The exporter tool is a max script file that was designed to work with any version of 3ds Max while being backward compatible with models created for the official plugin exporter.
Why exactly did I write the exporter?
- Bugs in the current official exporter drive me nuts
- 3ds max 5 only runs on XP. Later versions of 3ds Max do not support the old exporter plugin
For a full list of features and their use, please see the documentation provided along with the exporter scripts. Here is a brief summary:
- A1 and A2 formats are supported (Separate scripts included)
- Rotation, movement, and scale animations supported.
- Multiple lighting materials are supported on a single mesh. Ie, a single mesh can have parts that are glowing, parts that have specular reflections, or parts that have team colour applied.
- Rotation and position of all hardpoints is properly recorded. You do not have to specify "hp##" for the hardpoint to work properly. Since any alphanumeric name will work, you can now have "dock" and "repair" hardpoints.
- You can animate any node/joint in the hierarchy. Attach any number of nodes and meshes to that node and they will move along with the animated node (as is expected). This is optimized to reduce file size compared to the current SODs.
- Specify animation length. Animation length can be different for every animated node/joint, allowing for complex animation loops. For example, node_1 can have animation length of 5 seconds, while node_2 can have animation length of 50 seconds. You do not have to add key frames for node_1 to fill the entire 50 seconds of the animations track.
- You can turn off back face culling so that the "back" side of a face remains visible.
- Smoothing groups are properly supported. You no longer have to "break" vertices along smoothing group boundaries in order to create the smoothing groups.
Included Files:
- readme.txt
- SOD Exporter Readme V1.5.2.docx
- SOD Exporter Readme V1.5.2.pdf
- SODExportA1.ms
- SODExportA2.ms
Why exactly did I write the exporter?
- Bugs in the current official exporter drive me nuts
- 3ds max 5 only runs on XP. Later versions of 3ds Max do not support the old exporter plugin
For a full list of features and their use, please see the documentation provided along with the exporter scripts. Here is a brief summary:
- A1 and A2 formats are supported (Separate scripts included)
- Rotation, movement, and scale animations supported.
- Multiple lighting materials are supported on a single mesh. Ie, a single mesh can have parts that are glowing, parts that have specular reflections, or parts that have team colour applied.
- Rotation and position of all hardpoints is properly recorded. You do not have to specify "hp##" for the hardpoint to work properly. Since any alphanumeric name will work, you can now have "dock" and "repair" hardpoints.
- You can animate any node/joint in the hierarchy. Attach any number of nodes and meshes to that node and they will move along with the animated node (as is expected). This is optimized to reduce file size compared to the current SODs.
- Specify animation length. Animation length can be different for every animated node/joint, allowing for complex animation loops. For example, node_1 can have animation length of 5 seconds, while node_2 can have animation length of 50 seconds. You do not have to add key frames for node_1 to fill the entire 50 seconds of the animations track.
- You can turn off back face culling so that the "back" side of a face remains visible.
- Smoothing groups are properly supported. You no longer have to "break" vertices along smoothing group boundaries in order to create the smoothing groups.
Included Files:
- readme.txt
- SOD Exporter Readme V1.5.2.docx
- SOD Exporter Readme V1.5.2.pdf
- SODExportA1.ms
- SODExportA2.ms