Wall Worm Forums

Thanks to Ethan Olson, Matt Young, TerreSouris and WormSlayer from WW Discord for helping test the new installation updates. The main difference in this installer is that it's using Autodesk's ApplicationPlugins method for loading into Max for 3ds Max 2022+. For Max 2021+ the installer is no longer copying VTFLib.dll to the Max root folders but instead is loading from the WW installation via the System PATH.

The new installation method means that resetting your 3ds Max user settings folder won't uninstall WW anymore (in Max 2022+).

Version 5.9.3 released on 5-4-2023

* Installer: Updated installation application to utilize the PluginPackage system from Autodesk. 3ds Max 2022+ will utilize the PluginPackage system. Older versions still use Plugins.UserSettings.ini to set plugin paths.
   
* Plugins: Fixed the installer missing WallWorm.Helpers.dll for 3ds Max 2024 that was causing several WW Pro enhancements not working.

* CorVexSpline: Added new parameter to keep the meaning of top/bottom consistent regardless of whether the target CorVex nodes have positive or negative height values.
   
* Alpha Spec: Fixed a MAXScript error when loading some texture setups.
   
* Alpha Spec: Added support to copy Opacity Map into another map's alpha channel.

There are problems in WW for Max 2024. The required DLL for WW Pro are not properly packaged in the installer. I will address that problem this week with a new installer.

To quickly delete the leaves from your hull helper mesh, you could select it, go to Polygon Sub-Object Mode, go down to Material ID rollout, select the ID that matches the leaves, then click Delete key.

Quote from: terresouris on May 01, 2023, 12:01:08 PMThank you wallworm and for other it was not directly the model be careful to compile with

  -StaticPropLighting  -TextureShadows  -StaticPropPolys -final

As wallworm said but I'm gonna watch the tutorial

Well if you want accurate shadows and lighting, those are the settings you need. Generally you don't use them until you are further along in your level and ready do start finishing the level. If you are still experimenting, they can be overkill as it increases compile time.

Quote from: terresouris on May 01, 2023, 12:03:09 PMWhen I was making the physic I be carefullabout the number of Hull I set to 10 and after 256 for more details but I think a very complexe gull includes leafs and the whole model can be very problematic for optimization and compilation because polygons and triangles

For a tree, I would only make hulls from the trunk and necessary main branches. Don't make them for small branches or leaves.

Also, for shadows, you can click the Final Preset in the VMF exporter, and it will add the needed VRAD compile options:

 -StaticPropLighting  -TextureShadows  -StaticPropPolys -final

And here are docs on Hull Helper.

Unfortunately, you found a very old video. I would suggest that you use this one instead:


Also, here is some info on technical specs of hulls.

The latest installer works with 3ds Max 2024. If you find any issues, please report them to me.

When WW 5.8.3 was released last week, it was missing several plugin packages. That is fixed in 5.8.4.

Version 5.6.1 released on 1-8-2023

   * Entities: Added new Entity Override workflow that allows you to override entity properties when an entity inside a Forest or PropLine meets the conditions of the override. Current conditions are altitude-based or volume-based.
   
   * CSGO Tools: Added rollout to create the map TXT file for CSGO.
   
   * ProPal: Fixed MAXScript error when manually creating a ProPal node in some versions of 3ds Max.

   * VMF Exporter: Updated the VMF Exporter to only place the -deletecubemaps command in the PAK batch file. When used, the user is required to rebuild cubemaps.

###################################

Version 5.5.4 released on 12-28-2022

   * PropLine: Fixed a MAXScript error that could happen when deleting nodes that are used as sources in a PropLine.

###################################

Version 5.5.3 released on 12-28-2022

   * PropLine: Fixed the Skip Materials PropLine only working with WallWormMDL nodes.
   
   * PropLine: Fixed some transform issues with non Wall Worm MDL nodes when using the Skip Materials functions.

Version 5.5.2 released on 12-28-2022

   * PropLine: Added button to acquire include/exclude settings from another PropLine in the scene.
   
   * PropLine: Updated PropLine to properly utilize the WallWormMDL node's face count for display limit purposes such as Hull and LODs.
   
   * PropLine: Fixed incorrect size calculations on WallWormMDL nodes in some cases.
   
   * PropLine: Fixed problem in PropLine where prop instances could have incorrect transforms when the Skip Materials option was on.
   
   * Materials: Fixed missing material parsing in some cases. Only for Max 2022+.
   
   * VMF Exporter: Updated VMF Exporter to always write the batch files to compile and PAK the assets even if the exporter is not actually compiling.
   
   * VMF Exporter: Added new option to delete cubemaps in compiler. When enabled, the command is added to the beginning of the PAK batch file.
   
   * VMF Exporter: Updated the PAK report to skip files that are missing but are found inside the PAK file (for 3ds Max 2022+).
   
   * VMF Exporter: Updated the PAK report to not mention missing .sw.vtx and .dx80.vtx files as modern compilers aren't making these anymore.
   
   * Entities: Fixed defect causing an infinite loop in some occassions when looking for entity classes.
   
   * Soundscape Manager: Fixed defect that caused Max to freeze indefinitely when loading the Soundscape Manager.
   
###################################

Version 5.4.1 released on 11-12-2022

   * PropLine: Added new option called Skip Materials. When on, materials are not generated for the PropLine. Helps improve performance.
   
   * PropLine: Added new options to display meshes with high face count as Boxes.
   
   * Displacements: Added new spinner in the Displacement Floater to control the depth of terrain brushes when using the Terrain and Corridor functions.
   
   * Displacements: Updated some of the button groups in the Displacement Floater.
   
###################################

Version 5.2.9 released on 10-24-2022

   * CorVex Spline: Fixed incorrect additional spline segments being created in a CorVex Spline using the new Side Mid Divisiors setting.
   
   * CorVex Spline: Fixed regression where CorVex Splines from wall-mode corvexes that were not closed would create an unexpected extra segment.

After over three years of the Admin Approval-only admittance, I finally chose to get a commercial solution to the spam problem. Now new members can now join and post immediately.

Hopefully this revives some activity here. New members dropped to almost zero after that change above as it was too exhausting to sift through the pages and pages of spambot accounts joining to try and find legitimate users.

With the update also comes an update to the forum itself with a nicer WYSIWYG form for posts.

Version 5.2.8 released on 10-22-2022

   * Material Utilities: Added an option to rename (non-bitmap) textures based on their usage in a material.
   
   * WWMT: Added new Hull Material ID setting that will force the exporter to convert faces using that Material ID into a collision hull. Useful for complex models made in ForestPack or RailClone. Available only in the modify tab of a WWMT Helper.
   
   * CorVex Spline: Added name list that will allow the corvex spline to derive itself from any corvex nodes with names matching the patterns. Useful to make a CorVex Spline from a CorVex in a XRef Scene. BETA Feature not full tested!!
   
   * CorVex Spline: Fixed CorVexSpline missing a segment on CorVex nodes in block mode.
   
   * CorVex Spline: Added new settings to make a vertical spline on the middle line of each side of a CorVex.
   
   * CorVex: Fixed MAXScript error that could happen in fringe cases related to invalid material ID values.
   
   * PropLine: Added new option to randomly flip objects 180 degrees in the Z Axis.
   
   * PropLine: Fixed the max values of Translation and Rotation values not being enabled when randomization is turned on.

###################################

Version 5.2.1 released on 9-26-2022
   
   * Batch Tools: Added a new Batch Tool to mass convert files into MDLs.
   
   * FBX to MDL: Updated the tool to include a UI for the new Batch MDL converter.
   
   * Sky Writer: Updated the Max Render Time spinner from Integer to Float.
   
   * Sky Writer: Changed the label of the Render Time to Render Frame.

   * Entities: Added new buttons in the Modify tab of entities with a vscript parameter to open/create/edit script files and associate them to the entity. When no script file exists at the location chosen, an empty script is created and opened. (3ds Max 2022+ only.)
   
   * VMF Exporter: Fixed the compile batch script to work with map names that were previously not working because of incorrectly escaped characters.
   
   * VMDL Exporter: Added first prototype version of the VMDL exporter for Source 2. Not yet production ready.

###################################

Version 5.1.45 released on 9-8-2022
   
   * Displacement Proxy: Fixed Mesh face index out of range MAXScript error in some scenes with a Displacement Proxy.
   
###################################

Version 5.1.44 released on 9-5-2022
   
   * Macros: Added new Macroscript to delete the faces of objects using tool textures. Can be called via macros.run "wallworm.com" "WallWormDeleteToolTextures". You can also add to the UI using the "Delete Faces using Tool Textures" from the wallworm.com category in the Customize User Interface menus.
   
   * Entity Manager: Fixed MAXScript error when text was typed into the Filter field.
   
   * Sky Writer: Added option to choose camera type (Free Camera, Physical Camera or Vray Camera).
   
   * Sky Writer: Updated Sky Writer to keep its camera in the scene after rendering. This allows customizing some of the camera parameters.
   
###################################

Version 5.1.42 released on 8-21-2022
   
   * Macros: Added new Macroscript to place selected object pivots to the average position of their bottom-most vertices. Can be called via macros.run "wallworm.com" "PivotToBottomAverage" .

###################################

Version 5.1.40 released on 7-5-2022

   * Brush Proxy: Added new (experimental) Brush Proxy Primitive to create geometry from brushes in the scene. Useful for reference in an XRef Scene. Material generation still buggy.
   
   * VMF Exporter: Fixed issues exporting levels with specific names.
   
   * VMF Exporter: Fixed exporter not launching game if also PAKing assets.
   
   * VMF Exporter: Fixed defect exporting scenes with VRay and Arnold cameras.
   
   * VMF Exporter: Added new option to export hidden cordons as active. This setting is not available in the exporter UI, but can be accessed via MAXScript with rootnode.exportHiddenCordons. It is a boolean. Existing scenes will be set to false to keep past conventions. New scenes will default to true.
   
   * VMT Importer: Updated VMT Importer to add a Missing Texture (missing.tga) to texture slots that point to textures that cannot be found. This fixes crashes when using Autodesk Vault that was having issues with bitmaps pointing to missing file paths.
   
   * Delete Faces Modifier: Fixed button not working in the Delete Faces custom attribute to remove rollout from UI.

Thanks for helping out Joris :)

For Standard Material you need Scanline as Joris said.

Do share what project you are doing to come back to Source and WW! :)