Implementing Vertex Lighting

From Multiverse

Creating and Importing Models

Creating Assets  •  Creating Collision Volumes  •  Exporting Models to COLLADA  •  Targeting a Wide Range of Hardware  •  Model Conversion Tool  •  Creating Material Scripts

Using 3ds Max

Using the 3ds Max Export Tool Creating Attachment Models Creating Morph Animations Transferring Biped Skeletons Implementing Vertex Lighting

Other Tools

Blender: Static Model  •  Blender: Anim. Model  •  Blender Physics  •  DeleD: Static Model  •  DAZ Studio: Creating Characters  •  DAZ Studio: Avatars  •  Using Poser

This article covers assigning vertex colors to models, preparing the model for export, and exporting the models using the Multiverse export tool. To follow the tutorial, you should know how to use the vertex lighting tools built in to 3ds Max.

A future tutorial will cover how to effectively model meshes for vertex lighting, an overview of the 3ds Max vertex painting tools, and how to use 3ds Max's radiosity solution to create realistic lighting to use in vertex colors.

Preparing and Exporting Models with Vertex Color

Preparing the Model

To view vertex lighting in Max correctly, make sure to check a couple of options for all the objects to which you are applying vertex color.

In the Display Tab under Display Properties make sure that Vertex Colors is checked, and that Shaded is unchecked. If you have lights in the scene, having Shaded checked will combine the two in the view, giving you a distorted picture of the vertex colors assigned to the object.

When painting you vertex colors, make sure that you are painting in the Vertex Color Channel. Check the Vertex Color radio button as shown at right. The Vertex Alpha and Vertex Illumination channels have not been tested, and are believed not to have been implemented in the included Multiverse vertex color shader.

Once you are done painting the model, collapse the VertexPaint modifier into the stack. This is necessary for the tool to export properly. You can always adjust the vertex painting currently on an object later by adding a new modifier, and condensing the layers.

Exporting

Once the stack has been collapsed, you can export the model using the export tool. NOTE: Use the FBX Collada exporter and not the Feeling Software Exporter, because the FBX exporter has the best support for vertex lighting.