it might be because of that yeah... Max certainly isn't the most bugless program around - and is as diffidult as anything at times.
I'd suggest reskinning, stick to the larger area's and box map them a little more. Connect up the sides which are mapped - doing this cuts down seems alot ... and by box mapping you can stop alot of the warping you'd normally see (which can also cause alot of grief).
try to get as much connected as possible, or atleast closely knit. Try not to overlap unless it is absolutely nessary - also for the lights ONLY have 4.
Create 3 similar to how i've shown in this picture, this gives a realistic Light&Shadow Bake... i've included the rough colour guides too, change to suit. Once your happy offset the topmost light (which is the daylight one) to the side, set the Axis to World and Orientation to World too then mirror copy it (as these light smust be 100% even)
then add the texture with the diffuse colour as what you'd prefer as the ambient colour and then choose a Vertex Colour as the type for the diffuse colour map.
select all of them and then Assign the Vertex Colour using the "shaded" setting and calculate shadows on.
use standard Omni lights if possible NEVER use the Photonic lights unless you truely understand how light interaction works.
someday i really must get around to creating tutorials for what i know.
Within the Epic battle of the fates the Shadow and the Angel will meet. With it will harbinger the very fight of good vs evil!
