Small problem with max slav and 3ds max

[Jarmade Spires]

The only way i can seem to successfully rig with the max slav plugin without it deforming, is to import the skeleton from max slav really small (scale 1.0) , then scale my model down to fit the tiny skeleton and reset xform, which makes it really hard to work with in max, e.g. you try to zoom in a tiny bit and the whole model vanishes.

I read other threads which say to scale it up to a workable size, which works well, apart from when i want to go back and edit my model, some modifiers like edit poly are hard to work with when your models displayed at about 2000% of its size, e.g. welding vertices.

Why does the skeleton have to be so small to import to sl properly, and is there a work around? If i try at default scale 40, the model gets deformed when i enable skinning in the sl uploader.

[Medhue Simoni]

Well, I'm self taught, and I'm using an old version of 3ds Max. When I have a problem with zooming in and the model, I import something, usually a .dae and, for whatever reason, it fixes the problem. Then I just delete what i imported. I know, sounds goofy, but that is what I do.

[OptimoMaximo]

did you try to change the measurement units? probably you need it to be set to a different unit (meters, cm, feet, inches etc). I don't use 3DSMax, i'm used to Maya and Blender. Maybe the naming that Maya uses might be closer to 3DS's. After you applied the changes you needed (scale and rotation), try to "freeze transformations". if it doesn't work, try "delete history" on all models you want to export to collada. Another thing that can cause problems, is the orientation of the avatar: in Second Life it takes the orientation of Maya, where the Y axis is up and Z axis is forward, while 3DSMax uses the same default as Blender, Z up and X forward. I use SLAV only to import avatars, but i never tried to export any as i use Blender's plugin for SL Collada. So i can't be of any furhter help i'm afraid.

 

I hope you get this solved

Cheers

 

[Aileen Aiten]

The solution to your vanishing model situation, is to switch your view from perspective to orthographic (U) as it allows you to view the model as if it were persepctive view (textures etc) while maintaining your ability to zoom in to the vertex level of detail, and still maintain visibility of the model.