Switching to Max (trying to avoid though)

# 1 16-10-2010 , 09:08 PM

Acid44

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So I'm switching to Max, for game modeling purposes... No conversion software seems to like Maya >_<

I was wondering for now though, if anyone has any experience with converting models to Max, Because then I can at least maybe have a chance of continuing with Maya.

From my understanding the normals get screwed when you import a model from Maya to Max through .OBJ files. Does anyone have any experience with editing normals? Or know any tutorials for it? I had a go at editing them earlier but i can't seem to get them lined up right, it always seems that no matter what I try they end up screwed up somehow...

Or if anyone knows of a plugin to export .3DS or something more stable to go into Max, that would help too...

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# 2 16-10-2010 , 10:01 PM

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You want to look into polytrans and bdf format, Okino has a native plugin for both maya and 3ds max to transfer data between them.

You might also look into fbx format provided by autodesk there is a plugin for both maya and 3ds max and the fbx plugin and converter is free from autodesk.

"If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants." Sir Isaac Newton, 1675

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# 3 16-10-2010 , 10:20 PM

Acid44

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.FBX had some problems in conversion too, I forget what they were though.

I'll look into polytrans and .BDF though, thanks a lot for the quick reply man

EDIT: Polytrans sounds awesome man, I'm gonna grab it, thanks a lot user added image

Last edited by Acid44; 16-10-2010 at 10:25 PM.

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# 4 17-10-2010 , 04:13 PM

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I'm pretty sure that you can simply export form maya into 3ds format using the bonus tools.

"No pressure, no diamonds" Thomas Carlyle

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# 5 17-10-2010 , 04:40 PM

Acid44

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Nope, Bonus Tools only has 3DS import, no export, and I can't seem to find a 3DS export plugin anywhere

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# 6 17-10-2010 , 07:24 PM

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Ahh jeez

I'd really avoid the switch if you can, its just a ball-ache in any format from max to maya or vice versa. FBX tends to drop alot of stuff, but the biggest factor is going to be scale, its an arse!

We recently had to get a load of previz stuff from max to maya, and the whole deal was just a pain in the butt - stuff went missing, from polys to file paths and all that.

As for modelling for game purposes there is no difference as such in the modelling, I think its a bit pyschological there for you. A mesh is a mesh is a mesh at the end of the day. Dont get tagged with a bad workman always blames the tools LOL

cheers
Jay

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# 7 17-10-2010 , 10:10 PM

Acid44

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Haha, at the moment I have no choice but to switch, for a possible job, but I think if I can find a way to get clean conversions and if I handle the conversions myself I could convince the boss to let me use Maya

PolyTrans + BDF format looks promising though, will probably go into it more tonight

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# 8 22-10-2010 , 07:28 PM

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Originally posted by acid44
Nope, Bonus Tools only has 3DS import, no export, and I can't seem to find a 3DS export plugin anywhere

Originally Posted by

Sorry mate, assumptions and all. I've only ever imported from free model form 3D world.

Bugger that it's not in there though, shame autodesk done just make a good maya->3Ds converter over FBX.

FBX is great in motionbuilder, as you would expect, it came from it!

"No pressure, no diamonds" Thomas Carlyle

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# 9 23-10-2010 , 12:19 AM

Acid44

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I think I've found a cure!

So, when I exported as FBX from Maya, and looked at it in max, some of the objects normals were flipped, not all the objects though, only some... So anyways, I just went around and flipped the normals of the offending objects, and it seems to be fine now...

However, it has come to my attention that in the export something else is going wrong...

When I import the 3DS file from Max to zModeler (the program I have to go through to export to Test Drive Unlimited) Objects are being thrown all over the place, I found a guide to fix this, which says:

"Step 1: Ungroup all objects (Select all object/groups. Menu -> group -> ungroup).

Step 2: Enable ‘Reset XForm’ (can be found under the utilities tab, the tab with the hammer icon). Select all objects and click on ‘Reset Selected’ button. This buttons is located at the bottom of the utilities tab.

Step 3: Reset the pivot from all objects in the hierarchy tab. Select all objects and click on the ‘Reset Pivot’ botton (you will not see any changes in the 3dmodel in 3dsmax because of this)."

When I "Reset Xform" on all the objects some of them end up at random rotations and sizes (I'm only guessing random, so far mine have just gotten a lot bigger and been rotated 90 degrees in the X axis)

I'm guessing this is a problem with exporting the FBX, maybe a setting on the export window or something?

This is what's happening in Max

user added image