh

Fourth, your bounding box should be a simple box primitive

Fifth, your character is very large, approximately 3.5 meters or 11.5 feet tall.
Fix:
From the Customize menu choose Units setup
Select the System Unit Setup button
Set 1 unit to = 1 meter and press Ok
Under Display Unit Scale select the Metric radio button and set it to meters, then press Ok

Hope that help you get back underway.

#2 Todd,
Thanks I've actually had these fixed while I was waiting for answers form another post.

The update is here - www.gdsleeds.com/staticpages/gds_files/ns_final_player_baseriged.max

From this stage one, I don't see what the problem is.

Many thanks,
Toby.
--
President
Game Development Society
www.gdsleeds.com

#3 Taking a look at your new model you still have several of the problem I already stated.

You still do not have multires info in your main mesh.
Your multires mesh is still an editable poly

This is purely asthetic but your character is still about 11 feet tall.

#4 OK, I fixed the poly bit, I thought that was done, oups.

Do you really need multires info in the main player mesh, this isn't needed for normal objects, typically only the mesh with multires:: in the name has that.

Also should I have any modifiers attacheched to the multires:: mesh?? How does that link to the bone structure??

Now i'm sorting out Assertion failure.

Thanks,
Toby.

#5 Yes you most definately need the mutlires info in the main player mesh.

The multires should be a copy of the main mesh. Here is how I set mine up:
1. Select the mesh and select tool->snapshot at frame 0 of the scene.
2. Set it to single and mesh and click Ok. This will give you and editable mesh in the exact same position as the skinned mesh.
3. Rename the new mesh to MultiRes::bodymesh
4. Link MultiRes::bodymesh to the main mesh named bodymesh
5. Add a MultiRes modifier to MultiRes::bodymesh and hit the generate button

#6 Todd,
Thanks.

I'm sorting out assertion failure, and I can't get rid of that. Whatever I do, it screws up. I've tried using the Bip01 and making the envelop so large it takes in the whole mesh and got same problem. I manually fixed the verts in the table, same prob.

argg!

Thanks for your input, any ideas?

Toby.

#7 Link your new max file and ill take a look at it.

#8 Done - Same Link check the file. I've added my player config file too here - www.gdsleeds.com/staticpages/gds_files/config_player.cfg

Toby.

#9 Assertion failed on skin object means that your skins are an editable poly, which they still are. They need to be editable meshes.

Also in your config file you should never be exporting bip01

#10 I'm such a bell end at this time of the hour. Right I fixed thoses three problems - now Max simply craches on me.

If you take away the skin mod and conver it, apply the skin and all the bones, then delete the multires and reconver the multires mesh, reaply the multires, hit generate. Edit the script to not export Bip01 (Does that mean I can exclude it form the skin modifer list???)

Does it crash for you?

Toby.

#11 OK.. I'm getting somewhere now.. it's not in fact crashing.. just taking so much time to export. I got over a five meg dump file.. pretty mad...

Gave me a weight issue with a single vertex, so I'm working it out...

Toby.

#12 Yeah I am getting the same thing heh, its still building it right now.

FYI, if you just make a post and keep clicking refresh there is a bug in the boards that keeps reposting your last post, hence why there are 3 of your last posts. You can click the garbage can to delete the extra ones.

#13 Updated: Max and Config file.

Rightio, I got it to fully 'compile' up to the point where the dump file says:

'Optimizing Meshe...' and Max give me the vertex 634 is mission weights.
However, when I do a search in the dump file or the weight table, both display that it has indeed a weight attached.

Very odd... Any ideas Todd?
--
Damnit, that bug annoys me!

Toby.

#14 Updated file: www.gdsleeds.com/staticpages/gds_files/ns_final_player_baseriged.max

Fix vertice weights with 634 and 2184.

It starts optimizing the mesh, goes up to 145, the last detail mesh, then comes to say Assertion Failed - But they are both MESHs??

Now I'm confused!

I've updated the file, it will take 100% of your CPU to convert, and when you think it's not doing anything, it is - Watch the task manager, quite cool.

Now I'm not what the next step is?

Toby.

#15 I downloaded the file.. opened in max 7.. grabbed Bip01 to move the character. in my version (the one I just downloaded from yoru link).. there is only one vertice weighted to the skeleton.

#16 Wait Joe.. what? Don't say that.. it confuses me :P

I pull the Bip01, and the whole mesh moves, I've re-uploaded the file to make sure.

Strangeness....and madness are settling in after working on this export since 6o'clock and its now 2:30am...

Guys, I'm off to bed - if you figure out a solution, you'll be amazing!

Toby.
p.s: there shouldn't be any weirdness with the vertices for the moment. It's an assertion failure, which shouldn't be there...could it have to do with the MultiRes:: verison??

#17 Right, Back into action - I'm still stuck with this assertion failure on a model which is an Editable Mesh.

Any luck from anyone???

Toby.

#18 Ok..so I deleted the MultiRes model, and this now exports completly in nearly a minute rathen than 6.

Current problems:
- MultiRes:: is caussing an Assertion Failure, when it shouldn't - It's a mesh.
If you remove it, it exports fine.
- The Mesh doesn't display, coudl this have to do with the eye and cam dummy?

Toby.

#19 Ok Toby,
I took your file, deleted the multires mesh, and added a new one using the steps I outlined above. I exported the model with the collapse transforms parameter off, whichc essentially exports everything. It loaded up fine in the show tool.

As for it taking less time without the multires, well that is kind of logical since it has to calculate what the mesh will look like for each of the detail levels when you use the multires.

I would see if you can get to the same place I am and then go back and turn collapse transforms on and see how your config file interacts with what you are exporting.

#20 Todd,
I'm using Max 7. I followed your intructions for the MultiRes:: (What's the dif between a snapshot and a simple copy??) - I still get a Assertion Failure.

I'm working on a coupleof tweaks, am I right in assuming that if you remove the bones through the config file, there isn't any point in including them in the skin modifer in the first place. I'm thinking directly of the Bip01 and Bip L Toe, etc..

Also, Todd, it might be a good idea, whil I fiddle about with things here, if you can put up both the ended model and the Max file (Done any changes to the config file??) and see if I can compile the model using the max file you did, and if so, then compare what the two files.

Host the file or send it to president @ gdsleeds.com (no spaces)

Would sound best rather than me pestering you...

Thanks a lot thought,
Toby.