Autodesk 3D Studio

Use

You can import and view Autodesk 3D Studio (.3ds) files.

This is the native format for Autodesk’s 3ds Max application. 3ds Max is a 3D modeling, animation, and rendering solution used to create 3D animation for game development, design visualization, feature film and television effects, and education. Additionally, it is the industry standard for transferring models between 3D programs, or for storing models for 3D resource catalogs.

X-Axis Transformation

Autodesk 3D Studio files may have had an X-axis mirror transform applied to objects in 3ds Max. This is called “bad parity”; a term used by the company that created the .3ds file format, Discreet. Failure to detect this transformation means that objects may appear in the wrong position within a scene when you import a file.

The Import Properties window includes an option to fix objects with bad parity (mirror transforms); this is selected by default for all .3ds files.

Texture Paths

Autodesk 3D Studio files have a very limited capability to store texture paths (only eight characters). Therefore, if you have a 3D object in another format with long texture path-names, converting it to .3ds makes the textures disappear. To resolve this, you must move all textures to the directory that contains the model.

For example, a Maya file stored in C:\Documents and Settings\[user name]\My Documents\maya\projects\default\scenes would have textures stored in C:\Documents and Settings\[user name]\My Documents\maya\projects\default\images. If this Maya file was converted to a .3ds file, the texture paths would be lost as they are greater than eight characters.

Supported for Import

  • 3D objects (mesh): name, top, side, local matrix, texture coordinates, and any materials used

  • Animation

  • All other information excluded from import

  • Cameras

  • Light sources

  • Materials: name, diffuse color, specular color, ambient color, texture map names

  • Only 8 character texture paths supported

Supported for Export

  • Animation

  • All textures converted to 2D bitmap formats

  • Splitting into sub-objects if an object contains more than 65535 polygons, vertices, and texture coordinates

  • Only 8 character texture paths supported

  • Scenes saved as smoothed triangle meshes

  • Texture coordinates saved along with the triangular meshes if texture data exists

Features

This format contains both import and export options. You can use them to customize the way in which your file is opened and saved.

Import Interface

Field

Functional Description

Import Keyframe Data

Imports keyframe animation data

Import Animation

Imports the file’s animation

Repair Mirror Transformed Objects

Repairs object data that have bad parity. That is, files that have had an X-axis mirror transform applied to objects in 3ds Max. We recommend leaving this option selected, and only disable it if your scene contains animated objects which appear incorrectly positioned when any bad parity is corrected.

Export Interface

Field

Functional Description

Texture Coordinates

Saves the texture coordinates (u,v) that are assigned to the polygon’s vertices

Remove UV Scale and Offset from Materials

Removes the Offset U and V settings and sets the Scale U and V settings to 1

Export Hierarchy Information

Saves the hierarchical relationships in the file

Export Smooth Groups Data

Creates and saves smoothing groups in the file. That is, the objects do not appear faceted when rendered

Export Local Matrix

Saves transformation and identity matrices for the object

Export Lights

Saves the light objects in the file

Export Cameras

Saves the camera objects in the file

Export Default Camera

Saves the default camera in the file