Guild of Writers

This page lists some common tasks you may want to perform with the plugin in 3dsmax, and how to do them.

I'll try to provide what some of the words/phrases mean here:

• CommandPanel: This toolbar should be on the right side of 3dsmax. It should have tabs showing Create(an arrow), Modify(a curve), Hierarchy(3 boxes linked to another), Motion(a wheel), Display(a screen), and Utilities(a hammer).
• CommandPanel->Create: This tab of the CommandPanel itself has tabs. They are: Geometry, Shapes, Lights, Cameras, Helpers, SpaceWarps, and Systems.
• ComponentManager: Go to Plasma->ComponentManager to show this. It will be used a lot.
• Viewport: One of the rectangles in the middle of 3dsmax that show your objects from various angles.
• ComponentUtil: Go to CommandPanel->Utilities and click on "More..." then on "Component Util" to show this. It shows the components from the ComponentManager of the currently selected object. Select one of these components to show any properties it may have.

Cookbook

Create a Spawnpoint

1. Go to CommandPanel->Create->Helpers and click on Dummy. (If "Standard" isn't already selected in the dropdown list, do so.)
2. Then click and drag somewhere to create a Dummy (i.e. an object with coordinates and orientation, but no shape. It is like the "Empty" in Blender.)
3. In the ComponentManager, go to New->Type->StartingPoint.
4. Select the Dummy you've created and click "Attach to Selected Object(s)".

You've now made a Spawnpoint!

Create a Light

1. Go to CommandPanel->Create->Lights. In the dropdown list, select "Plasma RunTime".
2. Click on the type of light you want. (RTSpot is like a flashlight, RTOmni shines in all directions, and RTDirectional points in just on direction and doesn't spread out.)
3. Click somewhere in a viewport to create it.

You've now made a light!

Create a collider that you can see

1. Create the mesh that you want to be your ground, by whatever means you prefer.
2. Go to the ComponentManager, and go to New->Physics->Terrain.
3. Select your mesh, and click on "Attach to Selected Object(s)".
4. In ComponentUtils, select the mesh, and select this Terrain component, to see it properties.
   1. "Exact" is like Pyprp/Blender's "Triangle mesh". It will be just like your mesh, but this may be slow if your mesh has a ton of triangles.
   2. "Sphere" will make the collider the smallest sphere that fits your entire mesh.
   3. "Box" will make the collider the smallest box that fits your entire mesh.
   4. "Hull" will make the collider the convex hull of your mesh. (This can be thought of as the shape that would be made of a rubber sheet were stretched around your mesh: it will cover up any openings as if they were not there.)

You've now got your collider!

Create an invisible collider

Follow the instructions in "Create a collider that you can see", except choose New->Physics->ProxyTerrain instead of New->Physics->Terrain.