Reset Xforms messing up my models?

TSM

So, I was exporting (.DAE) my models into a game engine but the lighting was all screwy ... messing in 3D's max I decided to reset the Xform - this is what happened

After

http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/6697/afterxformyj7.jpg

Before

http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/3190/beforexformuz7.jpg

The lighting in the engine looks like the 'after' shot.

What do I do? Why is this happening? First time it's happened to me.

EDIT: Before I was resetting Xforms on everything, and I just tried piece by piece - still happens. Is there an enhanced reset Xform script? I tried PEN Reset XForm V:0.04 Beta but the GUI won't show up - odd. I'm using Max 2k9.

Mark Dygert

Looks like it messed with your smoothing groups? Try auto smoothing or clear it all and set it to 1.

It might have broken a few verts apart, it might help to weld everything with a really low threshold.

You can also try exporting it as obj, and reimporting it into a new scene.

gamedev

I've noticed some odd things w/ max 2008 and the reset xform. It will sometimes flip my normals and mess up my verts. Collapsing the stack usually helps and welding verts.

-Tyler

TSM

K - Did all of those - what ended up working was creating a box and attaching everything to the box - it fixed all the weird errors ... collapsing the stack / weld didn't (didn't notice a change with the smoothing groups but I did that anyway - didn't hurt).

What's more confusing is now, since everything looks OK in max, is when I export to my engine is that ... well, hardly anything shows up, and if something does ... almost all the verts are welded and triangles are flying everywhere ... I've exported with Autodesk's dae and 'NEWCOLLADA' from feeling good ... this is odd and quite frusterating - ideas?

gamedev

When using Feeling Good's exporter make sure you're exporting the bitangents and normals. I'm sure you are...

And just as a matter of troubleshooting, try making something from scratch, a box, something simple, export it and ensure it looks correct in engine.

Also, if you're not seeing anything, try selecting all your faces and do flip. I've had reset xform flip my faces as well.

TSM

Thanks for the support gamedev - I've imported many objects into the engine and they look great! It's just this scene - also, with feeling good's exporter, there are no options - I just hit export and choose the export and it finishes.

BTW - I downloaded the feeling good's .dae exporter from sourceforge - is that the right location? (this was about a few weeks ago).

gamedev

Doesn't sound right - you should be getting a prompt for export options. I remember downloading it directly from their site.

As other suggested, have you exported an FBX or OBJ and then re-imported it into a fresh max scene then tried the export?

TSM

Not yet, I'll try that next.

I just downloaded a user compiled 2k9 collada exporter ... apparently there are 3 main exporters for .dae, I have them all now!

Thanks gamedev!