Path: chuka.playstation.co.uk!jdspugh.eecs.utas.edu.au!user From: littledevil@trump.net.au (Richard Malka) Newsgroups: scee.yaroze.programming.3d_graphics Subject: Re: Cool idea.... 3DS Max plugins... Date: Thu, 14 Aug 1997 13:31:01 +1000 Organization: Little Devil Software Lines: 46 Message-ID: References: <33AAB627.3007@cyberia.ie> NNTP-Posting-Host: jdspugh.eecs.utas.edu.au X-newsreader: MT-NewsWatcher 2.2.2 In article <33AAB627.3007@cyberia.ie>, matrix@cyberia.ie wrote: > Here's a good idea, why doesn't some enterprising chap write a plugin > for 3DS MAX that exports direct to TMD instead of all this dozy .dxf > faffing around! > > ps, we want a % of all the royalties for every plugin sold. > > The lads at Matrix. Here is a nice way to export from Max to TMD: 3dsMax -> VRML2 -> RSD -> TMD The 3dsMax -> VRML2 conversion is done by the freely available VRML2 exporter plugin and the RSD -> TMD converter is supplied by Sony. The hardest bit (the bit with the most work) is the VRML2 -> RSD conversion. This method has the following advantages: * The VRML 2 standard is open and fully documented on the web. * VRML 2 supports animation, textures, smooth and flat shading. * It will work with any tools that export to VRML2 (i.e. you're not restricted to 3dsMax, or any particular platform for that matter). Tips for converting from 3dsMax -> VRML 2: * Turn generate primatives off. * Pivot points do not export. Instead use dummy objects as your pivot points: Link the object that needs the pivot point to a dummy object that is centered at the pivot point. You can still use IK and stuff in Max using this method. I have worked on 3ds4 -> RSD conversion, but VRML2 -> RSD is much nicer for many reasons (at least we know the data format!). Currently I am working on converting the rotational animation data from VRML2 to a PSX compatable format. I have not written a converter for converting VRML2 objects to RSD objects yet. The reason being that I can convert the shapes over using the tools available now. Eventually though, one will be written so that the entire modelling and animation convertion process is automated. I'm sure that there will be enough interest amoung the Net Yaroze community to eventually come up with a decent VRML2 -> RSD converter as a joint effort. I will keep you posted about how this work is progressing, but see what you people can come up with too. Richard.