Rigging XSI to 3DS?

[PYA]

The problem I'm having now is that I can make static models, but when it comes to rigging up armor and stuff like that I don't know how to rig in 3DS, so I was wondering if anyhere knows if I can export my rigged model from XSI and use 3DS as an intermeditary?

[Jereko]

I had a similar problem, since I use Maya I had to find a way to import to max. I ended up learning to rig in max, it wasn't hard. Here is what I did to rig it.

1, Import your mesh as an obj

2, Select your mesh

3, On the panel to the right there are some tabs, create (looks like a cursor), modify (looks like a bent blue pipe)..... Anyways you want modify, then from the drop down called Modifiers List, scroll down to skin.

4, It will expand a bunch of options, scroll to the bones section, select add. You'll need to add all the bones here, if you're following jaysus' tutorial you can type in bip(it will select all the bones) then deselect the fingers, thumbs, bip01, bip01neck and forearm driver.(I think thats all of them) Then select or whatever it says.

5, Go to edit envelopes(Its just above where the bones section is)

6, The key to painting weights in max is that your don't paint weights, lol. Its more like scaling objects. Each bone will have a capsule shape(red) it will have an inner and outer shell with control points you can click on and move to change the area of effect around each bone.

7, Try and get alot of overlap from adjacent bones as it will make for smoother deformations.

8, If you end up getting some verts getting weighted that you dont want to(Like one leg effecting the other one) you can right click and under the tools2 menu, select "select verts". You can then select the ones you want to exclude from that bones effects and then right click again and select exclude verts.

 

I am sure there are more detailed explainations somewhere but this will get you started.

 

(Oh, and to test it. Click off edit envelops and then select a bone, you can then move it around to see how the mesh responds)

[PYA]

Thanks man, I'll get right on it when I get the chance.