Wall Worm Forums

Version 1.83 released on 7-23-2012

◦ Fix a bug some users have had on occassion when exporting with WWMT and getting the error: "You have the Export Non-renderable Mesh as Bone option turned on in the WW Settings. All of your meshes are non-renderable... so no mesh data can be exported." That error should only occur if NONE of the meshes are renderable but was happening if even one was non-renderable.
◦ Added Decal and Overlay tools into Worm Face. You can now set Decals into the scene.
◦ Updated the VMF Exporter to accomodate the new Decal functions.
◦ Updated the Brush Texture Exporter to export decal textures for the new decal tools.

Version 1.82 released on 7-21-2012

◦ Updated the Overview Exporter. Changed formula for calculating pos_x, pos_y and scale. Removed unnecessary Map Dimensions menu. Added options to export optional radar texture and its dimensions. Also added Clamp S/T and $translucent checkboxes.
◦ Updated Worm Face to work on Lift/Dump textures on WW Displacements. Previously, the function would cause a MAXScript error when used on displacements.
◦ Fixed bug in the Set Lightmap Scale function in Anvil that was not setting lightmap scale on a brush unless faces were selected.
◦ Added allowed_verts into dispinfo block of displacements in VMF Exporter. All values are set to -1.
◦ Updated various tools that get brush textures to automatically rename any of the Render Materials of a DirectX Shader to the DirectX Shader's name.
◦ Updated asset collection functions (RES Maker and VMF Exporter PAK) to always check for common standard files. The collection script wasn't always working before.

I have started work on an Overview/Radar Exporter. This tool is now packaged in WW. It is, however, still unfinished and does not provide accurate pos_x, pos_y and scale values.

I am aware of these limitations and working to get them solved.

In the meantime, here is a preview of the workflow:

Version 1.81 released on 7-18-2012

◦ Added Overview Exporter. This tool is still under developement. Please provide feedback.
◦ Added DXF Importer. You can use this to import your levels from Hammer.
◦ Added Macroscript to fix broken Displacement material names due to a new bug in 3ds Max 2013. TO use this feature, go to Customize > Customize User Interface and add a button for Repair DX Mat Names under the wallworm.com category. For this to work, you must make a habit of giving the Blend material AND the DirectX_Shader the same material name (which equates to the VMT path and name). The blend material will get updated with the DirectX material name when this function runs.
◦ Fixed bug in material exporter when exporting a material with no diffuse bitmap.
◦ Added the exporting of proxy data for animated textures--both IFL bitmap lists (animated VTFs) and bitmaps with transformations (scrolling textures). Scrolling texture angles not yet accurate and must be edited in the VMT.

Fixed a bug that could occur if no hulls were in the model when exporting while using the -fullcollide for Expensive Collision Hull Handling in the WW Settings.

There is a new bug introduced in 3ds Max 2013 Product Update 3 that affects displacements in Wall Worm. As the displacements use the DirectX_Shader so that you can paint the alpha blend of blend materials... this mainly affects displacements.

I have found that the name of any Render Material of a DirectX_Shader will now always get renamed to the default material name of a directX render material. This is consequential because the render material is the material that gives a material it's name in the VMT exporter and the VMF exporter.

There is a thread over on the Area about this DirectX bug. If possible, please test this on your system if you have 3ds Max 2013 PU3. If you too have the problem, please make a comment on that thread and submit a defect report to Autodesk. You can do that by clicking Help > Report a Problem in Max. In your problem report, please explain the problem as well as link to the thread on the Area. Hopefully it will be patched in the next Max update.

In the meantime, I have built a function to rename render materials of DirectX_Shader. This temporary solution will be included in the next WW update.

Version 1.8 released on 7-10-2012

◦ Added vtex compile parameter normal 1 when exporting normal maps. This parameter gets written to the texture's compile configuration file. Normal maps no longer get any compression setting in the config file.
◦ Fixed incorrect usage of $selfillum_envmapmask_alpha for textures.
◦ Updated brush exporter to include these new settings: Compression, Shader, Surface Property and detail type. These options get output into the VMT of brush materials.
◦ Updated the Brush material exporter to add properties of submaterials a blend material. Now the various properties (bumpmap, env_mapmask, etc) get exported for the basetexture and the basetexture2 materials of WorldVertexTransition materials.
◦ Added checkbox in the Brush Materials exporter that will simply write the VMT (material) file instead of export VTFs.
◦ Updated VMF Exporter to interpret face material names in a new manner. This change may not affect you... but if your materials aren't correct in the VMF, you may need to add or remove the trailing slash in your material names. The names of materials now get written like this: For a Standard Material that has a diffuse bitmap, the name is generated from the material name + the diffuse bitmap texture IF AND ONLY IF the material name ends with a trailing slash. Otherwise, the face material name is the material's name.
◦ Fixed a bug that could cause an exception when loading a file with WW displacements where the underlying brush helper or that helper's displacement was deleted.
◦ Updated the functions to collect assets (for PAK or resfile generator or material exporter) to include materials on displacements.
◦ Updated the functions to collect assets (for PAK or resfile generator or material exporter) to check if the file exists before adding to the list. Writes to the MAXScript listener if files are not found and skipped.
◦ Updated brush material exporter to use the WW convention of only working on selected objects. If none selected, uses all scene objects. When gathering from all scen
◦ Removed the 2048 and 4096 options for Displacement sizes. Changed the default size from 1024 to 512.
◦ Changed WWMT to no longer auto collect parent bones in WWMT models. Only bones in a model's skin and those assigned to the WWMT will be exported.
◦ Updated VMF Exporter to 1.5. This version accounts for the new texture transform settings that can export in the VMTs.
◦ Added new setting in WW Settings called VMT Texture Transforms. When checked, the material exporter will include texture transforms in the VMTs and the VMF Exporter will ignore texture transforms in the VMF uaxis/vaxis values--and will only embed UVW coordinates in the VMF.
◦ Remove automatic check for WWMT updates that was added to WW recently. That function caused lag when starting up WW and the computer had no access to the internet or the WW server was down.
◦ Added new menu item under Wall Worm Online called Check for Updates. The function will retrieve the latest version number of WW from the WW server. If it is newer than the installed version, you'll get a notification of the update and be sent to the changelog web page.

I'm reworking the material exporter (mainly world and blend material exporting). This update will make it a lot easier to export your scene materials for brushes and displacements.

Version 1.79 released on 7-4-2012

◦ Fixed a bug in VMF Exporter not honoring the  Use LDR Ambient checkbox.
◦ Fixed a bug in the Entity Input/Outputs UI that was not prefilling the selected output's value in the parameter override field. Also activated the spinner for integer and float values.
◦ Updated the QC/SMD exporters in Wall Worm Model Tools. The $origin field no longer gets written into the QC if the $staticprop setting is not set. However, the SMD exporter will mimic the offset for those models that do not have $staticprop. This allows you to make animated models away from the world origin. Wall Worm SMD Exporter now at version 1.26. This is a fundamental change targeting animated props and changes the way animated props get exported.
◦ Updated the UI of the SMD Exporter to have two new checkboxes. The first is a setting to let the exporter know you are exporting a staticprop and it should not try to create bones. The second option is to tell the exporter that the origin-reference node is the first object in the selection; if not checked, the origin is assumed at the world origin.
◦ Updated the bone-recursion in WWMT. Previously, if a WWMT model had bones skinned to them but those bones were children of bones not in the WWMT model skin, WWMT would include those bones in the export. Now WWMT stops if it reaches a WWMT attachment used as a bone--so that attachments can be rigged in a scene like they will be in game.
◦ Added $envmap env_cubemap to the material exporters if the material has the Reflectivity checkbox checked or there is a Specular Level Map (that exports as an $envmapmask). Eventually, you will be able to assign the cubemap material too.
◦ Caught a few exceptions reported by some WWMT users.
◦ Fixed a problem with the Wall Worm menu making function. It was adding repeat items in the Customize menus in Max. That problem is fixed. Upon loading the update, the duplicates will be removed from the customization menus in Max.

I am working on an update to WWMT that allows the creation of animated props easily away from the origin. This update also makes it easier to set up systems of models that are rigged to other model's attachment points.

I'd like some people to test these updates before I release them. Hit me up if you are game.

Fixes a bug in loading the material library generator and deleting VMF presets from the VMF exporter.

Version 1.788 released on 6-27-2012
◦ Fixed Installation script bug:
Error occurred during fileIn in #C:\Program Files\Autodesk\3ds Max 2012\Scripts\WallWorm.com\install.ms; line number: 74

◦ Updated the general WW loading functions to more accurately set default paths if paths are missing from config.
◦ Updated Anvil to automatically go to the Graphite Modeling Tool's Push/Pull brush when entering the Displacement Edit Mode (in Max 2010+) .

Version 1.787 released on 6-25-2012

◦ Added global setting preset manager into Wall Worm Settings floater. You can now save your settings into a preset which lets you switch between different mods.
◦ Updated VMF preset manager to fix a problem that could happen if too many presets were stored in presets.
◦ Updated Anvil to delete any displacement event handling listeners if no WW displacements are in the scene.
◦ Updated the Settings floater to show the paths in a text field rather than just display buttons.
◦ Added an Auto Config from VProject button that will prefill the paths for the current mod if one is set in VProject.
◦ Fixed a bug that could happen if you opened a file where a WW Displacement brush was deleted but the displacement was still in the scene.
◦ Fixed a bug that would not let you open the Inputs/Outuputs utility in 3ds Max 2013.
◦ Added new function to alert you if there is an update to Wall Worm on the website.
◦ Fixed a bug when parsing FGD files if the format was in an unexpected fashion.
◦ Fixed a bug in Anvil when pressing the Displacement Unlock button.
◦ Added compile option called -nop4 to stop the p4lib warning in model compiling.
◦ Added check in export of models to see if the model has both $staticprop and bodygroups. If so, the $staticprop is temporarily turned off for export and a notice is written to the MAXScript listener.
◦ Added PSD texture export support for models. Requires you to turn it on in the global WW settings. I forced this so that users would read the help doc explaining that it is possible to create PSDs that crash VTEX.

I've got an update coming out this week that will fix several bug with the ui of the VMF Exporter. Right now several preset settings are not getting applied to the UI when you switch presets.

I'm also adding global setting presets. Primarily, this will let you easily and quickly switch the mod you are working on.

Another major update is that the settings now have an auto function to prefill paths for modelsrc, materialsrc, bin dir, etc.

Other fixes are related to Anvil and displacements.

Right now I'm mostly testing these updates. A couple others are helping test. If you'd like to test this update before I release it, feel free to email me.

I am working on rehauling some of the preset saving functions in Wall Worm. While working on making global setting presets (to accomodate multiple mods) I discovered a limitation in the sizes values can be for INI files. Since I am storing all settings in an INI file, this creates a problem.

Although I discovered this for a not-yet-released set of features, this problem could affect the current release.

If you happen to add too many presets into the VMF exporter preset list, it can cause the presets to stop working altogether. To be safe, try not to add too many VMF Exporter presets until the next release of Wall Worm.

I will hopefully have a fix for this in the next week... but I'm overloaded at the moment with non-3D programming. I'll tackle these ASAP.

Version 1.781 released on 6-09-2012

◦ Added Cordon Manager into Utilities
◦ Updated VMF Exporter to Version 1.41. VMF Exporter now exports cordons.
◦ Added Quick Parent Link MacroScript into the Wall Worm download. This macroscript does not get installed by Wall Worm, but you can install it by running the script once. It is located in the general_purpose folder inside the Wall Worm download. This script is useful for quickly linking complex hierarchies of objects that can be tedious with the standard Max Select and Link function.

This topic has been moved to WWMT Questions.

http://www.wallworm.net/index.php?topic=290.0

I'm still not home from Montana yet (Missoula is a very beautiful countryside). But I can't turn off the 3ds Max switch in my brain. I was sitting in a small conference room with my friend John Dalmas and some other writers (Eldon Thompson, George R. R. Martin and another) when I had to make myself inconspicuous (as the quiet Geezer Wrangler escorting John around). I turned my mind to Max... and I came up with this new script:

Quick Parent Link

It will let you quickly parent objects in your scene. Certainly a lot faster than using Select and Link.

Enjoy.

Version 1.78 released on 5-22-2012

◦ Updated VMF Exporter to Version 1.4.
◦ Updated VMF Export to include many lighting controls, including Default HDR settings for normal lights and Ambient, Ambient HDR, Sun Spread and more settings for light_environment. NOTE: these light settings generally do not map 1-to-1 with the Source settings. Many are multipliers that factor in the target light's multiplier! Hover over the buttons/spinners for tool tips.
◦ Updated VMF Exporter to allow the exporter to PAK model, textures and other assets into the BSP after compile.
◦ Fixed problem in VMF Exporter UI where the in-file settings were not recalled properly the first time you opened it in a Max session.
◦ Updated RES Maker to include a UI to choose what type of assets get created in list.
◦ Fixed incorrect entries for Sky materials in RES Maker script.
◦ Added new Light Properties tool to Wall Worm Utilities menu and into Anvil's Misc tab. Tool allows you to set HDR color and scale for individual lights.
◦ Fixed bug in Anvil's button to Unlock Displacements.
◦ Updated proxy tools to automatically lock new proxies from being scaled with the Max scale tool. This does not stop the user from ever scaling proxies, but it makes it harder--especially for those who don't know the nuts and bolts of Max. Proxies should never be scaled!
◦ Renamed the Configure WWMT item in the Wall Worm Menu to Wall Worm Settings. Moved this menu to the main Wall Worm drop-down.
◦ Moved the menu item for Worm Face to the Wall Worm Utilities sub-menu.
◦ Removed unused keyvalues from many entities (like angles, etc) that were unnecessarily put into all entities. This cleans up the list for Hammer's check for problems.
◦ Updated Sky Writer to Version 1.0. Now the Half-Heights and Tiny Bottom functions work. However, I have not gotten them to look as good as not using this feature as the color between the top/sides is not matching correctly. To get this to work I had to remove the "skybox 1" setting when using those settings... and it won't compile entirely as expected. I will look into it more in the future.
◦ Updated Sky Writer to create an HDR PFM cubecross as well as the LDR TGA version. This PFM cubecross is upside down... which may or may not need flipped according to your needs. You can do that in Photoshop.

I wanted to share some of the features that will be released in a new version of Wall Worm tomorrow*:

Sky Writer will have an update that finally allows you to use the Half-Height Sides and the Tiny Bottom buttons.

There is a new Light Properties tool to set the HDR values of individual lights.

The VMF Exporter has a whole slew of new features, including settings for default HDR values in lights and enhanced light_environment settings. I've also optimized the exporter to not have duplicate lights when using daylight systems.

The VMF Exporter also has direct packing of assets now. You can choose to include the packing of WWMT models, textures, etc.

There is more but I'll share that when I release it.

*Probably tomorrow.