3DS max 9 for level/world design?
Author
Hi all,
My team is looking for a good generic level/world editor. We haven´t come across any good solution, so, Is anyone using 3ds max 9 for level design? is it difficult or slow? coudl anyone post any tutorial/book about this or recomend other tools?
Thanks in advance,
HexDump.
Surely 3DSMax is one of the best tools around, but the real question is: can you afford it? You have to sell many indie copies to get return on investment, so to speak.
Uhmm... trying to do level editing in a package like 3DS Max or Maya isn't exactly a good idea. They're fully capable of doing so, but they are both expensive and are loaded with features you simply don't need.
I've heard great things about DeleD, including its great cost. You can download the Lite version for free and is very feature rich. By paying only about $60 you get the pro version, which a bunch more boolean CSG operators, textures, and lighting capabilities.
I've heard great things about DeleD, including its great cost. You can download the Lite version for free and is very feature rich. By paying only about $60 you get the pro version, which a bunch more boolean CSG operators, textures, and lighting capabilities.
Quote:Original post by HexDumpnot 100% sure what you mean by level design. level design and level creation/modeling are two completly different things. however the answer to whether or not 3ds max is good for level modeling, it is a diffident yes. 3ds max can use used for nearly all modeling.
Hi all,
My team is looking for a good generic level/world editor. We haven´t come across any good solution, so, Is anyone using 3ds max 9 for level design? is it difficult or slow? coudl anyone post any tutorial/book about this or recomend other tools?
Thanks in advance,
HexDump.
however the true question is, should you buy 3ds max? that may be a bit expensive and a bit overkill.
Quote:Original post by zer0wolf
Uhmm... trying to do level editing in a package like 3DS Max or Maya isn't exactly a good idea. They're fully capable of doing so, but they are both expensive and are loaded with features you simply don't need.
I've heard great things about DeleD, including its great cost. You can download the Lite version for free and is very feature rich. By paying only about $60 you get the pro version, which a bunch more boolean CSG operators, textures, and lighting capabilities.
i never liked level editors like that though. to me it is so much better to have complete freedom from the restrictions of level editors like that. for complex indoor/outdoor scenes you'll be needing a full modeling app (while letting the engine deal with things like terrain of course).
though this also depends on the engine you use. some only let you export out a scene as a single object, while others like my engine keep all objects seperate to be handled within the editor.
Author
Thanks for all the advises. I understand max is an expensive solution for an indie game. Anyway, here at my university we have max licenses and I could do part or the mapping work. I have decided to buy freeworld3D, and use it to place my entities and some other game logic related stuff.
What I don´t see, is how to make levels for games, I mean, if anyone could explain the process to create a game level in max I would be really greatfull. It can´t be the same as modeling for example a house, etc... a level is much bigger, or perhaps what about if you want to build a game with 3d tiles?. Again, if anyone knows of any book or could explain how to built the levels in max I will invite him to some beers if he came around :D.
P.D. I´n not an artist but a programmer but wanna make into visual arts, not to replace a real artist, but to let me build things for the prototyping phase, etc...
Thanks in advance,
HexDump.
What I don´t see, is how to make levels for games, I mean, if anyone could explain the process to create a game level in max I would be really greatfull. It can´t be the same as modeling for example a house, etc... a level is much bigger, or perhaps what about if you want to build a game with 3d tiles?. Again, if anyone knows of any book or could explain how to built the levels in max I will invite him to some beers if he came around :D.
P.D. I´n not an artist but a programmer but wanna make into visual arts, not to replace a real artist, but to let me build things for the prototyping phase, etc...
Thanks in advance,
HexDump.
There used to be some DVDs you could get from discreet that were VTMs showing how to use 3ds MAX for level editing. They were pretty good can't remember where to get them from you could try searching amazon.
I also found this book http://www.amazon.ca/Level-Creation-Games-Andrew-Clayton/dp/1584502053 which deals with creating levels in GMAX.
I also found this book http://www.amazon.ca/Level-Creation-Games-Andrew-Clayton/dp/1584502053 which deals with creating levels in GMAX.
This video shows how XSI is used as a level creation tool.
I think the level creation tool should be build using the same game engine as the game itself, it is much easier to design the level when you see how everything will look in the game. I do not know if you can integrate your game engine into 3DS Max like in XSI.
Personally, I would not use a modeling software for level design. The level creation tool should place finished models into a level and let you assign different properties like weight, friction, creation time, explode ability,… . Do not forget that level is not just a collection of models, you will have to place sound sources, lights and define paths and action regions (where to save the game, open a door,…) for the AI unit. Customizing Max that much cannot be much easier than writing a separate tool.
I think the level creation tool should be build using the same game engine as the game itself, it is much easier to design the level when you see how everything will look in the game. I do not know if you can integrate your game engine into 3DS Max like in XSI.
Personally, I would not use a modeling software for level design. The level creation tool should place finished models into a level and let you assign different properties like weight, friction, creation time, explode ability,… . Do not forget that level is not just a collection of models, you will have to place sound sources, lights and define paths and action regions (where to save the game, open a door,…) for the AI unit. Customizing Max that much cannot be much easier than writing a separate tool.
Author
Buster2000, thanks for the information :).
Kambiz, I think you´re partially right. I mean, 3dsmax is not suitable for the logic part of the level editor (I think, and if anybody disagrees please feel free to claim about it), but if you se other util like freeworld3D, I think you can get a pretty nice combination, or this is what I have understood from my research.
P.D.: Soft Image seems impressive, is it any easy to integrate my render engine (ogre3D) in it? because I have seen the video and says that a render engien can be integrated in it.
Thanks in advance,
HexDump.
Kambiz, I think you´re partially right. I mean, 3dsmax is not suitable for the logic part of the level editor (I think, and if anybody disagrees please feel free to claim about it), but if you se other util like freeworld3D, I think you can get a pretty nice combination, or this is what I have understood from my research.
P.D.: Soft Image seems impressive, is it any easy to integrate my render engine (ogre3D) in it? because I have seen the video and says that a render engien can be integrated in it.
Thanks in advance,
HexDump.
We successfully used max for level desing in several project.
One huge advantage: lots of artists know how to work with it. But yes it is too overpriced considering you are using less than 5% of features for game development.
One huge advantage: lots of artists know how to work with it. But yes it is too overpriced considering you are using less than 5% of features for game development.
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