Hi

ive got my 3ds model in med and im using the skin texture tool.
to texture my model, but its not texturing how i would like it.

i used 3d max to make the model then i inported into med.
the thing i i dont like how it paints on the skin.

i know you can use md2 style to take certain parts you want to paint.
and md1 to just paint mainly the hole this front and back.

md1 ive been using but i anit getting a long with it.

and when i use md2 its no help because i cant zoom in or out on my model
to select the parts of the mesh i want.
do you know why this might be?

i used to use this other 3d game engine. and the model editor that came with that. was able to take model parts and textur them sepertaly. and when the file was saved it formed a fully textured model.
because thats what i used to do in 3d max was save each part indervidual.
and the put them together in the game engine.

so i was waoundering if there was a way of doing that in med?

This does not directly solve your problem, but as a 3Ds Max user,
I thought that I'd tell you how I texture models and get them into Game Studio.

First of all, I use MAX2MDL to export my models out from 3Ds Max.
The link is on the "download" page, but the MAX2MDL link is broke, so you
will need to select the MAX2GS link, or just go here:
http://www.malabar.tv/mlbr/max2gs2.htm

The free version allows for export with a limited face count, can't remember
the exact number, but its too small for character models.

The full version, $18.00(USD), is very reasonably priced.

So basically, I just apply the uvw or uvw unwrap modifier
to meshes and create textures in photoshop just like I
always do regardless of final output. When I am done, I export it as a .mdl.

Exporting is very simple, and is explained in the MAX2MDL documentation.

A couple of notes if you choose to go this route:
- Save the texture file that you will be using as the diffuse map as a .bmp
file. I save the .max file and the .bmp file in the same folder.
When you are ready to export and you are prompted to set the export path,
select the directory where the .bmp file resides.
- Save the .bmp file as a .pcx file. For some reason, one I have yet to
figure out, models that I have exported from 3ds max with a .bmp diffuse map
(even 24bit ones) appear to have all of the normals flipped once I get it into
the engine. I have "solved" this "issue" but opening the .mdl file in MED
and then applying the .pcx image to my model in the Skin Editor.

Again, I know that this may not be the answer that you are looking for
but it a very good way to use 3Ds MAX to get models into a .mdl format

ok cheers ill give this a try.

hi again i downloaded the max2mdl from off the gamestudio download page.
i loaded installed the plugin, then loaded up my model into max.
the thing is i dont wanna use textures.
i applyed rbg colour tints to my model and the uve map.

but when i go to export it say error head no texture map

can you do it the way im doin it.

please explain whats i need to do thanks

Don't know much about MAX, but you could just add a dummy texture to your model and remove it when you import the model into MED. Or you create textures with the color tints you like to use. Good luck.

could some one explain in depth how to use this.
as ive been tryin to export with no success.

i textured my model with bitmap images but still no luck.

and there was no help with with the download.

so as much info you could give would be helpfull.

and great fully recived thanks in addvance...

Sorry, but I don't have 3D Studio Max. I'm a Lightwave user. Are you sure the plugin is compatible with your version of 3D Studio Max and or Gamestudio? The problem with that plugin has come up before on the forum. The only thing I know is that you must apply a texture, how that works in MAX? IDK.

What I was describing was how to use a texture map using uvw unwrap.
If you are using max 8 you can save the uv map coordinates as a 32bit tga
(in older versions you will need a utility like texporter)
and open it in photoshop to use as a guide to create the texture.

From what you're describing, it sounds like you just want to set the
rgb values for the diffuse/ambient/specular.

So, as was suggested, you can add any texture you want, but make sure
that its a power of 2 in size(eg 32x32, 64x64, 128x128...) and then
remove the texure in MED. You can set the material values with script,
or you can do it in Skin Settings in MED.

When exporting the .mdl in max using MAX2MDL, make sure that the path
you are exporting to has the diffuse map or you will get that error.
That's why I will save the .max file and the texture I'm using in the same
folder. When I export, I set the export path to that folder.

Setting the material values, as you probably know, will give your mesh
an overall color. Beyond that you would, afaik, need to use a vertex shader,
which is a bit beyond me, that's why I use uvw unwrap and photoshop to
create a diffuse map.

hi
i managed to export my char* model with out any problems.
with it all textured.
i textured each part in just a plain colour. ie the legs arms head hair. an so on. i broke the model up into parts so its no a solid mesh to do it like this.

i saved pic's 256.256 size of each color so i got a pallet of bmp's.
it looked all good in 3d studio max. just how i wanted it to look.
but then after converting it to mdl and then open it up in med.

it looked very bad.
i went into the skin manger.
and i see my colors layed out in a long srtip with 1 color after the other.
and then my model parts over lapping one another.
and over lapping diffrent colors than what i set in 3d max.

can any one help me on this one?

ps is there a good way to texture complex char* models cause everything i seem to do. i always end up dead ended.

When I have a complex model that I want to texture, (eg a character model),
in max I will select faces that may need different mapping cooridinates.
I'll set the material id for these faces (more on this later) to a unique
number, apply a uvw map just to those faces, picking a mapping type that
"best fits" the faces (eg for a head I will use a cylider, for a shirt
I might pick the front faces and apply a planar map, and do the same for
the back). Once I have UVW mapped the entire mesh, I apply the
unwrap uvw modifer to the mesh. When I go to the edit window of this
modifier, I can use the material ids I set when I was first applying the
uvw maps to "isoloate" those faces and move them aside, once
I have moved all of them, I can go back scale them and move them exactly
where I would like them to go. This way, I only need 1 texture map for the
entire mesh, even though that mesh may be comprised of a number of elements.

You may already know all of this so sorry if I'm telling you something that
you already know.

I think the key here is that this allows me to use 1 material and one
texture map from within 3d max to texture the model.

It sounds to me like you are applying a lot of different materials with
diffuse maps to the mesh.

I'm not sure about having a model with multiple textures in 3DGS.
We use torque for military sims where I work (I like GS much better )
and I am able to export a single mesh with mutliple materials/diffuse maps.
I'm pretty sure that in Unreal it is common to use one texture map
for the body and one for the face, but I think you can only use 2 total.
Regardless, I always try to use one texture map. Using unwrap uvw makes
it possible to texture an entire character model with one image.

If you would like, you could zip the max file and all of the
textures you are using and post it somewhere that I could download.
I can take a look at them and see if I can get a better idea as to
what's going on. (I have max 8).