Quake III import/export plugins for 3D Studio Max R3

by Pop N Fresh
pop_n_fresh@telus.net


License:
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Copywrited Freeware.  Redistrute as you wish as long as this archive remains intact.

Archive contains the following files:
ExportMD3.dle
ImportMd3.dli
ReadMe.txt

(c)1999 Kelvin McDowell.


Notes:
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* Only works with Max 3.x  I'll hopefully be able to compile a 2.x version soon.
* Yes, I know the sliders only go from 1 to 100.


Version Info:
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Dec 21, 1999
* second release
* Fixed crash when exported object had no texture assignments.  Will now give a warning and export anyway.
* Added support for exporting animation.

Dec 20, 1999
* first release


Version:
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I'd call them 'alpha' quality.

NOTE: Compiled for 3D Studio Max R3.  Will not work with earlier versions.  Also was compiled with "pentium pro" options.  If you don't have a Pentium Pro or better (Celeron, PII, PIII) I don't know whether it will work.  Developed on a Celeron 400.


Installation:
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Copy the two files 'ExportMD3.dle' and 'ImportMD3.dli' into your plugin directory.


ImportMD3 notes:
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* Doesn't import normals properly.

* Texture UVs are imported properly but you must assign a map (skin) yourself. Go to the materials dialogue, load up whatever bitmap you desire into the diffuse and assign the texture to whatever subobjects you desire. Remember to hit the little checkered cube in the materials editor so the texture is visible in you windows.

* Will also import the .MD2 format but this is no longer being worked on.  It does make for a quick way to convert things from Quake 2 to Quake III Arena 'tho.

* Tags are imported as a single double-sided triangle.  The origin is where two edges meet in a right angle.  From the origin the long edge is the X axis and the short edge the Y axis.

* Only reads a single frame (the first) of multiframe animations.


ExportMD3 notes:
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* Doesn't export normals properly

* When the filenames of maps (skins) are being written out it looks for the string 'models' within the filename.  If it finds it removes everything before the string.  Thus "C:\Quake III Arena\baseq3\models\mapobjects\mymodel.tga" becomes "models\mapobjects\mymodel.tga".  This should help q3radient find things.

* There is a one to one correspondence between vertices and texture coordinates in MD3 models.  In 3D Studio Max a vertex may have different texture coordinates on different triangles.  MD2 models from Quake 2 also have this property.  When exporting such a model it tries to fix up things as best it can.  It will warn you when texture UV coords may be screwed up because of this.  The dialogue box will pop up once for every subobject affected.

* Any object with a name starting with 'tag_' is exported as a tag.  All geometry is lost.


ENJOY!!
