3DS Max 2008

Pipeline
1

I tried searching the forums but I could not find the information I needed. I’m using 3DS Max 2008 and I do not know how to export models to egg files. Also, how do I add collision meshes/collision spheres to the models.

In the Roaming Ralph environment.egg file, the trees and rocks can be detected for collision separately from the ground, although they are in the same file. How could I do this?

2

I’m kinda new to panda but i’m using max as well, probably the rocks are different entities inside the model.

About exporting i don’t think there’s an exporter for max 2008 since the only available are for max 6-9 (i had to downgrade to max 8 to be able to load the plugin)

3

The max exporter sucks. (read: hasn’t been maintained for a long time.) You’re better off first converting it to maya, then to Panda3D. But, you’d probably need to have Maya installed for that.

For collision spheres, the only way I know is manually. Please consult the Egg Syntax Reference:
panda3d.org/manual/index.php/Egg_Syntax
There’s a link there to the full eggSyntax.txt at SourceForge, which contains everything you need.

I think the rocks are given a different collision mask in the egg file.

4

Sorry for jumpingo n it but is it better to export it to maya and then to egg than to blender and then to egg?

5

Maya has full support for all features since the maintainers of the Panda use Maya. In the terms of support, Blender is the second. 3DS Max is the last.

6

Ok, so I’ll use Maya, which version would be the best to use? Also,can someone please type a walkthrough of the export process (including links to required programs if possible) as well as how to add collision meshes to the ground and different objects within the model. Thanks in advance.

7

Any version up to 2008 is good, I think.
For exporting guide:
panda3d.org/manual/index.php/Converting_from_Maya

8

Thank you very much for this help, you have saved me the frustration that I would have had if I tried to do this myself.

9

Hey, sorry to bother again, but I’ve run into some more trouble using Maya. I’m converting my .mb file to and egg, but it gives me this error:

“ImportError: No module named maya.app.python
Invalid Python Environment: Python is unable to find Maya’s Python modules
Python Environment:
PYTHONHOME not set!
System modules located at: C:\Python25\Lib
Cannot find sys module!”

Do I have to set a pth file just like for Panda3D?

10

You didn’t install a second python, separate to the python that comes with Panda3D, did you?
If so, Panda3D comes already with a version of Python. So what you could do is uninstall your separate python version, and reinstall Panda3D, and then try again.

11

Yes, I do have a separate Python installed, in the directory listed in the error message. I’ve used Python before I found Panda3D. I don’t understand why uninstalling everything and then reinstalling it would do anything. Why would that help, it would all install the same way. Has anyone else had this issue. And are you sure I don’t need to add a path file into the Maya directory as for Panda3D?
I also tried using the MayaPandaTool.mel, it said the conversion was a success, but no file was created and when VPanda opens to view the model, it’s blank.

I’ve even tried setting up Blender with Chicken, but Chicken did not work. I’ve searched the forums for a Chicken set up guide but I’ve had no luck. If there is a tutorial around, would it be easier to just use Blender and Chicken? I just need very simple models.

12
  • Yes, it has probably to do with wrong paths in the registry pointing to wrong stuff of the wrong python version. Reinstalling it in the order I told you will definately help. Plus, it doesn’t make much sense in installing two different versions of python.
  • If your model doesnt show in panda viewer, try pressing ‘c’ in the panda viewer to center the model in view, the camera might not be looking at the model. Also, press L to enable lighting.
  • Blender and chicken? Just place the chicken python file in your blender scripts directory, restart blender and it will probably work. Otherwise, check whether blender knows the path to your python dir. (Could also have the same cause as the first problem.)
13

Wouldn’t I also have to reinstall Maya after I install Panda so that it too finds the right Python path?

14

I have no clue. I don’t think so, actually, but just try.

15

Ok, reinstalling everything worked. Now, the collision meshes aren’t working properly… I’ve followed the guide, but no luck. I’m using Maya 2008. Is there anything the guide might be missing? Also, how do I group objects in Maya, so that I have multiple shapes in an object the object only has one collision sphere. Also how would I give this group a name so that in Panda3D, when it detects the collision, it uses this name as the collision object name. Sorry if this doesn’t make much sense, obviously I’m new to Panda3D.

16

“aren’t working properly” is a useless clue.

To group some objects, just select them and press Ctrl-G.
The name is displayed in the object panel.

17

Ok, well, I add them in properly in Maya following the guide. Yet they don’t work in Panda3D at all. I have a plane object with a basic texture on it with the collision barrier property and Panda3D won’t recognize that it has collision properties.

18

Could you expose the plane’s hierarchy using :

plane.ls()

or expose the .egg, and the way you setup the collision.

19

Marking the egg as collision barrier will not make Panda detect collision “magically”…

You still need to setup a collision handler and register some active colliders in the collision traverser in your code…

20

Yes, I know this thank you. I am not clueless on how they work. I’ve used the roaming ralph tutorial and I know how to do it all. I’m using the environment from it as a placeholder right now. I believe my trouble lies in that I don’t know how to name the collision object. Ie, in the roaming ralph tutorial, it checks to see if the collision ray goes through “terrain” I do not know how to give my object a specific name. Does anyone know how to tag this?