Project Reality Forums

Hey im helping out with the Norwegian forces making some buildings.

I have only been taught Maya 2011 and dont have any experience with 3D max.

i have started to make the models in Maya and then export them as .obj files for max. for someone to make it ready for export for PR.

Is there anyone who could help give me a crash course in 3D Max? i have tried following the tuts but i need to know the basics eg short cut keys. ( then i can work out how to do the LODs and texture the buildings)

This is a building i have made for PR

https://rapidshare.com/files/3178642898 ... tEnter.obj

if anyone could take a look at it and let me know if its ok to be used or whats needs to be done to make it usable

Thanks for any help!

Post some pictures of your models.

here
[ATTACH]6284[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH]6285[/ATTACH]

While i am not a modeler, i think i can say that most of the floors, walls and roofs can be simplified polygon-wise (if thats what the planes are called ). So instead of all the squares just one big or something like that. You could also make the back of the stairs smooth to save some more polys.

if you're making enterables, all I ask is that you remember performance.

Theres a few ways I think you can do this aside from good modelling practice-

Non-enterable versions

Close off sections of the enterables so its not entirely enterable

just keep that in mind otherwise we get teh Dragonfly syndrome where too many polys rendering at once = lag.

While im not very good with PR-related 3DS Max, im getting to grips with it as a program.

Ill take a quick look over the model and post screens here of what ive changed to get it that one step closer to Dev-Grade (although you will need it checked again by an R-Dev)

I opened it in 3ds max. I'm not sure what's wrong with it, but it looks pretty messed up.


Here's the max scene file for anyone who wants to have a go:
[ATTACH]6286[/ATTACH]

Yeah this happens a lot with .obj > .max, a lot of errors can be arisen (which is why the PR team require 3ds Max 9 as a standard for Devs)

I just opened it, and many areas could be improved, there are so many un-neccesary wires that it would take me longer to point them all out rather than actually re-create the building. Im doing that right now, and then I will place a wireframe of mine next to yours, might give some ideas to help you.

Will edit this post when ive taken screenshots.

I havent got enough time to do it all sorry, however I can show you the floors/walls.

As you can see from the floor here, mine isnt cluttered with the huge amount of lines.

Yours:


Mine:


You could easily go back and remove the many lines which are within your floor, as its a really good way to save tris/polys.

I made the house here, and ive also cut the inside out using Inset/Extrude up on the bottom floor bit, I dont know how this works within game environments though, and whether it would be a suitable technique for PR.



You cant see the lines on mine there (forgot to change the colour of the object), however the only lines are on the edge of the roof/down the sides.

I would help you further, but my coursework is calling! Hope ive helped at all.

hey guys thanks for what you have said already

- About the wires yes i know i need to cut them down ... they are just their for the construction. (to make the windows etc) I will get rid of as many as possible. The stairs too i will get rid of as many planes as possible.

Shovel - not sure why it does that when you import it into max.... very frustrating.

But as i said, need some help with Max ... i have had a go at tuts in the PR forums and found some online but i need help with the basics to work out how to use Max - then i wont have to go through Maya to create models.

Thanks for your help!

It could be that the polygons are facing the wrong direction. You'll have to flip them, one after one, until you get them right.