Hey there

I use 3ds max to create models for the Scion project but I have encountered a problem, thing is that, for the shading to look good, you ahve to use smoothing groups, but it seems that it wont pass the smoothing groups from max to MED... I use the next method:
1) export as FBX
2) Import to MED
3) export as MDL

Tnhx ahead!

hmm i am not sure if smoothing groups gets exported to FBX.

Spreate the polygons in either med or max to get desired effect.(i.e. each spreate each smoothing group, dont make them a single connected shape.)

That wouldnt give me the desired effect at all... Its the other way around...
Also thatd take ages... If I just NOT group any polygons it stays the same.
Perhaps any other method thatd keep the groups?

P.S I can fix this in MED, but Its really annoying... very stupid face selection method and all... itd take ages to finish that way..

MDL format doesnt have the groups at all. you are doing this so you coul get hard edges on certain parts right?

Then it's way to go. see:


left - connected | right - disconnected

yes exactly, thats what groups are basically, but as said its really a pain to do this med... with a 5000 tris model.

any ideas?

if it is not more than 8-10 groups, it is not that hard actually.

the problem is in selecting the polygons... since its converted to tris it takes a long time aim at those polys and all, also MED for some reason shows the selected polys above all, so it makes it difficult to understand whats selected.

yes but can't you do the spreating thing in MAX? (afaik you have to select polys when assigning smoothing groups, i mean you are selecting them anyway)

no I cant, as said, its cancelled when I export to MED, or do you mean something else? Yeah Im selecting polys in max too but its ALOT more comfortable in max than in MED, also the mesh is in quads and not tris in max, therefore less polys to select.

i meant, why not do the spreating model's parts thing in MAX?