[software] DBOX 1.13 [17.3.2011]

[doubleshadow]

Forgive me if this has been answered before but after hours of scouring man different forums I just cannot find the cause of this problem, I'm assuming its something rather trivial I'm missing but frankly I'm at my wits end. I have been working on a few different models and have them all read to export from gmax. Ive set up yagg as the readme's for dbox and yagg said but whenever I export a model it doesnt show ingame, and if i try to import it back into gmax i get this from the listener:

DBOX2> Loading scene file "C:\Users\Owner\Desktop\new mod\objects\stations\Shipyards\Split_SY_HQ_scene_grab.bod"
DBOX2> Error - line: 2, col: 1: Expected version specification
DBOX2> scene: loaded 0 path(s)
DBOX2> file loaded with errors

I've tried every combination of reseting, collapsing, and converting i can think of, and no luck.

When you see the (now famous) "Expected version specification" error, it's 110% because the file is a "body" file (mesh) and not a scene file.

When you export stuff with DBOX there are 2 switches in the Exporter rollout - scene and body. The same goes for the Importer rollout. It seems like you forgot to switch it to "scene" when exporting the file.

Also see the Modding 101 guide (pfd) in the forum sticky.

[draffutt]

t_BumpTexture;SPTYPE_STRING;{485BF016-35C2-42D2-BABF-E021B75832B2};......truncted.....

Readme included, warranty not

i know in the readme you stated there were possible instances for this to still happen so...

Just for FYI: for anyone to be aware even with this patch it still does this in certain instances. so you'll need to manually change:

1) if a string entry starts with a - still causes the above. I.E. if a entry has t_DiffuseTexture;SPTYPE_STRING;-79.tga; for instance will get you t_DiffuseTexture;SPTYPE_STRING;{485BF016-35C2-42D2-BABF-E021B75832B2}; when you export

2) if you import a x2 or x3 reunion bod and export you'll get this: I.E. t_SpecularTexture;SPTYPE_STRING;NULL; if you manually change to this t_SpecularTexture;SPTYPE_STRING;0; and import into 3dmax again then export you will get you this for your troubles: t_SpecularTexture;SPTYPE_STRING;{485BF016-35C2-42D2-BABF-E021B75832B2};

again just FYI

thanks for the supporting this

[KNT79]

Bump Mapping on custom models.

I have failed to make bump mapping to work on custom ship model exported by DBOX from 3ds max 2010. After some research that's what I have found:

1. I have Cerberus imported with DBOX into 3ds max.
2. Apply Collapse and Reset XForm to the imported model (no changes made to the model).
3. Export with DBOX to the custom bod file. Linked the bod file to the new ship in text files.
4. Create that custom ship in X3TC - got Cerberus-looking ship except bump mapping and some other effects which I do not care about.
5. Compared the custom bod file with the original Cerberus one:
MAT6 entries identical;
there are no LODs in the custom bod file, that's natural as I have imported only the highest lod into 3ds max;
there are some minor differences in the points section;
and finally the faces section - that is where the problem is. In the original bod file there is a lot of data in the faces section which is missing in the custom bod file exported with DBOX. I am almost sure that this missing data is about the normals and is the cause of missing bump mapping on the custom model.

Now the qustion is if
1. I do something wrong in 3ds max which causes some data missing in exported bod file. If so please tell me what is wrong.
or
2. DBOX is unable to reproduce completely the data needed by X3. If that is the case one has to live without bamp mapping and hope this will be fixed.

[doubleshadow]

Bump Mapping on custom models.
...

The normals should be exported as part of the "faces":

Code: Select all

// ----- part Box01 (12 faces) -----
0;  3; 2; 0;  -25; 2; 0.000000; 0.000000; 1.000000; 0.000000; 1.000000; 1.000000; /! N: 0.000000; -1.000000; 0.000000; !/ // 0

Stuff between /! !/ is the normal data.

This however is only part of the puzzle. You also need vertex tangent. X2BC is calculating them automatically when compiling bob.

I have no idea what else might be wrong.

[Sartorie]

And that is: When you save a model, DBOX2 writes down the full path of a Material. That's fine on one's own system but when someone else with a different path to his game looks at the model ingame, textures are missing.

In our case the problem lies with the bumpmaps which don't get displayed.

sounds familiar try checking the texture paths in the file

[KNT79]

Thank you, doubleshadow. That was the tangent data that was missing in the bod file exported by DBOX (I am not 3d graphics expert ). For time saving purpose while testing I have not compiled bod to bob, so I have got no bump mapping and somewhat strange lighting. When compiled to bob everything is OK now.

Sartorie, the paths in the material entries are irrelevant. The game engine looks for the file names only. You can remove the paths from the bod file, keep them as they were in 3ds max (what I do), change them to whatever you want. While you have the texture files with filenames from your materials in the X3 \dds directory you will be ok.

[trekkie33]

I am currently attempting to edit some of the ship models using 3Ds Max.

I extracted all of the files using X3ModManager and then attempted to import the .bod files into 3Ds Max 2010 using DBOX2.

Whenever it imports the scene, I just get a bunch of green wireframe boxes in what looks to be the various turret locations.

Does anyone know what I am doing wrong?


{Bit late, but DBOX2 question belongs to DBOX2 thread. See [url=http://forum.egosoft.com/viewtopic.php?t=216696][b]T[/b][b]C[/b] [b]S[/b]&M Posting [b]R[/b]ules[/url]. Merge. jlehtone}

[enenra]

That means either that the path to your extracted files directory is wrong or that you didn't decompile all the used BOB files to BOD.

[urbanfreak]

trekkie33,

What you're doing is correct just that the file you imported is the scene file not the model file... you have to locate the model file which is somewhere else and extract it out to bob .. and convert to bod.. then import 'body' using DBOX.

Read the manual of DBOX .. there're two.
3Ds Max scene and X3 scene are similar but not the same..
3Ds Max scene contains everything, but X3 scene contains 'directories' to everything..

[trekkie33]

Figured it out.

Turns out I should have read a little further down in the DBOX help. I did not catch the part about having to install X2BC.

My models now import correctly into 3Ds Max.

Thanks for the help

[urbanfreak]

you're welcomed

[Cadius]

a quick question if you don't mind. I've just transferred to Max 2010 from 8, when i export a scene file, the entries seem to appear in a random order. This did not happen when exporting with Max 8, where entries appear in an alphabetical order. Please help, it's not much of a problem everything still works, just really annoying when assigning scene index to turrets and cockpits.

[MarkusXL]

That is the exact behavior I am seeing with DBOX 1.10 in 3ds Max 2010.

I think we just have to deal with it...

[killerog]

This might be a bit to early for me to help out with but I have just got 2011 and dbox dose not seem to load, any one else get this problem ?

2010 and 11 are meant to be plug in compatible(so they say).

[Phier]

Getting a 404 on the dbox2 download, is it still available?

[doubleshadow]

DBOX2 latest version 1.11 - released 21.5.2010

Download from www.doubleshadow.wz.cz

DBOX2 page on X-Wiki

Changes:
Works with 3ds Max 2010 and 2011 (x86/x64).
Issue with materials which occurred on x64 3ds Max should be fixed.

Description
Program written in MaxScript which allows you to import/export body and scene files used in X2 - The Threat and X3 Reunion

This is a MaxScript program and not a 3ds Max plugin. Read the included readme before posting silly questions please.

Compatibility:
3ds max (5 - 2011) or gmax

[doubleshadow]

I just realized that I've never moved the original DBOX thread here to X3TC. So here it goes.
- as it turned out the thread was already there, but I forgot it completely So they are now merged together.

Changes:
Works with 3ds Max 2010 and 2011 (x86/x64).
Issue with materials which occurred on x64 3ds Max should be fixed.

If you still run into the "material bug" - that is, numbers instead of texture file name is outputted, gimme a word.

[killerog]

Works fine in 32bit 2011. So I can now uninstall 9 and 2010 yay.

[Cadius]

hey there, i'm running 3dsmax 2010 64bit. I'm still running into the material bug.

I've been getting
SPTYPE_FLOAT;0.0; t_DiffuseTexture;SPTYPE_STRING;{0D32773B-7751-4C67-A6F8-E3CAE5C30691}

instead of
SPTYPE_FLOAT;0.0; t_DiffuseTexture;SPTYPE_STRING;terran_platesheet_white_diff

i find that v1.10 + deadlyda's patch for 64bit worked fine, i'd like to revert but no longer have v1.10 and noticed that it's no longer available on your page. Just wondering if anyone still have it

[mace24de]

DBOX2 latest version 1.11 - released 21.5.2010

Download from www.doubleshadow.wz.cz

DBOX2 page on X-Wiki

Changes:
Works with 3ds Max 2010 and 2011 (x86/x64).
Issue with materials which occurred on x64 3ds Max should be fixed.

Description
Program written in MaxScript which allows you to import/export body and scene files used in X2 - The Threat and X3 Reunion

This is a MaxScript program and not a 3ds Max plugin. Read the included readme before posting silly questions please.

Compatibility:
3ds max (5 - 2011) or gmax

Thanks for the update. Btw how is your progress with that "navmesh" bug problem?

i'd like to revert but no longer have v1.10 and noticed that it's no longer available on your page. Just wondering if anyone still have it

Here you go http://depositfiles.com/files/s9ogvm31y