[WIP] Full guide to importing models from MPQ Archives (Blizzard games) using 3DS Max 8

[MaxGhost]

Nice! I had figured this stuff out around 2 years ago and made a thread about my progress on getting the WC3 Orc Grunt into HoN (just for fun). I was able to use an old max 6 WC3 model imported and get it into max 8 afterwards. When I tried to export, it crashed, and made me sad.

[[Empr]Rean]

i converted sc2 mesh to editable mesh, and when i reapply skin modifier (modifier -> animation -> skin) and add all bones, they dont seem to work properly at all.

its the fail way by default or i am doing something wrong?

add:

sc2 Imported models come mostly as one object, with edit mesh modifier and skin modifier for animation. Skin modifier is on top of edit mesh, so any changes to the mesh would result in loss of animation info.

:sadface:

[[Empr]Rean]

nvm fixed!

[Yurixy]

Thank you for the updates!

[Yurixy]

bump for easy locate

[[IMG]techno4229]

is there a place were you get the textures

[[IMG]techno4229]

start the export please

[Tony`]

So you can only get models from those three games?

[[Empr]Rean]

guide is valid for other games too. the only difference is how u obtain files from games and import them in 3dsmax.
after model is imported in max process is the same no matter from what game u've obtained them
(texturing->exporting model+animation)

the main problem is to find a way to export model,textures and animations u want from original game.

[Dazius]

Wow, this guide is just what I needed , thanks a lot blacRyu .

I was already on the process of importing the model of the Raynor Marine unit but after I import it to 3ds Max the animations are all jumbled up and weird :S. I was using the 1.8 scripts when I imported it so I thought that must be it so I changed all scripts/plugins for 1.7b but it's still the same T.T.

Ultimately, I started working on my own animation by converting the model into an editable mesh and making a CAT object rig for it, there was one called marine in the list don't know if it came with the starcraft plugin but it seemed to fit quite well the model I wanted to use it on. Anyway I would like some help with the issue if not I guess I'll just finish doing it by myself but I'm also kinda stuck on that: I'm all done except for the weapon, I can't find the guns model anywhere so I'm not sure if I should animate the weapon as part of the model making some extra bones or something weird for it or keep looking for the gun's model file.

Any help would be appreciated, thanks.

[[S2]BlacRyu]

Wow, this guide is just what I needed , thanks a lot blacRyu .

I was already on the process of importing the model of the Raynor Marine unit but after I import it to 3ds Max the animations are all jumbled up and weird :S. I was using the 1.8 scripts when I imported it so I thought that must be it so I changed all scripts/plugins for 1.7b but it's still the same T.T.

Ultimately, I started working on my own animation by converting the model into an editable mesh and making a CAT object rig for it, there was one called marine in the list don't know if it came with the starcraft plugin but it seemed to fit quite well the model I wanted to use it on. Anyway I would like some help with the issue if not I guess I'll just finish doing it by myself but I'm also kinda stuck on that: I'm all done except for the weapon, I can't find the guns model anywhere so I'm not sure if I should animate the weapon as part of the model making some extra bones or something weird for it or keep looking for the gun's model file.

Any help would be appreciated, thanks.

Hmm I'm not sure, I just tried importing it and the animations looked fine. Are you using Max 8? Are you trying to import the story mode character? Did you import two things in a row without resetting the program?

[Dazius]

well, I'm using 3ds max design 2011.

For the second question I'm using a unit from the campaign It's Jim Raynor in his marine suit though I'm not sure if by story mode you mean the models appearing in the cinematics or the campaign's units.

And last I remember the first thing I imported was that unit and it came already like that. though I did it again a few times and also resetted the program another few.
So, is this only working for 3ds max 8??

[[S2]BlacRyu]

well, I'm using 3ds max design 2011.

For the second question I'm using a unit from the campaign It's Jim Raynor in his marine suit though I'm not sure if by story mode you mean the models appearing in the cinematics or the campaign's units.

And last I remember the first thing I imported was that unit and it came already like that. though I did it again a few times and also resetted the program another few.
So, is this only working for 3ds max 8??

I tried 2011 and had some issues with it so I've stuck with Max 8, that might be the problem. And yeah models labeled SM or story mode are used in cinematics and I wouldn't try to import any of them since they're split up into multiple files.
I saved Marine Raynor to a Max 8 scene, you can see if it works for you in 2011: MarineRaynor.max

[Dazius]

Ok, downloading. thanks a lot BlacRyu. owe ya lot for this .

[Dazius]

ok, so I downloaded 3ds max 2008 and imported the models everything fine up until there but the exporter isn't loading... it says it isn't made for that program :S.

EDIT:
"DLL <C:\Program Files\Autodesk\3ds max
2008\plugins\s2exporter.dlu>
is not made for this program - not loading"

to be more exact.

+EDIT: PS: please tell me 3ds max 8 IS 3ds max 2008 T.T...

[[S2]BlacRyu]

+EDIT: PS: please tell me 3ds max 8 IS 3ds max 2008 T.T...

Sorry...

[Dazius]

*sigh* nvm, back to searching and downloading... btw what year's max is it then?

EDIT: even better do you have a spare link around so I can download the correct Max at last? xD.

[Dazius]

Scratch all that, I'm back on track. Just to clarify when you say to select the geometry filter you mean DE-select it right, 'cause in the filters list they're are all already checked.

EDIT: I'm once again ready to export but it crashes like how you mentioned in the guide but I've done it all right I think. There must be some small mistake or something I'm missing. :S, what can it be? T.T

[[S2]BlacRyu]

Scratch all that, I'm back on track. Just to clarify when you say to select the geometry filter you mean DE-select it right, 'cause in the filters list they're are all already checked.

EDIT: I'm once again ready to export but it crashes like how you mentioned in the guide but I've done it all right I think. There must be some small mistake or something I'm missing. :S, what can it be? T.T

I meant to select only the geometry filter and deselect all the others. When the exporter crashes you should be able to see what it was trying to do at the point of the crash. If it was 'copying skin weights' then look at what part of the model it was working on and use the method I posted about to fix it. If it was doing something else then I'm not sure what the problem/solution is.

[Dazius]

Found it, in the guide you said you had to add a bone if there was only one, thing was the head was just one bone so I added another bone to do the 0 1 switch, but then after I finished I took out the bone. Thx a lot for all the help.

EDIT:

So take an existing material file and open it up with a text editor. Find the lines that say <sampler name="diffuse"> and change the texture on those lines to be the one that your model uses for color.

The texture that appears in the material.material file is a .tga does that mean that we must save our textures in a .tga format too?.

EDIT+: and another thing after I changed the skin's weight the animations messed up again, is that normal?