bigcahunak Posted August 27, 2002 Share Posted August 27, 2002 Hi there FMZ users. This question is especially for you Neoscape guys, but welcome any reply or thought from anyone. I noticed most of you @ Neoscape use formZ for modeling, and then export to MAX for texturing, lighting or animating. When I export to Lightscape I save the formz model in an LP format which works pretty good for me. I was wondering what you use for Max exporting? any special procedures you do in formz before exporting? You work in Layers? Name Objects? group by colors?... Thanks in advance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nidas Posted August 28, 2002 Share Posted August 28, 2002 3DS is format you should use, i guess?... But can you experienced formZers explain why it creates multiple .3ds files, how to create single 3DS file? - nidas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbr Posted September 7, 2002 Share Posted September 7, 2002 We use form-z for modeling, as well, and export to max for rendering and animations. The best that I have found is DWG. Much more consistent than DXF and comes in with less polygons. The advantage over 3DS is that the layer system that you have in form-z is used as the names in max, making it easy to go back and forth. There is rarely a problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Voo Posted September 18, 2002 Share Posted September 18, 2002 I have to agree with the last post from MBR I think he pretty much covered everything. We use the DWG format for moving most models between programs. I've found that it is the most stable format that doesn't loose very much information. We actually use a dwg format that goes back to the 11/12 release, again because it seems most stable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arkitec Posted September 21, 2002 Share Posted September 21, 2002 In our office we use 3ds format. Exporting by color (texture) then adjust mapping accordingly in MAX. If my textures arent the same mapping size, change by face. Works great. Arkitec Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nidas Posted October 21, 2002 Share Posted October 21, 2002 Arkitec, how do you deal with multiple .3ds files created by FZ? merge them all the time in MAX? I'm not 3DS MAX user btw.. n. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre-Felix Breton Posted October 21, 2002 Share Posted October 21, 2002 I recall that FZ exported to Lightscape (LP format). MAX/VIZ can import them too so it may worth the try... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christopher Nichols Posted October 22, 2002 Share Posted October 22, 2002 The big problem I always have is the way it comes into MAX... that is because I don't model in FZ... It is the same problem as importing DWG's from Autocad... the flipped normals things is crazy. I am almost always forced to either flip normals by hand, or simply give up and render 2 sided.... bad render times, and bad for transparencies Anyone know a way around this? I assume that FormZ understands normals, and that the problem occurs when going into DWG/DXF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigcahunak Posted October 23, 2002 Author Share Posted October 23, 2002 The big problem I always have is the way it comes into MAX... that is because I don't model in FZ... It is the same problem as importing DWG's from Autocad... the flipped normals things is crazy. Christopher, I don't know in MAX, but when I import into LS I have no flipped normals problem. But maybe thats a format problem that FMZ doesn't know how to import DWG, DXF and 3DS as well as it does with LP (Lightscape) format. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arkitec Posted November 1, 2002 Share Posted November 1, 2002 As far as importing to max/viz, formz's export dialog box gives the user the ability to export as a single file or by colors per file. Even with the single file export, I can still select individual colors. Therefore, if i pick a carpet object, all carpet objects are highlighted. If I know specific UV mapping differences based on color I usually assign them as different names but same color. This makes it quite easy in Viz to map objects with box mapping. No problems - usually!!!! What I have been doing lately is generating a LP file straight from Z and going into Lightscape as mentioned above. Minimal normal problems and prefer lightscapes radiosity over Z's - One of the main reasons is how easy it is to get a good solution file. Radiozity is just a complicated never easy task in FormZ. Once the LS file has been created in Lightscape, take it into MAX and animate the camera or add RPC's, tweek lights, materials and raytrace. It literally takes 4 -6 seconds a frame to render if using the LS file import. If you exported your FormZ model straight to MAX and did the same lighting as the Lightscape file, it would take the same (4-6 second image) to render in 40 -60 seconds. Now with that said, I have tried Viz4 and dont find it easier to create a radiosity solution. In fact I find it to be worse than Lightscape. But before I generalize, I need to give Viz 4 more attention before it would be my final answer. Unfortunetly, I know I will have to move towards Viz4 on a permenant basis. I know it has been stated before but Autodesk makes no sense in creating overlapping software - ADT AND VIZ. Why not just continue with a render. - - - - AAAAARRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!! Arkitec Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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