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Hello, i will try to explain this in full detail so that there is no confusion.

I have 3DS Max 8 and I downloaded the character studio animatoin file provided by TGC. I made my character mesh in 3ds studio creating a different object for each body part, e.g. an object for the left leg, an object for the right leg, an object for the chest, an object for the head, etc. I have a total of six objects making up a biped robot. I only used 3ds max's inbuilt bevel and extrude tools, nothing unusual.

I then go on to apply the biped skeleton to each object, e.g. the left arm object only has the left arm skeleton bones applied, the chest object only has the chest and spine bones applied; and so on until all six objects and controlled by a specific part of the biped skeleton.

Then I load in the animation file provided by TGC, and the mesh is deformed to look exactly like the characters that come with FPSCreator, the mesh deforms exactly to the skeleton and I have no issues with that at all.

Then I apply the unwrap uvw modifier to all six objects. I then apply the same texture, called "texture.png", to all six objects and adjust the texture coordinates to fit the texture.

I export the model using panda exporter 4.8.63.0 I use the correct settings outlined by TGC. I have included a picture of what my model's texture looks like at the time of export (inside of 3ds max 8).

Then I use the 'FPS_Entity_Maker' program that TGC also supplies to create a robot character using the newly exported x model and texture.png

Then I put the x file and the texture and the fpe file into the "user" sub folder inside the FPSCreator.

So then I launch FPSCreator, and my model shows up correctly, the animation works great, everything but the texture shows up great. The texture does not use the same coordinates that I used in 3ds Max. Instead, the texture is simply 'box wrapped' around each object, thus giving the model a ridiculous look to it.

So, my question is, what am I doing wrong?

I will recap so you fully understand my steps:

1. I model the mesh, using six different objects: head, chest, left arm, right arm, left leg, right leg

2. I put the skin modifier on each of the objects and assign bones to each mesh using the biped found in character studio.

3. I then load the animation file (from TGC) into the biped skeletal structure. So then the mesh is deformed to the animation perfectly.

4. I then put the UVW modifier on all the six objects. I assign texture coordinates to fit my texture that is named "texture.png"

5. I export using pand exporter, using the correct settings outlined by TGC.

6. I use the "fpsc_entity_maker" program and create an fpe file.

7. I copy the fpe file, the x file, and the texture and put it in the "user" sub folder inside FPSCreator.

8. I put my model inside a test game and run it, but the texture is not the same coordinates.

I have include a picture of what the texture should look like, and the next post will include a picture of what the texture looks like in game.

Thanks for any help.

You should texture your model before rigging. I think cheese cake also made a thread with a similar problem.

The panda exporter only exports one layer of the modifier stack,collapse your stack after uvw unwrapping the object then apply the skin modifier,which should be the only modifier in the stack when exporting.
If you are creating a robot figure,you may not want to use the skin modifier as it will deform the mesh at the joints you could simply attach the objects to the bones and this will export just as well without the deformation of the skin modifier.

Yep
You should try to export the model first to an FBX file.
Then import it again into 3ds max.

And select every vertex, and weld them.
After that, you can apply the animations.

Hope it works.

Cheers,
Cheeses Cake.

Ok, thanks for all your input everybody.

I tried everybody's advice and I discovered that cheesecake's worked the best. If I export to .fbx (alias format) then re-import into 3ds max 8, then the texture exports properly to the .x format.

Unfortunately, there is a side effect to this process. Any objects that were created using the mirror tool are completely deformed. So i just can't use the mirror tool any more. (especially useful for a robot that's supposed to be symmetrical)

thanks for all the help