How can I make a complicated model simple?

[Michael Earley]

I have a very complicated model that I need to use in a animation. But I also need to use it elsewhere many times and would like to combine all the parts into one to make it less complicated. I tried to export as a 3ds and the model came out to 117 mg. There 6250 objects in the model, most are not necessary such as threaded screw and bolts. It was created in inventor and I dont have time to go back to each section and take out all the little pieces.

thank you for any advice.

michael

[DennisHolland]

The best you could do is to check if all objects are named and the model has the original hierarchy preserved after import from Inventor (aim file) Are all layers still there? If yes, delete all objects you don't need, convert to editable poly > attach (list) > optimize. When you really want to make the polycount a lot less, you need Vizup from Demicron it's there for download (free of charge).

 

Export your optimized and solid model as VRML and load it in Vizup > reduce (set the amount) save as VRML again and import it back in Max, done. It will reduce the weight significantly, sometimes up to 50% of original and still smooth, only much lighter in Mb's as it was.

 

Don't forget to assign a multisub material. Give that a try...

[dungheap]

join them all then in the modifier stack theres something calle "optimize"? i know its in max 7. not sure about the others

[Michael Earley]

Sorry took so long to get back... a week from hell.. every time I tried to use the attach list it would crash my computer and then the entire computer crashed.. took a while to get back up. I now have the model as a poly and optimized. I have exported as a vrml and then used vizup to make the file smaller.. but now I think I need advice on vrml settings as when I make the model it is about 16 mg, when I save as a vrml.. it becomes 27 mg then when I use vizup.. it comes back to 19 mg which is larger than the model was before.

thanks

michael

[DennisHolland]

Yes, that is painfull. Crashing when list-attach is very tricky when having a huge model but it worked out at the end so that is great....

 

Save your optimized vrml as max and open it again, or export as 3ds and import it back. In both ways check the amount of Mb's. Should be a lot less than before. It can't be more than before (yes, as vrml file) because there's half of the data left after Vizup.

 

The weight of a model is, in this case, not calculated by the amount of Mb's but the polycount. If you use Vizup properly, the count should be half of what it was. When doing the optimizing in Vizup just load > reduce and when the light is green raise the percentage to appr. 45 to 50%. Import back as vrml and then save as max or 3ds.

 

When still in trouble, just post or sent me a mail.