EXPORTING TO .X, 3DS MAX TIPS

Using Panda exporter plug-in

Download the free Panda Exporter plug-in here.

The following are settings that will allow you to properly export for 3Impact game engine:

NOTE: in the tab above, set Optimize Mesh to None if exported model show scattered triangles, when rendered by 3Impact. Optimization isn't required really, as 3Impact does it automatically when your .x model is loaded.

NOTE: in the tab above, you can set None for Texture Conversion if your textures are already in a proper format and will be in the same folder as the .x file, when the engine loads the model.

If you are exporting a mesh with bones, group the bones and the skinned mesh with the Group Menu -> Group command prior to export. If there is more than one set of bones with skinned meshes, create a separate group for each.

If you are exporting a mesh with bones, to be loaded by calls to skinmesh functions like iSkinMeshCreate(), all faces/vertices in the mesh must be assigned to at least one bone, even if they constitute a part of the mesh that isn't animated. Otherwise, the mesh will not render in 3Impact.

Units in 3D Studio Max doesn't necessarily match 3Impact units. To facilitate scaling of your source models, in 3D Studio Max (Customize -> Units Setup), set units to meters. Also set System Unit Setup to 1 Unit = 1.0 Meters. After that, one meter in 3D Studio Max will be one meter in 3Impact's virtual space. As a reference, consider that the diameter of the default marble ball (BallGame demo) is two meters.

Please don't hesitate to email us, should you have additional tips, find the information above inaccurate or have details about other plug-ins/converters you have successfully tested.