Using Gmax, advice, tips and feedback.

[couchpotato 8]

Maxis doesn't appear to use transparency for their windows.   They use a fractal noise map to make each window look different.   GMax doesn't have the fractal option but does have the noise.  Seems that a back placed interior image would work fine.  

Nice building but the balconies seem a bit large for no visable support. 

Also, if you created this in GMax, how did you import it into 3ds Max???   Didn't think any program would import GMax format.  

[+Guest]

3DSMax and GMAX can both import/export .DXF files (DirectXFile I think).  I've done that too.

[couchpotato 8]

If you've gotten GMax to export DXF format, please let me know how.   I've prowled the web looking for players of other games who've exported GMax into some usable format but ziltch.  Almost any format would do so that we can render our projects in another program.  

[baco 159]

by request of n74704 here's a very simple tutorial on merging different models from separate files into one, this is useful if your file is corrupted or if you want to join two models together.

 

First you need to open the material navigator in the upper right corner of gmax

 

 

Now you need to select file system (1), now you browse your system until you find the directory where you have the model you want to import (2), now you select it (3)

 

Simply drag the model into the gmax workspace (1) and select merge file (2)

 

 

That's it

 

[n74704 21]

thank you thank you thank you.

[mntoes 270]

Thanks baco, I was wondering how to do that myselfhttps://community.simtropolis.com/assets/emoticons/2.gif>

[rob_2616 13]

I have a problem that I need some help on, hopefully someone can give me some advice.  I need to make a line spline with thickness.  I can change the thickness of line splines when I connect both ends together, but whenever I use the line tool thing, and don't connect the ends I can't change the thickness.

 

I've tried changing the thickness in the mesh settings rollout, both before and after I create the spline but it doesnt do anything either way.. what am I doing wrong?

 

Please let me know if you didnt understand the question.

[rob_2616 13]

I have another question.  I have a box that needs textured, but I only want to texture one side of it.  Is that possible?  How do I do it?

[couchpotato 8]

Select the area you want to texture using polygon selection method and apply your texture.  The picture above is taken from my latest tutorial on texturing

http://couchspuds.homestead.com/FourlandMJB.html

You will probably need to apply a separate UVW map to your area.   Every single polygon could be textured differently if you have the time & energy.  https://community.simtropolis.com/assets/emoticons/24.gif>

[rob_2616 13]

Thanks Couchpotato.  I actually figured it out earlier today, thanks to the tutorial on your website.

[defence22 0]

I have figured out a way to export .gmax files to many different files types( texture that do not have a uvw map will not have the right texture). First you must install a .md3 plugin exporter at http://mojo.gmaxsupport.com/Sections/Plugins.html. Then you must download an old version of 3d exploration at http://www.dsmith.gmaxsupport.com/Essential_Tools.htm.

Steps to Convert Model
1. Open the model in Gmax and then click File-Export and choose to export using the Quake 3 model (.md3)
2. In the window that appears write 0 in the box that asks what frames to export and then uncheck the last box in the window (Show Warning Dialogs)(This is unnecessary but otherwise it will prompt you everytime it fids a missing uvw map)
3. Once this is done open up 3d Exploration and got to File-Open and find your file (Usually C:\Program Files\Gmax\Meshes\(your 3d model).md3
4. Now go to File-Save and then you can save to many formats.
Hope this helps!

[couchpotato 8]

rob-2616

have you tried this for your spline problem     just take the spline- line or shape and outline it.   the spinner went back to zero but I set this simple line for .5

then put a UVW map on it.  

 

Also, Mntoes wrote a really nifty GMax FAQ page on GMax settings the 'Maxis way' and other good information   .... you can find it here :  http://couchspuds.homestead.com/Library4.html

 

[n74704 21]

hey couchpotato,

can you write a turorial on how to make SC4 compatable windows?  i can't move on in my projects until i figure this out.  that would be cool.

[couchpotato 8]

I don't understand what you're trying to do..???     What's a SC4 compatable window? 

[n74704 21]

i mean being able to use transparency without using the see-through option in gmax.

[baco 159]

ok here is how to make transparent windows using textures, i'm assuming you know how to apply textures in the first place, if you don't do a search.

 

step 1 when you have the sphere in the material editor window just select opacity, the lower the number the more transparent the window will get

 

 

Now select the texture you want and drag it from the sphere onto the window (in this case it's a box inside the wall, select assign to object

 

voila you have a transparent window

 

Hope this helps

[ApathyNinja 17]

He means windows the BAT will render.

Everyone currently modelling should read up on Buggi's thread. The BAT doesn't render transparent objects...at least not yet.

To quote Maxis brian:
The glass material is actually a blend of a cityscape reflection map and a procedural brick for faceting the image. The faceting makes the windows appear to have different things going on inside, like shades, curtains, furniture, etc.

So we know a faint cityscape goes in the reflection map. I'm wondering to what they map the brick, though. Or is it a multi-material with the both of them?

[baco 159]

well in that case here's maxis mike official answer on transparent windows:

 

Its a bat specific issue, one that can be fixed if we figure out whats not being turned on.

  - maxismike
    SC4 Arist

So it's safe to say that they will fix this issue so on to making the windows transparent again, and if it's not then just do the windows with the reflection or inside detail painted on them it will make no difference since the model will be small and the detail will be very hard to appreciate.

[Buggi 684]

That statement had NOTHING to do with windows. Mikes statement above dealt with the bluryness of buildings and how everything was antialiased... Sheesh.

[baco 159]

The blur is caused by poor anti-aliasing, we had the same trouble early on in SC4. I'll talk to the engineer and see if he can get it fixed.

  - maxismike
    SC4 Arist

That is the answer for the bluriness, then came this question from mntoes with this answer:

Q: Maxismike do we know if the rendering of transparent windows is a Gmax or BAT problem. What are the chances of getting this to work? I am sure many peolple would like to add internal details. A: Its a bat specific issue, one that can be fixed if we figure out whats not being turned on. This is the thread https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/view.asp?topicID=44641

 

 

[Buggi 684]

ACK!!

Sorry... Got my Q-A timetables mixed up @@;;

[polomito 0]

Hello, I'm new to simtropolis.

I've been playing simcity for sometime now and I took an interest in this gmax thing. So i signed up to ask some questions and to show the house i've been working on.

 

Anyway, here's my problem. i'm working on the eaves right now. What i want to do is to make a circular hole on the bottom of the gutter and weld it to the pipe leading down from it. Hope that makes any sense. Has anyone any idea how to do that? Both objects are editable splines with edit mesh modifiers.

 

[baco 159]

the only way i know how to do this is to turn your half pipe into an editable mesh, then select polygons, depending on the amount of sides your model has you can then select specific polygons and delete them leaving whatever shape you created empty, of course the more sides it has the easier it is to make a circle, that's the only way i know of but i'm sure there are other ways to do this.

[couchpotato 8]

 

Nice building polomito....  This solution is a lot of work for something that barely shows.  Modify both cylindars with Edit Mesh - remove the bottom section of the top pipe (have it close to the same diam as your bottom pipe) - manipulate the top row of vertices on the lower pipe so they fit around the hole in the upper pipe - select the entire lower or upper pipe and under Edit Geometery - turn on the attach button - select the other section of pipe - turn off attach - you now have one pipe.  Baco's way sounds easier

[defence22 0]

Although most people do not know about it Gmax includes a Boolean subtract operation .
1. If the pipe intersects with the gutter first make a clone of the pie and move the clone down so it touches but does not go through the gutter.
2. If the pipe does not intersect the gutter make a clone of the pipe then move the clone up so it intersects the gutter. Then move the original pipe so it touches the gutter.
3. Select the pipe that intersects the gutter and select the create menu (the first menu) and then click on the geometry (not spline!) icon (the icon is a ball). On the drop down menu that should currently say Standard Primitives select Compound Objects. Once you do this hit the Boolean button and make sure move is selected and Subtraction A-B is selected as the operation.
You menu should look like this:

4. All that is left to do is to press the Pick Operand B button and select the pipe. If you think it is necessary you could also mold the mesh to the hole in the gutter

[polomito 0]

Okay, thanks for the advice. Eventually I ended up using a combination of couchpotato's and defence22's technics. here's how it turned out

 

[mikeyb44 0]

I read somewhere how the vertical scale must be exagerated because of the camera angles used in the game. Do we do this after we create the model or is it done during the creation process?
Grid spacing is set to 1, next major line 10 or 16?? Each lot is 16x16 in the game, is this correct?
While modeling what should the grid= in the gmax status bar say?? I want to make sure that I am not modeling to large a model. Sorry for the silly questions. So after we set our preferences, each square on the grid will equal 1 meter? If your building occupies more that 16 meters on either side then the building will require 2 lots or more??

I'm SOOOOOOOOO confused. I finally got the roof problems straightened out. My lines were not connected so nothing would extrude.  I zoomed in very close and welded the vertices together and that solved most of my roof problems. 

 

[ApathyNinja 17]

Here's what I gleaned from MaxisBrian's posts, Mikey: The horizontal axes (X and Y?) are to true scale but the vertical one (Z?) is exaggerated. He mentioned making floors 8m high. That's about 3.5 times what they are normal. At least here in the states, most spaces are 8ft high. That's what I use for modelling. So you're going to want to make a floor gridlines high in the front viewport.

Setting major gridlines to 16m is an idea I tossed about a while back that MaxisBrian thought was pretty good. It'll come in handy both for the horizontal scales, as you get an idea of how big your building is. And on the vertical scale, halfway through a major gridline is a floor. How handy!

All the other questions you pose I either don't know or they don't seem to make any sense on this end. Lots aren't restricted to 1x1 and thus a building can be bigger than 16 sq. m. So I think I'm missing something

[mikeyb44 0]

So, if I want my building to be 30 feet high, I would count up 9.2 squares on my Z axis on my grid?? 9.2 meters =30 feet.  Am I on the right track with this?

If we were going to make a square building, is the front of the building going to higher than the back of the building? This is where I am getting confused.  Does anyone have a picture of a model sitting on a grid so I can see the difference in the vertical size?

 

[ApathyNinja 17]

Now are you doing this in real scale or SC4 scale. It would be 9m high in real scale, but around 27m in SC4 scale. I'd have to see how it works in the BAT, but that's apparently how things work.

Also, kids, make sure your textures gradually fade slightly darker at the bottom.