Data:

OK, unhide everything.  You are now around 80% done with the whole thing.  Next part is the actual data.  This data comes from the Max_Data file.  If you haven't downloaded it yet, get it here.

Once you open the file, you will see enumerated sections with data.  Basically these follow the types of structures you have in place now.  We will start form the top of the file and go down.

First thing is do a find and replace for all occourances of Limey and replace them with the display name of your car, mine is Saleen.

1. Bend Properties

You will notice that there are actually two 1. Bend Properties, the second is labeled for Non-Major data mesh.

Select your data_Chassis and the bend_Data meshes, and go to the Edit pulldown menu, and Properties ( ` ).  Click on the User Data tab, and copy the information into the text box.  Now you are going to have to worry about three things here.  First and foremost, how much does your car weigh - all the detachables.  Second, how big is the bulk of the mass of the car, measured in units.  Easy way for that one is to create a box around your car, that covers it, and see how big it is.  Third is the Center of Mass.  Leave it alone for right now.  We will get to that in another tutorial.

OK, after you have fixed all the data there, hide the two.

Next we take care of the data for Non-Major data meshes.  Select the data in the file and copy it.  In max, click on the select by name, and in the text box above type in data.  everything that begins with data will then be selected.  After you  click select, go to the properties and paste the data into the user data text field.

Here you will have to worry about only one thing.  What is the weight for each item individually.  If you have many items that weigh 20 pounds, mark them all as 20, then go back through them individually and reset the value for what you think that they should weigh.  After you are done, hide all the data meshes.

Select and hide the wheel masters, the meshes for them, the wheel insts and the main dummies.

2. Chassis Properties

Select the main display meshes for the chassis.  Each one receives this text.  In the case where you have a second object which has a different texture you must correct the name of the texture in that mesh's user data.  In the case of my vehicle, the Engine will have to have it's damaged and undamaged names say Saleen_Engine.  So there is no difference if the engine becomes damaged.

If this data were not placed on the Engine all together, the Engine would retain it's map, and never be affected by this.  In this case, If you hit the car in the back hard enough, I don't want the engine to break through.  The rest of the text contains deform data.

After these are all done, hide them.

3. Axis Properties

Click, the select by name button, then in the text box, type axis.  When you press the select button, all the Axis dummies will be selected.  Copy and paste the Axis data from the text file to the properties user data.

Here I have made it a little easy.  there are two things you have to worry about here.  Axis and Maximum rotation.

Axis:  This number tells the game which axis it will turn on.  It is represented by a 0, 1 or 2.  As I have listed in this text:

0 - across the car.  this is a hood or trunk.... or at least a standard one.
1 - vertical.  this is a standard door, if Lamborghini's are standard for you.  Give me some money.
2 - with the car.  This would be like the hood of an old truck, where they would come up from the side.

Max:  This number is given in degrees of rotation.  As far as I have seen it can be any number.  I have given some examples to help.

Hood  -70.0
trunk  70.0
(driver) Ldoor  -80.0
(passenger) Rdoor 80.0

Those are the ones I use most, you will have to experiment with ones that are with the car.

After those are done, hide them.

4. Switch Detach Properties

Using the Select by Name button, Select all the Switch_Detach dummies and give them all this text.  Then hide them.  Basically it tells the game to be able to detach everything that the dummy is attached to.

5. Swtich Deform Properties

If you notice, this text is just like the chassis text.

Select all the remaining switches... you should only have Switch_Deforms left, and apply this data.

You need to be concerned with a few things here.  First, if the object has the map that the map listed in the text.  Second is the softness.  The higher the number the harder the object.  Third is the ease of detachment.  This one is important to make some things come off before others, such as in the case of the mirrors of my car, they should have a really low ease of detachment.  In my case a 0.1 will be placed for them.  Most objects on a car will do just fine with a 0.5.  Some objects may require more or less.  Example:  The bed of a truck should not just pop off.

Once you are done with these, hide them all.

6. Pivot Points Properties

Select all the Pivot points and give them this text, then hide them.

7. Pumper Nodes

Actually Pumper nodes and rotational nodes are not covered in this tutorial.  Perhaps later, for now, skip this text.

8. Glass Properties

This is the specialized body text for glass.  At this point, you can hide everything but the windows.

Select them all, and give them this text.  You are to be concerned with two things. First, are using the same map.  If not, correct the names here.  Second, what is the crush type.  Crush type is a directional number so that the game knows if the car is hit on a certain side, only that glass breaks.

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