Import 3ds Files

[stuartmitch]

Hi everyone.

I am trying to import models I have downloaded from Archive3D (ie .3DS files). When I do, the models import slightly disjointed and VfSU does not seem to recognise materials.

Are there any tricks to consider?

Cheers....Scotty

PS Happy New Year to all.

[arqestevez1]

Re: Import 3ds Files

i'm sorry my brother, but there's nothing you can do. 3ds format does not keep material information, and that issue about the models... well, we have to fix them one by one...
of course, if we're talking about a chandelier... forget it, look for another one, but if you have like a coach, or a chair, maybe it worths it...
not all of them are like that :P

[thomthom]

Re: Import 3ds Files

i'm sorry my brother, but there's nothing you can do. 3ds format does not keep material information, and that issue about the models...

.3ds file do have materials. But you must ensure that the textures it refers to is found.

and VfSU does not seem to recognise materials.

But you see the material in SU?
(If so it could be that the textures are in a format SU reads, but VfSU don't. Textures in CMYK colour mode is another problem. Or it could be a VfSU bug.)

[andybot_cg]

Re: Import 3ds Files

It very much depends on the version of 3ds you are trying to import. I found older versions seem to import better. Models saved from newer version I have lots of problems with - like geometry origins all over the place, and textures missing (like thomas said - make sure you have the texture folder, you may be able to repair it in SU. Though UV mapping can be hit ormiss from the original file)
-Andy

[arqestevez1]

Re: Import 3ds Files

i didn't know that about 3ds...
there's one thing that i've always wondered. when we were in the version 1 of vray for sketchup, i used to use some cars from dosch, they came in 3ds format, and by that time, i used to import them, and they already had materials at the time of the render... then we moved to the version 1.05 and since then, everything i had was difuse colors... i have the same files, i actually still use those 3ds cars, is there anything i can do to have the edited material at the time of the render? now that i use the last release?

[andybot_cg]

Re: Import 3ds Files

I've had issues with older models as well. The source of the problem was that vray changed the way it handles colored SU materials. In older versions (1.05) - the material became a vray blend material - the diffuse map got buried in a blend layer. In upgrading the old model - this diffuse layer kept the blend material, but lost the connection to the SU material map, so all you see is the color of the material without the map.
See my post here that was never answered.
Is this the same problem you are running into?

[stuartmitch]

Re: Import 3ds Files

Thanks for all the feedback.

ThomThom: You are right. It seems that SU can 'see' the materials but VfSU can't. At least, SU shows them in the materials panel but they are not visible in the model itself. I notice now that the materials all seem to be images in Targa format. Is that the problem?

The models are all current from the Archive3D web site so I guess they are quite recent.

AndyBot: I think my problem is a little different to yours. Its just about importing 3DS files created elsewhere into SU and rendering with VfSU

Cheers...Scotty

[thomthom]

Re: Import 3ds Files

ThomThom: You are right. It seems that SU can 'see' the materials but VfSU can't. At least, SU shows them in the materials panel but they are not visible in the model itself. I notice now that the materials all seem to be images in Targa format. Is that the problem?

Yes - I believe so. Seems that V-Ray won't render this format.