There are MANY good reasons to use DMX over SMD, currently 3ds max is the ONLY modeling toolkit without any SMD support whatsoever. There are MANY VERY good reasons why valve hasn't used SMD themselves since 2007 and use DMX exclusively. To name a few off the top of my head:
- Export stupidly high poly models (All source branches)
- The ability to embed flex data, no jacking around with vtas and other BS, just export the flexes on the mesh and it works. (All source branches)
- The ability to take advantage of valves active tessellation technology. (SFM only)
- The ability to add valve rig constraint data baked into the models skeleton. (Portal 2 and up)
- The ability to export Stereo and GPU HWM flex data with split flexes using balance maps.
These are just the reasons I can think of off the top of my head. (TF2, CS:GO, DOTA2, SFM)
I use Maya and SMD has not been in my pipeline in over 4 years. You would need to threaten to gauge out my eyes to make me switch back to smd. I am writing this because I work with many people who use max and insist on sending me smds and insist I export in smds, which valve has long abandoned and do not import properly in Maya anymore and then I have to go on these long tangents on why dmx is better. Here's the truth, since orangebox 2007 ALL Source games have had FULL DMX support with SMD provided purely for backwards compatibility. Another interesting fact: The Source 2 dota 2 workshop tools alpha have abandoned smd entirely. I guess ignorance is bliss. I'm getting tired of Max users I work with insisting I use their s***ty outdated formats.
- Export stupidly high poly models (All source branches)
- The ability to embed flex data, no jacking around with vtas and other BS, just export the flexes on the mesh and it works. (All source branches)
- The ability to take advantage of valves active tessellation technology. (SFM only)
- The ability to add valve rig constraint data baked into the models skeleton. (Portal 2 and up)
- The ability to export Stereo and GPU HWM flex data with split flexes using balance maps.
These are just the reasons I can think of off the top of my head. (TF2, CS:GO, DOTA2, SFM)
I use Maya and SMD has not been in my pipeline in over 4 years. You would need to threaten to gauge out my eyes to make me switch back to smd. I am writing this because I work with many people who use max and insist on sending me smds and insist I export in smds, which valve has long abandoned and do not import properly in Maya anymore and then I have to go on these long tangents on why dmx is better. Here's the truth, since orangebox 2007 ALL Source games have had FULL DMX support with SMD provided purely for backwards compatibility. Another interesting fact: The Source 2 dota 2 workshop tools alpha have abandoned smd entirely. I guess ignorance is bliss. I'm getting tired of Max users I work with insisting I use their s***ty outdated formats.