importing from maya to 3ds max?

[chickentech]

I'm taking this 3d animation class right now and unfortunately we're using maya 8 and not 3ds max 8. even worse this class so far has been moving at a crawling pace. all we're learning is the very basics of maya and modeling right now. so since I've had a lot of free time at school I modeled this really cool dragon in maya. the problem is I just can't make it good enough in maya with the knowledge I know about it, and it will take forever before the class will actually teach me how to make it better. so now I want to import it into 3ds max 8 so I can refine it, rig it, animate it, and render it. soooooooo does any one know how I can export it from maya 8 and import it into 3ds max 8? all it is so far is a mesh.

all help appreciated.

[geldslaw]

you shouldn't have a problem exporting it as a 3DS object file. I think you're lucky to be getting exposeure to both applications. Maya is a fantastic animation tool, emtremly powerful and has some amazing features for both modelling, texturing, lighting and rendering.

If you find the class really slow then work through the maya helpfile tutorials it will keep you busy till things pickup. One of the many advices I have recieved is you can;t specialise in everything but many modellers and animators have found it easier to find work because they could work in either maya or max, some even had to learn lightwave.

basically whatever will help pay the bills, just do

[chickentech]

ok so I am able to import a simple object into max now but when I import my dragon it comes up with a warning telling me that theres several cases where 2 vertices share the same coordinates. so I try selecting all the vertices and apply a merge on them and give it a ridiculous distance so half the vertices on my model are merged and it still tells me the same verts share the same coordinates. and it crashes max if I don't fix this so what do I do?

And while on the subject of specializing in programs and such I just want to really specialize in max in all aspects of it. I don't plan on doing 3d as a job but just as a hobby. so being I would be the only one working on a project I want to become really good in as many areas of max as possible. however I want to learning how to do special fx more than any other area. In fact my friend is considering having me do special fx for a short video he might make. which is great because that sexactly what I want to specialize in, and what I don't know how to do. so I need to learn how to add 3ds max footage into live action footage and make it look good enough to be cool and not cheesy.

I know maya is powerful and all, and I wouldn't have a problem with learning it, but I already know a lot about 3ds max,and its said to be just as powerful as maya. and seeing as it took a very long to get as good at 3ds max as I am, I really don't want to start trying to become really good with maya.

[dragonassasin]

are you trying to import it with smoothing on it

[chickentech]

no I just try exporting what is basical a box cut up and shaped to a dragon, no smoothing or any sort of modifiers like that on it.

[robinmitra1]

you can also try the .fbx format

[chickentech]

thats actually what I used because it won't let me export in 3ds, I think theres a plugin that will let me but I don't know where I could get it

[walwop]

hey

ok u should be able to export what ever geometry as an obj from may to max or any other app for that matter, i think Maya already comes with an obj exporter and if not then u should be able to download it from aoutodesk area, once u have done that just load it up from the plugin manager, and about the problem with verts, i think it would be esier to better answer ur question if u can upload an image of the model and the error

hop this helps