Apply a bunch of .dds textures to a model

[Anonymous]

Ive got a model file that got to show up in 3DS Max 2015, but without textures. I was able to gain the corresponding textures, they are in .dds format. There are like 30-40 files. What is the fastest way to apply all those .dds files to the model?

Thanks in advance.

[Anonymous]

Why did nobody respond to this?  I have the exact same problem and have been trying to find the answer for some time now.  These **** .DDS files are getting me nowhere.

[miledrizk]

Hi,

You'll find attached a zip file containing a free plugin called Multitextures that will help you in your task

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1e_y4g7WxRheg_F9Zd4QyLDiWVn2DHk6_/view?usp=sharing

to use it:

1- Unzip

2- Choose the one corresponding to your version of Max

3- copy Paste it in: C:\Program Files\Autodesk\3ds Max 201xx\plugins

4- Open Max, go to the material editor, choose an empty slote, click the button next to diffuse and you'll find the Multitexture, double click it

5- Click Manage Textures, In the dialog that opens click Add Bitmap, go to the textures file and load them all

6- The textures will be applied based on the faces ID

[Anonymous]

Thank you for the quick reply.  While your tool and guidance did help with me getting the .DDS files into the program, I now apparently have to deal with the issue that these .DDS files are exceptionally troublesome and only appear as blackness in the preview, and as nothing at all when I try to apply them to the selected model section.  I got these .DDS files from an unpacked .TPF, and they've been nothing but a problem.  They are all I have, though, as the .TPF on its own is useless.

[miledrizk]

When you say Preview, do you mean rendered or inside the viewport?

And did you use the option in the material editor(in case you're talking about the viewport) called Show Shaded Material In Viewport?

If the case is the viewport thing, try a test rendering and see how they're coming out.

[Anonymous]

I included a picture as to what I mean.  All shows up as black, and when I select the Texture Bitmap and press the Assign Material to Selection button, after choosing the section of the model I want, nothing seems to happen.  I'll be the first to admit that I'm new to this program, but I feel like I'm missing something.

I'm trying to locate that Show Shaded Material button you were talking about.  EDIT: Found it, but it just made the model black too, and the rendering also.

[miledrizk]

I saw the image and you're doing it wrong,

You need to create a material then add the texture to that material as a diffuse map

1- right click in the "View 1" window and choose Materials

2- Well in my case i have Vray so i have two choices, Standard and Vray, lets go with the Standard(Both works), and choose, from the list

Standard. Now we have our material

3- Right again in that window again, the "View 1", and now choose Maps. then Standard, then Multitexture

4- connect the Multitexture to the diffuse color

5- Double click the Multitexture so you can see its Parameters on the right side

6- Now open the Manage Textures, and you already know what to do next

note: the Show Shaded material in the viewport is located top left, the 8th from the right

[Anonymous]

I still have the issue, but I'm pretty sure it is because of the .dds files themselves.  They are not normal .dds files, as they are assets from game files that were previously packed in a .tpf file.  I used BinderTool 0.5.2 to unpack them and gain access to the .dds files, but they don't seem to function like normal ones do.  No programs will recognize them properly, and so far, only Maya has been able to actually show them.  Maya wouldn't let him export them as something else, though, so my end goal of getting these textures into Unity is sort of dead in the water.

I do thank you for your help and patience, but unless you've got some experience with Dark Souls 3 stuff, I think this might be a dead end.

[miledrizk]

Well, if you like, you can attach two of these dds files and i will try them with my 3dsmax.

I can open .dds files with XnView photo viewer normally by the way.

Edit: true i don't have experience with Dark Souls, But i don't think that the textures problem is related to it.

Maybe you're right on something and that it might be something wrong with dds files themselves 

[Anonymous]

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rNj6qHpl_yS7tanPHMkDQ-__sU8Mo3VH/view?usp=sharing (Unpacked and Converted Model to OBJ)

That is the .DDS files, and the OBJ model.  I wish you the best of luck. 

[miledrizk]

Hi,

You'll find attached the same folder, but with two differences:

1- the textures are fixed so now you can see them in a photo viewer like XnView

2- You'll find a Max file with the model textured using those textures

Note: i only added them as diffuse maps, but i'm sure some of them will be also used as normal bump or something,

but now it's your job 🙂

Also one of them is black, but maybe it was mean like this

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Rh8nm_qIrUPR-6mwcqEzlsCbDAB_yizQ/view?usp=sharing

[Anonymous]

Well, I can see the textures, so that in itself is exciting.  I apparently need to get your Vray Render thing to see the textured model you provided, but I'll try and get that shortly. 

Either way, you've helped me out immensely, and I thank you for that.  I should be able to work with what you've given me.  Thank you again.

[miledrizk]

you welcome! 🙂

And this is a screenshot of my Max file with the material editor opened,

I actually didn't use any Vray thing here,

By the way, i forgot to explain how the textures were fixed, just in case you got this problem again,

I just opened them with my XnView photo viewer and save them again without doing anything! :))

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1I8FFjPhdQo3F3il009FPM9iTL6HCDw4d/view?usp=sharing