GEMSTONES in 3DS MAX 2012? Can't get colors to work

[neon369]

Hi folks,

 

Can anyone tell me how I can import gemstones (emeralds, rubies, diamonds etc.) into 3DS MAX 2012 and still maintain the colors from each respective stone? Currently when I import them they just become a generic grey color and remain that way even when exported (which is a bit s*** to be honest).

 

Am I doing something wrong or can it be done?

 

Knid regards,

 

Neon369

[jet4571]

The textures themselves dont matter in Max, you could toss anything on them that you want. you just need a UVW map and a texture that fits it. When you edit the Nif in Nifskope you need to copy a bsshaderproperty from an existing model and paste it into the new one, then change the texture to the correct one.

 

Pretty much all the importing models tutorials in the sticky explain how to do that.

 

*edit, since its a gemstone you will need the nialpha node as well. I would move the nitrishape from the exported nif into an existing gemstones nif, then move the 2 nodes to that and remove the original. change texture paths and save as with a new name.

Edited June 14, 2012 by jet4571

[neon369]

The textures themselves dont matter in Max, you could toss anything on them that you want. you just need a UVW map and a texture that fits it. When you edit the Nif in Nifskope you need to copy a bsshaderproperty from an existing model and paste it into the new one, then change the texture to the correct one.

 

Pretty much all the importing models tutorials in the sticky explain how to do that.

 

*edit, since its a gemstone you will need the nialpha node as well. I would move the nitrishape from the exported nif into an existing gemstones nif, then move the 2 nodes to that and remove the original. change texture paths and save as with a new name.

 

Thanks so much for the reply, but im not really familiar with using nifskope and alpha channels etc. Can you give me a small example of say editing the shape of a ruby in 3ds max and exporting it AND retaining its color?

[Matth85]

Quite simple.

- Edit the shape of the diamond.

- Look at the UVW. - you will find it in the modifier window as UVW unwrap.

Now you got 2 things you can do.

 

1)

- Make a new UVW

- open the old texture and the new uvw in Photoshop/GIMP and use the Clone Stamp to get the texture placed over the new UVW.

- Copy the texture, grayscale it and look the the original models alpha channel. Try to get the same ammout of gray.

 

2) Since the gems are very small, you can simply change the UVs to fit the old texture. That means no changing in texture, but you might get some bad stretching.

 

Finally:

- Export it as a nif. Open your new nif and the original nif.

- Copy the texture nodes from the original gem to the new one.

- Delete the gem from the original nif, and coy over your new one.

- Save it under Data/Meshes/yourmodname, or whever you want to save it.

- Go into the CK and add it to the game. Simply find the other gems, "new" and fill in the forms.

 

At least this is the rough way to do it.

[neon369]

Quite simple.

- Edit the shape of the diamond.

- Look at the UVW. - you will find it in the modifier window as UVW unwrap.

Now you got 2 things you can do.

 

1)

- Make a new UVW

- open the old texture and the new uvw in Photoshop/GIMP and use the Clone Stamp to get the texture placed over the new UVW.

- Copy the texture, grayscale it and look the the original models alpha channel. Try to get the same ammout of gray.

 

2) Since the gems are very small, you can simply change the UVs to fit the old texture. That means no changing in texture, but you might get some bad stretching.

 

Finally:

- Export it as a nif. Open your new nif and the original nif.

- Copy the texture nodes from the original gem to the new one.

- Delete the gem from the original nif, and coy over your new one.

- Save it under Data/Meshes/yourmodname, or whever you want to save it.

- Go into the CK and add it to the game. Simply find the other gems, "new" and fill in the forms.

 

At least this is the rough way to do it.

 

thats great but as far as i could see there are no gemstones texture files. No dds files i should say. Maybe im wrong?

 

So just make my changes in max, export as a nif, copy the alpha settings from an existing stone onto that and then export it as an .obj file?

[Matth85]

thats great but as far as i could see there are no gemstones texture files. No dds files i should say. Maybe im wrong?

 

So just make my changes in max, export as a nif, copy the alpha settings from an existing stone onto that and then export it as an .obj file?

 

Then I assume the gems are simply an alpha with vertex coloring.

 

Simply make your changes.

Export it as a .nif.

Open the old .nifo

Copy about everything from the old to the new one, and try to keep it as equal as possible.

or

Copy the shader/alpha settings from the old one to the new nif. Then delete the old model from the old .nif, and add the new mesh to the old file. Save it as a .nif and into your meshes folder.

 

Edit:

The ruby got a few textures.

 

GreyNoise.dds

DefaultWhiteSpec_n.dds

ShinyGlass_e.dds

White_em.dds

 

It also consist of 2 models: The inner and the outer. The outer is red and the inner is white. They both use the same texture sets. And the only difference in the 2 is the red color comes from vertex coloring.

Edited June 14, 2012 by Matth85

[neon369]

Quite simple.

- Edit the shape of the diamond.

- Look at the UVW. - you will find it in the modifier window as UVW unwrap.

Now you got 2 things you can do.

 

1)

- Make a new UVW

- open the old texture and the new uvw in Photoshop/GIMP and use the Clone Stamp to get the texture placed over the new UVW.

- Copy the texture, grayscale it and look the the original models alpha channel. Try to get the same ammout of gray.

 

2) Since the gems are very small, you can simply change the UVs to fit the old texture. That means no changing in texture, but you might get some bad stretching.

 

Finally:

- Export it as a nif. Open your new nif and the original nif.

- Copy the texture nodes from the original gem to the new one.

- Delete the gem from the original nif, and coy over your new one.

- Save it under Data/Meshes/yourmodname, or whever you want to save it.

- Go into the CK and add it to the game. Simply find the other gems, "new" and fill in the forms.

 

At least this is the rough way to do it.

 

thats great but as far as i could see there are no gemstones texture files. No dds files i should say. Maybe im wrong?

 

So just make my changes in max, export as a nif, copy the alpha settings from an existing stone onto that and then export it as an .obj file?

[neon369]

thats great but as far as i could see there are no gemstones texture files. No dds files i should say. Maybe im wrong?

 

So just make my changes in max, export as a nif, copy the alpha settings from an existing stone onto that and then export it as an .obj file?

 

Then I assume the gems are simply an alpha with vertex coloring.

 

Simply make your changes.

Export it as a .nif.

Open the old .nifo

Copy about everything from the old to the new one, and try to keep it as equal as possible.

or

Copy the shader/alpha settings from the old one to the new nif. Then delete the old model from the old .nif, and add the new mesh to the old file. Save it as a .nif and into your meshes folder.

 

Edit:

The ruby got a few textures.

 

GreyNoise.dds

DefaultWhiteSpec_n.dds

ShinyGlass_e.dds

White_em.dds

 

It also consist of 2 models: The inner and the outer. The outer is red and the inner is white. They both use the same texture sets. And the only difference in the 2 is the red color comes from vertex coloring.

 

ah i get you. I really want to get this right but i wont be able to try until i get home from work.

[Matth85]

I'll try it myself. That way I can at least see if it is as simple as I put it out to be.

[neon369]

I'll try it myself. That way I can at least see if it is as simple as I put it out to be.

 

Cool. Well if you do let me know how you get on. Im also trying to fuse two models together, say armor and gems. When i exprt the armor is fine, but the gem is colorless