Help with Downloaded Model Needed

[mrbisonm]

Well, I downloaded this 3ds model, imported it into gmax and want to modify and texture it. Only one problem, the whole model is in one piece and I cannot take a wall out, change the windows and doors nor texture it without texturing the whole model..... Hm. I thought that it was grouped at first, but I cannot ungroup it neither.

Question is: How do I bring this model back into individual pieces, so I can modify and texture the darn thing? I'm sure that it hasn't been modeled in one piece...now has it?

Thanks

Fred

[cogeo]

There are two ways:
- Start detaching objects from the single original mesh (it is a mesh, isn't it) and converting them to individual objects. Give them meaningful names as you detach them.
- Apply an Edit Mesh modifier, go to Faces selection mode, and start selecting faces and applying the desired materials on them. Materials will be applied to the selected faces only, creating long multi-material lists. Far more complicated and hard to handle. And UVW maps are applied to the whole object, rather than on a selection, so you may be facing texturing problems.

So select the first method.

[mrbisonm]

I tried to make an editable mesh, using the faces and it seems to work, but the pieces are in triangles only and there seem to be hundreds of them......oh boy.
Now as for the first recommendation, how do I detach a piece? As I said above, the model is in one piece, nothing there to detach, as much as I know.

I have no idea if the model is a mesh or not, what if it isn't?
Thanks for the help and please, be specific, 'cause gmax is not my speciality.

Fred

[cogeo]

The model can be either a mesh or a poly (can't think of anything else). In both cases the procedure is the same.

Expand the Edit Mesh or Poly tree, and go (preferably) to Elements selction mode. Clicking on an element, will select all related faces (most probably the one big object was made by attaching multiple objects). You will see a message like "24 faces selected", although you only clicked once. Then, in the Edit Geometry pane, click the "Detach" button.

A Tip: selecting specific elements or faces in a complex model can prove really hard. Selection can be aided by clicking the <Ctrl> or <Alt> buttons while selecting, which cause the newly selected items to be added to or removed from the current selection. Also the selection area can be circular, instead of rectangular, if this helps.

I undersrtand the procedure is tedious, but unfortunately can't think of a more "automated" way. Maybe some BAT experts on this site could help out.

[mtg]

The model doesn't look that complex, try recreating it yourself. It will take at least the same time to model as it would to detach this model

[mrbisonm]

Thanks cogeo, that did the job. I opened the mesh, selected Elements and started to delete those that I didn't want and textured those I kept. It went just fine. Now I will add the modifications that I had in mind. Thanks.
Doing it this way is easy enough and not too much time consuming to save some time remodeling the whole thing.

The model doesn't look that complex, try recreating it yourself. It will take at least the same time to model as it would to detach this model

Thanks for the idea, but in this case I saved a lot of time creating walls, roofs and roof appliances, just what I wanted.....let's say, I was a little lazy this time. Usually I would have just remade the whole thing from bottom up, but time is getting short to do so these days.
I thought about redoing it. Thanks.

Much appreciated, folks.

Fred