3D Max 2010 migration to GS8

Somebody on my video game team uses 3D Max 2010 software to create 3D digital world environments. He sent me his 3D Max 2010 file, which consists of a mountain landscape.

I was able to import his ASE file, 3DS file, and FBX file into Gamestudio A8 WED. For some reason I am not seeing any textures on his mountain landscape. I saw textures on the mountains when he showed me a video of this same mountain landscape. Does anyone know what I am doing wrong in having the mountain landscape have the textures it had when it was saved in 3D Max 2010, while it is stored in a Gamestudio A8 WED file?

Also, when I try to build the level, I eventually get a window that pops up which says:

3D GameStudio Map Compiler has stopped working
A problem caused the program to stop working correctly. Windows will close the program and notify you if a solution is available.

I notice that there are quite a few surfaces in the mountains, and the mountain landscape seems rather large and intricate. The WED file holding these mountains is 7,301 KB, or 7.301 MB in memory size. Is there a size that the memory should be brought down to, in order for the WED file to build correctly?

maybe it is related to the 65535 vertex limit of a model? in theory on import to WED it can be subdivided, but maybe it should be done in max to get proper textures. I import large files so rarely I always forget the solution the fbx should be version 2010.

Is the mountain landscape he created in 3D Max 2010 considered a "model", when it is imported into Gamestudio WED?

If so, do you know how I can find out how many vertices are in his "model"? I click on the "Vertex Move" button in WED while a piece of the mountain landscape is selected, and I see vertices, but I cannot see a number anywhere stating how many there are.

I don't really use WED as I work mainly in my own world editor, maybe there are users with much more experience with it. MED also can import ASE and FBX2010 until it is under 65535 vertices, there you can easily check vertex quantity at File/Model Properties.

Have you tried to add the mountain as a regular mdl model instead (don't "import" it, just "add model")?

I could just add it as a model, but I heard somewhere that if I add it as a model as opposed to a terrain, it provides severe disadvantages due to rendering speed, collision detection, and memory consumption.

I was able to import the .fbx file in 3D Max 2010 into the Gamestudio A8 MED program. I then highlighted it, clicked the Object tab, and selected "Convert to terrain". However, this message box comes up that states:

I found a Gamestudio webpage that states this about the "Convert to Terrain" option in MED:

Convert to Terrain: Converts the MDL model to a HMP terrain if its mesh is a regular grid. Note that some models might look like regular grids but aren't due to duplicated vertices. In such a case you can fix the model in Vertex Mode by selecting all vertices and executing the Merge function.

Source: http://www.conitec.net/beta/med_object.htm

I tried doing this by highlighting the mountain landscape, pressing the "Vertex Mode" button, which changes the object from looking red, to seeing yellow vertice points all over it. I then choose the File tab, and select the "Merge..." option. I then see a window come up asking me to open a file. I select the MED file that had the mountain landscape saved in it, and press the Open button. It then seems to open the file I had before.

I then highlight the mountain landscape again in MED, press the Object tab, and choose "Convert to terrain", but I get the same error message window as before stating:

Does anyone know how to add a grid to this mountain landscape model?

in MED the terrain conversion is very limited, you need exactly the same vertex structure as a terrain has (create one and you will see what I mean).

a possible solution is to convert it to a heightmap bitmap, then create a terrain from that bitmap in MED. you need a little script to c-trace the model surface e.g. in 512x512 positions and store the height values between 0..255, and store the min and max height values too, to enable exact reproduction afterwards.

alternatively, you can do c-traces only in the desired future vertex positions, store it in a custom text file, create a terrain in MED with similar vertex resolution and size, then load the file and deform terrain, it is fast. you can save it also as .hmp, just check the source of my editor, I use this solution.

but for correct texturing you need to have your model simple top down uv unwrapping, or it will be stretched. but in case of a large terrain multitexturing is more recommended than a single skin.

Give it a try; import it as a model and set the POLYGON flag on the model. Otherwise you'll probably have to import the terrain as an image perhaps somewhat like the process described in the UserWiki for L3DT at http://opserver.de/qwik8/index.php?title...GB_map_for_MED.

Your partner can create the heightmap in 3dsmax too. It is a pretty easy process: A plane below the landscape. The 'Projection' modifier applied to it with the landscape as 'reference geometry' and the projection 'Cage' tall enough. Open the 'Render to Texture' tool. Enable the 'Projection Mapping' and add the 'HeighMap' element as output. Select the desired bitmap resolution and render.

Salud!

Thank you. I will pass that information on to the 3D environment developer on my team, and keep you all updated.