3ds export settings - Max 9

homerpalooza67

i'm using max 9 to build meshes to convert into game models. when i try to export using 3DS (i get terrible results from OBJ) it automatically shortens the names on the texture maps to 8 characters, giving me a huge headache in manually reasigning the textures to the proper surfaces on import.
Is there a way to change the character limit on the 3ds export settings?
thanks!

Coolhand

Its a MSDOS legacy thing i'm not aware of any way around it... Its not a very good format, my advice is to use a different one.

homerpalooza67

I'm limited by the destination program to 3ds and obj, and lightwave if I want to get fancy (I don't). 3ds preserves the mesh better, imo

Coolhand

well obj is by far the better format... But whats best is also dependent on your application. I guess if nothing else works you will have to live with the 8 char limit.

Melak

Are the OBJ results bad in the target application, or are they screwed up when you import them back into max as well?
If the geometry appears only messed up in the game, I'd try playing with the OBJ exporter settings.

Try to find out about the files the game will take, there are a lot of options that can change the way the file is written, and if the OBJ importer for that game wasn't written very carefully it might not accept all possible combinations.

In particular the "optiimize vertices/faces/UVs" options, but also the triangle/triangle+quad/ngon settings. Since it's a game, give the triangle setting a try if you haven't already. There's also a number of presets for these, so if you know it takes OBJ exports from say Lightwave, try the lightwave preset.

homerpalooza67

obj looks screwed up sometimes, and other times just not as good as the 3ds import. I can try playing with the settings, thanks

L2K

if 3ds is superior to obj, just change the names of the textures...

my advice would be to use the asset tracker (file> asset tracker) to change the names one by one easily (right click>browse>F2)