Legacy:BaSCP Item 01 Mesh Import

UT3 Mesh Import

First of all you need to export the mesh from 3DS Max, I'm not going to go into details on how to use the file system, but the settings I use for the actuall export are shown in Tile #01... (You need to export as .ASE file (the ascii file format))

Getting back to the textures I used...

You will notice that I have also in the following example made normal maps, the soil normal map was made by running through some erosion filters in texture maker, then converting it to grey scale, maximizing contrast, and finally being converted to a noraml map by using Nvidia DDS Tools plugin for Photoshop, this normal map is what will give the texture its rough surfaced 3D look. See Tile #02, and #03.

And on with the importing...

Ok, I start up the editor, and when it has loaded, I make a new Additive level, I save it, and give it a name such as DM-Test, I open the generic browser, and click import under the file menu, and select both textures (all 4 in my case because I have normal maps), I also take the time and care not to click OK to all, I have no idea why I do this, it just seems logical to me, but I ensure that the CompressionSettings drop down is set to TC_Default for regular textures, and TC_NormalMap for normal maps and I do the same for LODGroup. I also import the mesh.

The name you give to the Package is important, when making a map, wether it be a DeathMatch or other type, you should always have your content stored in a package which is the same name.

In these tutorials however, I am breaking from this standard, for one main reason, mainly I have not started my level yet, and I want to keep my content in one main file, I am naming my package ASphinx-Content, keep in mind, that when I do start making my level though, I intend to Duplicate the content that I use to a file that matches the levels name. Unless you intend making a content pack, **do not** distribute your content file e.g.(ASphinx-Content) with your map, if your map don't work without this content file, then you have done something wrong when assigning a material, texture, or something else to your level, also be aware this method also increases overhead, if you want to speed and refine the process, import/create your content directly into a file of the same name as your map (eg. If DM-Siesmic is the name of the map, then DM-Siesmic should also be the name of your content package).

As for the group, it is like a sub-directory, or a folder to contain various things you import, much like your computers filesystem, it is mainly used for catagorizing the things you import to speed up searching for things, you could just have textures and meshes as your groups, or you could use DiffuseTextures, NormalMaps, and Meshes as your groups, it really doesn't matter, and is left to personal preference.

I make a new material called SteamVent_Mat, and open the material editor, see Tile #04 to see what I have done in the Material Editor.

I then go to the mesh and open up its properties, the first thing I then do is go back to the generic browser, and select the material we just made, and apply it to the mesh, this is done by unfolding the properties as shown in Tile #05.

With the material applied, a few things still need to be done, the next thing on the list is to make a quick collision map, you can find the Collision -> Auto Convex Collision, and use the settings shown on Tile #06, there are better ways to do this, which I will probably cover later when we actually import this into more than just a test file.

Last thing to do is get a good angle and take a shot for the Generic Browser, this can found under Tool -> Save Thumbnail Angle.

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