NeoDex .78b MDL Kit for 3dsmax 6 to 2010 and GMAX!

BlinkBoy · 02-01-2009, 02:38 AM

Hello everybody, during the last few months I've been working on improving the current version of Dex(made by republicola, I have a 3 years old permission) to work more efficiently and less choppy. The new version feutures new additions which make modeling in 3dsmax simple and effective. For those of you who don't know, NeoDex is a wc3 modeling kit for 3dsmax much like Art Tools which supports newer versions of 3dsmax. However, it's limited and does not export all the feutures which models can handle. Yet, even though it can't export all the feutures, it does export everything you need to make very appealing models.

From .73 and on, NeoDex is built to support GMAX! (gmax users, download the gmax build)

New Feutures are:

Version .78b:

-Fixed an small bug concerning Bezier Scale.

Version .78:

-Added Inheritance support (Hierarchy Panel-> Link Info)
-Added Super Spray particle emitter exporting support (3dsmax only).
-Addapted NeoDex to 3dsmax/gmax instead of having to run a script everytime.

Version .77:

-Fixed TCB Rotation, the script now supports them.
-Added the first Bug parsing module for finding smooth rotations higher than 90� (errors are printed at the end, unlike annoying art tool's message boxes)

Version .76:

-Fixed the Bezier Controller exporting for position, scale and visibility (parameters later) and it now produces accurate results.
-Added support for the Smooth Rotation Controller.
-Improved Extents calculation.
-Added 2 new Tools: The IK Snapper and the Key Reducer.
-Fixed some bugs and issues with VA Converter.

Version .75:

-Fixed some problems concerning Translations.
-Implemented Parameter Animations.
-Added new Vertex Animation converting Tool.

Version .74:

-Implemented (almost fully) Particle Emitters 2.
-Fixed some bugs.

Version .73b:

-Fixed a critical error which caused Dex to fail while exporting Non-Animated Textures.

Version .73:

-New Ribbon Emitter Plugin which allows you to export Ribbon Emitters! (find it at Helpers->Warcraft3 Systems)
-You can now define the Texture path/suffix at the material plugin.
-Animated Textures are now supported, you can define them just like in Art Tools.

Version .70b:

-Fixed a bug that caused an error in max 2009 while running.

Version .70:

New Material Plugin and support for materials, that works easier than Art Tools' plugin!
Global Sequences are now supported!
Visibility Animations aqre exported correctly, just like in Art Tools!
Model no longer needs 90� Rotation for exporting (front is front, left is left, top is top)
Scale animations are now taken into account.
Animations are added just like in Art Tools (add a note track to objects and create 2 keys)
All Light types are taken into account
Event Objects can be created and can have notes for event firing. add the keyword "Obj:" before the name of the object `(can be a point helper) so it be taken into account.
Fixed a lot of old version bugs, like wrong geosetids.

Possible New Feutures in the Future:

Implementing Vertex Color animations
Tvertex animations //Almost implemented
Preview Particles in Particle Emitter 2 plugin
Replace Skin modifier for an easier method/ or enhance Skin modifier to be easier for new users.

Not Supported by current version:

Billboarding.
Tvertex animations.
Color Animations

NeoDex Terms:

for NeoDex what's a geoset/geometry?
-Anything that's editable Mesh will be classified as geometry.

for NeoDex what's a bone?
-Anything that you add within the skin modifier of a mesh/geometry. This allows the use of IK2FK concersion tools.

for NeoDex what's a helper?
-Anything that be a parent of a bone and does not be any other type of object.

for NeoDex what's an attachment?
-Anything whose name starts by "ATT:"

for NeoDex what's an Event Object?
-Anything whose name starts by "Obj:"

for NeoDex what's a collision shape?
-Any Box, Sphere or Geoshere which don't be converted into an editable.

Important READ please:

1� in order for meshes to be linked to bones, it must be done through the Skin modifier. Please don't waste your time using enveloped, set vertex selection ON and use Weigth table, remember that Weigths must be balanced.

2� to add visibility animations to an object or geometry, you must add a visibility track to the object. supported controllers for visibility: On_OFF/Bezier/TCB/Linear.

3� NeoDex DOES NOT Support float controllers, nor does Art Tools. Make sure to convert float controllers into linear.

4� rotation keys which exceed 90� may look weird, I suggest adding keys between them if this is the case. This only happens for TCB and Smooth controllers (is not a bug, it's just that wc3 can't interpolate smooth rotations higher than 90� some times).

5� In order to create global sequences, you must follow the same process as Art Tools. Select the object go to the transformation(scale, rotation, position, visibility) which you want to animate in cycle, and go to out of range controllers, change it from constant to cycle. (only constant and cycle are supported).

6� Animations must be added to the node Object in Dope Sheet. You must add a Note Track to the node and add 2 keys per animation. Give those keys exatly the same name. The 2 keys represent start and end of each animation, look at Art Tools documentation.

AnimationFormat

Code:

"<Animation Name>"
<Rarity> <amount> -optional
<NonLooping> -optional
<MoveSpeed> <amount> -optional

Animation Name - name of the animation, "-" means comment everything after it is ignored
Rarity - specifies how common the animation is played
NonLooping - specifies if the animation repeats itself.
MoveSpeed - value associeated with walk animation speed while unit movement.

Example 1:

Code:

"Stand - 1"

Example 2:

Code:

"Walk"
MoveSpeed 240

Example 3:

Code:

"Attack - 2"
Rarity 2
NonLooping

7� Event Objects need a NoteTrack in order to add frame-events just add a note at the desired event triggering.

8� All Objects which are animated must have Start and End keys for every animation.

9� Only "Warcraft 3" and "Composite"(for more than one layer) materials are supported, you must use the plugin to have it. Remember that in you change the material type by clicking on button with the current one (example: Standard)

10� Ribbon Emitters can be found at Helpers -> Category: "Warcraft 3 Systems", they are a complete imitation of Art Tool's Ribbon Emitters so read the Art Tools documentation.

11� Particle Emitters 2 can be found at Helpers -> Category: "Warcraft 3 Systems", they are an almost complete imitation of Art Tool's Particle Emitters 2 plugin so read the Art Tools documentation.

NEW12� Particle Emitters 1 are known as SuperSpray in 3dsmax. they can be found at Geometry -> Category: "Particle Systems", you can only modify these values: Both Spread Values, Speed, Rate, Life, Emit Start, Emit Stop. That's all.

Extra Index: Animated Textures

from version .73 Dex supports the setting of animated Textures.

Before implementing them in the scene, move your texture sequence to a sepparate folder and give them the same name with an index. Example: Lords0000.tga, Lords0001.tga, Lords0002.tga, Lords0003.tga and so on. Use 4 digits at the end

To set them go to the texture parameter in Warcraft 3 Material, click it and select bitmap.

During the browsing screen turn on the option "Sequence" while browsing the texture selection dialog, after that select the first texture of your sequence (the one with index 0000) and click Open. Leave the settings as they appear on the new dialog that appears and click OK.

That should be all. To modify the speed, browse down in the bitmap settings to "Time" rollout and modify the value Playback Rate from 1.0 to something else.

References

Credits

Dex 1.85m

-Dex originally created by Republicola.
-Modified in first stance by CitizenSnips and Jul

NeoDex

-plugins scripted by BlinkBoy
-Modifications up from Dex 1.85m to NeoDex .78 by BlinkBoy

GMAX README!

-As you guys may notice, from now on I'm compiling a version of NeoDex which contains a GMAX compatible version of the script. GMAX is very limited in handling and lacks some feutures that 3dsmax does have.

Feutures NOT supported by GMAX:

-Animated Textures
-Multi Layered Materials.
-SuperSpray (Particle Emitters 1)

GMAX can't export directly, you must use the option "Print To Listener" afterwards you must open listener and copy/paste the text to notepad and afterwards save as .mdl. The problem is that GMAX has a copy limit, so you must use a tool to grab it. Follow the next instructions for that:

the GmaxMemGraber:
Total War Center Forums - Downloads - ms3dImportExport_ver1_0.zip

or

http://www.davidhsmith.net/downloaditems/GMaxSLGRAB.zip

to use it, print to listener and then run the tool and click "Grab", save a file and open it with notepad, afterwards
click "Save as" and save as .mdl afterwards clear the mdl and convert it to .mdx.

Screenies :D

Some suggested Tools to convine with NeoDex

Blp Lab: a powerful blp converting tool, which supports palette formats and produces good effects.
Guessed's MDLX Converter: If NeoDex exports MDLs then why not converting them into mdx to save space?
Yobsul's War3FileConverter: In my opinion the best converter you'll find [uses game files to do the conversions]. However, may crash on Vista.

skrab · 02-01-2009, 03:10 AM

You are the genius man

LiOneSS · 02-01-2009, 10:32 AM

Looks nice, I just have to figure out the thing with float controllers

Kuhneghetz · 02-01-2009, 08:24 PM

I get this error message when I run the script.

-- Cannot assign to read-only variable: Key

Why does it do that? =(
And I use 3DS Max 2009.

BlinkBoy · 02-02-2009, 05:10 AM

could you take an screenshot of the line in which it reports the error and your scene. I need to know what you are trying to export. Also check all the controllers and animations. Remember that Bipeds and IKs must be converted to FK using IK2FK converter.

EDIT: ok, I have frankie's permission to upload the documentation, it's up now.

Kuhneghetz · 02-02-2009, 11:44 AM

I haven't exported anything. The error already appears when I started 3DS max 2009. I tried to use Run Script too, but gets the same error
And yes, I placed both the files in the plugin folder and the scripts folder, according to the readme.

BlinkBoy · 02-02-2009, 05:44 PM

looks like Key is now a global in max 2009, let me fix it. Ok now download the new version .70b.

Kuhneghetz · 02-02-2009, 08:25 PM

Yay, the tool works now. Thanks. =D

BlinkBoy · 02-02-2009, 11:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dan van Ohllus

Yay, the tool works now. Thanks. =D

oh nice, glad to hear that. Post any questions in this thread, not only suggestions and bugs.

Arusar · 02-04-2009, 04:39 AM

it's compatible with 3DSM 6...??

BlinkBoy · 02-05-2009, 11:52 PM

yeah, in theory, it is. If it brings you troubles, tell me.

Arusar · 02-07-2009, 10:04 AM

the art tools doesn't works with my 3DSM 6.....

the *.dll and something cannot loaded......

skrab · 02-07-2009, 10:14 AM

sure art tools works only for 3Ds Max 5
but this exporter works for every 3Ds Max ;)

xXm0RpH3usXx · 02-11-2009, 08:22 AM

well, i would suggest something that is even not implemented in the ArtTools...

How about, as you are messing with the .mdl while exporting, replacing the texture's names with the pathes in the .mpq (if they are ingame textures)?

BlinkBoy · 02-11-2009, 05:14 PM

Like this:

It's already on the new version, I'm still working on BlizzPart2 and BlizzPart1 before releasing. As you may know, Art tools doesn't support BlizzPart1.