BAT4Max v.5

[SimFox 801]

This thread is now read-only. If you have a question, please check this post, and also check the FAQ here. If your question isn't answered in either place, feel free to ask it here.

-Jasoncw

 

Advice: BAT4Max might not be 100% compatible with 3ds max 2013 or higher. The most common problems to new versions are incorrect Gamma value (buildings are too bright) and low quality of the building's look (you can notice that on previews). If you're using one of these versions, please make sure to check the settings on the bottom of this post to set the right configurations.

If you're using 2012 version and your exports look like red/blue/green/black boxes, also check the fix to this problem on the bottom of this post.

 

 

 

BAT4MAX v5 can be downloaded here:

 

What's New in Version 5

Glare
Turns on Glare Camera output shader. Allows for the creation of much more “alive” looking night views.



Ground and Sky
Creates and sets necessary properties for ground plane (used to apply reflection source) and sky.

Darker Brighter Nigght switcher
Allows to change brightess of the night (between Maxis Nite and Dark Nite) without changing any of the other settings apart from level of illumination.

Clearing output Files
Essentially does what old Deltree.exe used to do – removes old project files that could clog your BAT folder. However it does so in an entirely different and Windows version independent way. Additionally the process had been split in two “versions” one deletes only current project related files and another clears entire BAT folder.

New FSH generation and insertion algorithm
Now Bat4Mx is finally fully compatible with 3ds Max default installation folder e.g. one containing empty spaces in the path.

New Interface
Changing interface is often a risky proposition. People get accustomed to certain things and the effort needed to update old habits has to be justified. I was keeping in mind these points when I was re-designing the Bat4Max interface and I believe, well at least hope, that I managed to strike the balance. Old users will not be totally lost in the new interface, while new users are likely to find it more intuitive and flowing, like in “work flow”. This is particularly applicable to the export procedures that are not 1, 2, 3 easy…

New Installation procedure
While I have always tried to give explicit and exhaustive installation/set-up instructions the whole thing was repeatedly been proven to be too much of a challenge to many, particularly those not too keen on the whole “computer thing”. So it was clear that something has to be done to clear this rather pointless burden away. In this version of Bat4Max installation is no more that selecting one file and following on screen instructions. No more need to move around files and some such!
Installation will also add/update necessary files to your GMAX+SC4bat provided you’ve installed those into default location e.g. C:\GMAX If, on the other hand you’ve used some custom installation you would need to do that manually. You’ll find necessary files and relevant folder structure in C:\GMAX after installation of Bat4Max v5.

New interface overview
Roll-outs have been rearranged in more logical (imho – suggestions are welcomed) flowing order.

LetThereBeLight


Sky new
Pressing Sky button sets Mental Ray Physical Sky procedural Map as a background for your scene. After pressing Sky it is recommended to press desired rig button in order to set Physical Sky to the desired output.

Set Rig For
Buttons in this frame are pretty self explanatory I think Each creates Lighting rig and tunes all the necessary settings for each of 3 lighting conditions.

Change Nite new
Buttons in this frame alter brightness of the Sky Light in Night Lighting rig independently from all other settings (FG, AA, Glare etc). This allows you to keep all your custom setting when switching between two Night versions when you do night export. Darken and Brighten buttons only work with Night Rig. Glare sets “good for most” glare camera output shader for night scene. You can still manually change those to your liking/needs by instance dragging it from Render Setup->Renderer->Camera Shaders->Output to any slot in Material Editor.

Troubleshooting group
Delete Rig Lights
Does exactly what is says.

Reset Lights & Cameras
Re-establishes link to CameraLigtRig x-Ref file located in folder specified in BAT4MAX.ini

LODs
There are some changes in this roll-out.




Custom LODs new
Buttons in this frame are to help you create custom LODs for your model. The key word here is “help” not create custom LODs for you. The later is impossible by definition. Here is how it works:

LOD3
button creates basic LOD – scene bounding box that encompasses EVERY geometry object in your scene (that includes ground plane as well as any other hidden/frozen etc geometry you may have there), names it LOD3 and converts it into editable poly. Now you can dive in and make it whatever you want it to be! Once done simply click on

LODs 4&5
and copies of your modified LOD will be created and named accordingly. LODs are now kept on their own separate Layer.

Automatic LODs
This button simply creates 3 identical basic Scene bounding boxes places them on LODs layer and names them accordingly.

Ground new
Pressing Ground creates a plane (1x1 km by default) places it at XYZ =0 on a new Layer and freezes it in order to prevent accidental movement and sets it to be invisible to camera. It will also checks for your version of 3ds max and in case you have a compatible version it will supply you with instructions and open dialog window where you would set it to be invisible to FG (Final Gather) rays. This step insures ideal lighting conditions, but only possible in 3ds Max Versions 2009 and newer. Setting has, for now, to be made manually as these properties are not yet exposed to MaxScript.

Show / Hide
Shows or hides LOD3 (so you could edit it) or your model (Hi Res Geo)

Preview Roll-out
The layout of the roll-out had been re-arranged to save some space and to provide some logic (shows proper export sequence eg South-East-North-West otherwise the functionality is same.



Rotations / Zoom allows you to select desired view for preview, while “select for Zoom5” SDoutput – basically normal Zoom5 view, or HDoutput – Zoom6 is substituted for Zoom5.



Clear Output Files
This roll-out makes come back to Bat4Max after a long absence caused by incompatibility of Deltree.exe used in old functions with newer OS. All scripts here have been completely re-writen and perform their functions without any external help.

Clear Current new
Deletes all files related to the current project (Sc4Model has to be selected in Export Sequence – SC4Model Name).

Clear all
Deletes ALL output and other technical files generated by BAT4Max. Basically clicking on this button will return your BAT folder to the pristine – just installed state.

Export Sequence Former Export roll-out
Here we have the biggest changes to both workflow and interface reflecting it. Buttons/operations behind them are arrange in a sequence of actual export.




Export LODs
this is a first step of any export. Pressing this button will export LODs from your scene as “yourMaxFileName.3ds” to your GMAX root folder so that you can export them in GMAX BAT to generate SC4Model file. The button is un-numbered since this is once-only step per any model (well, unless you change you LODs)

(1) Select Target Model new
Opens dialog window to your Plugin folder you’ve specified during installation of Bat4Max. Here you can select desired SC4Model file generated in GMAX BAT.

(2) Day Export new
this button runs normal export. After model is fully rendered FSHs are automatically* created and inserted into SC4Model file you have selected in previous step. This button could also be used for old style/original day/night combo export.

(3) NiteExport new
this button runs commands for specific truNite night export. First of all it checks if current scene is a night one. In it is not it will inform you and offer you choice to either abort export or proceed. If the scene is in fact a truNite one export will start automatically and after it is finished night FSHs will be created and inserted automatically* Current Material Libraries these refer to the old/original day-nite combo export method description of which could be found in the readme for Bat4Max v2. * Dialog/info windows will pop-up during the procedure informing you about completion of various stages of export, process will continue after your reply/acknowledge of info.
Compatibility and pre-requisites

OS:
Winodws XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7. 32 and 64 bit version of all these system are supported. For Windows 7 (and perhaps Windows Vista) UAC – User Account Control must be disabled prior to installation of Bat4Max v5. After installation/setup had finished if you want to turn it on again you would need to enable write rights (or full control rights) for your account/user name for gamepacks folder. Alternatively you can keep UAC off… 3ds Max could be uinstalled into any folder including one with empty spaces in path, like the default one, eg. C:\Program Files\Autodesk\3 ds max ####\

3ds Max
Core functionality of this version of Bat4Max is compatible with 3ds Max 7 -2011. Some of the features require newer versions of 3ds Max. Recommended version of 3ds max 2010 and newer. Both Mental Ray and Scanline (for basic functionality) are supported. 3rd party renderer support (V-ray, FinalRender etc) is untested...

GMAX + BAT
GMAX + SC4Bat installed into default folder (eg C:\GMAX) is must! First of all without GMAX + SC4Bat you wouldn’t be able to export anything. Default installation path is required because during setup of Bat4Max v5 some files will be updated in your GMAX SC4Bat as well.

Installing BAT4Max 5
Special note on UAC (User Account Control) in Windows 7 and, perhaps, Windows Vista (not confirmed). UAC in Windows7 blocks any write operations into “Program Files” folder. As a result neither setting not operation of BAT4Max is possible while UAC is turned on. So if you are running these versions of Windows please disable UAC prior to the installation of BAT4Max v5. After installation had been finished you would have 2 options – either keep UAC turned off, or turn UAC back on but allow to yourself (your user name) full control of \BAT folder Alternatively you may install 3ds Max outside of “Program Files” folder.

• Download LINK
• Unpack to the location you’ll be aware of – for instance on your desktop
• Start up you 3ds max
• In the menu select MaxScript -> Run Script and navigate to the location you have unzipped downloaded archive (see #2) and select BAT4Max5_Installer.mzp and follow on-screen instructions.
  
  Attention!
  During installation run Bat4Max v5 checks for previous installations of Bat4Max and removes it. This is necessary in order to avoid conflicts and to stray, none working elements in the interface.
  So if you have something there so important that you need to save please do so prior to running installation.
   
• Since Gamma setting in older version of 3ds Max (prior to max2009) hasn’t been fully exposed to Max scrip and in Max 2010 has troubles accepting setting made by MaxScript at the end of installation Scripts would automatically open the Preferences Dialog window. At the moment there is no way to open it in a precise tab, so you may have to click on Gamma and LUT TAB. Then depending on your version of Max either simply click on OK without doing a thing (in Max 2010 and 2011) or alter some settings like show on following pictures
  3dsMax 7:
  
  
  3ds Max 8 - 9:
  
  
  3ds Max 2008 and 2009 (2009Design):
  
  
  in 3ds Max 2010-2011 (also Design versions) there is no need to manually alter any settings, just press OK!

How to Use
LetThereBeLight-truNite Workflow

Exporting Day

• Set your scene
  Easiest and quickest way to do so is by running LetTherBeLight (click on Day button). This will set units, render, anti-alias, and final gather, gamma and color correction to the values optimal for your particular version of 3dsMax needed for both export and preview. I would also recommend clicking on Sky button (for 3ds Max 2008 and newer users). Strictly speaking this is "required" only when your model has some reflective elements pointing at sky.
• Create your model.
  Do NOT create any night time lights or texturing, this is gonna be you day scene. Read following section for instruction of doing truNite export.
  note that in order to use preview you would need to create LODs for you model.
• Create/Edit LODS.
  You can do this by either pressing Automatic LODs button in LODs roll-out, or LOD3 button if you need custom LOD. Once you have finished editing the LOD3 click on LOD4&5 to finish LOD setup.
  One word of caution: go lightly on LODs remember that they should be as simple and low poly as possible so to not overburden the game’s ancient 3d engine
• Export LODs to gmax.
  This could be accomplished by pressing Export LODs button in Export Sequence roll-out. Script assumes that you have installed your GMAX and GMAX BAT into default locations. If this is not the case you would need to do it old fashioned manual way by selecting LODs and then choosing Export Selected from File menu.
• Export LODs in GMAX BAT.
  Open BAT (GMAX) and import LODs. If you have been following all instructions precisely you’ll find them (as a .3ds file) in the list that will open when you select Import command in File Menu of GMAXBat. Make sure that “convert units” option is NOT selected.
• SD or HD.
  Decide if this models should be exported as SD (standard definition – pixel perfect Zoom5 and 2x stretched Zoom6) or HD (pixel perfect Zoom6 and 2x reduced zoom5).
  
  Typically HD export is only sutable for smallest models - trash cans, benches and like. or traffic signs at which you wish texts to be redable.Things that would be typically looked at at biggest zoom - Zoom6. Anything else should be exported as SD, since this way you would get better qualtity Zoom5 views.
  
  If you choose to export an HD model, the HD option must be checked in Gmax, before exporting the .SC4Model file, and in 3ds Max, before exporting from 3ds Max.
  
  Make a selection. Done that, press Export button. You’ll be asked to save the GMAX file. Do that and give it appropriate name so you could easily identify your coming SC4Model file later in 3ds Max.
  Once export is finished you can return to Max and
• Exporting from 3ds Max.
  In Export Sequence Roll-out:
  Press (1) Select Target Model button. It shall open the window showing you your SC4 Plugin folder. Select desired SC4Model and make sure you’ve selected same settings for SD/HD export as in GMAX BAT, when exporting the LODs.
  Press (2) DayExport
  Acknowledge on-screen dialogs that will inform you about completion of the various stages of export process.
  
  You're Done!

Nite Export
TruNite is a special technique for generating night time views. It builds on two main principles:

• Total Mask covering entire model.
  This is done to prevent ugly blending artifacts that are bugging many traditional night views and to allow for a full range of night effects such as specific night reflections, alternative models and textures/materials etc.
• Special night general lighting.
  This could deal away with strong shadowing that is so unrealistic for night views.

With truNite instead of one single day/night export (providing your model has any kind of night lighting) you would do two separate exports – one for a day view and another for a night one. This solution has several significant benefits. It cuts on errors during export in a major way as vast majority of those occur during day/night switch by the export scripts. Since for the BAT export script truNite is just as another day render none of that ever takes place. Also for a larger models such separate exports may be beneficial because the wouldn’t occupy your computer for exceedingly long time at once Another advantage is a big reduction in overall, combined export time (by as much as 30%) since truNite deals away with night mask render pass.
The only “drawback” of this method is that you model will “jump” from day to night view rather than go through the whole dusk routine. Another point that has to be taken into consideration is that both day and truNite models should occupy exactly same space (location) in both files and that their outline must be the same.

TruNite night comes in two flavors selectable in LetTherBeLight roll-out

• Maxis nite
  This will create night view that blends with default lighting and coloring scheme used by Maxis for SimCity4
• Darker Nite
  This generate much darker and less blue view which is broadly compatible with existing Darker Night mods. Special truNite DarkerNight mod will be release at around Xmas day.

Nature of truNite makes these two flavor mutually exclusive. So if you want to provide community with both version you should do two night exports. If you decide to do only one I strongly suggest to chose Maxis one for it.

If you decided to go with two version BAT make a copy of your just exported day scene (prior running night export), name these accordingly, but remember that you can alter only first part of the model name and not the alpha-numerical end of it.

• Create your Night Scene
  Open your previously saved day scene and make to it any adjustments you see fit. This may be lights, special textures or even alternations to the model (as long as they fall into same outline as a day one.
  
  Important note!!!
  Do NOT use any of the traditional naming conventions like nitelite- or night- prefixes for your geometry or lights
• Type of night - Maxis or Dark selection
  Cress one of the Nite buttons in LetThereBeLight roll-out. This will create appropriate Lighting rig and settings for gamma and color correction, etc. If you use 3ds Max 2010 and newer you may click on Glare button.
• Select Model file for export
  Click on (1) Select Target Model button and select the same model you have previously exported as a day view. If you have two versions (Maxis and Dark ones) choose appropriate
• Export
  Press (3) NiteExport button
  Acknowledge on-screen dialogs that will inform you about completion of the various stages of export process.
  
  You're Done!

That’s all!
Your model now has both day and night views!
in case you need to do another night export repeat same procedure, but choose appropriate lighting and target file.

BAT4MAX v5 can be downloaded here:

PS

Use of SimFox Day´n´Nite mode is strongly recommended with DarkNite models produced with this version of Bat4MAX as Lighting levels and hues used in truNite DarkNite export as realized in this version were calibrated to fit with this modd.

SimFox Day´n´Nite modd can be found on STEX.

 

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Manual Settings to 3ds Max 2013 or Higher Users

Since 3ds Max 2013, BAT4Max has some natural incompatibilities that can be fixed with some simple manual settings:

Gamma Fix: if your renders are too bright (gamma is incorrectly set) try the following fix,

Sampling Quality: you need to change the Sampling Mode to every single new project you start. In newer versions it's set as Unified/Raytraced by default and you need to change it to Classic/Raytraced. Now your models will look way better.
To do it, you just need to click on Render Setup icon > Renderer tab and set the configurations as shown below:

 

Skylights & Environment Lighting (IBL): at the same Render Setup window, click on the Global Illumination tab and change the Skylight Mode from Skylight Illumination from IBL to Skylight Illumination from Final Gather (FG).

 

----------------------------------------------------------
 

Fix to 3ds Max 2012

Important: Are you using 3dsMax 2012 or 3dsMax Design 2012? Do your exports look like this?

(Red/ blue/ green/ black boxes?)

https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/537179_10152763779940691_2095097160_n.jpg

You need to update Max (apply Hotfix 1) before your updates will work! Download the appropriate version here:

Hotfix1 for 3ds Max Design 2012 32 bit
Hotfix1 for 3ds Max Design 2012 64 bit
Hotfix1 for 3ds Max 2012 32 bit
Hotfix1 for 3ds Max 2012 64 bit

 

[zero7 68]

Thanks Simfox. Downloading now and looking forward to trying it out on my latest batch of models.

Just one question:

Now that you are including a ground plane and therefore know its name, have you excluded the groundplane from the LOD size calculation?

Also on the subject of LODs - I like the inclusion of a show/hide feature - very convenient!

[SimFox 801]

Let me know what do you think of new interface.

Any opinions, suggestions etc are welcomed and, actually, solicited. With this new installer it will be relatively easy and quick to update. So if someone could come up with better interface let's hear it!

As for LOD calculations... no I, actually, didn't... Right now LODs are build as simple bounding box (geometry.max - geometry.min). Excluding Ground Plane would have to go (afaik) the way of creating array of all geometry minus the ground plane. There are some potential issues with such an approach. Or do you know of any other way to do just that?

This could be in the next update together with other fixes that may be needed/suggested.

[zero7 68]

First impressions on the interface are good.  The layout seems to be more appropriate to the workflow used for the day model / night model method and it's good to see the FSH create and insert buttons replaced with the more logical 'day export' and 'night export'.

The explanation of the LOD creation explains why it's not straightforward to exclude the groundplane.  I wonder if there's a way to limit the scope of geometry.max to a particular layer ( or a layer-based equivalent).  

I haven't looked as Maxscript since I abandoned my automated render for your version of BAT4Max so I don't know of a definite way of doing it without using an array.

No problems with the new version encountered so far.

[thingfishs 416]

Well it seems something always goes wrong for me, even with a one step procedure. I turned off my UAC, opened MaxScript, pressed run script, selected the installer file from the V5 folder, followed instructions (all seemed to go OK except the usual "night windows are incompatible..." and it said that installation had been successful. However, when I restart Max the interface is unchanged (for example the LODs bit just has the old 3 options). I am using Max 2010 and it's installed in my C drive root folder.

Also in regards to the decoupled lights and cameras, after the above installation, I created a simple 2 box scene and it too rendered the same from all 4 angles... (so I guess it has nothing to do with that other scene)

[zero7 68]

Originally posted by: thingfishs

Well it seems something always goes wrong for me, even with a one step procedure. I turned off my UAC, opened MaxScript, pressed run script, selected the installer file from the V5 folder, followed instructions (all seemed to go OK except the usual "night windows are incompatible..." and it said that installation had been successful. However, when I restart Max the interface is unchanged (for example the LODs bit just has the old 3 options). I am using Max 2010 and it's installed in my C drive root folder.

quote>

What did you get when you unzipped the file?  You should have 'BAT4Max5_Installer.mzp' and nothing else.  If you've got .ms files visible and have run 'newInstaller.ms' it will not have carried out the full install

For some reason when I first extracted the file I ended up with the contents of the mzp file instead of the mzp itself.  I don't know how that happened and I haven't been able to reproduce it.  Something odd with WinRar I think. 

[Jasoncw 11,840]

With pleasure I've stickied this newest BAT4Max support thread. 

[thingfishs 416]

Originally posted by: zero7

Originally posted by: thingfishs

Well it seems something always goes wrong for me, even with a one step procedure. I turned off my UAC, opened MaxScript, pressed run script, selected the installer file from the V5 folder, followed instructions (all seemed to go OK except the usual "night windows are incompatible..." and it said that installation had been successful. However, when I restart Max the interface is unchanged (for example the LODs bit just has the old 3 options). I am using Max 2010 and it's installed in my C drive root folder.

quote>

What did you get when you unzipped the file?  You should have 'BAT4Max5_Installer.mzp' and nothing else.  If you've got .ms files visible and have run 'newInstaller.ms' it will not have carried out the full install

For some reason when I first extracted the file I ended up with the contents of the mzp file instead of the mzp itself.  I don't know how that happened and I haven't been able to reproduce it.  Something odd with WinRar I think. 

quote>

When I unzipped the file I got a folder with 8 items in it including the newinstaller.ms  However I am on a mac for the internet (and unzipped it, as I usually do, prior to transfer over to my windows 7 setup) Thanks for the info Zero 7, (I'm assuming it will work then if I unzip it in windows itself)

[Girafe 1,729]

For some reason when I first extracted the file I ended up with the contents of the mzp file instead of the mzp itself. I don't know how that happened and I haven't been able to reproduce it. Something odd with WinRar I think.

Same for me, I needed to dowload again and to get the.mzp don't know why

[SimFox 801]

Well perhaps you have gremlins living in your computers... Here are some evidence of their nasty dids:

With file as is I have exactly same result you do have - Lights rotate but cameras do not:

Examining content of the file shows some interesting things.Here is list of cameras (these are from x-refed TB2_CameraLightRig.max):

After clicking on Remove button in X-Refed Scenes Dialog:

it looks like this:

All cameras are gone. So these were from X-Refed file and not somehow stored in the model file.

After pressing Reset Lights and Cameras:

It looks like this:

This is a list of cameras from proper TB2_CameraLightRig.max that comes with Bat4max v4.5

Notice that those files marked with arrows in the first picture are gone!

Now if I do preview renders I get this:

So, what could be said based on this information? Well, first of all it seems that there is something wrong with your installation of Bat4Max v4.5. The content of your TB2CameraLightRig.max file didn't match the content of such file in the distribution of Bat4Max v4.5 available, for instance on STEX. So, I guess, there was something wrong with your TB2_CameraLightRig.max file... And the fact that your new file with just 2 boxes show same very problem is another evidence to support this conclusion.

I'll try to investigate why upload unpacks the way Zero7 and Girafe had stated... MZP is, in fact a ZIP file. But for now please notice that Installation Instructions say run BAT4Max5_Installer.mzp, and not newInstaller.ms.

PS.

Hm... Don't know... but for me upload file unpacks as BAt4Max5_Installer.MZP. Haven't been able to replicate situation described by Zero7 and Girafe...

I'm using WinRAR 3.91 x64

[Jack_wilds 550]

BAT4Max v5 shopping list...so need gmax and SC4 bat-builder and... just need to find the gmax as I 'lost-it' some time ago, which ended my building efforts... ideally I'd like a copy of 3ds for myself but...

SF well done, a useful tool that will aid in creating excellent SC4 content...

However I'm having issues with it, I can extract but windows doesn't recognize *.mzp files, preventing install

Jack

[Nijomi 0]

Such dedication to this project is truly deserving of a Trixie award. SimFox you got my vote for Enduring Dedication Award. At last no need to manualy clear output folder I would have been happy with just this but you give us more.

[thingfishs 416]

Thanks for the thorough breakdown there SF. I have (mostly) good news. When I unzipped the V5 in windows instead of mac I got one file as expected. Installation was successful and the UI has been updated (which I'm already much preferring I have to say, there's been a lot of sensible layout decisions made). The first thing I did was open the "clean" Mill and, after setting my xref etc, the mill rendered differently from the different angles!! Then I made another 2 box scene and, without resetting my xref, it also rendered as expected. Joy!!

But curiosity got the better of me. I opened the "GreatMill" file I sent you, to find the old 1 angle problem was still there (as was expected). Then, when I reopened the new "clean" mill, I couldn't get it to work. I will try again, and get a more thorough take on what's going on. How do I get that list you show in your pictures?

[SimFox 801]

those are Layers in Layer manager - the best way to organize your scene!

[nick13 194]

can someone please help me. After selecting run script i select BAT4Max5_Installer.mzp like said in step for of the installation instruction but when i click ok it says

--runtime error: feature not available: 'createFile"

[SimFox 801]

what Operating System are you running it on and what version of 3ds Max?

[nPr 0]

Hi SimFox, why do I always get the 'Error Failed! Code=6' message whenever I do the normal export (like those in gmax) with night lights? I tried the normal day export without night lights and the export went fine.

[SimFox 801]

This is one reason (one of not the only one) WHY I developed truNite. The whole process of how standard night render was organized/scripted was very buggy. If you add to it inferior results then the question is why to bother...

What version of Max are you using and why do you want to use those nitelites?

But one also must keep in mind that the reason may also be in how you have set your nitelites. Still I would recommend you to go truNite way. By doing so you simply chop of a big part of buggy scipt.

[nick13 194]

 i have windows vista and i did not know i needed 3ds Max. I don't have $3,495 to buy it

[Xyloxadoria 1,099]

Originally posted by: nick13

 i have windows vista and i did not know i needed 3ds Max. I don't have $3,495 to buy itquote>

3dsmax 2011 for Free Legally

[nPr 0]

The reason is that truNite, as you have explained, the building would jump straight from day to night view instead the whole dusk routine. Personally, I just don't really like that. And I already tried a simple test which involves only a simple box and an omni light with the prefix "nitelite_". The nitelite, however, is still seen turned on in the day preview, instead of off, even with the prefix. And the error still exist too. And I'm using 3ds Max 2011 Student version.

[SimFox 801]

And for the sake of this transition you're ready to sacrifice the quality of night view? Are you aware that you'll never be able to get it look good. I mean night view the way you want to do it.

If you don't need any of the advanced features why do you need MAX at all? I mean why do you want to render in MAX. Model in Max export as 3ds and export from GMAX

Preview in Max doesn't take in account "nitelites_" It does work differently. It has normal WYSIWYG work-flow. So if you don't want them on in day - you simply turn them off.

But_ you don't tell us the full story... No matter what you prefixes are or aren't in day view with LetTherBeLight rig you'll NEVER see any nitelites. So in effect you can see all and any lites on they will NEVER be noticeable in day view.

Alternatively you can download very old version of BAt4Max (version2) and use it...

[nPr 0]

Don't get me wrong, but I use MAX because it cuts down the rendering time by A LOT than if I use gmax. Anyway, I'm not really making a building, but rather an airport runway, so I it takes a LONG time to render if I use gmax (like 6+ hours). With MAX, I could cut that time to only 1 hour at most, plus there is a bit of anti-aliasing.

[SimFox 801]

runway?... hm... does it really need to be a model (prop, I assume) rather than a texture?

Anyway what ever you make the traditional (nitelite_ ) way of making night views has inevitable, inherent problem that is well illustrated by these examples:

This is a result of alpha masks that are the basis for default (non truNite) game night view.

May be you could start your Bat thread and show what you're doing I'm sure people could offer you advise on how to proceed

[th3_jok3r 20]

hi, great tool. congrats

[Cockatoo 2,256]

Just a little issue I've been having that I thought I'd share. This isn't a performance problem, more of an annoyance really. At various (and unpredictable) times throughout the export, the export halts and a strange message simply asking 'Really Cancel?' with the options 'Yes' or 'No' pops up. If I press no, the export continues normally, however this message means that I can't leave my computer to do an export all by itself - I have to constantly come back and check on it. I haven't had this problem with a prior BAT4Max.. and no, I'm not hitting the cancel button. I'm using Max 2010 on Windows 7 32-bit.

[SimFox 801]

I saw these in GMAX, but never ever in 3ds Max. The only reason I can think of is some sort of interruption in the workings of program memory controller... Do you always keep 3ds Max priority at the default level?

[Cockatoo 2,256]

I recently flicked the 3BG switch on my system. I haven't changed any other memory related settings, so, as far as I'm aware, yes, everything else should be at the default level.

[mightygoose 92]

is v5 compatible with max 9?

[Lilith 5]

First of all, thank you for this job.

I use Max 2009 and I had version 4.5 of BAT4Max, which I used without problems.

I had to format the computer and I reinstalled the same Max but I decided to upgrade to version 5 BAT4Max.

Max script update went as planned, but Gmax / BAT no. I don't understand why since I have Gmax in C: (default installation).

I can see the folders that are in the setup file and I could do it manually but I don't know where to put them.

Do I have to run a script for Gmax too? What?