Problem exporting to Cal3d from Max 8

[dropshadow79]

Hello,

I'm having a very frustrating issue when exporting from 3ds Max 8 to Cal3d.

We are exporting a bunch of skinned pedestrians. However, we're getting some random unexplained issues.

The models look fine within Max itself., but after exporting, we load them up, and some of the vertices (usually the hands or feet) are imploded together and stretched and stuck down on the ground.

Almost like the body is made of rubber and you grab the hands and stretch them down and pin them to the ground.

I can't figure out whats going on. Occasionally I'll get one to export correctly by messing around or recreating the skeleton and skinning envelopes several times but its never consistant. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks!

MRS

[Veleno]

Hi dropshadow79,

First off, do all the avatars use the exact same skeleton, with the exact same scaling and exact same base pose? Basically, did you make the mesh match the skeleton, or did you make the skeleton match the mesh?

What you describe sounds a lot like what happens when a mesh is exported onto the wrong skeleton, so most likley the skeletons differ from eachother in some way, or you are aren't exporting the meshes from the same base pose. Cal3d is painfully picky when it comes to skeletons.

[dropshadow79]

Thanks for responding..

I'd actually like to use the same skeleton for a few of the models, but the fact of the matter is we've downloaded some models to save some time, and some have unique skeletons. Regardless, I've been exporting each models skeleton individually, so the mesh should match the skeleton.

I really wish i could figure out whats causing this.

[Veleno]

Since the skeletons are being exported uniquely, I'm not sure where the problem is. The only time I have had that kind of problem in the past is under the conditions I mentioned before.

I'd also double-check that the CFG files are all pointing the the appropriate skeletons, and would also see if you get the same problem when exporting them from another computer if you haven't already.

If you want, you can send us a zip archive with some of the problem files to take a look at.
http://www.worldviz.com/support/upload.html