   3ds max ASE export: incorrect vertex normals
  Hi all!Maybe this isn't the right place for this topic, but anyway:I exported a model to .ASE with 3ds max 5, to obtain the vertex normals.That worked perfectly. But I exported the same model to .ASE with 3ds max 9, and the vertex normals seem to be un-precise. It is spectacular when using cylinders or spheres, when the vertex normals should be perpendicular to the theoretical surface, which exists when exporting with Max 5. So the cylinders seem a bit twisted with Max 9 ASE.The polygons are triangulated in the same way in both versions. My ASE reading code works fine. So It must be something with Max 9. Maybe there is a plugin for that or I don't know.One thing is clear, The Max 9 swaps the orders of the triangle pairs (making the quads) in its exports.Some shots from the ASE files. It seems that the normals are different at the same vertexes.Max 5*MESH_FACE  568:    A:  331 B:  340 C:  342 AB:    1 BC:    1 CA:    0 *MESH_SMOOTHING 2 *MESH_MTLID 0*MESH_FACE  569:    A:  342 B:  341 C:  331 AB:    1 BC:    1 CA:    0 *MESH_SMOOTHING 2 *MESH_MTLID 0*MESH_FACE  570:    A:  341 B:  342 C:  343 AB:    1 BC:    1 CA:    0 *MESH_SMOOTHING 2 *MESH_MTLID 0*MESH_FACE  571:    A:  343 B:  333 C:  341 AB:    1 BC:    1 CA:    0 *MESH_SMOOTHING 2 *MESH_MTLID 0*MESH_FACE  572:    A:  333 B:  343 C:  335 AB:    1 BC:    1 CA:    0 *MESH_SMOOTHING 2 *MESH_MTLID 0*MESH_FACE  573:    A:  335 B:  326 C:  333 AB:    1 BC:    1 CA:    0 *MESH_SMOOTHING 2 *MESH_MTLID 0...*MESH_FACENORMAL 5680.5398-0.32210.7777*MESH_VERTEXNORMAL 3310.5702-0.58090.5809*MESH_VERTEXNORMAL 3400.5702-0.58090.5809*MESH_VERTEXNORMAL 3420.57020.00000.8215*MESH_FACENORMAL 5690.5398-0.32210.7777*MESH_VERTEXNORMAL 3420.57020.00000.8215*MESH_VERTEXNORMAL 3410.57020.00000.8215*MESH_VERTEXNORMAL 3310.5702-0.58090.5809Max 9*MESH_FACE  568:    A:  342 B:  341 C:  331 AB:    1 BC:    1 CA:    0 *MESH_SMOOTHING 2 *MESH_MTLID 0*MESH_FACE  569:    A:  331 B:  340 C:  342 AB:    1 BC:    1 CA:    0 *MESH_SMOOTHING 2 *MESH_MTLID 0*MESH_FACE  570:    A:  343 B:  333 C:  341 AB:    1 BC:    1 CA:    0 *MESH_SMOOTHING 2 *MESH_MTLID 0*MESH_FACE  571:    A:  341 B:  342 C:  343 AB:    1 BC:    1 CA:    0 *MESH_SMOOTHING 2 *MESH_MTLID 0*MESH_FACE  572:    A:  335 B:  326 C:  333 AB:    1 BC:    1 CA:    0 *MESH_SMOOTHING 2 *MESH_MTLID 0*MESH_FACE  573:    A:  333 B:  343 C:  335 AB:    1 BC:    1 CA:    0 *MESH_SMOOTHING 2 *MESH_MTLID 0...*MESH_FACENORMAL 5680.5398-0.32210.7777*MESH_VERTEXNORMAL 3420.5666-0.11270.8163*MESH_VERTEXNORMAL 3410.56660.11270.8163*MESH_VERTEXNORMAL 3310.5666-0.49750.6569*MESH_FACENORMAL 5690.5398-0.32210.7777*MESH_VERTEXNORMAL 3310.5666-0.49750.6569*MESH_VERTEXNORMAL 3400.5666-0.65690.4975*MESH_VERTEXNORMAL 3420.5666-0.11270.8163Even if you swap the triangle pairs, the vertex normals differ a bit. (the face normals are the same)Maybe they differ, because the swapped pairs, but I'm sure something is with Max 9.Thanks!   
  Hi,.ASE format isn't very stable and I would suggest use .3DS or COLLADA instead (I had problems with .ASE in the past and I really do not recommend using it). If you need really simple information about the geometry you can write script in MaxScript to do that.Best regards,Paool   ;  Thanks for the quick reply!The problem is that 3Ds doesn't store the normal values, so I have to calculate them for myself, which is fine, if I want to use quads, but with triangles it's tricky, because I don't know how to handle coplanar triangles, but it's an other topic.Thanks anyway!   ;  This is not solved yet, so if anyone has any ideas, please let me know!Thanks![Edited by - szecs on July 9, 2009 8:23:11 AM]