Preparing your map within 3dMax

[Sgt.Killboy]

Well...i don't understand a word you say (bout the lightmaps) a step by step tut would be grat if you find the time someday. Right now I'm far from creating any new maps, since all the old ones I did years ago need more or less retouching plus we need tons of new stuff that needs to be modeled and skinned, so that's what i will basicly do during the next few weeks. (I just realize that i did 220 loadscreens last month...wtf???).
But someday it would be nice to have a cool looking nightmap like yours.

I'm working on a map for EoD once in a while, thats based on the last 3rd of the "Full Metal Jacket" movie, starting with the Temple, ending up in that sniper ambush, but I'm just at 3o% with the modelling (will contain 85% costum content based on the movie) and I won't find the time to get it finished soon.
Anyways. since this will be a large map with cool setup and urban terrain, I'd pretty much like to see it as a nightmap too, and any advice doing that lightmappin thing would be appreciated.

I guess I know, or will figure out how to get all the stuff into 3DsMax but then theres no idea of what to do then.

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I also wanted to ask you 3 more things:

1. I've seen the Dalian Plant port video. How come the power plant towers look like they got messed up smoothing groups? Is that an import/export issue?

2. I've seen the animated seagulls. Do they really work ingame? And if so, does that mean, we can probably have pig bots or cowbots (or should I say botcows and botpigs?). I mean, will new skeletons for new lifeforms work in BF42? I know some other game engines get pretty pi**ed when adding those.

3. Wouldnt it probably be possible to ad something similar to the BF2 navmeshes to BF42. I don't know much about coding and MAT IDs, but could we probably add a material and tell the bots to only walk on that, so that we can do a navmesh in 3DsMax with lets say Mat ID 4711 or something, and force the bots to use it, to make them use houses a bit more precise than they do now?

Oh wait...I guess i just had an idea...somewhere between Ai pathmapping an navmeshes...

one more thing, since you seem to be the codemaster (regarding the AP mines). We got that Objective Map in EoD (Run through the jungle) where the US have to blow up 4 AA batteries. Once done the game is won and the NVA tickets bleed to zero.
We got 4 costum coded AA guns for that.
Would it probably be possible to add that code to vehicles, to create an objective map where one team has to protect a convoy? Thats no "how to" question, just interested if it would be possible. Would be a nice stressy map for the protecting team...always switch between defence and repair at moving Vehicles.

[Senshi]

Can't answer the 3ds max questions, but the last one I can.

Yes, doing a objective convoy mission is perfectly possible. It's actually the very same as the regular objective mode. Just bind all the usual objective code to your convoy vehicles and that's it. The original mode works with PCOs as well, it doesn't care if the PCOs are static or mobile.

Have done that with ships (escort transports) and trucks. But it's incredibly difficult to balance those, as it's usually very easy for the attackers to launch a concentrated attack that you just can't guard against.

[Sgt.Killboy]

Thats what I'm afraid of. (the ballancing thing)

In my imagination the map has like 4 or 5 Vehicles to protect. As we usually have AntiTank in every team, I guess there need to be changes in the teams setup of the map. I'd prefere no AntiTank in the teams, just a very limited amount of Pick up RPG's.

Well. I was just asking if it works, cause i remember bot's having troubles with mobile spawns back in the days.

[Senshi]

Well, bots I do not know. I only code MP (campaign project, so no need for bots ). Never touched a single line of AI code...

Balancing..best would be to either completely restrict AT kits to pick-ups or just reduce ammo for AT. Give them one shot and that's it. My truck convoy map had no AT at all, it was all either heavy MGs (Battlegroup, the deployable MG kits) that I coded to do slight damage to the trucks or (far more common) explosive ambushes or land mines. It was a jungle map, so gameplay was really tight and very often resulted in awesome ambushes.
Sea convoy was way easier. One wolf pack mission (combined with unarmed recon planes) where escort destroyers had to use good formation tactics and scan for periscopes (sonar usually is to short-range, so a visual scan is more reliable. Usually done by soldiers on deck with binoculars) to intercept the uboats in time. One carrier mission, where the assault team starts with planes and small PT boats. Very challenging for both sides. Keeping a good AA battery screen up while scanning for small and fast torpedo boats is not easy. And it's not easy to penetrate the AA shield of multiple destroyers...was quite fun as well. Especially torpedoes are fun as this allows - if the transport captain is warned early - to even go for evasive maneuvers (torpedoes in BG are a bit slower according to realistic speeds). Almost gives a Silent Hunter feeling . Of course these modes work for human action only, as the amount of teamwork required is too much for any AI.

Of course I "pimped" the HP on the objective vehicles to get a reasonable length of combat duration (especially the trucks).Simultaneously I reduced ammo reserves for all soldiers and vehicles drastically, which especially forced the assault team to make their rounds count or return more often for resupply (defensive team usually can replenish at the trucks/transports).

[Sgt.Killboy]

Well...that's some interesting points! Thnks!

[Waldek]

Hi
So I started using Rexman statics importer however it loads only 257 of 5000 objects. What do I need to do? 3Ds max 7 and 9

EDIT:
Nevermind. I removed 1 object from staticobjects.con that was broken apparently, so now all objects get loaded fine.

[buschhans]

The 3D Software for animation and rendering 3DSMax 2020 is for free and completely in English language for you available, please got it and share it there: https://www.chip.de/downloads/3DS-Max-S ... 92366.html