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Back to the support section
Using Blacksmith3D-Transporter with 3D Studio Max
Getting Started
- In MAX, choose the MAXScript->Run Script... command
- Locate the file 'Blacksmith3D-Transporter-Interface.ms' in the Blacksmith3D installation folder (e.g. ...\Blacksmith3D-3.2\Transporter\Blacksmith3D-Transporter-Interface.ms)
- In the Advanced section, click on the file folder button next to Application, and locate the program that you would like to connect to (e.g. Blacksmith3D-Suite.exe, Blacksmith3D-Paint-Freeware.exe, etc.) . You only have to do this once, as your choice will be remembered the next time you use the utility.
- Blacksmith3D-Transporter is now setup. If you close the window and would like to reopen it without re-running the script, locate the Blacksmith3D-Transporter utility in the MAXScipt panel of the Utilities tab, and click on the Start Transporter button.
Transporting objects from Max to Blacksmith3D
- Select the object(s) in Max that you would like to edit in Blacksmit3D-Suite, Paint or Pant-Freeware
- In the Blacksmith3D-Transport window, click on the Send to Blacksmith3D button.
- The application will open and the objects will appear in Blacksmith3D, with their relevant maps applied and ready to be painted on.
- For map types not currently supported by Blacksmith3D-Transporter, you can load and assign them manually inside Blacksmith3D.
Test Rendering
- At any time, you can quickly save the maps that you are painting in Blacksmith3D and render the scene in Max.
- From MAX, in the Blacksmith3D-Transporter window, click on the Save Maps button. This will send a message to Blacksmith3D, telling it to save the maps to their last known file location. As an added precaution, the overwritten maps will be sent to the recycle bin to avoid accidental loss of work (sweet).
- Render the scene in MAX to preview the changes.
If you used the Paint Setup Wizard with the Auto-UV Map feature
- then you will have to send the new UV mapping back to MAX by clicking on the Receive UV Mapping Changes button in the Blacksmith3D-Transporter window. Please note the UV Mapping Channel setting in the advanced section as this is where the new UV mapping will go.
- If new texture maps were created and/or assigned within Blacksmith3D, then click the Receive Map Assignment Changes button. Please note that this will only work for simple bitmaps in the supported map types (diffuse, bump, etc.). For any other type of map, you have to manually assign them in the Material Editor of MAX.
Additional Notes
- Perfectly painted texture seams may not appear as such in MAX if the map's Blur value (in the Coordinates section) is set to 1.0 (default) in Max. Set Blur to it's minimum value (0.01).
- If you are using Displacement Maps, and notice that the mesh appears to come apart at the UV seams when rendering, there is a simple solution. Using the Mental Ray renderer, uncheck the Smoothing option in the Shadows & Displacement section of the Renderer tab in the render options window. For other renderers, a similar options may exist as well.
- Blacksmith3D-Transporter is an Open Source scripted utility that can be customized for you specific purposes. If you make customizations, corrections, etc. to the code that you wish to share with other users, then feel free to email us the changes and we may incorporate them into the next update.
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