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[Txeroki]

Hello,

I have just recently installed WWMT and I'm trying to export a model for TF2 from Max 2010.

I have read and followed all the docs about filepath setup and texture export and am pretty sure I have set things up correctly, the geometry for my model exports just fine into the model viewer and into hammer, as well as the collision hull but, no matter what I do, I see the model with a flat grey color.

In max I am using tga's as bitmaps, these were made in photoshop and not using render to texture in Max. Also, I have an alpha channel for transparency in my diffuse as I only want a part of the model to be somewhat translucent, but with $translucent "1" the whole model is transparent (seems to ignore my alpha channel entirely), so I set it to "0" manually and I get an opaque model without my diffuse image showing, only flat grey. In other words, even though the vmt and vtf's get compiled and put into the right directories, there is no trace of the texture on the model in the viewer.

I have tried just using the diffuse map slot and also using the same map in the opacity slot with "Translucent only if Diffuse in Opacity" and get the same result: total translucency; when I turn the translucency off, the vtf just won't show on the model; I think it is just being ignored or the tga isn't translating to it even though it was compiled and put in the right place. And yes, I tell both the model viewer and hammer to show me the model textured  :D

I beg your help on this, since I really need to establish a fluid workflow to get my stuff out of Max into Source for an upcoming mod.

Thanks in advance

[wallworm]

There are a few things that might be happening.

If using the WWMT SMD Exporter, it may be that it's not using the correct mapping channel. What channel is the bitmap using inside Max? You may need to change the mapping channel in the WWMT UI to match that.

If not, share some screen shots of the material setup and paste the contents of the QC and VMTs here.

[Txeroki]

Thanks for the quick answer.

My material in Max is using the default map channel 1 and the WWMT settings are set to use channel 1.

I've attached the screenshot of the material setup, it's as simple as can be, just a bitmap in the diffuse slot.

Here are the QC and VMT contents:

$scale 1
$modelname   "myproject/test/f35.mdl"
$staticprop
$body f35 "f35.smd"
$collisionmodel "f35_hull.smd" {

}
$surfaceprop "metalvehicle"
$cdmaterials "myproject/test"
$sequence idle "f35" loop fps 30

$include   "f35_wwmt_custom.qci"

"VertexLitGeneric"
{

    $model "1"
    $basetexture "myproject/test/f35_dif"
    $translucent "0"
}

As I said in the first post, $translucent "1" gives me a fully translucent model ignoring the alpha channel of the tga.

Thank you so much for your help  ;D

[wallworm]

I had thought maybe the UVW was wrong and it may only be using a small portion of your image.

I'd say send me the file and I'll have a look at it and see what's amiss.

[Txeroki]

Alright, thanks, if I need to send you the Max file (supposing that's what you mean), I'd rather not attach it here if that's ok; how do I send it to you? Otherwise, I could just continue to attach screenshots of whatever you need if that works.

Thanks again

[wallworm]

I successfully exported your model and textures in mere moments.

So I think that there is something wrong with your global paths.

Below are screen shots.

I want to point out that this model is going to have problems because of the transparency... Source has issues with complex models that have a single material that is using $translucent. To accomodate that, the model needs $alphatest. But in this case, neither option looks good. Below, the first shot is with alphatest... which you can see that the transparency is limited to the rims of the cockpit dome glass. That's certainly not what you want. But the bottom has only $translucent and it isn't looking correct at all because of the problem.

Your best bet is to apply a separate material to the cockpit geometry altogether so there will be two VMTs where the body of the jet has no transparency. You could also consider making this model such that the cockpit class was part of a bodygroup (and is its own little model).

Anyway, I am convinced there is a path issue.

Look for this file and paste the contents below:

C:\Users\WindowsUser\AppData\Local\Autodesk\3dsMax\20## - 64bit\ENU\scripts\WallWorm.com\config\wwmt.ini

Also, when you pressed Export VTF, did you check all the checkboxes? The first entry will be to write the VMT but the following are to export the VTFs. Export the VTFs again and then copy the contents of the VTF compile info below as well.

[wallworm]

After our screen sharing session, I decided to test this again. I opened Max 2010 to match what you have and then created a config to export to TF2.

Everything exported perfectly.

SO I am at a loss.

Here is a screen shot of my WW settings in 2010.

The only other variable I can think of is which version of Max 2010 you use. My copy has SP1. I noticed there is also an SP2 (which I may install). Here are the Max updates.

[mrhappy]

I am wondering if you have smoothing groups setup on your model.  If you do not, then the polygon normals will not export correctly which can cause a grey sheen to appear over the model in Model Viewer (this may only happen under certain conditions but it's worth looking at).

I suggest you break the glass into it's only material, as Shawn suggested, and then make sure that smoothing groups are setup properly and re-export.