Already built model's
by Eric Putman · in Torque 3D Beginner · 04/30/2014 (7:00 am) · 7 replies
I am wondering now that I have my characters skinned and built I am trying to figure out the height for my characters. One way of doing this is export the model to DTS then put in game and base the height off of the soldier then go back into 3ds Max shrink the model more then export then test over and over again until I think the height is correct.
Is there another way of doing this that I could get the character exported once? Say I have the height in mind 5' 11' what does that compute to in Torque3d? I know 1 unit in 3ds Max is 1 unit in Torque correct? what is the 1 unit equal to in measurements in CM, meters, or feet? I think once I have that information I can do the rest.
Thanks for your help,
Eric
Is there another way of doing this that I could get the character exported once? Say I have the height in mind 5' 11' what does that compute to in Torque3d? I know 1 unit in 3ds Max is 1 unit in Torque correct? what is the 1 unit equal to in measurements in CM, meters, or feet? I think once I have that information I can do the rest.
Thanks for your help,
Eric
#2
Doing it the way I have done it in the past (as stated in my pervious post) was to export then place in game compare size to T3D's solider character the either grow or shrink in 3ds Max then do it all over again. I am trying to NOT do this.
Thanks,
Eric
05/01/2014 (8:13 am)
Thanks Ron for the information, but what I am looking for is information on how high is 1 unit in 3ds Max? 1 unit equals 2.5ft or 1.5ft? that is what I am looking for so I can then make the changes necessary for the models I have in 3ds Max. I gues this would be an engine question how does the game engine calculate the height of 5' 11" when Exported from 3ds Max units (need to know how many units it takes to create a character 5' 11" and have the engine recognize this measurement.)Doing it the way I have done it in the past (as stated in my pervious post) was to export then place in game compare size to T3D's solider character the either grow or shrink in 3ds Max then do it all over again. I am trying to NOT do this.
Thanks,
Eric
#3
Of course you can use the ShapeBase scale factor when adding objects to Torque levels to tweak, but rumor has it that extreme scaling causes miscellaneous weirdness.
05/01/2014 (12:28 pm)
In Max, set your configuration to 1 unit = 1 meter. This is purely for the artist's sanity - in Torque, 1 unit is equal to approximately 1 meter in game regardless of what your unit settings in your modeling app are. If you like 1 unit = 1 foot and you make your character 6 feet (units) tall in Max, your character will be 6 units (meters) tall in Torque.Of course you can use the ShapeBase scale factor when adding objects to Torque levels to tweak, but rumor has it that extreme scaling causes miscellaneous weirdness.
#4
to meters. Then use 3ds Max measure utility to get the actual size
of the object. Here is the formula we will use to scale to correct
size.
Actual Size / 100 = Desired Size / X
For Uniform Scale, I usually use the Z measure for the calculations.
Using windows calculator, enter the Z measurement as shown by the
3ds Max utility. Now divide by 100 and use the copy feature of windows
calculator to store the result. Now enter the desired size ( Z ) and hit the
divide key, then paste from the calculator menu and then equals key. Again
use the calculator copy feature to copy the result. Minimize the windows
calculator. Hit the Scale button with the object selected in Max, then press
F12. Now drag the cursor in the Offset: World box of the scale dialog.
( The single box on the right) Now right click and paste and hit enter. Again
use the Max Measure Utility to ensure that all is well in re-size land.
For Non- Uniform scaling, you will need to do the above for all 3 axis. and
enter the result in the 3 boxes on the left of the scale dialog ( Absolute:Local)
For Best Practices, I model in the units supported by the engine I am working
with at the time of modeling. This is not required, if you do NOT mind the additional
conversion before export. Also for some objects, real world size can be a pain due to
the issues of the viewport in 3ds Max, So I model at a larger scale, then use the above
to return to real world scale prior to export. There is a re-scale script floating in the Net,
I think at Script Spot, tho' I have not used it as it requires a 3rd party dll that I do not wish
to install. For conversion from feet/inches to meters/cm or vice versa, it is simple calculations.
1 inch = .0254 meters
1 meter = 39.37 inches
so for 1 foot we multiply 12 by .0254 for a result of .3048 meters ( windows calculator )
to convert meters to feet and inches:
assume an object is 6 meters high.
Multiply 6 by 39.37 to get the inches ( 235.22 in this case )
then divide by 12 to get the feet. ( 19.685 in this case or the aprox. width of a single brownstone row house)
There is also online site Wolfram Alpha that can be used for this
and a number of other calculations.
05/01/2014 (3:49 pm)
Very simple solution. First as Richard noted, change system unitsto meters. Then use 3ds Max measure utility to get the actual size
of the object. Here is the formula we will use to scale to correct
size.
Actual Size / 100 = Desired Size / X
For Uniform Scale, I usually use the Z measure for the calculations.
Using windows calculator, enter the Z measurement as shown by the
3ds Max utility. Now divide by 100 and use the copy feature of windows
calculator to store the result. Now enter the desired size ( Z ) and hit the
divide key, then paste from the calculator menu and then equals key. Again
use the calculator copy feature to copy the result. Minimize the windows
calculator. Hit the Scale button with the object selected in Max, then press
F12. Now drag the cursor in the Offset: World box of the scale dialog.
( The single box on the right) Now right click and paste and hit enter. Again
use the Max Measure Utility to ensure that all is well in re-size land.
For Non- Uniform scaling, you will need to do the above for all 3 axis. and
enter the result in the 3 boxes on the left of the scale dialog ( Absolute:Local)
For Best Practices, I model in the units supported by the engine I am working
with at the time of modeling. This is not required, if you do NOT mind the additional
conversion before export. Also for some objects, real world size can be a pain due to
the issues of the viewport in 3ds Max, So I model at a larger scale, then use the above
to return to real world scale prior to export. There is a re-scale script floating in the Net,
I think at Script Spot, tho' I have not used it as it requires a 3rd party dll that I do not wish
to install. For conversion from feet/inches to meters/cm or vice versa, it is simple calculations.
1 inch = .0254 meters
1 meter = 39.37 inches
so for 1 foot we multiply 12 by .0254 for a result of .3048 meters ( windows calculator )
to convert meters to feet and inches:
assume an object is 6 meters high.
Multiply 6 by 39.37 to get the inches ( 235.22 in this case )
then divide by 12 to get the feet. ( 19.685 in this case or the aprox. width of a single brownstone row house)
There is also online site Wolfram Alpha that can be used for this
and a number of other calculations.
#5
do believe Googles 3d Viewer for Chrome has a measure
utility built in.
05/01/2014 (3:57 pm)
Note: For those using DCC apps with NO measure utility, Ido believe Googles 3d Viewer for Chrome has a measure
utility built in.
#6
05/01/2014 (4:56 pm)
Richard and Dale thank you very much for the information. That makes sense. One more question if I have the models already and I set the the 3ds Max units to 1 meter will the model take on the same size and the unit scale in Max? If not I could use the calculations that Dale provided to "shrink" or "grow" my model(s).
#7
Drag out 6X6X6 unit/feet box in max with decimal feet/ 1 unit = 1 foot.
Use the 3ds Max measure utility to see the size.
Change system units to meters/ 1 unit = 1 meter.
Use the 3ds MAx measure utilty to see the size in meters.
Now use the method explained to change the size of the box
to 5'11'' tall.
05/01/2014 (6:05 pm)
Learn by doing!Drag out 6X6X6 unit/feet box in max with decimal feet/ 1 unit = 1 foot.
Use the 3ds Max measure utility to see the size.
Change system units to meters/ 1 unit = 1 meter.
Use the 3ds MAx measure utilty to see the size in meters.
Now use the method explained to change the size of the box
to 5'11'' tall.
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Ron