BAT4Max v.5

[SimFox 801]

What you say is physically impossible!

[De Ja Vu 117]

My computer tends to make impossible possible every other day

[SimFox 801]

No, I don't believe it for a moment. The best ever explanation for a miracle was given by Aerthur Clark - Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic

And I fully subscribe to it! So in this light we can only talk about your grasp of said technology, if you believe that your computer makes impossible possible (in other words performs miracles).

And I also want to make public the reason for arguing with you about this rather then simply let it be. The problem is that you spread nonsensical tales that would only confuse some newcommers to the tool. Tales based not on any reality but rather on your own ignorance of it. And that is not you private matter, but rather issue of public good.

[De Ja Vu 117]

Why would I lie? Tell me one reason to lie? In 3ds max the z6 preview appears as a z5 and I can't zoom in. When I save the image it's z6. The only thing that comes to my mind is that max reduces the image size (the one that I see in 3ds max), when actually it's a z6 image.

When I said: "My computer tends to make impossible possible every other day" it was meant as a joke and if you can't see it as such then it's your problem. Do you always feel the need to argue with and lecture those who you feel or should I say who you are intellectually superior?

And please lets not "argue" here...if you feel like doing so then send me a PM and don't make it public...

[harishna 847]

As far as I know in the viewport Z5 and HD look the same, when 3dsmax is creating the preview render it fits image to the frame, so if you look carefully on the bar it tells you to what scale you looking the image 2:1 1:1 1:2 etc by moving the mouse wheel up and down you can change the zoom.

[De Ja Vu 117]

Thank you Harishna! That was the kind of explenation I was looking for and not some kind of personal attack.

[harishna 847]

No worries De Ja Vu about personal attack I have to say that Sim Fox has been the person that has helped me the most in my BATing experience (without forgetting about Simhottoddy and JasonCW), and probably the most knowledgeable active member in the forums in terms of 3d modelling, so I will say try to take the most out of it.

  Edited August 24, 2011 by harishna  

[gutterclub 2,729]

He did actually say to try using the mouse wheel to zoom in. I would take it as a personal 'attack'..he was just arguing a point, don't let it bother you

[Xyloxadoria 1,099]

Do you need SC4 to use BAT4MAX? Lets say i made the LODs on one computer then took the LODs to a better computer to do the actual render itself, but the better computer doesnt have sc4 (its made just for rendering) would i still be able to render on it or would i need sc4 in the process?

[gutterclub 2,729]

I believe so, all you need GMAX for is to create the model file, as long as Bat4max is setup correctly on another machine you can copy all the required files across and render and insert the fsh etc

[SimFox 801]

Do you need SC4 to use BAT4MAX? Lets say i made the LODs on one computer then took the LODs to a better computer to do the actual render itself, but the better computer doesn't have sc4 (its made just for rendering) would i still be able to render on it or would i need sc4 in the process?

Nope you don't! Unlike GMAX BAT Bat4Max will install and run on any system that has Max. You would only need to specify what some location (during Bat4Max installation) that would act as "plugin folder" the one that would contain SC4Model files. That being said, of course you need GMAX BAT to generate SC4Model file.

I was actually toying with the idea to give Bat4Max control over the entire process. Technically there is nothing complex in creation of SC4Model file, really... But I heard that it is some sort of copyright thing. Although given functionality of iLive Reader, for instance I don't see why that should be a problem...

[Cockatoo 2,256]

I was actually toying with the idea to give Bat4Max control over the entire process. Technically there is nothing complex in creation of SC4Model file, really... But I heard that it is some sort of copyright thing. Although given functionality of iLive Reader, for instance I don't see why that should be a problem...

If it can be done, I say without a doubt you should do it. Nobody, especially not Maxis or EA, is making any money off the SC4Model format so IMHO any "copyright" issues should be considered irrelevant.

[Xyloxadoria 1,099]

Well i tried installing it but i got a file copy error. It seems i need admin privileges to install the file which i don't have on the rendering computers. Is there any way around this

[SimFox 801]

I never heard of such sever restrictions that you couldn't even copy/move files without Administrator privileges... Installing software, yes, but copying files? I suspect that something else may be at play here...

So you have 3ds Max installed in that computer in C:\Program Files folder, right? If this is the case (and it should be with any version of Max past Max8 or so, I believe) than one problem may be the fact that UAC in Windows Vista and W7 creation of new files in Program Files folders is blocked. See if you can disable UAC? If you can't, and that would be logical i+on a restricted account, you may try to copy the entire content of 3ds max Installation in "program Files" out of there into, for instance, your own section under "Users". Once 3Ds Max is installed on a system and is registered with it, it should run from any location in it. So once you copy entire 3ds Max folder you can proceed to installing Bat4Max for this location - remember to create a shortcut to start Max from that location. This way it should work, as it doesn't really install anything, rather simply copies files and creates Bat4Max.ini file (that part is the exact problem with UAC)

[Kavaeric 50]

Hello, sorry for barging in, but I'm having this annoying problem with rendering. It loves to come up with these holes in rendering and (obviously) ruins the entire model.

As you can see it's just the wall that's having problems rendering. The wall junk still renders through the hole.

[SimFox 801]

There might be polygons with inverted/flipped normals.

[harishna 847]

Dunno whats going on but the preview window is not openning. It does render the preview but the window doesn't pop up...so I cannot see anything...

cheers!

It had something to do with my double monitor configuration I just had to reset it and now its fine again.

  Edited September 27, 2011 by harishna  

[Jazzmaster 716]

When I try to run the installer via the Run Script prompt in Autodesk 3Ds Max Design 2012 x64 Student Edition, I keep running into this error:

Any ideas? I downloaded the latest version of BAT4MAX (V5) right to my desktop and unzipped it, and followed the instructions posted here.

  Edited October 8, 2011 by Yoshiisland  

[SimFox 801]

I believe it is an issue with UAC!

Read the instructions!

Alternatively you can try the method suggested by someone around here (haven't tested it myself) eg to run your max as an administrator. This may allow normally blocked copying and editing files in "Programm Files" folder

[Jazzmaster 716]

Thanks, it was actually an administrative privileges issue I overlooked. Aaron Graham helped me out with that one, and it's working now!

[SAVAGExPHOENIX 955]

Okay so I've read this entire thread, and I'm still unsure... Do I need to install GMAX for this, or can I export everything straight from Max 2011 Design?

[Jasoncw 11,840]

You need gmax with the BAT gamepack installed in order to export .SC4Model files. Buildings in the game are just pre-rendered images, and BAT4Max only replaces the images that gmax makes with images that max makes, but it still can't make the .SC4Model all by itself.

[SAVAGExPHOENIX 955]

Okay thanks. I'm a pretty accomplished 3DS Max modeler, but GMAX is foreign to me, seeing as GMAX is an ancient version of 3ds Max.

Plus, GMAX and my computer have more issues with each other than Snookie and that guy that punched her in the face do. :/

I'm definitely not looking forward to importing the palace model I made into GMAX, seeing as it has 25,652 Polys. AND that's with simplified textures using baked. It used to have in excess of a million (The only reason I can run that high is I have a beast vid card.. but GMAX is so ancient that the new card has little effect)..

[Cockatoo 2,256]

You don't need to import anything into Gmax except for your LOD's which are typically just untextured boxes or very simple geometry. This is easy to do and rarely presents problems.

1. Create, texture, night-light and preview your model in Max all as you normally would.

2. Create and export your LOD's - see the first post for detailed instructions.

3. Import your LOD's into Gmax.

4. Export them from Gmax (using the BAT interface) to create your SC4Model file.

5. Return to Max and export your model (again using the BAT interface) into your newly created SC4Model file.

[SAVAGExPHOENIX 955]

well I've done that, but now I've run into a completely different and even worse problem...

I've followed all instructions to the teeth. But when I go to open my building in lot editor, at certain zooms, it's completely distorted, and then when I zoom in, at certain directions, it's either completely invisible or only a small portion of the structure is visible.. Plus, it's LOD size dimensions are f**ked up like insane. the first time, when I imported into GMAX, I kept units. (one grid square in 3DS is 16 meters), but the LOD was insanely tiny. The second time, I edited units a bit in 3ds to 1 UNIT (not grid square) is 16 meters, and the LOD was still way off in size, BUT what tiny portion of the building that is visible is in the correct scale. It's odd. The entire structure should be about 14 tiles wide and 9 from front to back :/

I attached a screenshot of the end results. :/

  Edited October 25, 2011 by daTSchikinhed  

[harishna 847]

Correct me if I am wrong but isn't the amount of RAM what matters the most and not so the video card? and 26K polys doesn't sound like a lot to me (depending on what you modeling) furthermore is not only the amount of polys but also the size of your scene and the textures am I right? I would definitely would like to hear from someone with more experience.

From what I can see it is a nice model but you need to work on your textures a bit more, roof specially and your model is lacking roof junk, I mean I am sure there most be some antennas or chimneys, or AC units or something...

The issue you are reporting is very common. Make sure you have set up the units properly, check that your model is centered and LOD's fitted properly. When importing the LOD's to gmax un-check convert units. I will reset the cameras (and actually delete all of them make sure you have deleted ALL TB2CameraHandlers) and it a go again.

Are you using BAT4MAX?

  Edited October 25, 2011 by harishna  

[Cockatoo 2,256]

Delete your LOD's in Max.

Remake them slightly differently - occasionally some LOD's will cause the problems with distortion as you've shown.

MAKE SURE your LOD's cover the ENTIRE building.

Make sure all your units and system units in both programs are in meters (metric.)

When you import into Gmax, make sure you uncheck the convert units box.

Make sure that you're not exporting your LOD's from Gmax as a HD model and then from Max as an SD model or vice versa.

26,000 polys isn't alot, any system from the last 10 years should be able to do that. People with high end systems have export as high as 10 million I think.

If you make sure you do all of that you shouldn't run into any problems. Also watch your language on this forum please.

[gutterclub 2,729]

Also, don't set a ground pane and set auto LODS..I did that when I first tried to use BAT4MAX had a similar issue as it will set the LODS round the 1km square ground pane rather than the model.

[NCGAIO 562]

Hi Simfox

no further progress with Jondor about animations?

Devotion is the last post in March .. Can we expect to transfer animations like the one below for SC4!

With the best current hardware would be a great addition but props HD.

  Edited October 29, 2011 by NCGAIO  

[JakeMD 107]

Hey guys, I'm having this problem (of course, right? ), and I know i've solved it before but I guess I can't figure it out in Max.. It can't find Camera Z5 when I try to set up the Rig or do a preview.

It's a brand new installation of 3ds max (2011) and a brand new installation of the script. It's an older scene from a backup I had saved, could it be some configuration property that I need to adjust? I guess I don't remember. Thanks for any help.

EDIT:

I figured out a way to fix it. I just merged the scene into a new default scene that was working. Is that the only solution?