Data Creation Plug-Ins

The data creation plug-ins are a group of plug-ins that aid in the creation of data for NintendoWare.

They are use primarily to configure NintendoWare attributes for nodes and materials in 3ds Max, and to perform searches for settings.

Data creation plug-ins are run either from NW4R_ForBanner in the main menu or NW4R_ForBanner Material in the Material Editor.

Types of Data-Creation Plug-Ins
Configuring Settings for Each Material

The Types of Data Creation Plug-Ins

The following table shows a list of data creation plug-ins.

Plug-In Name Description
NW4C_ForBanner Set Material Attribute Sets attributes for materials.
NW4C_ForBanner Set Render Priority Sets the polygon rendering priority for materials.
NW4C_ForBanner Set No Compress Node Sets the node compression disable flag for nodes.
NW4C_ForBanner Set Billboard Sets a billboard for nodes.
NW4C_ForBanner Set Combine Group Sets a combine group for nodes.
NW4C_ForBanner Set Force Export Key Sets the forced output of animation keys for nodes.
NW4C_ForBanner Set User Data Allows user data to be set for nodes, cameras, and/or lights.

Plug-In for Setting Material Attributes (NW4C_ForBanner Set Material Attribute)

Sets the NintendoWare material attributes for materials. Note that the settings made with this plug-in are not applied to what is shown on the 3ds Max screen.

Set Material Attribute can be configured in either of the following ways:


Settings by Individual Material

See the section Configuring Settings for Each Material below.


Settings for Multiple Materials at Once

Execute NW4C_ForBanner → NW4C_ForBanner Set Material Attribute to display the window shown below.
You can use this window to change the settings for multiple materials simultaneously or to search for materials. You can select the materials assigned to objects by selecting multiple objects.

Materials whose names are displayed in Selected Material become the settings target. Changes made now to the contents of set items are reflected in those items. The settings can be changed for more than one material simultaneously. The settings are not changed for items that that are not updated.

SetMaterialAttr

Enter the search criteria in the Search field. Click Search to search through the materials registered in the Material Editor and display the names of pertinent materials in the Selected Material field. The name of the material selected inside the Target field becomes the settings target, and its name is displayed in the Set field.

If the and radio button located to the left of the Search button is selected, a search is made for the materials which have the same attributes. If the or radio button is selected, a search is made for materials with at least one of the same attributes. If no radio buttons are selected, attributes are excluded from search conditions.

Plug-In for Setting the Rendering Priority of Polygons (NW4R_ForBanner Set Render Priority)

Configures information for polygon rendering priority for materials. Note that the settings made with this plug-in are not applied to what is shown on the 3ds Max screen.

Set Render Priority can be configured in either of the following ways:

Settings by Individual Material

See the section Configuring Settings for Each Material below.


Settings for Multiple Materials at Once

Execute NW4C_ForBanner → NW4C_ForBanner Set Render Priority to display the window shown below.
You can use this window to change the settings for multiple materials simultaneously or to search for materials.


Enter the search criteria in the Search field. Click Search to search through the materials registered in the Material Editor and display the names of pertinent materials in the Target field. The name of the material selected inside the Target field becomes the settings target, and its name is displayed in the Set field.

Select Don't care (that is, no specified rendering priority) in the Search field, or select a conditional specification and then click the Search button to display the pertinent materials. The following conditions can be selected: under (<), below (<=), exactly (=), above (>=), and over (>). below), equal (= : exactly), over (>= : above), over(> : over). Integers from 1 to 255 can be specified for the numeric value.
If you select All Material, all materials currently in use will be displayed in the Target field.

The Target field can display a list that shows names of the materials that match the search conditions specified in the Search field, and the drawing priority of the materials.

The settings target is the material whose name is displayed in Selected Material of the Set field. Changes made now to the contents of set items are reflected in those items. The settings can be changed for more than one material simultaneously. The settings are not changed for items that that are not updated.

Select the material you want to edit from the list by clicking. Click again to edit the value of "Render Priority." To specify a numeric value, enter an integer from 1 to 255 and confirm with the Enter key. Entering 0 is treated as "Don't care." Polygons associated with materials of lower value will be rendered first. If there is more than one material with the same value, the order in which the polygons are rendered is indeterminate (that is, it will depend on the rendering routine).

Plug-In for Disabling Node Compression (NW4C_ForBanner Set No Compress Node)

Sets a flag so objects and nodes are not compressed even if the node compression feature is enabled. It is also possible to search for settings.
To display the window, click NW4C_ForBanner → NW4C_ForBanner Set No Compress Node.

SetNoCompressNode

Setting Attributes

When an object or node is selected (multiple selections are possible), the Set field displays current settings for the selected node(s). If multiple selections were made, the setting for the node selected first is displayed.
The flag for disabling node compression can be changed by clicking the combo box. It is possible to make multiple selections and change all selected nodes at once.
If Compress this node if possible is set, compression will be performed when the node compression function is enabled. This is the default.
If Don’t compress this node is set, compression will never be performed even if the node compression function is enabled.
A different node can be set by selecting it without closing the window.

Searching for Attributes

Select a Search field check box and click the Search button to select the corresponding objects or nodes.

Plug-In for Setting Billboards (NW4R_ForBanner Set Billboard)

Sets a billboard for nodes. However, the settings are not reflected in the Work View of 3ds Max. It is also possible to search for settings.

To display the window, click NW4C_ForBanner → NW4C_ForBanner Set Billboard.


Billboard Coordinates

The billboard feature is suitable for use when the z direction of local coordinates for a node is being used for the view direction.
However, because the coordinate system under 3ds Max is different from the NintendoWare coordinate system, be sure to create so that surfaces facing in the view direction under 3ds Max represent the -y axis direction under the local coordinate system.
This can be set easily using origin adjustment or X form reset.


Setting Attributes

When a node is selected (multiple selections are possible), the Set field displays current settings for the selected node(s).
If multiple selections were made, the settings get displayed for the node that was selected first.

Billboard mode can be changed by clicking the combo box. If multiple nodes are selected, they can all be changed at once.

In the description below, the Z axis represents the -Y axis in 3ds Max, and the Y-axis represents the Z-axis in 3ds Max.

Searching for Attributes

Select a Search field check box and click the Search button to select the corresponding nodes. If multiple check boxes have been selected, a search is made for nodes that satisfy any of the settings.


Plug-in for Setting Combine Group (NW4C_ForBanner Set Combine Group)

By specifying a combine group for nodes you can set the range that will be integrated upon optimization.
To display the window, click NW4C_ForBanner → NW4C_ForBanner Set No Compress Node.

SetCombineGroup

Setting Attributes

When an object or node is selected (multiple selections are possible), the Set field displays current settings for the selected node(s). If multiple selections were made, the setting for the node selected first is displayed.
It is possible to make multiple selections and change all selected nodes at once.

If Don't Care is selected, the value of the parent node is inherited. If the parent also has been set to Don't Care the combine group is not exported. This is the default.
Values in the range of 0-255 can be set for Combine Group.

If you select multiple nodes and press Set Sequential, the node hierarchy will be configured from shallow to deep while incrementing the count one at a time from the specified value. If the value exceeds 255, a warning will display and the configuration process will not proceed.

Searching for Attributes

Select Don't care (no specified combine group) in the Search field, or select a conditional specification and then click the Search button to display the pertinent materials. The following conditions can be selected: under (<), below (<=), exactly (=), above (>=), and over (>). below), equal (= : exactly), over (>= : above), over(> : over). Integers from 0 to 255 can be specified for the numeric value.

Plug-in for setting the forced output of animation keys (NW4C_ForBanner Set Force Export Key)

This plug-in sets the forced output of animation keys for nodes. It is also possible to search for settings.
From the NW4C_ForBanner menu, run NW4C_ForBanner Set Force Export Key to display a window.

Selected file nodes are displayed in the Selected Nodes column.

Setting Attributes

When a node is selected (multiple selections are possible), the Set field displays current settings for the selected node(s).
If multiple selections were made, the setting for the node selected first is displayed.
Animation key output settings can be changed by clicking the check box. If multiple nodes are selected, they can all be changed at once.



A different node can be set by selecting it without closing the window.

Searching for Attributes

Select the Search field check box and click the Search button to select the corresponding nodes. If the and radio button located to the left of the Search button is selected, a search is made for the materials which have the same attributes. If the or radio button is selected, a search is made for nodes with at least one of the same attributes. Items for which no check boxes are selected are excluded from search conditions.

Plug-in for Setting User Data (NW4C_ForBanner Set User Data)

This function sets user data for a node.
From the NW4C_ForBanner menu, run NW4C_ForBanner Set User Data to display the window.

Setting Attributes

If only one mode is selected, current settings for the selected node are shown in the window.
The lower part of the window displays a list of configured user data.

New user data can be added by clicking the Add button.
The name and content of existing user data can be changed by selecting an item in the list and clicking Edit.
Selected user data can be deleted by selecting an item in the list and clicking Delete.
The order of user data can be changed by selecting an item in the list and clicking Move Up or Move Down.
To set a different node, select it without closing the window.
A user data entry window can be displayed by clicking Add or Edit.

User data can be added or changed by clicking OK. An error is displayed in a message box if an illegal name, string, or numeric value is entered.

Configuring Settings for Each Material

The NintendoWare data creation plug-ins have been designed to allow the search and configuring of multiple materials simultaneously.

However, you can also configure the NintendoWare material information separately for each material in the Material Editor. To do so, follow this procedure:

To add material information for NintendoWare, select a material and execute Add Material Attribute from the NW4C_ForBanner menu of the Material Editor.

add_mat_attr

The information shown below gets added automatically when you use the aforementioned plug-in. This is a way to directly change the settings for individual materials.
To delete the NintendoWare information that has been added to a material, execute Delete Material Attribute from the NW4C_ForBanner menu.

add_mat_attr_2

User data can also be set for materials.
A configuration window is displayed if a material is selected and Set Material User Data is executed from the NW4C_ForBannermenu of the material editor. For information on how to make settings, see Plug-In for Setting User Data (NW4C_ForBanner Set User Data).

SetUserData3

If material settings have been made under [Multi/Sub-Material], the same material information is output for all sub-materials.
Also, different material information can be set for each sub-material by setting separete material information for each sub-material.
Multi/sub-material information is output if material information has not been set for sub-materials.

The setting or deletion of additional information specific to NintendoWare will not effect the Work View or data configuration under 3ds Max.

Making Settings Using MAXScript

Instead of making setting using the data creation plug-in, you can also use MAXScript.
Note: For details on MAXScript, see the MAXScript reference included with 3ds Max.
Note: Internal changes to settings values may not always update for real-time display on 3ds Max.

Settings for Nodes

The Plug-in for Disabling Node Compression and Billboard Setting Plug-in are used to make settings for nodes.

/** Example of adding to Box01 **/
-- Gets custom attributes from a node
local nodeAttr = $Box01.custAttributes["NW4C_ForBanner Node Custom Attribute"]
-- Adds only if custom attributes are not already set
if nodeAttr == undefined do
(
  nodeAttr = nw4c_node_custom_attribute()
  append $Box01.custAttributes nodeAttr
)

/** Example of changing setting values **/
$Box01.noCompress = true

/** Example of deleting **/
deleteItem $Box01.custAttributes "NW4C_ForBanner Node Custom Attribute"

Plug-In NameItemValues that can be set
Setting for disabling node compressionnoCompresstrue, false
Billboard settingbillboardType0:Off, 1:World, 2:World Viewpoint, 3:Screen,
4:Screen Viewpoint, 5:Y Axial, 6:Y Axial Viewpoint
Combine Group SettingscombineGroup-1: Don't Care, 0-255: Combine group
Forced animation key output (Scale)exportScaleKeytrue, false
Forced animation key output (Rotate)exportRotateKeytrue, false
Forced animation key output (Translate)exportTranslateKeytrue, false


Settings for Materials

The Plug-in for Setting Material Attributes and the Plug-in for Setting the Rendering Priority of Polygons are used to make settings for materials.

/** Example of adding to Box01 material**/
-- Gets custom attributes from the material
local mtlAttr = $Box01.material.custAttributes["NW4C_ForBanner Material Custom Attribute"]
-- Adds only if custom attributes are not already set
if mtlAttr == undefined do
(
  mtlAttr = nw4c_mtl_custom_attribute()
  append $Box01.material.custAttributes mtlAttr
)

/** Example of changing setting values **/
$Box01.material.fragmentLighting = true

/** Example of deleting **/
deleteItem $Box01.material.custAttributes "NW4C_ForBanner Material Custom Attribute"

Plug-In NameItemValues that can be set
Material attribute settingfaceCulling0:Back Face, 1:Front Face, 2:Always, 3:Never
Material attribute settingfragmentLightingtrue, false
Material attribute settingvertexLightingtrue, false
Material attribute settingcompress0:Compress if possible, 1:Don’t compress
Material attribute settingblendMode 0: Auto, 1: Opaque, 2: Alpha Test, 3: Translucent, 4: Add, 5: Sub, 6: Multiply
Polygon Rendering Priority SettingrenderPriorityType0:Don't care, 1:Use renderPriority
Polygon Rendering Priority SettingrenderPriority1(High Priority) - 255(Low Priority)



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