Export Plugins for the 3ds Max 2008 are designed to extract data from the scene of Max.
These data are: geometry (mesh) of the game objects, their animation, location of the game objects
on the map (if Max is used as a map editor).

Geometry can include model mesh, bounds and a model skeleton. Also diffuse and specular values in materials.

Mesh is a .msh file. This is a text file that contains a description of the vertices, normals, uv coordinates,
indices bones, skeleton, bounds and polygons.
Mesh example exported from 3ds Max example


The skeleton can be based on the Biped and weights of vertices of the model. And it can also be based
on the Pivots (see Max docs). In the project Rise of the Robots uses a system of the Pivots.
This system is a rigid binding vertices to bones (no bone weights in vertices). It is useful for animation
inorganic mechanics (robots, machines, buildings, etc.).

Bound is 3D shape for collision algorithms. These shapes are: sphere, cylinder, box and
low-poly geometry. The bound is created as usual geometry in the 3ds Max. In the "User Defined" tab
of this geometry is prescribed key word "BoundFigure". Bounds example located to Bounds Demo link.


Animation are exported to a .anm file. This file is a text file. This data are key frames with the transformation
of the bones.



Location are exported to a .txt file. Location is the layout on the map. They are: position, orientation, size, color.


Example of the location export.
You can see coordinates in file and native data for the game. There are patrol route and bonus. This information can be
written in the "User Defined" tab in 3ds Max.


The patrol route may be prescribed in the "User Defines" of the model by the plugin "Path Route." To do this, create a line,
the first point which is compatible with the object. Then call the plugin. It prescribes the route in the "User Defines".


So we looked at four plugins for 3ds Max 2008. Three plugins to export the data. One for the record route.
For plug-ins have the source code in C++ for VisualStudio 2008.

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