Windcatcher
04-10-2005, 12:17 PM
This release should make it a lot easier to create files with custom objects:
1. Adding an object to the mesh library will cause the mesh library listing to be updated to reflect the new object.
2. Added an option to import one or more .3DS objects directly into the mesh library. If only one object is selected, OpenZone will prompt for the name of the new object -- otherwise, it will use the file names to name the objects. If any objects have the name itxxxx (where xxxx) is a number, it will prompt the user to ask if it should make them fit the form ITxxxx_DMSPRITEDEF.
3. When importing .3DS files, a number will be added to the name only if OpenZone has to do so to avoid a duplicate.
4. When importing a .3DS file that contains multiple objects, the objects will be placed in a group object. The name of the group object will be taken from the name of the .3DS file.
5. Updafed the help file to reflect the new import capability.
The best way to describe the new import capability is to paste the text from the help file:
------------------------------------------------------------
Importing 3D Studio MAX files into the mesh library
When creating objects for use as equipment objects, it's important that the X-Y-Z origin information be preserved. Importing these objects into your zone and then exporting them into the mesh library destroys this information, so OpenZone contains a separate menu entry specifically for importing objects directly into the mesh library. This ensures that the X-Y-Z origin information is preserved, and has other additional benefits. Using this option will leave your zone unaffected; it only changes the mesh library.
To import a .3DS file directly into OpenZone's mesh library, click File...Import...3D Studio MAX (.3DS) into the mesh library. You will be presented with a standard file open dialog, with the added feature that multiple files may be selected. In this way you can import an entire batch of .3DS files in one operation.
If only one .3DS file is selected for import then you will be presented with a dialog prompting for the name of the object as it will be presented in the mesh library. Otherwise, the names will be taken from the file names (e.g. oak_tree.3ds would be imported as "oak_tree").
If OpenZone detects that some objects conform to the standard equipment naming convention (itxxxx, where xxxx is a number) it will prompt you to ask if it should modify the names to ensure they are fully compliant. A fully-compliant equipment item name is ITxxxx_DMSPRITEDEF, where xxxx is a number. If you click "Yes" to this prompt, OpenZone will modify the names for any files that fit this form before importing them (OpenZone is smart enough to not mangle any names that are already fully-compliant). In any case, the original .3DS files will remain unaffected.
After all files have been imported and converted, the mesh library listing will be updated to include the new objects.
------------------------------------------------------------
Enjoy,
WC
1. Adding an object to the mesh library will cause the mesh library listing to be updated to reflect the new object.
2. Added an option to import one or more .3DS objects directly into the mesh library. If only one object is selected, OpenZone will prompt for the name of the new object -- otherwise, it will use the file names to name the objects. If any objects have the name itxxxx (where xxxx) is a number, it will prompt the user to ask if it should make them fit the form ITxxxx_DMSPRITEDEF.
3. When importing .3DS files, a number will be added to the name only if OpenZone has to do so to avoid a duplicate.
4. When importing a .3DS file that contains multiple objects, the objects will be placed in a group object. The name of the group object will be taken from the name of the .3DS file.
5. Updafed the help file to reflect the new import capability.
The best way to describe the new import capability is to paste the text from the help file:
------------------------------------------------------------
Importing 3D Studio MAX files into the mesh library
When creating objects for use as equipment objects, it's important that the X-Y-Z origin information be preserved. Importing these objects into your zone and then exporting them into the mesh library destroys this information, so OpenZone contains a separate menu entry specifically for importing objects directly into the mesh library. This ensures that the X-Y-Z origin information is preserved, and has other additional benefits. Using this option will leave your zone unaffected; it only changes the mesh library.
To import a .3DS file directly into OpenZone's mesh library, click File...Import...3D Studio MAX (.3DS) into the mesh library. You will be presented with a standard file open dialog, with the added feature that multiple files may be selected. In this way you can import an entire batch of .3DS files in one operation.
If only one .3DS file is selected for import then you will be presented with a dialog prompting for the name of the object as it will be presented in the mesh library. Otherwise, the names will be taken from the file names (e.g. oak_tree.3ds would be imported as "oak_tree").
If OpenZone detects that some objects conform to the standard equipment naming convention (itxxxx, where xxxx is a number) it will prompt you to ask if it should modify the names to ensure they are fully compliant. A fully-compliant equipment item name is ITxxxx_DMSPRITEDEF, where xxxx is a number. If you click "Yes" to this prompt, OpenZone will modify the names for any files that fit this form before importing them (OpenZone is smart enough to not mangle any names that are already fully-compliant). In any case, the original .3DS files will remain unaffected.
After all files have been imported and converted, the mesh library listing will be updated to include the new objects.
------------------------------------------------------------
Enjoy,
WC