Extracting summon monster models

[Rayved]

Being backwards compatible doesn't mean much with any autodesk application really. I've used Maya 2010, 2011 and 2012 and every time a new one comes out, some issues are fixed and some new appear where everything used to work fine. Right now I use 2011 because 2012 had too many problems with animations. I'm guessing 3ds must be suffering from the same kind of um... bad engineering.

[the_randomizer85]

Well, the important thing is I finally got the thing to work, but in the end, all I did was piss everyone on the forums off, so yeah, no reason for me to lurk on these forums anymore. 

[Rayved]

Heh, I won't argue with you on that. You haven't even met the real douche on this forum yet and I hope you don't. His fun is to browse topics and nag people about how their ideas are impossible.

[the_randomizer85]

Heh, I won't argue with you on that. You haven't even met the real douche on this forum yet and I hope you don't. His fun is to browse topics and nag people about how their ideas are impossible.

I hope I don't either, but I got the model extracted, but the textures show up like s**t in 3DS Max (a gradient mess of weird colors, no matter what options I chose for the BMP), so I have someone redoing them so they look normal.

[whitERaven]

I believe the original model's don't have proper textures, If you're going to edit the textures you might want to make all new UV maps first

[Recko]

You can use 3ds Max to Import/export OBJ and 3DS just make sure you use the right settings.

I'm using 3ds max 2012 and when i export to OBJ i just use the preset drop down menu there's one for blender which works perfectly.
(except that stupid Blender doesn't support smoothing groups, so always untick that lol)

I've never had any prob with importing and exporting with max for 5 years now, just look at videos on importing and exporting certain files.

[halkun]

I hope I don't either, but I got the model extracted, but the textures show up like s**t in 3DS Max (a gradient mess of weird colors, no matter what options I chose for the BMP), so I have someone redoing them so they look normal.

The models do not use textures at all, they use flat gouraud shading with colors interpolated based on the color of each vertex point.

You know how you can shade the FF7 text window by changing the colors of the corners? That how they shade whole models in FF7.

[whitERaven]

Yep, but some models have textures for the eyes mouth and nose, so he might be referring to those..

[the_randomizer85]

Yep, but some models have textures for the eyes mouth and nose, so he might be referring to those..

No, the body textures themselves; they look like utter s**t in 3DS max and will have to be redone.

[whitERaven]

I'm pretty sure ff7 models don't have textures, aside for the face details on some characters. So I don't understand why you insist on body textures being messed up, read halkuns post above he pretty much nailed it already.

[the_randomizer85]

Perhaps this picture will do a better job describing. They have a lot gradients, but luckily someone is working on it.  Too bad these FF7 model  programs don't extract textures more efficiently. 

Note: 3DS Max 2011 Student Edition is just as fully functional as the professional version.

[whitERaven]

I am certain the thing where looking at is not textured, refer to halkuns post, he explained it already.

here to be easier,

The models do not use textures at all, they use flat gouraud shading with colors interpolated based on the color of each vertex point.

You know how you can shade the FF7 text window by changing the colors of the corners? That how they shade whole models in FF7.

I have nothing to add since it's explained well, Try to understand this first and Research what we exactly mean by texture files, it'll help, I know it's confusing at first but you'll get the hang of it, again use search when you want to clarify some things

[the_randomizer85]

I am certain the thing where looking at is not textured, refer to halkuns post, he explained it already.

here to be easier,
I have nothing to add since it's explained well, Try to understand this first and Research what we exactly mean by texture files, it'll help, I know it's confusing at first but you'll get the hang of it, again use search when you want to clarify some things

Alright, that makes more sense, but I have someone working on getting the shading fixed so that it works properly in 3DS Max and will have it by this weekend.  I know nothing regarding altering shading or altering textures.

[Rayved]

Hehehe nice stuff. Seems like you go to Brawl Vault

[Borde]

The shading on Shiva (as with every other character) is indeed vertex color. 3D Studio Max supports Vertex color, I can confirm that, but I'm not sure if any of the formats we can export the models as supports that sort of information. I was working on one that did, but never got to finish it.
If you're going to edit the models, it would probably be best scrapping the baked shading completly, though. I'd paint the model with plain colors and ask 3DStudio to give me an ambient occlusion lightmap.

[Almighty_gir]

what you could look at doing, if you simply wanted to texture the models that exist in FF7, is use the vertex colours as a base for the diffuse map. xNormal (program) has a vcolor > diffuse function.

[the_randomizer85]

what you could look at doing, if you simply wanted to texture the models that exist in FF7, is use the vertex colours as a base for the diffuse map. xNormal (program) has a vcolor > diffuse function.

Alright, managed to get ff7 shiva in Super Smash Brawl, one last question. So someone gave me the PC version of VIII's Shiva, but the format is .dat and .tim format.  I take it there are programs that convert these formats to 3DS/DAE?

Edit: Never mind, Noesis views it just fine, now to get the textures to show up in 3DS.

[Recko]

easiest way to see if something has a texture in 3ds max is just to add a UV Map modifier to the model and see if a texture shows up in the drop down box.

Hell you can tell before that because if it did the model should have been in the the Uv Box.