How can I export the texture from a .3DS or .MAX model?

#1 I assume you're still using Blender to do it. Here is the texturing documentation on Blender's site. There's a lot more on there as well. If you are looking for Max information, check the TDN documentation for Max.

#2 Thanks for the reply...

It doesn't seem to have anything about exporting the textures to .jpg or .png files. I can use 3ds Max or Blender to export the textures... (whichever is easier)

#3 Export textures? I assume you made some procdural materials and want to use those in Torque? In that case use "render to texture". Not sure if that's possible in Blender, but it is in Max. Doesn't always work as desired (specially if you are using ray trace materials), but overall this works fine.

#4 What exactly is it you want to do?
Neither .max nor .3ds files store the actual textures (they work just the same as .dts, they store the texture filename).

Are you using some procedual material in max and want to render it out as a bitmap?


edit: oops... too late. =)

#5 Well, I'm completely new to 3D modeling (and Torque) so maybe I'm not using the correct terms...

If you can, please checkout these two files: (they are in .3ds or .max format, I forget)

http://216.165.190.200/models/chair13.zip
http://216.165.190.200/models/imac.zip

I've followed the Nigel Symes video tutorials on exporting from Blender to Torque and they are excellent, but I'm having problems with importing already created models.

Here's what I'm doing:

1) Import .3DS or .MAX file into Blender v2.40.
2) Create an empty called "Shape"
3) Create an empty called "Detail32"
4) Parent Detail32 to Shape.
5) Parent imported shape to Detail32.
6) Export to Torque using Blender to DTS exporter.

This all works great! However, my .DTS file doesn't contain any textures, however in Blender the imported .3DS/.MAX file is definitely textured. (both the chair and the computer listed above)

I'm just trying to figure out how I can keep these textures (is that the wrong word?) and have them showup in Show Tool or in Torque... (so I don't just have a plain white model)

I've posted this in the 3ds Max forum because I also installed the 3ds Max 30-day free trial, so I can use that to export the textures (is this the wrong phrase?) for the models I convert with Blender...

Thanks for any help....

#6 You will need to create a UV map and "unwrap" it. This will create a texture template for your model. UV from the Blender Manual as well as the next chapter "Unwrapping Suzanne.

#7 Thanks for the links... I'll read up on that and see what I can figure out...

If you get some free time though, can you maybe convert those two models to .DTS + texture file? That way I'll have something to compare my results with... I would GREATLY appriciate it.

Thanks!

#8 Lightwave's at home and I'm at work. Maybe someone else can.

#9 The files you posted are REALLY not "game ready". The imac is over 20.000 polygons and the chair has some really bad geometry issues. Basically what I'm trying to say is; the textures are the least of your troubles if you want to get these models into a game.

#10 Well, as I mentioned I'm really a newbie at this kind of stuff but I'd really like to make a game (since I just purchased the Torque game engine)

It seems like the only way to get artwork for my game is to find free 3d models (since I've never modeled before). I'd purchase a content pack, but nothing exists for household items... (I'm building a "Clue" type of game, so all I need is a fully furnished mansion)

What kind of polygon count should I be looking for? How can I find weird geometry issues? How else can I find "good, game-ready" 3d models?

#11 Polygon count is an iffy thing. The basic rule of thumb is "as low as humanly possible". You definitely don't want a chair or a computer on a table that has ten times the polycount of a fully animated, detailed player model.

First, I'd recommend patience. Games don't get made with limited experience in a day. Sit down with the Blender manual and go through it and do everything in it. This will teach you modeling, rigging, animation, UV mapping and such. Then you will not only know what everything in the exporter docs and forums means but how to translate it to John-speak.

Secondarily, on breaks from doing Blender work, I would recommend designing your gameplay mechanics on paper. I say paper rather than computer since it will get you away from the thing you're beating your head against in Blender. It will also help you conceptualize how you want players to interact and play your game. Since it is 'Clue', I'd assume that it is a turn-based board game with card modifiers. Figure out the rules so that you can accurately prototype it. You don't need to have a huge formal design document, but when it comes to the specificity of the rules, you might want something close. The rest of the design can be a little looser.

Once you have blender under your belt, pick up Quark. Use it to design the base "board" of your mansion. Then use Blender to decorate it. Once you have the basic layout (only necessary things; details can come later), start prototyping out your logic according to your design.

#12 Thanks for the information!

I understand what you're saying, but I don't think I would need to learn how to model, since a whole ton of free 3d models exist (eg. www.3dcafe.com). Since all of these excellent models exist, why should I re-invent the wheel and re-model them? All I want is to use these pre-made models in Torque =(

I'll definitely pickup Quark though and see what I can make with it. That's my next step though (after I figure out how to use simple pre-made models)

#13 Feel free to download stuff from our site. There are plenty of files there that can serve as examples of how basic static models are created and exported. Everything that is available for download currently is in Blender format and there are a smattering of files that are fully textured and exported to various formats, including Torque-ready DTS files. Also, we include the Blender files with all the nodes set up for proper exporting to Torque (for the models that are complete). There are also a ton of tutorials there specific to the creation of exactly the type of models needed for Torque.

www.lowpolycoop.com

Scott

#14 Scott's site is more up your alley. 3DCafe is often a place where people put their mid-high poly models for use in rendering rather than real-time engines. There are low-poly models on there as well, but most of them cater to the render-friendly crowd. There is some excellent stuff out there, but you may end up spending more time beating your head against not knowing how to use a modeling package and not wanting to learn it while trying to debug exporter issues from the native package to 3DS or OBJ and then how Blender imports those models and how you have to modify them to re-export them to DTS. Just because it is a 3DS file doesn't mean it was made in Max any more than an OBJ file was made in Maya. My solution wasn't to "become a 3D artist" with the chops of an art school behind you but to learn the 3D app that you're using so that you can adequately use that knowledge to get high-quality assets into your game and know the lingo.

Many of the models on 3D Cafe were never intended to be in a game engine (or a real-time engine of any kind). Trying to do so without knowing the application is an exercise in frustration which, especially in the case of simple items, could often be made from scratch faster than the work it takes to get them to the place you need them to be.

And the reason that I mentioned putting it on paper is so that you could find the assets that you NEED for gameplay prototyping. The levels may be the ugliest things on the planet, but they need to play well. Once you have the gameplay in, it is pretty easy to find artists because you have already dedicated time to the project to prototype it and get it functional. They get to make it pretty.