Exporter Problems

[auron]

 Hey guys,

I'm having some trouble exporting my 3DS files to .haddd format. I tried running the sciprt but nothing happens.
Is there anything I'm missing?

[BeRSeRKeR]

 We should have released the exporter with documentation. In fact I wrote a document explaining the process but: 1. It's in spanish and 2. It's out-dated.

So until we release a decent documentation and probably some videotutorials, I'll give you a little explanation.

First of all, you should have (as the following image shows) your MAX "display unit scale" set to Metric->Meters as the engine use the meter as metric unit. In the "System Unit Setup" you can set whatever unit you want (inches, centimeters, etc).



Now, to execute the script, go to "Utilities" panel, press the "MAXScript" button, click the "Run Script" button, and in the list "Utilities", select "Haddd Utilities". Now you can press the "Export" button and the exporting process will start. Another image of the process.



One thing to keep in mind for correct exporting. All your meshes should have applied a material and all of them should have texture coordinates, otherwise the mesh won't be exported.

Anyway, expect some documentation with the final release. :)

Greets.

[auron]

 Thanks a bunch BeRSeRKeR!
That really helped. :D

Are you guys considering writing a stand-alone exporter for Haddd?
That way you can probably add support for other mesh file formats as well.

[auron]

 Hmm I managed to export my mesh but i can't load it into Haddd.
Its just a plane with some noise added to it just to simulate some terrain.
I exported it and it was reported successful but strangely, when I try to load it using the HImport method, it doesn't load and it reduces my .haddd exported file to 0 bytes!

I tried it again and checked the the contents of the exported file and chanegd the title PreHadddVersion13 to HadddVersion13.
It still didn't run this time around but it didn't reduce the file to 0 bytes.
Is there something I need to take note of?

[BeRSeRKeR]

 

Are you guys considering writing a stand-alone exporter for Haddd?
That way you can probably add support for other mesh file formats as well.

Well, we could do that for separate meshes but as far as I know the "standard" formats like 3ds, obj or ase don't support all the things we need to export to the engine. Maybe the 3ds format is the better because supports lights, cameras... I don't know.

I know the ideal thing is to depend the less as possible of third party tools and we are trying to create our own tools like the scene viewer/editor, the particles editor and in the future, a material editor. So I don't know the direction we'll take about this. Maybe we could improve the viewer so you could add entities like lights, cameras and specialized entities like power ups or monsters if you are developing a game. That way, you could create your level mesh in your favourite modelling program and then export, for instance, to 3ds and load this in the scene viewer/editor. It's a possibility but we don't know yet!. :)

Greets.

[Haddd]

 Please send me the file exported from MAX, i will take a look...

haddd@telefonica.net

Thanks

[BeRSeRKeR]

 

Its just a plane with some noise added to it just to simulate some terrain.

Has the plane a material and texture coordinates applied?.

I tried it again and checked the the contents of the exported file and chanegd the title PreHadddVersion13 to HadddVersion13.

No, you shouldn't change this by hand. The PreHadddVersion tells the importer that has to refine the geometry inside.

[auron]

 

Has the plane a material and texture coordinates applied?.

Ahh okay I got it to work after I applied a material to it.. Thanks! =)

[auron]

 Maybe you should add some default parameters for the mesh if people don't set the material on them?
Pretty redundant but I'm sure it'll help those who just wanna test out the meshes. :D

[Haddd]

 Haddd is strong on materials... :P  

[auron]

Haddd is strong on materials... :P

Managed to load some test terrain in it. =D
Added some grass textures too and added that little red ball that rolls around.. :lol:

[BeRSeRKeR]

 

Maybe you should add some default parameters for the mesh if people don't set the material on them?

Yes, I could modify the exporter to do that.

BTW, nice image. :)