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3D Max into Previewer help
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XxoVoxX_disabled_40584896

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PostPosted: Fri Jan 29, 2010 11:56 pm    Post subject: 3D Max into Previewer help Reply with quote

Hello Everyone,

I am new to the developing here on IMVU, I have done some of the basic things to get familiar with the Previewer. I have done retexturing of items such as rooms, furniture, clothing and hair. Learnt how to work with the opacity maps and textures, so i got all that sorted. Now I wanted to try something new, I have worked with 3D Studio Max 7 before, so I have a decent understanding of it. I want to design a room mesh and then take it through to the Previewer. Now before I started designing the room, I just made a simple square room, so that I could figure out all the steps first rather than struggle later on.

So far I know how to export the mesh, add the nodes and that stuff, but the problem I am facing is how do I get the mesh I have made in Max into the Previewer? I have been fiddling around and tried adding it through the Geometry part in the Previewer but all that happens is everything goes black. Secondly when I start a new design must I choose "Derive from Furniture room" Any help regarding this would be greatly appreciated, I have searched for tutorials on how to do it but I cant seem to find one that explains it in detail.

So to recap, I need to know how I get my mesh which I have created in Max into the previewer.

Thank you very much to those who take the time to help me regarding this issue, much appreciated.
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yokoed 18+ Age Verified

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PostPosted: Sat Jan 30, 2010 1:08 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Starting with the mesh when you have it all set (Either 1 mesh or multiples.) You skin it to the skeleton.Room node. You then select the skeleton.Room and export it as your .xsf file. All your floor, ceiling, wall, catcher, pitcher, standing and sitting nodes are linked to the skeleton.Room.

Then you select the mesh itself export it as your .xmf.

Select nothing and export your .xrf's

In previewer the special tab gets the .xsf file by clicking the browse button.

The geometry tab gets the .xmf's files.

The materials tab gets the .xrf's paying attention to uncheck vertex colors if you didn't use vertec shading.

That's the basics hope it helps.

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PostPosted: Sat Jan 30, 2010 1:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

yokoed wrote:
Starting with the mesh when you have it all set (Either 1 mesh or multiples.) You skin it to the skeleton.Room node. You then select the skeleton.Room and export it as your .xsf file. All your floor, ceiling, wall, catcher, pitcher, standing and sitting nodes are linked to the skeleton.Room.

Then you select the mesh itself export it as your .xmf.

Select nothing and export your .xrf's

In previewer the special tab gets the .xsf file by clicking the browse button.

The geometry tab gets the .xmf's files.

The materials tab gets the .xrf's paying attention to uncheck vertex colors if you didn't use vertec shading.

That's the basics hope it helps.


Thank you very much yokoed, I really appreciate the help, will get stuck into it right away.
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PostPosted: Sat Jan 30, 2010 2:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Oki I worked through what you said above, saving all the things like you mentioned, and I put it in the Previewer, but still i cant get the room.mesh to show up, only the avi appears and everything else around goes black. When I open the Previewer must I choose the following: File >> Create derived product >> Derive furniture room (10860)

I think there is something i am missing, cant figure out why it is not showing the room, any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank You.
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PostPosted: Sat Jan 30, 2010 2:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

From what you wrote it sounds like you do not have the mesh skinned to the skeleton.Room, I think that might be the problem. Are you familiar with skining the mesh to the skeleton.Room node. I might be wrong but that could be it. Have you used the skin modifier before? And I also derive off of the room ID# 512 as it's the lowest in the derive chain

Try deriving from those rooms first if still black check your skinning.

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Last edited by yokoed 18+ Age Verified on Sat Jan 30, 2010 2:47 am; edited 1 time in total
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PostPosted: Sat Jan 30, 2010 2:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

yokoed wrote:
From what you wrote it sounds like you do not have the mesh skinned to the skeleton.Room, I think that might be the problem. Are you familiar with skining the mesh to the skeleton.Room node. I might be wrong but that could be it. Have you used the skin modifier before? And I also derive off of the room ID# 512 as it's the lowest in the derive chain


Hi yokoed, thanks for the quick reply, and yeah i'm not familiar with the skinning the mesh to the skeleton.Room, was playing around with the skin modifier but to no luck. I'll give it another try and try that room ID you suggested as well and see how things go from there. Thanks again very much.
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PostPosted: Sat Jan 30, 2010 3:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

To skin mesh:

Select the mesh.
In modifier list scroll down and choose skin.

Under parameters choose the 'add' button.
Select bones window opens, double click skeleton.Room

Then click 'edit envelopes'
uncheck 'cross sections' and 'envelopes'
check 'vertices'

In your viewport drag a selection square around your entire mesh.
(You should now see white squares around your mesh.)

Scroll down modifier list to 'Weight properties'
uncheck 'Normalize'
check 'Rigid'
'Abs Effect put in the number 1 and hit your Enter key on keyboard.

In you modifier list click 'skin' so it not selected (It turns grey from
being yellow.

Now your mesh is skinned.



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PostPosted: Sat Jan 30, 2010 3:36 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

yokoed wrote:
To skin mesh:

Select the mesh.
In modifier list scroll down and choose skin.

Under parameters choose the 'add' button.
Select bones window opens, double click skeleton.Room

Then click 'edit envelopes'
uncheck 'cross sections' and 'envelopes'
check 'vertices'

In your viewport drag a selection square around your entire mesh.
(You should now see white squares around your mesh.)

Scroll down modifier list to 'Weight properties'
uncheck 'Normalize'
check 'Rigid'
'Abs Effect put in the number 1 and hit your Enter key on keyboard.

In you modifier list click 'skin' so it not selected (It turns grey from
being yellow.

Now your mesh is skinned.




Thanks for the help Very Happy have done everything to the T which you have advised me to, but now everything vanishes lool, all goes black, even the avi disappears Razz nonetheless i will keep at it doing as you suggested, i'm sure it will come right eventually Razz THanks again for your time.
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PostPosted: Sat Jan 30, 2010 3:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well if you are still having problems and your mesh is simple like a square as you said to get used to the process.

Would you be willing to send me the max file and I will look at it and see if I can put it in previewer or look at it in max and see what's wrong?

If so I'll PM you my email addy but it's late here so I'll only be around for a short time.

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PostPosted: Sat Jan 30, 2010 3:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

yokoed wrote:
Well if you are still having problems and your mesh is simple like a square as you said to get used to the process.

Would you be willing to send me the max file and I will look at it and see if I can put it in previewer or look at it in max and see what's wrong?

If so I'll PM you my email addy but it's late here so I'll only be around for a short time.


Yea sure let me get the file together for you and will send it. Thanks again for all your help Very Happy
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PostPosted: Sat Jan 30, 2010 4:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

At first look you are missing some important items.

This being the node.Room

Which also has ...

camera.01.01.root
camera.01.01.Root.Target
Omni01

Which are linked to the node.Room

Let me add them and send you the file back.

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PostPosted: Sat Jan 30, 2010 4:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

yokoed wrote:
At first look you are missing some important items.

This being the node.Room

Which also has ...

camera.01.01.root
camera.01.01.Root.Target
Omni01

Which are linked to the node.Room

Let me add them and send you the file back.


Brilliant thank you so much. I knew i forgot the light, but never thought of the camera -.- lool dur me Razz
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PostPosted: Sat Jan 30, 2010 4:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

OK We have a problem.

That being I use max version 8, so you won't be able to open my files as I think you are using version 7.

So to fix your problem you would need to add or merge in :

node.Room
camera.01.01.root
camera.01.01.Root.Target
Omni01

Now you would also have to link the node.Room to the skeleton.Room
and then link
camera.01.01.root
camera.01.01.Root.Target
Omni01

to the node.Room and you should be set to go.

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PostPosted: Sat Jan 30, 2010 4:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

yokoed wrote:
OK We have a problem.

That being I use max version 8, so you won't be able to open my files as I think you are using version 7.

So to fix your problem you would need to add or merge in :

node.Room
camera.01.01.root
camera.01.01.Root.Target
Omni01

Now you would also have to link the node.Room to the skeleton.Room
and then link
camera.01.01.root
camera.01.01.Root.Target
Omni01

to the node.Room and you should be set to go.


Thanks again so much, i will get to that then. Have a brilliant evening and Sleep well Very Happy Thanks again for all the help Very Happy
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PostPosted: Sat Jan 30, 2010 6:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

After looking at you mesh again there are some modifications
that should be made.

First off remove the skin modifier,
then select your skeleton.Room

With skeleton.Room selected click your
'select and move' tool and right click on it.

Your 'move tranform type-in' window opens,
in the 'Absolute World' section make all the
X, Y and Z axis as 0's (zero's}
This will put your skeleton.Room at 0.0.0.
Which is where you want it to be.

Link all your nodes (furniture, standing, sitting
wall, ceiling, floor, and node.Room) to the skeleton.Room

And link your camera.01.01.root, camera.01.01.root.Target and Omni01
to the node.Room.

Open your material editor by pressing M on keyboard.

With the first slot selected,
Go down to 'Blinn Basic Parameters'

To the left you will see 3 different colored rectangles.
These are Ambient, Diffuse, and Specular.
You should lock the Ambient and Diffuse together
by clicking the 'C' shaped square to the left of the
word Ambient.

Then click the rectangle to the right of the word Ambient,
This will open your 'Color Selector:Ambient Color' window,
You'll see 'Whiteness' with a triangle half way down in the
middle, you want to move that triangle all the way to the bottom,
so it's pure white (Which is 'Red 255, Green 255, Blue 255)
Then close that window.

In Blinn Basic Parameters your Ambient and Diffuse should both
be white.

Make any adjustments to your mesh that's needed and skin it
as instructed before.

Hope this is useful for you and Enjoy.


A few tips that will help.

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