3ds Max - Troubleshooting & General Discussion

[Delecto 941]

Have you applied  HOTFIX 1 for 3dsmax 2012? In connection with this post:

 

Hope it help.

[KevinPaul06 57]

Have you applied  HOTFIX 1 for 3dsmax 2012? In connection with this post:

 

Hope it help.

I thought the hotfix is for exporting problem. Well, I haven't applied it but it is worth the shot. I'll come back to see if it fix it or not.

 

EDIT: No, The hotfix didn't fix it.

[Jasoncw 11,949]

Does this problem happen only for that scene?  Does the problem also happen if you start a new, fresh scene?

[KevinPaul06 57]

Only on that scene. Fresh scene is working fine.

 

May I ask? Does "3DS Render" and "BAT4MAX Preview" the same? Because the 3DS render is working fine.

[Jasoncw 11,949]

The normal render is just rendering from the viewport or a camera if you choose to. 

 

The BAT4Max preview is actually the same as the other render except the cameras and the size of the image are what they need to be for SimCity 4.

 

And then the export process is the same as the BAT4Max preview except after it does the render it automatically divides the images up into smaller slabs (in the game the images are broken down into rectangular pieces that are at most (iirc) 256x256 pixels), gives them names which corresponds to the IDs the slabs need to have in the .SC4Model ("this slab goes here.  that slab goes there."), and then they are automatically converted from .png which 3ds max outputs into .fsh which is the image format that sc4 likes to use, and then it automatically inserts them into the .SC4model file.

 

 

But anyway, your solution is to start a new scene, go to file>merge, and then in the list that comes up, ONLY select the objects related to your building.  Don't merge in things like tb2camerahandle or other things like that.

[KevinPaul06 57]

The normal render is just rendering from the viewport or a camera if you choose to. 

 

The BAT4Max preview is actually the same as the other render except the cameras and the size of the image are what they need to be for SimCity 4.

 

And then the export process is the same as the BAT4Max preview except after it does the render it automatically divides the images up into smaller slabs (in the game the images are broken down into rectangular pieces that are at most (iirc) 256x256 pixels), gives them names which corresponds to the IDs the slabs need to have in the .SC4Model ("this slab goes here.  that slab goes there."), and then they are automatically converted from .png which 3ds max outputs into .fsh which is the image format that sc4 likes to use, and then it automatically inserts them into the .SC4model file.

 

 

But anyway, your solution is to start a new scene, go to file>merge, and then in the list that comes up, ONLY select the objects related to your building.  Don't merge in things like tb2camerahandle or other things like that.

Already did that. I'm still having the error :/

[Jasoncw 11,949]

ok, I've looked closer at your screenshot...

 

see where in the lower right, about 2/3 across your screen it says "Grid = 1000.0m"?  That means that each of your grids in the current viewport are that size, meaning your building is something like 15,000 meters wide. 

 

The bitmap creation failed because your computer (or people's) doesn't have enough memory to make an image so huge.

 

 

I'm sorry to say though, that you'll probably have to remodel your building.  When scaling entire objects (rather than scaling "sub-objects" which you can google to learn more about) the scale tool can cause problems.  Basically the scale tool doesn't actually change the true size of the object, it keeps it at the original scale and that's what's used for some of the rendering calculations.  It's kind of like it's both sizes at the same time.  This isn't a big deal when scaling things small amounts (although even then the scale tool in general should be avoided), but when you scale thing by such huge factors it messes with the lighting and rendering quality. 

 

But modeling what you have so far was worthwhile for practice, and when you remodel it you'll be surprised at how much faster and better you're able to remake it.    And I think at some point every 3d modeler needs to remake something, so think of it as a rite of passage. 

[KevinPaul06 57]

Ok. How am I going to say this I merged the model on scene with "grid = 1000m" . 

 

It is fix now. Good thing you noticed it. Thank you very much for the help

[Alex_1210 189]

quick question, quite nooby too lol
If i make my 3ds model extend downwards into negative z axis values, can that act as a foundation in sc4?

I want to make my building have a unique foundation if the lot is on a slope.

[Jasoncw 11,949]

No, you would need to model and export the top part of the building, and then export the bottom part separately.  A foundation is a lot like a prop, so think of it that way. 

 

Maybe around here or SC4devotion there's a foundations tutorial.  I've personally never made one before.

[mntoes 271]

I was thinking of the same question. A tutorial for your to-do list perhaps?

[Jasoncw 11,949]

I wouldn't be able to write a tutorial for it, I don't know how to do them!    I would need a tutorial too. 

[Ro-Bo 183]

There is already a custom foundation tutorial.

[Lindsaygaskell94 13]

Hi

I am trying to export a file from sketch up to 3ds max

First i export the file as a 3ds file, that works.

I open 3ds max and import the file i just made

I make my changes that i want

somewhere along the way i got this error as well: x32 Reader terminated unexpected

then i don't know how to do the next part to get it into a sc4 model to be able to be used in the sc4 plugin manager and lot editor

thanks

[Alex_1210 189]

I remember i read somewhere that to cope with simcity's graphical projection, i had to scale my model up by 133% on the z axis. can anyone tell me how to do that in 3ds max?

[Ro-Bo 183]

Hi

I am trying to export a file from sketch up to 3ds max

First i export the file as a 3ds file, that works.

I open 3ds max and import the file i just made

I make my changes that i want

somewhere along the way i got this error as well: x32 Reader terminated unexpected

then i don't know how to do the next part to get it into a sc4 model to be able to be used in the sc4 plugin manager and lot editor

thanks

 

I don't know anything about sketchup. It would be better to ask Bipin (he use sketchup to BAT). Or in your own BAT thread you had created (you'll get more attention).

 

To convert your model to SC4model, read the

[Jasoncw 11,949]

Lindsaygaskell94  Can you post more about the error you're getting?

 

Alex_1210  With the scale tool.    I personally think the best way to scale it is to first group the building, and then apply a FFD modifier to it, and then scale the FFD modifier.  That way, if you need to you can go back to the unscaled version by simply deleting the FFD modifier.  Go to Help>3ds Max Help or search google to learn more. 

[Lindsaygaskell94 13]

In short, I pretty much dont know what to do after i have finished the building to get it into sim city in game and working, like how do you make it a working building in sim city, going through the plugin manager and lot editor

thanks

[Jasoncw 11,949]

But you said you were getting an error??

[Lindsaygaskell94 13]

The error that i keep getting when i go to select target model in 3ds max after exporting the lods is: ri.gmax cannot be found in the plugin directory C:/Program files(x86)/Maxis/Simcity 4 deluxe/Plugins/.
Please check the path SC4PluginPath= in the BATFORMAX.INI and the model filename is correct

(ri is what i saved file name as )

[Jasoncw 11,949]

You should be finding ri.sc4model in the folder and not ri.gmax. 

[Lindsaygaskell94 13]

How do i make it be a sc4model?

I can not find where it exports the lods on gmax to open them up on 3ds max to select the target model

[Jasoncw 11,949]

Go to Help>BAT Help and read the information there, it will orient you to where everything is. 

[IL. 1,043]

Hello,

 

I have recently reinstalled my pc's windows and  (windows 7) all.

After installing 3dsmax, this is what I got:

 

 

 

 

It can render, but I can't see anything in the 4 views, as you see, anything I open or use, it's image will stuck in the view ports, like that rendering frame, it is stuck a the view ports.

Anyone had this problem before?

 

Any idea?

 

Thank you very much for your time ) 

[darn42 1,268]

Have you tried rebooting max? I know that happens to me when I leave it running for a while.

[IL. 1,043]

Have you tried rebooting max? I know that happens to me when I leave it running for a while.

 

It seems that I forgot to install some drivers

 

Thanks

[Droric 101]

I seem to be having an issue exporting a BAT.  The BAT lines up properly in 3ds max and the previews but when viewing it in game it appears at an angle.  One end of the lot is too high and the other end digs in.  Any ideas?  I am using 3ds max 2014 with the latest patches.

 

I imported my scene into a new one without the camera's or rig setup and everything is back to normal now.

[Lindsaygaskell94 13]

When I do a preview render i get this error

it was working okay before, changed some textures and it dosent want to work now

A Fatal error occured while rendering with NVIDIA mental ray.

This render will abort. NVIDIA mental ray is now in an unstable state and cannot be used any more for this session.

To render again with NVIDIA mental ray, please restart 3ds Max.

The error is :
MEM  0.4   2120 MB fatal  031008: can't allocate 3195601264 bytes.

[Droric 101]

When I do a preview render i get this error

it was working okay before, changed some textures and it dosent want to work now

A Fatal error occured while rendering with NVIDIA mental ray.

This render will abort. NVIDIA mental ray is now in an unstable state and cannot be used any more for this session.

To render again with NVIDIA mental ray, please restart 3ds Max.

The error is :

MEM  0.4   2120 MB fatal  031008: can't allocate 3195601264 bytes.

How much system RAM do you have. Judging by the error text it states it can't allocate memory which typically means your out of RAM. Try removing some elements from your scene and rendering again to see if less objects fixes it.

[Aaron Graham 4,417]

Yep, The error is about the RAM.