Model Converter X - api - gmax model with sharp edges

[Fern]

Hi, all

I am using Arno's Model Converter X 1.2.

When I convert an api to 3DS, it works.

However, in gmax the model has sharp edges, which is great for a roof but terrible for an aeroplane.

No amount of fiddling with the "Smooth" function in gmax helped.

Is there a secret there?

Thanks

Fern

PS. I am trying api because too many mdl files are considered by Model Converter X as not-supported (MDL8, if I am not mistaken).

 

[arno]

Hi Fern,

I haven't found out yet how to store the normals in the 3DS format. It seems that is not supported by the format. So that's why the smoothing is lost during the conversion.

I would expect you can smooth again in GMax, but I never tried that.

If anybody knows how the 3DS format can store the smoothing, please let me know.

 

[n4gix]

Arno, even models exported from Max to .3ds format "lose" their normals. If Autodesk can't do it, then I suspect the format simply doesn't support it!

 

[arno]

Hi Bill,

Yes, I know normals can not be stored. I was not sure if the smoothing groups or something like that could be stored. But if you mention that even their own tools loose this information, I know enough .

Recently I have been using a script to import Wavefront OBJ into GMax, since that does not have the texture name limitations that 3DS has. But I think also with that script the normals were still lost. I should double check that.

 

[n4gix]

Hi Bill,

Yes, I know normals can not be stored. I was not sure if the smoothing groups or something like that could be stored. But if you mention that even their own tools loose this information, I know enough .

Well, I actually meant to type both normals and smoothing groups, since both are lost in the .3ds file...

...along with support for only 8.3 filenames, it truly makes it a somewhat "less than ideal" format.

 

[tgibson]

Hi,

I have posted on this previously, since I've been doing a *lot* of this.

My method for getting aircraft models back in shape:

0. Set ObjectModel Settings/Collapse ModelParts in MCX to FALSE. Otherwise many of your parts will be welded together.

1. Import the 3DS file into GMAX (as output from MCX - default is to export the Exterior model).

2. Select all the parts of the model.

3. Add an Edit Mesh modifier to the stack.

4. Select Vertex sub mode.

5. Edit/Select All

6. Set your Weld threshold very small (I use 0.05 but you can use 0.005)

7. Click Weld Selected

8. Click somewhere to deselect all vertices

9. Select Polygon sub mode.

10. Edit/Select All

11. Click the Auto Smooth button (default at 45 is fine). This should fix almost all the parts.

12. Click somewhere to deselect all the polygons.

13. Look over your model carefully and see if you need to alter the smoothing of any parts. Do so.

14. I normally select all parts and Collapse the Stack, to get rid of some artifacts when you have a modifier that includes many parts.

15. If you have a VC, repeat all steps above, selecting the VC in MCX before export. If for FS9, you can eventually Merge the VC model into the Exterior model.

Hope this helps,

 

[Fern]

Smooth now

Hi,

Yes, that worked quite well, tgibson.

Thanks

Fern

 

[hcornea]

Yep ... all 3ds processed geometry breaks vertex welds.

Not sure if this is a limitation of the file format, or Modelconverter or Gmax's importer.

 

[tgibson]

I think it is in the MCX import, since the aircraft is not smoothed when loaded into MCX? But that doesn't really matter if the 3DS format won't save the smoothing data anyway...

 

[tgibson]

Oh, and one more thing.

Your texture mapping is saved in the file, but GMAX is not displaying it. You need to:

1. Copy the object's textures into the same folder as your GMAX (3DS) file, and convert them to 24 bit BMP, TGA, PSD, or other format GMAX will read.

2. Go to the Material Editor (red ball button), click the Pick button, and click on a part of the object. If the texture name is a weird DOS name (has things like ~1 in it), fix that by browsing to the real texture you made above.

3. Then click on the blue and white cube in the same dialog box, and your texture should appear on the object.

Repeat as needed.

Hope this helps,

 

[arno]

Hi Tom,

ModelConverterX should read smoothing correctly from API files (or SCASM or BGL files). The limitation is on the export side.

 

[Fern]

Smooth all the way

With a little work, that recipe from tgibson worked just fine. The welding issue did crop up, but a little more work and they were all happily together again.

Actually, once I did the smoothing in gmax, the export was no issue at all. The model wasn't to be the most important aircraft in my collection, as it was only to serve as a static object, and I had not picked the most sophisticated FS8 model in the first place, so I am happy with the solution.

As for the textures, well, that is another story, but I am not even going to try the 0af, 1af, etc. in gmax and FSX...

I will open another thread about the "non-supported mdl".

Thanks, everyone.

Fern