Wall Worm Forums

Version 3.868 released on 11-27-2018

   * Convert Scene to Model: Fixed the Delete Tool Texture function often missing polys to delete.
   
   * Convert Scene to Model: Fixed some cases where collision hulls sometimes being skipped when converting brushes.
   
   * Hull Helper: Updated the Prepare From Selection function to reset the transform of the meshes to avert issues with scaled meshes.
   
   * WWMT: Added new function to automatically generate a new root bone and skin the hulls to it. Function found in WWMT Scene Tools.
   
   * WWMT: Updated FLEX Rules and Controller names to removed characters that are not alphanumeric.
   
   * Assets: Updated the Zip From Res function to not skip files with spaces in the name.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAIJich73NY

Version 3.863 released on 11-7-2018

   * Convert Scene to Model: Updated clustering function to not crash when a modifier was on the nodes that was passing a sub-object selection up the stack.
   
   * Convert Scene to Model: Fixed some cases where culled models often losing correct material ID. This fix is limited and you should read the Known Issues for more information.
   
   * Convert Scene to Model: Added right-click option to Restage button to add a delete mesh modifier on mesh with a volume select set to the culling object.
   
   * Convert Scene to Model: Added new Opacity settings for the WWMT Helper.

   * SMD Importer: Updated the "Weld" option to always work.
   
   * Settings: Removed the global setting for whether the SMD Importer Weld function is used on skinned meshes. Now the choice in the SMD Importer UI is always used instead of needing global setting for skinned meshes.
   
   * Settings: Removed legacy buttons for setting paths by system environment variables.
   
   * Create Prop Zoo from VMF: Updated the prop zoo function to get props from func_instances.
   
   * VMF Exporter: Updated VMF Exporter to exclude content from any func_instance entity in scene (requires the Container node to be Open and allowing Edit in Place).
   
   * Auto Visgroups: Added auto visgroup for func_instance nodes as well as most info_node types.
   
   * WWMT: Added new WWMT Macro to Isolate Selected WWMT. When pressed, will select the meshes and WWMT Helpers and enter Isolate Selection mode. If none are selected, Isolates Selection on ALL WWMT Helpers in scene. Found in Wall Worm Model Tools menu.
   

Version 3.86 released on 11-1-2018

   * Convert Scene to Model: Updated Convert Scene to Model to exclude the bounding cull object if assigned from models.
   
   * Convert Scene to Model: Updated the Convert Scene to Model to remove any entity data that could sometimes be left over from original nodes.

   * WWMT: Updated the Remove Entities in WWMT to remove entities on all objects bound to the WWMT, not just the mesh (so including the bones, hulls, etc).

Version 3.844 released on 10-11-2018

   * Security: Added digital signatures to all Wall Worm files. Files are signed by Wall Worm LLC.

   * Visgroups: Added new Visgroup manager to allow more Hammer-like visgroups.
   
   * VMF Importer: Added new visgroup nodes to VMF Importer to bring in Visgroups.
   
   * Settings: Added new level design setting for Auto Visgroup User. When on and the Miscellaneous Name setting is not empty, automatically adds newly created nodes to a visgoup matching the User's name. Helpful for multi-user teams working on same files.
   
   * Display Floater: Fixed the Triggers option not working.
   
   * Display Floater: Fixed classification of multi-node brush entities.
   
   * QC Importer: Updated QC importer to place Morpher modifiers below any skin modifiers.
   
   * VMT Importer: Fixed a bug importing a VMT where the Shader was LightmappedGeneric but the VMT included $basetexture3 or $basetexture4.
   
   * Displacements: Fixed bug selecting a sculpt mesh when one of the displacements is missing it's brushnode.
   
   * VMF Exporter: Fixed bug exporting a scene when a displacement is missing it's brushnode.
   
   * Convert Scene to Model: Added new auto-culling options from latest Carver plugin. Requires Carver 1.38+.
   
   * Hull Helper: Updated the V-HACD library to version 2.

Version 3.83 released on 10-4-2018

   * Displacements: Updated the Sew function to be exceptionally faster. Best performance update comes when using 3ds Max 2018.4+. Sewing hundreds of displacements can now take a few minutes instead of many hours.
   
   * Displacements: Added a function for sewing displacements already in a sculpt mesh.
   
   * Displacements: Added function to convert vertex, edge and border selection to polygons selection of related displacements.
   
   * Displacements: Updated displacements to lock all displacement transformations when the sculpt mesh representing it is deleted. This fixes problems of people accidentally moving displacements.
   
   * Displacements: Fixed bug where selecting a single displacement could sometimes immediately de-select it.
   
   * Scene Management: Tracks more nodes than previously.
   
   * Display Floater: Added a more visgroup-like show/hide function. Display Floater is at Wall Worm > Wall Worm Utilities > Display Floater.
   
   * Settings: Added new Level Design setting to auto-tag objects as brushes when applying materials with the word "tools" in their name or if applying non model materials that have the WW Source Shader applied.

Version 3.799 released on 9-26-2018

   * SMD/DMX/VTA Exporter: Fixed bug exporting Skinned meshes in 3ds Max 2018 and older. This affects both the standalone exporters and the WWMT Exporter.
   
   * SMD/VTA Exporter: Fixed bugs exporting props when a Morpher modifier exists in several versions of Max.
   
   * VTA Exporter: Updated VTA exporter to disable skin animations during export so that VTA vertices are not affected by bone transformations.

---

In some recent update to WW after moving to 2019, I inadvertently broke the exporter for pre-2019 exports. While fixing this, I also addressed a longtim issue with the VTA exporter where the animations of the skeleton would affect the morph results. This has been alleviated.

Version 3.798 released on 9-25-2018

   * WWMT: Fixed bug incorrectly adding keyvalues block.
   
   * Problem Checker: Added notices for out-of-date plugins (like CorVex, etc).

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

Version 3.797 released on 9-20-2018

   * OSL: Added new Multi Gradient OSL Map (3ds Max 2019+).

   * OSL: Added new Radial Gradient OSL Map (3ds Max 2019+).
   
   * OSL: Updated Swirl OSL map to include Map Channel input and an option to invert results.
   
   * Bone Tools: Added $screenalign parameter to the bone tools custom attribute.
   
   * WWMT: Added $screenalign to QC exporter.
   
   * WWMT: Added field to enter manual keyvalue into QC. Found in WWMT Helper Modify tab > Prop Data & Gibs rollout.
   
   * Problem Checker: Added notice to update to 2019.2 if using older version of 2019.

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

Version 3.795 released on 9-14-2018

   * SMD/DMX/VTA Exporter: Fixed bug when exporting a mesh node that has no geometry (no vertices/faces).

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

Version 3.794 released on 9-12-2018

   * WWMT LOD: Fixed bug when checking the Use as $shadowlod checkbox in an LOD Helper.

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

Version 3.792 released on 9-6-2018

   * Mass Model Fetch: Added new option called Folders As Layers. When on, puts the imported MDLs into nested layers that match the folder structure of the props.
   
   * Help Menu: Added function for submitting email to collect current specs (WW Version, Max Version, Windows Version) and prefilling email form with these. Also prefilled user email into contact form if the global WW settings include the user email address.

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

Version 3.791 released on 9-4-2018

   * Convert Scene to Model: Fixed the Refresh List button not working in the Miscellaneous tab.
   
   * Convert Scene to Model: Fixed the Delete Old checkbox not working in the Miscellaneous tab.
   
   * Convert Scene to Model: Added tooltips to functions in the Miscellaneous tab.

I'm in the middle of updating the WW store. While upgrading, access will be denied. Thank you for your patience.

Show your support for 3ds Max in new Autodesk Survey

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Z6H8D7P

NOTE: the survey has a couple bugs: First question choose NONE and when asks for what software you know of, do not click ALL... they will cause the survey to bug out and fail.

I've launched a new website called Hammered to the Max. It is a companion to the book of the same name. This site is located at www.hammeredtothemax.com .

The site is still a WiP. It isn't styled yet. The intent of this is to be a simple hub of information for Hammer users (and other new Max users) trying to learn Max.

I'm looking for a background image to use. Anyone who has a scene built entirely in Max who wants to let me use a render or screenshot for the site background, please let me know. I'll be looking to get some cool imagery on it in the coming weeks.

There are some specials on WW products during Labor Day. https://wallworm.com/store/index.php?route=product/special

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjviypyJ68c

Version 3.78 released on 7-23-2018

   * Installer: Updated installer to load some of the plugins that can be loaded initially. Still requires Max restart for complete installation.
   
   * System: Updated initiation script to work more efficiently.
   
   * Uninstaller: Updated uninstall script to remove scenes event handlers for WW from current session.
   
   * Entities: Added button to play a sound for sound parameters if sound is found outside of VPK. A function to load from VPK is pending. (Only available in WW Pro at this time.) Requires a manual FGD reparse.

Version 3.77 released on 7-18-2018

   * Settings: Added new setting to always check for updated FGD file. If FGD file was modified since last time the entity cache was created, the FGD will be automatically reparsed.

   * Menus: Added new Help menu with several options for getting help using Wall Worm.
   
   * Convert Scene to Model: Fixed problems arising from Group nodes.

Version 3.76 released on 6-15-2018

   * Displacements: Added new Geometry Primitive called Sculpt Proxy. This objects can be used to represent sculpt meshes coming from xref scenes.
   
   * Displacements: Added new Geometry Primitive called Disps Proxy. This object represents the mesh surface of all displacements in the scene.
   
   * Displacements: Added several new buttons in the Displacement floater that work with the new displacement proxy functions.
   
   * Displacements: Fixed Displacement Floater not using default settings for displacement power, lightmap scale, etc.

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

Version 3.753 released on 6-14-2018

   * VMF Exporter: Fixed VMF Exporter not saving new presets correctly.

---

Note that the new displacement primitives are primarily for helping work with displacements and sculpt meshes without having to have access to them directly (for example, if you want to use a sculpt mesh found in an XRef Scene). I will document these in the near future.

Version 3.752 released on 6-13-2018

   * OSL: Added new OSL Map Lightmapped_4wayblend.osl. Replicates the 4way blend shader.
   
   * OSL: Added new OSL Map Desaturate.osl. Simple map to remove saturation in texture.
   
   * OSL: Updated seamless_scale.osl, blendmodulate.osl and worldvertextransition.osl to include options to use the Black Mesa version of Seamless Scale.
   
   * OSL: Added the Black Mesa Moss parameters to worldvertextransition.osl.
   
   * Materials: Added function to create a OSL-driven render material of a 2way or 4way blend DX shader.
   
   * Convert Scene to Model: Added function to set OSL material on 2way or 4way blend shaders.
   
   * Convert Scene to Model: Optimized function for making models from displacements when the On Copies setting is turned on.
   
   * Convert Scene to Model: Updated the functions for converting displacements to models to copy channel -2 to channel 3 so that (when OSL is available) the blend channel will be used for render/bakes.
   
   * FBX Importer: Fixed a bug importing some FBX files to WWMT.
   

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

Version 3.751 released on 6-6-2018

   * Settings: Added new Miscellaneous settings for User information. Allows users to optionally embed their user information into new Max scene file properties (Name, email, website, company, etc). This can be useful for proof of ownership and other file-system utilities.
   
   * Settings: Fixed some paths getting extra slashes every time they are saved.

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

Version 3.75 released on 6-5-2018

   * Problem Checker: Fixed error when checking for WWMT models that haven't been exported.

Version 3.745 released on 5-22-2018

   * Macros: Added some new macros that can be assigned via the Customize menus. Most relate to the Carver plugin (when installed).
   
   * VTF Exporter: Fixed bug hitting the ^ button in the VTF Exporter dialog in 3ds Max 2019 for textures that are not yet given a WW Pro VTF texture attribute.
   
   * VMT Exporter: Fixed bug in WWMT VMT exporter where it was not always honoring the material name method setting.
   
   * VMT Exporter: Fixed WWMT VMT exporter UI not known that a VMT has already been exported and de-selecting it.

Version 3.742 released on 5-12-2018

   * Batch Importer: Added a GUI to the batch level importer.
   
   * Batch Importer: Added ability to generate RAD files for imported scenes.
   
   * PAK/RES: Fixed error generating PAK/RES data with some materials on models.
   
   * Materials: Added two new text fields in the Wall Worm Material settings to allow adding notes and RAW VMT commands (those not controlled in the custom attribute).
   
   * Materials: Fixed bug importing some materials.
   
   * Containers: Fixed critical bug when loading containers (generally a func_instance) with displacements.
   
   * RAD Worm: Fixed a bug that could happen when generating RAD files when a model is using a VMT instead of a MDL (some sprites, etc).

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

Version 3.74 released on 5-7-2018

   * Materials: Added (basic) extra support for more material types like Physical Material.
   
   * Materials: Added several Source-related OSL Maps (Max 2019+). Still experimental.
   
   * Settings: Added new global setting for Use OSL in Materials Tab. Only works in 2019+. Several functions in WW will support using OSL maps instead of BitmapTexture maps in the future. Currently, only affects the $blendmodulate texture of the default WW displacement shader. Once further tested, will be added to more features.
   
   * VMF Exporter: Fixed MAXScript error when exporting a scene with a sculpt mesh that has missing displacement nodes (displacements that were deleted).
   
   * VMF Exporter: Fixed MAXScript error when exporting displacements tagged as sky geometry.
   
   * VMF Exporter: Updated VMF Exporter logic for displacements that has minor improvements in export times.
   
   * Displacements: Updated the function to create displacements from Geometry polygons to now tag the sky as sky geometry if the original object is tagged for the sky.
   
   * Displacements: Added new methods for cehcking for more problems (in Problem Checker as well as in Displacement modify tab rollout).

I got a license of Verge3D for 3ds Max in the last couple of weeks to facilitate some of my projects. I am blown away by how simple the plugin makes it to publish 3D content to the Internet.

Most WW users may not know this, but I spent the majority of my time as a web developer between 2002-2013. Once moving into 3D fulltime, I kept an eye on the idea of integrating some of my projects into web pages. I had toyed with the idea of building a simple Three.js exporter for Max over the last few years, but honestly I just didn't have the time to explore that. When I discovered Verge3D I was eager to take it for a spin.

First I must state that I'm not yet an expert in Verge3D, WebGL or Three.js. However, I am fascinated by what Verge3D does. With minimal effort I've sent several scenes from Max to a web browser. I intend to build some Wall Worm tutorials that are aided by 3D content on the web. As soon as I have viable content to share, I'll post some. Until then, I encourage anyone who wants wishes to see their 3D content on the web to give Verge3D a spin. It's simple, powerful and a lot of fun.

https://www.soft8soft.com/verge3d/