SU to MAX via 3DS

v1.0

Model everything in SU 'clean' (This isn't just for bringing into Max, but good modeling in general)
- Use groups (use small objects to build your big objects, it's no fun trying to modify a whole house if
it's all one object)
- make all normals/faces pointing the correct direction. (no purple faces on the outside)
- make objects 'water tight', don't leave missing faces or gaps in models (there can be exceptions to
this, depending on what you're modeling)This is a really big issue if you start using Global Illumination
renderers, like V-Ray, finalRender, Max's Light Tracer, etc. If you just get in the habit early, it will
help you out later.
- Use Layers how you like, you can use these in Max if you prefer, but by no means required or
standard.
- Placing your materials in SU can really speed things up later on. Placement, size, repeat materials;
these will all transfer through into Max, just keep it clean.
- Keep your material editor clean, do not use duplicate materials in your SU model. If two materials
are the same, replace one with the other and get rid of the un-needed one.

Exporting out to 3DS

- The first is deciding what you want to export (choices of Single Object, Objects by Geometry, and
Objects in Hierarchy)
= Single Object is pretty self explanatory, all objects in SU will become a single object in the 3DS
file and Max.
= Objects by Geometry takes each group/component and will create an object for each. Careful,
groups within groups become part of the parent group.
= Objects by Hierarchy is nice as it will create an object for each group/component, even those
inside of other groups. Careful, this can lead to objects not being 'water tight' in the case of
components 'cutting holes'.
- Export only current selection; self explanatory but a very nice feature.
- Export two-sided faces; this is a NO-NO for using Max. Don't use it; if you need 2-sided faces, deal
with that inside of Max.
- Export stand alone edges; this is usually not needed as Max cannot have 'edges' without faces. This
will create loose vertices that makes for messy models.
- Export texture maps; use this whether you've mapped materials or not. This is a feature I hope
@Last finds a way to update. You either get Preserving Texture Coordinates, which helps greatly if
you are mapping an image onto a surface. Or Welding Vertices, which helps in creating the 'water
tight' objects. If you have to choose the Preserving Texture Coordinates you'll want to 'weld' all the
vertices of every objects once you're in Max (I'll walk thru that soon).
- Color By Layer Materials; this helps create a material for your objects based off of what Layer they
are on. I use layers personally, but not for material designation, so I don't check this. (this one is a
preference thing)
- Generate cameras from Pages; This will create a camera for each page you have created. Pages
with isometric views create cameras in Max that are extremely bothersome. I advise saving your work,
deleting pages that use isometric views and then exporting with this option. You can use the isometric
views if you choose, they just cause a lot of problems in Max, not SU fault, just how Max handles
cameras.
- Units; self explanatory again, what unit designation to export as. I personally setup SU for my
preferred unit style before I start modeling, so I normal choose Model Units, as it takes whatever is set
for that SU file.
 - Export (fire away)

Importing a 3DS file into Max

- In Max, choose File>Import and choose your new 3DS file
- Select 'Merge objects with current scene'; this is just a preference of work order
- Un-Check Convert units; this should not be needed as you already did that when exporting from
SU.
- 'Do you want to set the current animation length to match the animation length stored in the 3DS
file?' Choose NO, it always seems to be 30 frames, no matter what options I change in the SU file.
- When the import is complete, everything brought in will be selected (exceptions would be if you
have certain Display options checked within Max, such as hiding all cameras)
- Naming of the objects brought in from the 3DS file is as follows:
= Single Object; 'Model'
= Objects by Geometry; 'Model', 'Model01', 'Model02', etc.
= Objects in Heir achy; 'Model' (which is anything not within a group in SU, if everything was in a
group/component this will be an empty object in Max and can be deleted), 'Group01', 'Group02', etc...,
'Component01', Component02', etc...
- Max 7 (and up) has a Renaming Tool (Tools>Rename Objects), which is an amazing tool. Use this
to clean up naming of your objects to your preferred work order. If you leave objects as how they were
brought in it could cause issues if you need to bring in other objects from SU later.

If you chose Preserve Texture Coordinates you will want to take the following step:

Welding Vertices
- With all of your objects still selected, (make sure only geometry is selected, no cameras, lights, etc.)
add an Edit Mesh Modifier to your stack.
- Activate Sub-Object Vertex mode, and do a Select All command (Default is Crtl+A)
- Scroll down the Vertex mode options and choose the Selected button under Weld.
- De-activate Sub-Object Mode and right-click on Editable Mesh and choose Convert to Editable
Mesh
This step will help keep your models 'water tight'.

Object/Model Correction (these are issues @Last is aware of and are currently working on)
- There may be strange edges shown in the model between certain parts of objects, that should really
not be there if modeled correctly. There's a triangulation issue within SU (which I thought was a
problem with how SU exports to 3DS, but recently discovered it's actually a triangulation issue within
SU itself), you may need to clean this up manually using the sub-object modes to: turn edges, and/or
delete/create new faces.(This is not an issue with just 3DS but all of the export options)
- Fix Hierarchy Link Info settings for each object. If you use groups at all this is required. Under the
Hierarchy tab, choose the Link Info button, under Inherit you'll notice that for each object random axes
will be checked, in order for objects with-in groups to work correctly in Max you'll want every box
under Inherit checked. This can be very painstaking if you have a lot of objects. (These are the two big
issues @Last is working on). So far, this is an issue with only 3DS, I have not seen it with DWG, etc.

Materials
- Open your Material Editor
- Select the first Material sample, and hit the Get Material button, check the bullet next to Scene.
This will list all of the Materials used in your scene, including the Multi Sub-Object materials (using
more than one material in a particular group/component will create these. That is a good thing) If
materials were done correctly in SU, there should be no duplicate materials, only instanced materials.
Hence, you change one and all the instances will update, greatly speeding up the material process.
- FrontColor this is the SU Default material, which will only show if there are objects that did not
get a material applied to it in SU. You will have to decide what you want this material to be, if visible.
- Bitmap materials if you used materials in SU, containing images, Max will apply this map with
the same UVMapping Coordinates from SU, as long as you chose Preserve Texture Coordinates. If
you chose Weld Vertices, your map will be there but you will have to manually add the UVMapping at
this point.
- The Diffuse Channel of the Max material is where your image will be placed. (I won't go into the
other channel options which are used quite regularly once a model is brought into Max from SU, that's
more of a Max tutorial.)
- Make any adjustments you feel unnecessary for a good material.
- Do not move around the materials within the Multi Sub-Object materials as they are placed in a
specific sub-object oriented fashion (unless you are experienced or want to learn and get your hands
dirty; again, a Max tutorial for a different time)

Rendering
- Choose your preferred view and hit the Teapot labeled Quick Render. This will render the active
viewport (highlighted in yellow)

And there you have a Max rendered view.

I won't get into lights as well, that's a whole other tutorial library in itself. Hopefully, this helps people
out.