New 3ds Model Tool to expedite Source Model Creation

Modelling, Textures, Animating and other general engine asset topics.

Re: New 3ds Model Tool to expedite Source Model Creation

Postby shawnolson on Thu Jan 13, 2011 5:26 am

sixpakken wrote:Thanks alot for this fine Tool :) love it

You're welcome!

Juice wrote:This is a great help. This really speeds up my workflow

I'm glad!
Jordash wrote:Fantastic stuff, thank you!

Welcome again!

Thank you very much. I'm glad you all are liking it. Please feel free to share with me links to any of your projects in which you use it. I'd love to see the fruits of these labors :)

Speaking of labor... I think it is important somewhere in this thread to point out that the tool would not be possible were it not for Neil "Jed" Jedrzejewski who wrote the actual SMD exporter used in this tool. While this tool creates a UI for logically making formatted models for Source, the export function that creates the SMDs is all Neil! I'm assuming that everyone who was excited about this tool from the beginning had already been using Neil's exporter long before the Wall Worm tools came onto the scene!

Anyway, I just wanted to throw that out there so that hopefully some of you take a minute to go thank him for continuing to create tools for all of us. I am greatly indebted to him and feel that he needs some credit in the talk here. He has endured my random questions with patience as I built this tool. Thanks Jed!

While on the subject of credit... I wanted to let you all know that Michael Little, another name attached to this tool by giving me help as I built it, is working on a Convex Hull generator for his upcoming release of Convexity. I've been using Convexity for over a year now and really love it. He's putting together a stripped-down non-commercial version that I am sure all of you will love. The plan is that Wall Worm Model Tools will hook into that function when he's released it. That means you will be able to use WWMT to make convex collision hulls (provided you have some version of Convexity installed).

There is no official release date. Michael has told me that he's deep into the project, though. You can learn more about Convexity at maple3d.com. I have some insider information on possible new features for the Convexity in 2011... but I don't have permission to share them yet... but I will eventually shed some rumors when Michael's closer to the finish line!
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Re: New 3ds Model Tool to expedite Source Model Creation

Postby shawnolson on Sat Jan 15, 2011 8:24 pm

Minor updates today. I fixed a bug that made the texture exporter fail if you had folder names in any of the material paths with a period (.) in their names. Also made the sequence and and start spinners a little more friendly by changing if you increase/decrease the other to an invalid value (like setting the start to after the end).
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Re: New 3ds Model Tool to expedite Source Model Creation

Postby shawnolson on Wed Jan 26, 2011 10:08 pm

I've been busy building props for my current project and decided to take a break and share a new video giving an overview on making LODs using WWMT. Also, there are docs to go with it at http://wallworm.com/projects/utilities/ ... _lods.html

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Re: New 3ds Model Tool to expedite Source Model Creation

Postby shawnolson on Thu Jan 27, 2011 2:51 pm

If there is anyone with expertise on the $origin QC command, please consider adding some advice to fixing the $origin function in WWMT. I have a thread at Polycount on it already with the dilemma: http://www.polycount.com/forum/showthread.php?t=80584 .

I already spent more time than I should trying to figure it out and am completely stumped. If I can't figure it out I may have to remove that feature as it is not working properly.

Any help would be appreciated. I will give credit in the docs.
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Re: New 3ds Model Tool to expedite Source Model Creation

Postby shawnolson on Tue Feb 01, 2011 7:45 am

Version 0.984 released on 02-01-2011

•Added new LOD Camera functions in the Utilities rollout. Documentation not yet loaded. What you can do is view the model with this camera, and it will change the LOD mesh based on the distance and your current LOD switch distances as you move the camera around. This helps you get an idea if the mesh resolution is too dense/sparse and how the textures work as you move in and out.
•Fixed UI bug where the last LOD in the LOD list would not fill details for LOD upon creation or reloading.
•Added Show/Hide Collision Mesh buttons in the Utilities Rollout.
•Made a change in the LOD generator procedure. Previously, LOD models were "frozen" upon creation. That no longer happens. They are still hidden at generation time, but can now be selected when unhid. This was important to make it easier to run the "Generate" for the MultiRes modifier of each in animated models. It was also necessary to make the new LOD Camera more useful so that textures can show up.
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Re: New 3ds Model Tool to expedite Source Model Creation

Postby shawnolson on Tue Feb 01, 2011 8:35 pm

Sorry guys but there was a MAXScript error in the new LOD camera I loaded last night. I was working on it for several hours (past my bedtime) and didn't properly test it. But it's fixed in V 0.985. Here is a video of the new LOD Camera:

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Re: New 3ds Model Tool to expedite Source Model Creation

Postby shawnolson on Mon Feb 07, 2011 10:55 pm

There's a new update:

Version 0.986 released on 02-07-2011

Added Attachment Rollout.
Added UI entry for WWMT to create button in toolbar or menu. Installer is now in the Settings floater.
•Fixed a MAXScript error when reloading a model that has LODs.
•Fixed MAXScript error that occured in Generating LODs in older versions of Max.
•Fixed texture exporter ui bug where the names of bitmaps were sometimes not shown.
•Removed the title rollout and moved WWMT logo to About Section.
•Added new Help links in some rollouts.
•Replaced credits in tool to links for credits because UI is starting to fill up.
•Removed some more of the items printed to the MAXScript listener when files structs are loaded.
•Added more informative responses when various errors occur (like when exporting textures fail).

The $attachments feature is a productive new addition. I'm sure that the second item for adding WWMT to the UI is useful... as it's something I've gotten a lot of emails about.
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Re: New 3ds Model Tool to expedite Source Model Creation

Postby shawnolson on Wed Feb 09, 2011 11:11 pm

Version 0.9871 released on 02-08-2011

•Fixed bug where the collision hull was not animating with the bones designated in the mesh's skin modifier in models that only had one collision hull. Note that this was introduced in the 0.987 fix that addressed the 'EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION' (assert: 1) compile problem (see below). Now both issues are resolved.

Version 0.987 released on 02-08-2011

•Fixed bug when trying to export a model that had multiple collision hull objects and also using the $masscenter gizmo. This bug was causing the following compile error: 'EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION' (assert: 1).
•Fixed bug when picking a pre-existing model that was previously given an $attachment that was not given a parent bone.
•Fixed bug when picking a pre-existing model that was previously given a collision hull which was then deleted from the scene.
•Added $contents selection.
•Added $inertia for collision hulls.
•Added $damping for collision hulls.
•Added $drag for collision hulls.
•Replaced credits to Michael Little and Jed since the UI still has space for it.
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Re: New 3ds Model Tool to expedite Source Model Creation

Postby ShinobiWan on Thu Feb 10, 2011 4:45 pm

Amazing stuff.
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Re: New 3ds Model Tool to expedite Source Model Creation

Postby shawnolson on Sat Feb 12, 2011 11:49 pm

ShinobiWan wrote:Amazing stuff.

Thanks!

I've got a new version out... mostly a bunch of cleanup. Error reporting is more informative. I've also made changes that will make the exporter create some of the folders that previously had to be created manually.

The only major new addition is one that you won't be able to use quite yet: Cannonfodder has made a brand new SMD Exporter (the second this year). He has provided me with a testing version that WWMT now supports; he hasn't compiled it for all versions of Max yet... and there are no links to download Cannonfodder's SMD Exporter 2.04 yet.

The new Cannonfodder exporter now supports sequence ranges like Wunderboy's exporter. Furthermore, MAXScript can interface with it... so using the Cannonfodder exporter means that you won't have to make the plugcfg folder writable for the batch export. (I know that Jed has plans on doing the same at some point for his exporter as well).

In the new WWMT Settings floater you can now set the Exporter of your choice. Remember, however, that using the Cannonfodder exporter will fail if you don't have Version 2.04+. To keep everything backwards compatible, the default exporter is Wunderboy's exporter.

Here is the official changelog for this version:

Version 0.988 released on 02-12-2011
•Added support for Cannonfodder's SMD exporter. To use, make sure you download Version 2.04 or later. Note that version 2.04 is not yet available on Cannonfodder's site... but when he has released the new version you will be able to use it with WWMT.
•Added new Settings controller to choose which SMD exporter you want to use. You can now choose between the Wunderboy Exporter or Cannonfodder's exporter. The default is the Wunderboy exporter.
•Updated Texture exporter to create the paths to the material export if MAXScript can write to the directories.
•Updated texture export error checking to give more informative explanations for errors.
•Added new model export checks for folder paths. If the export path for a model does not exist, the exporter will fail and prompt you to make that path.
•Added new model export checks for materials on models and collision hulls. If there are not materials, the export will fail and prompt you to add materials.

Other changes include updated docs including a new one on Compile Errors.
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Re: New 3ds Model Tool to expedite Source Model Creation

Postby shawnolson on Tue Feb 15, 2011 1:43 am

Version 0.99 released on 02-14-2011

NOTE: The 0.99 Update makes significant changes to the UI of Wall Worm Model Tools. The documentation does not reflect these changes!

• Optimized entire UI. Many functions are no longer where they were in previous versions. As such, the docs currently do not match the tool.
--◦ Many Rollouts Renamed.
--◦ Picking main model, setting base QC settings and the Run Export export button now consolidated in the first Rollout which is now called "Model & Basic QC".
--◦ Collision Hull and Physics controls consolidated into own rollout.
--◦ LOD Generator, $shadowlod and LOD Camera controls placed into own rollout.
--◦ $illumposition now in Lighting & Miscellaneous
--◦ More changes. The docs will reflect these changes as time permits.
• Fixed export bug where Sequence SMDs were not properly saved if using the Wunderboy SMD Exporter. This was a bug caused by bad logic added to the WWMT code in the 0.988 update.
• Model name now will automatically convert periods and spaces to underscores.
Added $jointconstrain. If checked, the QC will include $jointconstrain lines in the QC for each axis of each bone the model that has Limits imposed in the IK tab of the Max Command Panel.
• Tool now doesn't let you select objects as the model if not of the GeometryClass.
Added $rotDamping.
Fixed MAXScript bug where there was an exception if you deleted a mesh from the collision hull without first clicking the Del Sel button for collision hulls.
Fixed LOD List controls to activate the Append LOD # and + Sel to LOD # buttons when you have clicked the Pick LOD buttons.
Fixed + Sel to LOD button to work on all objects that have been selected. Previously, it was only adding a single object at a time.
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Re: New 3ds Model Tool to expedite Source Model Creation

Postby shawnolson on Sat Feb 19, 2011 6:12 pm

Version 0.993 released on 02-19-2011

•Fixed bug where Model Folder Path and Material Folder Path were not being saved if set by the Default path functions added in 0.992.
•Fixed quirk where Default Model Path and Default Material Path in Settings did not take effect until after WWMT was restarted. Now it takes effect immediately.
•Fixed Export Fail notice when Model Path or Material Path were not set... the error was inappropriately saying that you needed to set a Sequence Name as well.

Version 0.992 released on 02-16-2011

I had expected to release no more updates until Jed's new SMD Exporter is out... but as I've been recording videos of using the current version... I decided there was a step I could cut out... setting defaults for model path and material path for new models. Saves some typing.

•Added Default Model Path in settings floater. Optional setting that will prefill the Model Path of new models... which can be good if you are working on multiple models that reside in the same path.
•Added Default Material Path in settings floater. Optional setting that will prefill the Material Path of new models... which can be good if you are working on multiple models that reside in the same path.

Version 0.991 released on 02-15-2011
•Added Auto Hull to Collision Hull & Physics Rollout. When checked, the tool does not make a separate collision hull SMD. The QC then uses the root model SMD for the collision hull.
•Added Process CM to Collision Hull & Physics Rollout. When checked, each mesh and Element of each mesh is given a unique smoothing group. Needed if you want $concave and haven't prepared the mesh. Each mesh in collision hull is also given a material with a diffuse Bitmap and made non-renderable.
•Fixed UI bug where some collision rollout items were not activating until after the collision hull was picked.

WWMT News. Since I have been having a hard time keeping up on the forums where I've been posting news on WWMT, I started a forum devoted to the tools I'm working on. It's at www.wallworm.net . It's still mostly empty but it will be where I post most updates on WWMT from here on out.
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Re: New 3ds Model Tool to expedite Source Model Creation

Postby shawnolson on Thu Feb 24, 2011 11:45 pm

Not going to overwhelm you with a wall of text... but WWMT is updated again. Key new features:

* Support for multiple skins
* Prop Data and Gibs Rollout
* Custom Gibs support and one-pass gibs compiling
* Various other tweaks/fixes... see the changelog
Last edited by shawnolson on Fri Feb 25, 2011 12:34 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: New 3ds Model Tool to expedite Source Model Creation

Postby ShinobiWan on Fri Feb 25, 2011 12:28 am

Your doing wonders for the mod scene! Keep up the good work!
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Re: New 3ds Model Tool to expedite Source Model Creation

Postby sixpakken on Fri Feb 25, 2011 2:27 am

thx man for doing this great tool :)
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