Plugins are used for adding parameters used by Alternativa engine into the modeling environment and provide the ability to set basic properties directy in 3ds max. This eliminates the need to specify these settings in your application code.

Collada extension is the format of the models, storing all these properties.

Package includes 4 modules: A3DCOLLADAMAX, A3DPARAMSGUP, A3DLOD, A3DSPRITE.

• A3DCOLLADAMAX adds the ability to save files in extended opencollada format
• A3DPARAMSGUP adds geometry and container properties panes and provides correct working with lods.
• A3DLOD adds LOD objects support. It adds new LOD object type on create pane and provides a set of tools for convenient working with LODs in 3ds max
• A3DSPRITE adds sprite objects support. It is similar to previous one, but doesn't provide set of tools.

Plugins can be found (discovered) in several places in 3ds max:

1. Create object dialog will have new group "Alternativa", which includes 2 object types: LOD, Sprite.

2. New object rollouts will appear depending on selected object type, see more in setting properties for objects section.

3. Two additional rollouts can be enabled for LODs in utilities tab

4. New format appears in export menu.

Special utilities making work with lods more convenient can be found in Utilities pane.

LOD's distance editor

The utility is desiged for setting levels of detail for the distances to multiple LODContainers (simultaneously).

Each distance field corresponds to level of detail according to order they are set in the list of LODContainer. Set button applies distances to appropriate levels of detalization entered in fields. After the set button is pressed lod's children will be resorted according to distance. Distance will not be changed If 0 value is set for the level. The distance for level of detail more than 5 can be set by entering number and distance in level and distance fields. If Only selected flag is set, changes will be applied only to selected lods.

LOD's level selector

LOD's level selector is designed for changing current level of detail for all lod-containers at once.

Number of level for selection is entered into the Level field. Select button selects entered level.

Level numbering starts from 1. If entered number is larger than lod's children count, the last child would be selected.

All properties, available for storing in model file and loading to Alternativa, are present in additional property rollouts of selected object. The set of properties varies for different types of objects (mesh, container, LOD and sprite). As all these types in Alternativa are inherited from one base class Object3d, there is list of general (common) properties available for all types of objects.

alpha  

Alpha transparency value. Alpha transparency value. Valid values are 0 to1. Default value is 1.

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blendmode  

A value from the flash. Blending mode of the object. A value from the flash.display.BlendMode class that specifies which blend mode is recomended to use.

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aabb  

Property in classes alternativa.engine3d.objects.BSP, alternativa.engine3d.objects.KD and alternativa.engine3d.objects.Conflict.

Flag of child objects partition by planes created through AABB (axis aligned bound box) object sides. Default value is true.

clipping  

Property in class alternativa.engine3d.objects.BSP

Object clipping mode by camera frustum. You can use following constants of Clipping class: Clipping.BOUND_CULLING, Clipping.FACE_CULLING, Clipping.FACE_CLIPPING. Default value is Clipping.FACE_CLIPPING.

ContainersType  

Type of container which handles parsed group in Alternativa

oobb  

Property in classes alternativa.engine3d.objects.BSP, alternativa.engine3d.objects.KD and alternativa.engine3d.objects.Conflict.

Flag of child objects partition by planes created through OOBB (object oriented bound box) object sides. Default value is true.

sortByZ  

Property in class distanceContainer. Determines if objects would be sorted by full distance to camera or by Z-distance in camera space only. Default value is false.

threshold  

Property in classes alternativa.engine3d.objects.BSP, alternativa.engine3d.objects.KD and alternativa.engine3d.objects.Conflict. Geometrical threshold.

CenterAlignChild :

If checked, after adding model into LOD it would be moved to center coordinates of LOD.

Distance:*  

Sets current child object distance.

See also

PickObjects:*  

Turns on adding children into LOD mode. When button is pressed, clicks on the objects in 3Ds max will place them into LOD. Second press turns this mode off.

baseGeometry  

If flag is set, creation of BSP-tree will use object for default geometry (parameter sourceGeometry in BSPContainer.createTree method)

See also

clipping  

Object clipping mode by camera frustum. You can use following constants of Clipping class for setting clipping property: Clipping.BOUND_CULLING, Clipping.FACE_CULLING, Clipping.FACE_CLIPPING. Default value is Clipping.FACE_CLIPPING.

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optimize  

Only for staticBSP and dynamicBSP sorting

See also

sorting  

Faces sorting mode. You can use following constants of Sorting class for setting sorting property: Sorting.NONE, Sorting.AVERAGE_Z, Sorting.DYNAMIC_BSP. Default value is Sorting.AVERAGE_Z.

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splitter  

If flag is set, creation of BSP-tree will use object as splitter (parameter sourceSplitters in BSPContainer.createTree method)

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threshold  

Only for staticBSP and dynamicBSP sorting

Geometrical threshold. It is small quantity where it is possible not to take into account values difference. It is used for building temporary BSP-tree in sorting mode Sorting.DYNAMIC_BSP. Default value is 0.01.

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autoSize  

If true and the texture is set, the size of sprite is synchronized with texture size. Default value is false.

See also

clipping  

Object clipping mode by camera frustum. You can use following constants of Clipping class for setting clipping property: Clipping.BOUND_CULLING, Clipping.FACE_CULLING, Clipping.FACE_CLIPPING. Default value is Clipping.FACE_CLIPPING.

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height  

Sprite height.

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originX  

X coordinate of the origin point. Can be from 0 to 1. Default value is 0.5.

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originY  

Y coordinate of the origin point. Can be from 0 to 1. Default value is 0.5.

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perspectiveScale  

Perspective scale option. If false, size of sprite will be the same regardless of distance to camera. Default value is true.

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rotation  

Rotation angle (in radians).

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sorting  

Faces sorting mode. You can use following constants of Sorting class for setting sorting property: Sorting.NONE, Sorting.AVERAGE_Z, Sorting.DYNAMIC_BSP. Default value is Sorting.AVERAGE_Z.

See also

width  

Sprite width.

See also