Autodesk Exchange (max 2014 and up)
Augmented reality for 3ds Max models
Bringing your 3D models to an AR platform just got a whole lot easier with my latest script for 3ds Max. I’ve written a script for the guys at Augment which enables you to publish your 3D models to your smartphone or tablet. There are many AR platforms available and I’ve covered also Layar on this blog. However Augment focuses on 3D which makes it a wonderful channel to publish your 3D models.
What, how, where?
You can check out the Augment site on how to use the Augment app and what you can do with it. I’ll cover how to use the script I wrote to publish your 3D models. Make sure you have an account at Augment and have your API-key handy. You’ll use this to connect the script to your Augment account.
The script will upload your current 3D model and also unwraps and lightbakes it if you want. You can use a standard lighting setup which comes with the script, or use the lighting which you’ve set up in the scene. The realtime 3D engine of the Augment app doesn’t have a lot features, so lightbaking is a good idea. The engine does support basic transparency though. The script will handle transparent materials as well. Let’s check out the videos.
Download
You can get the script from the Augment site here and it’s also published on the Autodesk Exchange (max 2014 only).
An overview of the Augment platform
Publishing 3D models and texturebaking has never been easier
Working with transparencies in the Augment script
Using your own lighting and unwrapped UV coordinates
22 Comments
Join the discussion and tell us your opinion.
Hi, I have error . I dont even see first “rollout dialog”. It’s says
— Syntax error: at name, expected )
— In line:
Here what i see if i press f11:
— Frame:
— Error occurred during fileIn in
— Error occurred in anonymous codeblock; filename: C:UsersPashaAppDataLocalAutodesk3dsmax2009 – 64bitenuscriptsKlaasToolsAugmentscriptfilesaugmentedev.mse; position: 4303
— Defined in encrypted script
>> MAXScript MacroScript Error Exception: — Syntax error: at name, expected )
— In line: <<
Hi Pasha, the script hasn’t been tested on max 2009. Could you try it in max 2010 or up?
Klaas
Hi there is a way to view on local pc the 3d content? Or is necessary the online mode?
Thanks!
Hi Mark, Augment is mobile only (phone, tablet). You can view the 3D content in the authoring software, such as 3ds max. If you didn’t make the content yourself, you can only use the mobile devices. They have a mode where you can load the 3D objects onto your device so you don’t need a web-connection when viewing the models.
Hi,Again I have script (example):
macroscript PP_Convert_to_poly
category:”PP”
toolTip:”PP Convert to poly”
icon:#(“Maxscript”, 1)
(
— some script
)
I want make a new folder for my icons and attach it to script .I know that icon:#(“Maxscript”, 1) is takes from 3dmaxui folder. But i want it take my from 3dmaxuimymyIcon_16a.bpm . can you tell me how you solve this problem?
Hi Pasha,
I’ve never tried it (until just now). It doesn’t seem possible. Here’s more info on the icons for macroscripts. You could also ask this on cgtalk to be sure. Good luck,
Klaas
Thank you, Klass. But you use your icon somehow in separate folder…Now your icon( from Augment script) stored in C:UsersPashaAppDataLocalAutodesk3dsmax2009 – 64bitenuUIusericons
That is correct, there are many locations you can put your icons in. these locations are described in the link I posted. You can’t (or so it seems) put you icons in a SUBfolder of any of those locations. I thought that’s what you meant.
As long as you put your icons in one of the folders described in the maxscript docs, you should be fine.
Thank you, Klass. Now i get it.
Dear Klaas,
I work in 3DSmax often with imported STL files. I pro-optimise and converted them to meshes, than posted to Augment with your plugin. Everything goes smooth but in Augment my model windows are empty? Any Idea what I do wrong?
Hi Steven,
sometimes meshes don’t turn up immediately in the augment viewport because of the size or position of the model. There are some options in the augment app to center the model and scale it down or up to fit in the screen.
If your model needs to have a specific size in relation to the world you need to make sure that you use the right size marker.
Good luck
Dear Klaas,
Happy new Year!
And thanks very much for the quick help.
My transparancies were not OK. Problem solved.
Best regards
steven
Dear Klaas,
1 more question,
What to do when part of my product turns red in the transparencies. I want to make it opaque.
It doesn’t show up in augment.
Opacity is controlled by the shader settings. The script detects if a material has some kind of transparency. If it turns up red in the transparency viewport preview, it means the script can’t determine if the materials have transparency related settings. This happens with many materials, such as multi-sub, shellac, blend and other compound materials. You can start by exploding the material and object into it’s elements with a single material. Keep in mind that complex shader effects from compound shaders usually aren’t supported in Augment.
I succeeded by changing from PNG to JPEG?
hm, only changing the filetype of a bitmaptexture shouldn’t influence the autodetection. I’d be happy to take a look at the file if you want. I’ve sent you a mail.
hi, I couldn’t download the augment .mzp file – it says it doesn’t exist anymore.
can you help? thanks, bob
Hi Bob, I assume you’re referring to the link which points to the Autodesk Exchange. I’ve fixed that link.
I strongly advise however to get the script directly from the Augment website. Installing and especially updating and uninstalling apps you got from the Autodesk Exchange isn’t a pretty affair. It messes with your ui customization.
Dear Klass,
Thanks for your article and effort to make that script. But i use metaio for developing AR apps. unfortunately there aren’t such script/plugin for exporting 3d model to metaio compatible type.
I have a order that customer needs 10 models in his AR app and give me his models in 3ds format. I’ve read some article about texture baking, but it’s advanced and i haven’t knowledge about this field.
Do you have any plugin/script for exporting to metaio? Or do you have any A to Z article that helps newbie in 3d field to exporting 3d model with texture and light/shadows to FBX?
I need your help, thanks…
Hi Jaki, thanks for your feedback. I’m sorry to say I don’t have a script lying around to get your models into metaio directly! There is some info on texturebaking on the metaio forums: http://helpdesk.metaio.com/questions/10621/3ds-max-export-objects. Though, if you don’t have any experience in this field it can be a bit overwhelming. The complexity of the entire process also depends on your models. Do they have transparency or reflections for instance. Are the models big or small, are they animated?
If you’d like me to help you out, just drop me a line through the contact box at the bottom of the page.
Hi. Please how and where can i download the
Augment application
HarryJaY
harryjay65@gmail.com
Hi Harry, the nature of Augment has changed a lot since I’ve created this script for them. I recommend looking on their site to find out how to get involved: https://www.augment.com/