3ds max Exporter
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RailRunner154
Classic railroads forever
In order to get a mesh from 3ds max to trainz, you export the mesh in a .3ds format. You then need Gmax and the trainz game pack to import the mesh. Once that's done, you export the mesh from the trainz game pack in Gmax into either a .PM file or .IM file. You're better going with the .IM extension since .PM meshes are way outdated. Just giving you more details on what to do. 
Sadly, he's pretty much spot on... If you had 3ds max 2009 it'd be a different matter - they haven't ported the exporter to work with 2010.
Most likely all it needs is recompiling against the 2010 API, but so far Auran haven't shown any interest in doing it.
In theory, a 3rd party could produce an exporter that uses the 'new XML format' that 'TrainzImporter.exe' uses, this is how support for blender is done - Auran provided the TrainzImporter.exe program, and the xml specs, and the community wrote a python script to export the xml. Since the XML is well defined and documented, writing a 3ds max 2010 exporter (or anything else that isn't supported, like say a Modo exporter) should be relatively trivial.
Just noone has done it, yet.
3dsMax2009, aside from the work arounds above. When I looked into it a month or so ago from a local licensed dealer, if you own a legitimate copy of 3dsMax and it is properly registered with Autodesk, then you need to purchase something called a "seat license" or something like that for an additional $300 to $400 which then entitles you to receive any and all back issues of 3dsMax, including Max9. (Since this would have run me about $3700 total, I decided to put the whole idea on hold at least for now.)
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You should probably clarify there if you mean 3ds max 2009 or 3ds max v9, they are different things
(afaik, both are supported though - v9 came out in 2006 and was the version prior to 3ds max 2008)
norfolksouthern37
what's a normal map?
3dsMax 2009 32 bit is the latest supported version. this one also works best if you have a new OS like windows 7 or windows vista where 3ds max 9 and below will give you problems as it is not compatible with the GUI styling under those OS versions and also has some other small compatibility issues. anything below max 6 isn't going to work beyond XP due to the license software. the 64 bit versions of these programs will not load the trainz .im plugin.
yeah I got that but can not get it to work.
You don't need that XML exporter, what you need is any of these 3DS Max exporters here, which are from 3DS Max 4 all the way to 3DS Max 12 including some 32 bit and 64 bit versions. Read the enclosed ReadMe file, do what it says there and you can get your Max mesh into Trainz as a xxx.im file and animations as a xxx.kin file.
Don't let anyone tell you, you will need the latest 3DS Max version these Exporters support, I still use 3DS Max 5, which does EVERYTHING I need creating wise although I also have 3DS Max 2009. Just check any of my creations on the DLS, especial my created locomotives.
Happy exporting and creating.
*Edit: Sorry, I should have asked if you use 3DS Max, I assumed you are the OP, hence....
Cheers
VinnyBarb
Don't let anyone tell you, you will need the latest 3DS Max version these Exporters support, I still use 3DS Max 5, which does EVERYTHING I need creating wise although I also have 3DS Max 2009. Just check any of my creations on the DLS, especial my created locomotives.
Happy exporting and creating.
*Edit: Sorry, I should have asked if you use 3DS Max, I assumed you are the OP, hence....
Cheers
VinnyBarb
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I have that dle in my 3dmax plugin folder and it does export IM files But don't i have to make a separate animation (kin) file and if so 3dax will not give me that I only get xaf files as a choice for saving animation ,When I do export the IM file i do have export animation ticked,and nothing. So i export animation as a separate file? (obviously confused lol
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Shortline2
Joined: 28th Oct. 2002
When exporting you write the file ending your self as a .kin file - as in yourfilename.kin and that will make the animation work as it should in Trainz if created like it should for Trainz.
Yeah been there done that and i get the error message as mentioned in the middle of this thread. My question would be it has to me 2 separate files but yet the exporter only lets me export IM files.In 3d max I exported the animation as a separate file,BUT it only let me do it as an xaf file,Do i rename it out site of 3d max because that is the only way I can get that extension to stick ,but as i mentioned above I still get the error fro DLS. when i try to commit it.> Error "Error: Unable to load animation file 'hash-34\kuid 723069 101312\sawmill.kin' (no resource)."When exporting you write the file ending your self as a .kin file - as in yourfilename.kin and that will make the animation work as it should in Trainz if created like it should for Trainz.
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