3ds Max Plugin Upgrades

[N. Sigismund]

When Cyan builds a new version of MOULa, they rebuild all the ages. Cyan's build machine uses Max 7. To build an age, you need the Max file. Max 7 can't read Max files created by anything beyond Max 7.

Andy's doing secret stuff which he dropped a few hints about recently over at the GoMa forum about fan content etc. But the long and the short of it - yeah, fan content. Pretty soon.

[Branan]

Right. If you want Cyan to put your age on their server, you'll need to (supposedly) send Cyan the max file. Until they upgrade to something other than Max 7, they'll need a Max 7 file.

That having been said, the person who said this also said that Uru open-source wouldn't be open source as "you or I know it", and then we got the code under the GPLv3. So I take everything he leaks with a grain of salt.

[TheMagician]

So this means that this issue is not really a technical problem but rather the fact that Cyan wants the 3D Max file?
Because why would Cyan need the 3D Max source file if all they do with it is exporting/building it again with the plugin? Why can't they accept a pre-built file and don't care about which Max version it comes from?
(EDIT: sorry I hope this doesn't sound rude or offensive. I just try to understand the technical aspects of this process.)

[Branan]

Cyan's build system re-exports every age on every engine build, regardless of if the data format has changed. Supposedly, they want to integrate fan ages into this system. Again, I'd take it with a grain of salt. It seems like a fairly poor way to integrate fan content.

[TheMagician]

I think now I get it. Cyan has a system set up where they push a button and the whole game is basically built for a new version of the engine. And part of this automated process is to re-export all ages - just in case anything might have changed in the data structure. And they use Max 7 which is why they need a Max 7 file to include it in the process.

Well I guess we'll have to wait and see how this develops. Of course this would be another drawback for people who want to use 3D Max to build an age for the official MOULa server - although in my opinion Max 7 has all the features you need to create nice ages.

[Branan]

Well I guess we'll have to wait and see how this develops. Of course this would be another drawback for people who want to use 3D Max to build an age for the official MOULa server - although in my opinion Max 7 has all the features you need to create nice ages.

It might have all the features you need, but it's nigh-impossible to acquire legally anymore. And there are other ways to handle data formats changing - Cyan simple isn't working with people who know how (or have the motivation) to do the necessary fixes. This is one of those times where if Cyan had decided to come and talk to the GoW leadership we could have helped them sort it out in a much nicer way for everyone. It's unfortunate they keep deciding to work with people they have business relationships with, rather than the people who know how Plasma works and have been doing age and software work with it for years.

[TheMagician]

Of course being able to use up-to-date modeling software is very important. I can totally understand what you're saying. I've often wondered why Cyan didn't work with the (technically skilled) volunteers from the community who offered their help. But I guess I'm just not thinking about it in a "business" way.