Need clarification about 3ds max and file formats
by Charlie Higdon · in Artist Corner · 03/20/2008 (11:38 am) · 2 replies
First of all, I'd like to apologize for my noobishness. I've browsed through the posts on 3ds max and it seems the more I read the more confused I become with convert this to that. I can't quite gather when to save an object in a specific format, what format to convert it to for the best results, and when to convert it.
If there's a good post or a tutorial somewhere that might clear things up for me I'd appreciate a link.
I'm just getting started out here, so please excuse me. =(
I have a copy of 3ds max 6 (it was a gift a while back that I never quite put into use), and I have been working through numerous tutorials. I'm starting to get so-so with it, and I'd like to be able to place models ( a wine bottle, bookshelf, etc) into several places and I have questions about how to do it and the proper way.
1. I'd like to be able to model something, and place it in a quark map (a couch inside a house for example), I am unsure how to go about this, what file format to save it in, covert it to, etc. Is there a good walkthrough somewhere for this?
2. Would it be better to load the maps in game (spawn the house, then run about dropping couches, stoves, toilets, etc)? If so, what file format should they be in? The same as the house I made in quark, or in a .3ds, .chr?
I know how to build a map in Quark, and add it into my game, I'm just hoping I go about the right way of adding objects I model in 3ds into my game.
Really really sorry if this seems like a series of foolish questions, Ill try to keep them to a minimum in the future =).
If there's a good post or a tutorial somewhere that might clear things up for me I'd appreciate a link.
I'm just getting started out here, so please excuse me. =(
I have a copy of 3ds max 6 (it was a gift a while back that I never quite put into use), and I have been working through numerous tutorials. I'm starting to get so-so with it, and I'd like to be able to place models ( a wine bottle, bookshelf, etc) into several places and I have questions about how to do it and the proper way.
1. I'd like to be able to model something, and place it in a quark map (a couch inside a house for example), I am unsure how to go about this, what file format to save it in, covert it to, etc. Is there a good walkthrough somewhere for this?
2. Would it be better to load the maps in game (spawn the house, then run about dropping couches, stoves, toilets, etc)? If so, what file format should they be in? The same as the house I made in quark, or in a .3ds, .chr?
I know how to build a map in Quark, and add it into my game, I'm just hoping I go about the right way of adding objects I model in 3ds into my game.
Really really sorry if this seems like a series of foolish questions, Ill try to keep them to a minimum in the future =).
About the author
#2
I downloaded Constructor and it seems to be like Quark for the most part, although it is a little less annoying when moving around in the viewports.
I messed around, built a house just like the one I had built in Quark and placed it in a map.
I can build a model in 3ds max. Export them with the DTS exporter, place them in a Constructor map and bake it in there and have a ready to go furnished house without fooling with Quark?
Thanks for the reply David. I'm new to this and got caught up in all the export this, convert this to that, etc.
03/21/2008 (10:10 am)
I hope I'm understanding this right.I downloaded Constructor and it seems to be like Quark for the most part, although it is a little less annoying when moving around in the viewports.
I messed around, built a house just like the one I had built in Quark and placed it in a map.
I can build a model in 3ds max. Export them with the DTS exporter, place them in a Constructor map and bake it in there and have a ready to go furnished house without fooling with Quark?
Thanks for the reply David. I'm new to this and got caught up in all the export this, convert this to that, etc.
Associate David Montgomery-Blake
David MontgomeryBlake
You will need a DTS exporter for Max for your models. (Artists Page)
Once you create them, you can either use Constructor to bake them into the scene or manually place them with the World Editor in Torque.