Tutorial on how to convert .max to .obj with full textures

[Anonymous]

Hi.

I watched a tutorial on Youtube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fc2PuhkPucc) on how to convert a .max file to .obj with full textures. The tutorial worked well for me until I opened a file that has a top and bottom component to it, and translucency (the example file in the tutorial doesn't have the top and bottom component, and translucency). Picture below:

 

So my question is, how do I convert a .max file to .obj with full textures with top and bottom component and how do I convert the translucency part in the slate material editor?

I'm open to any suggestions on how to convert it in a different way. I have attached the files. Thank you for your time.

[RobH2 · Accepted solution]

Unfortunately there is no 100% bullet proof way to convert files and maintain all the textures. Different renderers, VRay, Arnold, Corona, Scanline, etc., all have different shaders and algorithms. The translators (say, .max to .obj) do the best they can but it's frequently not perfect and you'll have to go in and tweak some of them a little and some of them a lot. You can generally count on getting the Diffuse color but things start to get iffy when you start trying to faithfully convert textures that are complex like PBR textures. That's when you need to employ other techniques such as baking, or baking programs like Flatiron or Substances. 

You'll have your best luck if you keep your textures as simple as possible. Try to keep the texture as close as possible to the main texture parent, meaning, don't have 3 or 4 modifiers between your bitmaps and the parent texture. You are just asking for trouble. Then, once you have your .obj imported wherever you needed to get it, spruce it up manually and hopefully you'll at least have your Diffuse texture on it with good UVWs. 

[jon.bell]

Hi @Anonymous,

@RobH2's comments are correct -- complex material trees aren't always going to convert properly to corresponding materials in OBJ format, so simplifying your materials as much as possible before export can help. (On "the other side," blending materials using a gradient bitmap might help duplicate the top/bottom effect.) Hope this helps!