Map Tagging and Exporting

[yell0w_lantern]

So my laptop is using XP. I have Max 5 on it. I have been told that Max 5 does not support the library tools used to export maps. If I upgrade to 5.1 then I'm stuck only exportinig FFv3R but I can also export maps. I can't install Max 4 on the laptop b/c the C-dilla program goes all kooky and doesn't run therefore Max 4 does not run either.

I could use my desktop BUT I get even less time to sit in front of that at home.

Can NIF Tools tag and export maps? Anyone? Anyone? Anyone?

[ow_tiobe_sb]

This thread over at Riffraff Central might be of interest to you.

Here is the geometry selected, "building_fade," the side of the tower in question, which is impassable.


And here is the data attached to that geometry.  Notice that it is flagged as "AREA_UNPASSABLE."

An interesting upshot of this discovery occurs to me: those without access to 3ds max and the IG macroscripts might be able to modify the extra data of extant maps (with extant extents files--damn, that was fun to write! ) to make areas passable or unpassable, etc.  Of course, this type of modification might also be possible in FFEdit as well, no?

ow_tiobe_sb
Phantom Bunburyist and Whirled Braker

[GogglesPizanno]

Technically any NIF file can be a terrain regardless where it was created.
I've used Blender and the NIF exporters to export various terrain test files that all work ok.
And i have played with the technique ow_tiobe_sb mentions on existing maps and it appears to work.

I never put the two together but I imagine the results should work fine provided the NIF terrain you create is broken up into the individual mesh pieces that can be flagged in nifskope.

The problem is figuring out the values for the extends file. I had luck with basically just setting the values really high (larger than the actual nif dimensions) though you can sometimes get some weird behavior.

[ow_tiobe_sb]

The problem is figuring out the values for the extends file. I had luck with basically just setting the values really high (larger than the actual nif dimensions) though you can sometimes get some weird behavior.

Perhaps, Goggles, what we need to discover is the formula used to calculate extents based on terrain mesh dimensions.  If such a formula could be determined, then users of NIFSkope could develop their own extents files (which are just text files, IIRC) with accurate extents information that would prevent the "weird" behaviour from recurring.  This endeavour would, of course, require some study...

ow_tiobe_sb
Phantom Bunburyist and Whirled Braker

[yell0w_lantern]

I have  a possible work around but I need to actually test it by exporting a map.

I have put the FFv3R library tools in Max 5 alongside the FF1 character exporters. I don't get error when I tag using the 3R tools so it might work...

[ow_tiobe_sb]

I did the same a few days ago to much the same effect, y_l.  I'm glad to hear you have discovered a solution, though I would still be interested in determining how one calculates/exports extents.

ow_tiobe_sb
Phantom Bunburyist and Whirled Braker

[yell0w_lantern]

That would probably be helpful since many more people have access to Blender.

On the bright side, I know that my current setup will export the extents.