Transparency in water

[nbvc]

Hi,

I'm trying to build a canal lock, but when I plop it in the water it doesn't look good.

The water doesn't go close to the lock. Is there something I have to set before I export it?

[Diggis]

What is happening is your LOD isn't tight to the model.  You would need to make a custom LOD that steps in. around the Gates.

[joelyboy911]

I recommend the BAT4MAX4GMAX utilities which contains a tool for automatically generating custom, tight fitting LODs.

[nbvc]

Could someone of you please explany how to do this? I just started working with the BATeditor. Do you mean the utilities in the BAT editor where I can export my model? I tried the 'Re-fit LOD's" button, but it didn't help.

[joelyboy911]

Ah, sorry for the confusion. The tool for creating a complex LOD comes in the BAT4MAX set which you don't need (since you have GMAX) but it contains the gmax4BAT4max tools, one of which is the complex LOD tool. I don'r have a download link handy I'm afraid.

[MandelSoft]

Copy your models 3 times and call them LOD3, LOD4 and LOD5.

[RebaLynnTS]

Make several boxes that exactly match the dimensions of your model. Name them A01, A02, etc (this will make them easy to find later). I generally make a small square box that I place in the center point of the scene and name it LOD3. Apply a mesh to LOD3, click on the "Attach List" button of LOD3's mesh settings roll out. Select all the boxes named A##, and poof, complex LOD. You only need to make LOD3, as BAT will copy it for you, and make the rest of you LODs (4 & 5).

Hope this helps.

[nbvc]

Thanks. Creating the LODs helps. Now I have to work on my 3D modeling skills.