3D export 'rules'

[John]

Where would I find a complete set of 'rules' or guildelines for
exporting from 3D Max to sw3d?

I know tehre are a few technotes at Adobe like:
[url]http://www.adobe.com/cfusion/knowledgebase/index.cfm?id=tn_15295[/url]

Is there somewhere that has thorough documentation so I can see what is
supported, what isn't, what should be avoide etc? is there documentation
that comes with Director that I'm missing?

Thanks in advance.

[Newt99]

Hello,

Some useful information can be found there...

Macromedia - Director Tutorial Preparing 3D content for Shockwave 3D:
[url]http://www.adobe.com/support/director/work_3d/models_use_in_sw/[/url]

Chrome Lib support page:
[url]http://www.chromelib.com/public/read_me.htm[/url]

Additionnaly, you can find some in-depth information about the Shockwave 3D in
the 3DS Max 3 and 4 documentation, written by Intel engineers.

Cheers,
Karl.

[Newt99]

- Use the Blinn shader type only
- Group the biped with the mesh if you want your motion to export
- Environment maps, Gloss maps, Lightmaps are supported
- Shader color properties diffuse, emissive, specular and ambient are supported
- Use 32 bit bitmaps with alpha channels and not 24 bit bitmaps + 8 bit
opacity masks
- Splines are not supported (can be created programmatically)
- Vertex colors are not supported (can be created programmatically)
- Particles are not supported (can be created programmatically)
- Curved surfaces do not export

[Dean Utian]

Hi John,

I've been looking for the Max documentation for Shockwave 3D recently and noticed
that on the Director MX CD, there's a folder at:
D:\3D\3D Translators\3D Studio MAX\3D Studio MAX r3 Exporter
and this has the HTM notes on 'Shockwave 3D Exporter Overview', which has detailed
information on modelling and exporting to w3d.

However, I could not find these files on the Director MX 2004 CD. There is a
folder:
D:\3D\3D Translators\3D Studio MAX\
but it just contains a single HTM file with a link to a Max Exporter on the
Macromedia site (now redirects to Adobe).

However, the documentation can be downloaded if you go through the w3d SDK
application at:
[url]http://www.adobe.com/products/shockwaveplayer/licensing/w3d_sdk/[/url]
You need to log in with a registered email. Once you do, you can download a file
that gives information on building a w3d exporter as well as an 'authoring' folder,
which is the same documentation as on the Director MX CD.

The above documentation is what I believe Karl was refering to. And I think it
formed the basis for the 'Preparing 3D content for Shockwave 3D' technote that Karl
mentioned at:
[url]http://www.adobe.com/support/director/work_3d/models_use_in_sw/[/url]

regards
Dean

Director Lecturer / Consultant
[url]http://www.fbe.unsw.edu.au/learning/director[/url]
[url]http://www.multimediacreative.com.au[/url]

[tyree_2]

inside of the version of max your using go to help and look for director or
w3d but keep in mind
there are a lot of things you can do in 3d max now that you couldnt do when
the 3d engine for director was introduced. because of this your really not as
limited as the director help files state