Hi! I already bought 3D Studio Max 7 and I'm practicing with it, but I don't know how to parse the .max files in the LoadGeometry subrutine of my DirectX engine. I want to display a model that for example jumps, just parsing the .max file and displaying it... I'm programming in VB .NET (I'm a noob in DirectX) and im asking about this beacuse I want to create my own prototype of a 3D MMORPG. If the models and animations aren't created in 3ds max, please tell me where. Oh, BTW, I have some doubts about the surface. I read an article (here in GameDev) which talks about tiling but I'm not sure if that is also used for 3D games... Well, i would really appreciate an answer... Oh, and sorry about my english, i talk spanish. Federico.

Parsing .max files directly is almost impossible because the file format is procedural, i.e. it saves the complete modifier stack instead of just the resulting vertex data. If you don't feel like reverse-engineering the Physique modifier for fun you better stay away from it. Use an alternative output format like .X, .3DS, .ASE or write your custom format using MaxScript. If you're engine is DirectX-only the .X format is easiest to work with. With the D3DX library, putting .X files on the sceen is easy as 1-2-3.

De nada, y tu Inglès es muy bien (sorry about my Spanish, I speak Dutch ;))

Ok, so .MAX files are almost impossible to parse. Now, the problem is that I don't know how to parse the .3DS files, but I will search for some information about that.

Dank voor de antwoord! (Sorry about my Dutch, hehe)

Federico