doubleshadow's DBOX2 (1.11)

[doubleshadow]

The only things that are really exported from 3ds max (when using material 6) are the textures... Well also the colors but those are not used by x3 I was simply unable (or not trying hard enough) to find out which "property" from the mat6 is the transparency.

The "small mat6" (the one looking like mat5 but with mat6 header) is handled almost like mat5 by dbox because that is how I think it should work. However it is not used much in default x3 models so I was not able to find out more.

The best thing you can do is to find some body which is transparent (like the various engine effects) and try to find out the correct settings.

[Observe]

Thanks for clarifying the existing limitations/contrainsts Doubleshadow.

Yes, I'm slowly sorting out how to do this; though I'm not sure I'll end up with what I really want.

It seems that Alpha channels are being used for transparacy in the dds materials. I need to manually insert the proper parameter strings into the bod file because DBOX/3DS doesn't know how to deal with them.

There is still a slight ray of hope for achieving semi-transparency.

[Observe]

Well it turns out that I CAN achieve semi-transparecy after all. It has to do with using a dds material that has an Alpha mask channel. MAT6 "big" has numerous Alpha and Opacity switches. Texture animation effects can also be achieved. There is lots of interesting stuff that could be done.

Hopefully Egosoft will some day tell us more about these various parameter strings. In the meantime, it's kind of look under every rock and see what crawls out.

I'm just beginning to sort out some of the basics that I'll be using with my upcoming "Stealth" M3 fighter.

[doubleshadow]

Yeah I'm aware about the alpha values defined in material6 but I was not able to figure out how it works. Probably because the texture must have some "support" for this. As I never bothered myself with using the nVidia dds viewer/decompiler (I'm using internal viewer in Servant Salamander) I have never seen the various channels included in the texture.

About your "invisible" ship. Try changing the shader to "glass.fx". You will (hopefully) be surprised

[Observe]

[infuowers]

Having problems getting DBox2 0.0.5 to work in GMax 1.2
Not a noob to computers or modding just modding X3 but I am starting to grasp file content.
Steps taken:
1)Installed DBox and verified proper install.
2)Installed GMaxSLGrab. BTW no link in your HTML help but I found it anyways.
3) Ran Gmax - Open Rollout for Maxscipts and DBOX is loaded but no buttons in utility or windows. So..
4)Modified DBOX2.ini to proper file locations for Grabber and changed setting under [window] to utility.
5) Ran Gmax. No luck!
Re-read html help file. Hmmm...

Am I missing something in Gmax that allows me to open .bod files. As I understand, there should be a window or utilities rollout that has the importer/exporter tools.
Help me please!!! I have over 15 years of modeling experience with various CAD platforms and many conversion utils for all the different formats. I would like to contribute to the community and of course fullfill my own desires.

[jensemann]

I had the problem that i had only transparent Textures, so couldnt even see the ship. I used a texture from dds with an didnt change to opaque in the Material Editor instead it kept its image Alpha. In the game it had size and could be rammed, but not damaged in any kind. Maybe i had some other settings wron too.

@doubleshadow

would you be able to explain the Mat6 short line? What do the different values mean?

jensemann

[doubleshadow]

@infuowers

So you've selected the Utilities tab in the Create panel (the right one), clicked the MaxScript button and selected DBOX2 from the menu (combobox) ? - remember you have to select it even if it already is displayed in the menu. That's glitch in 3ds max/gmax.

After that DBOX rollout should appear in the Utilities panel. Changing the ini will not help you because as long as you are starting DBOX via the Utilities menu, it will always start as utility.

To try alternative way, change the dockState in the ini to "float".
Then go to Customize->Customize User Interface in gmax main menu.
Select Toolbars tab and change Category to MaxScript Tools. You should see DBOX2 entry.
Drag the entry and put it anywhere on the main gmax toolbar.
Close the Customize dialog and click the DBOX button. You should see the DBOX window now.
The dockState ini setting (left, right, float) only works when you are starting DBOX via the macro command - i.e. via the button or menu entry which can be added in similar way. (under 3ds max this setting is saved automatically).

@jensemann

I will post the MAT6 description at the x3 wiki http://wikihost.org/wikis/x3wiki/
Although basic answer is "I don't have idea"

[tensin]

I'm such a n00b here...

Got 3DS Max 8 (demo).
Installed DBOX.
Opening up DBOX, importing BOD files from Balgot.

I get some boxes indicating ship positions (like the cockpit), and on the cap ships I get turret positions, but I don't get the wireframe.

Any idea what I'm doing wrong?

[doubleshadow]

[jensemann]

I have a question about textures again:

What do i have to do to get tiled or croped textures shown in the game? When i set a texture like glass_variations_diff.dds, it contains multiple textures. I get them shown the right way in max but when i export the model i see the whole texture in the game or it doesnt tile it. Checked already some other models with the same tex but couldnt find out what im doing wrong.

jensemann

[Observe]

Apply a UVW Mapping modifier to your poly faces. That way, all your tiling, sizing, orientation, etc of materials will remain.

[Cody1234]

link is broken

[hayato]

yeah another mirror would be awesome

[DeadlyDa]

Working now...sometimes the site is a bit slow.

I'll if doubleshadow wants to mirrior the download off the X-Wiki, as an alternative.