Gmax and Deep-Exploaration: Discussion Thread

[maxkop]

Hello, and welcome to the Gmax and Deep-Exploaration Discussion - Thread

[Norton]

This is to all that may want to try 3DSMAX 9. Autodesk offers a 30 day free trial with no water marks and resrictions at this url,

http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet...112&id=5972446


I still have 5 days left on my trial but luckily my buddy down in Silicon Valley gave me his FTTP addy and i now have a full copy of his to mess with.

The free trial is almost 600 mbs, so be ready for a fairly big download and it is for noncommercial use!

Never the less, I'll be following your tutorial very close.
Can't wait to learn. TN.............

[maxkop]

In the tutorial we will firstly work with the demo version of Deep Exploration, so that every designer can test it directly on their computer. Of course the 3dsmax 7 or 8 demo works perfectly with the .kex plugin. But if you model a complicate aircraft, you really need more than 30 days. 3dsmax 9 doesn't work with the .kex plugin, which was mentioned by another user (don't know which designer posted this very important fact, before someone is buying a 3500$ software). Whatever software you use, it's clear that you will pay really less money, than for 3dsmax, no matter which version of Deep Exploration or program bundle you take

[Norton]

Originally Posted by maxkop

In the tutorial we will firstly work with the demo version of Deep Exploration, so that every designer can test it directly on their computer. Of course the 3dsmax 7 or 8 demo works perfectly with the .kex plugin. But if you model a complicate aircraft, you really need more than 30 days. 3dsmax 9 doesn't work with the .kex plugin, which was mentioned by another user (don't know which designer posted this very important fact, before someone is buying a 3500$ software). Whatever software you use, it's clear that you will pay really less money, than for 3dsmax, no matter which version of Deep Exploration or program bundle you take

I guess it's good my friend sent me version 8 then. Want me to delete that version 9 post so as not to make confusion?

TN..........

[maxkop]

No, no. I think it would be a good idea to let it be here. If others are thinking on 3dsmax 9 and want to ask the same question, or using the search function of the forum to find out if version 9 of 3dsmax is useable with the .kex - plugin

If you are searching for a 3dsmax demo, which is not hundred of MB big simply take version 7 from here

The size is only 85,1 MB and works with the .kex - plugin very well

[JCHarrist]

Great tutorial Max! I followed it step by step all the way to the end . The only step I'm not sure about is applying the texture in Deep Exploration.

I went ahead and tried to convert and I got "The model uses too few bitmaps. Please reconfigure the model to use exactly one bitmap.

Any ideas?

[maxkop]

The Scene - Tree of your x. file for the test - object in Deep Exploration should look like this before you export the x. - file to .3ds.

Please make sure you are using a .tga - texture file, which is uncompressed and have a resolution ratio of 1:1 (for example: 2048x2048).

Check the export settings and that the texture is exported as targa - image and not into another format

--> The error message appears, because the reffering texture in the .3ds - file is a .bmp not a .tga.


I will add images very soon, to make everything clear, before we will begin with the export of an aircraft.

[JCHarrist]

Ahhh, ok! I think I have it figured out now. By default, the "Scene Tree" is hidden and I couldn't figure out what you meant. After seeing your pic and playing with the window sizing I found it. I'll give it another shot.

[JCHarrist]

Woohoo! Success!

I got my cylinder into G3! The funniest part is that you can actually make it roll around and even pop it into the air if you play with the sticks!

Thanks a ton Maxkop and I really look forward to the rest of the tutorial!

[arb6591]

JC, I can understand your excitement ...*smile.
It is not easy but as Maxkop shows....it's possible.
I am going to do the same thing tonight and see if I can get it right ...

Great job Maxkop !!!!!!!!!!!
............. and we are waiting patiently for next steps.

ARB

[quadcopter]

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[arb6591]

JC,
I just did what you did ...*smile, cylinder is in G3 ..... it's a long way and more to come when it's time for editing pivot points, hierarchy etc. ... but it works.

I am clapping hands for Maxkop , excellent job for putting it all together for final output in G3.5

ARB

[maxkop]

We will learn how pivots, materials and hierarchy should look like in gmax/Deep Exploration in the next part. How we convert to .3ds, converting with the .kex - exporter and some stuff we need to edit in the .sup - file.

[arb6591]

Maxkop,
Thank you for being so generous ..... I do know how much time it takes to put all the information you have in a nice tutorial, not to mention how many trial and errors you had to repeat to finally nail it the whole process...
Can't wait for the next part.

ARB

[maxkop]

This is what airman122469 sent to me via PM:

whenever I try to export I end up with an error message that says that the path is wrong

ERROR!! Opening MakeMdl (path/file not found)
I followed the instructions exactly and I still end up with this. Why is this?
thanks

I remember that I received this failure once after a reinstall of my system and gmax.

I think it happend while I installed the tools. Here is a screenshot the gmax\plugin folder should look like. The gmax\gamepacks\fs2004\plugins should be empty.