Merricksdad's Shadow Builder for NwMax/GMax

This script provides a maxscript rollout with functions for exploding copies of meshes into shadow-casting sub-objects. Original meshes are preserved.

version 2.0:

• Added rollout so it doesn't have to be run from maxscript listener anymore.
• Added option to do whole tile or just single mesh at a time. Single mesh shadow dummy will be attached to that single mesh.
• Now processes nested children to any level.
• Whole tile shadow dummy is now split into per-mesh shadow dummy to retain compatibility with animated parts. Each mesh on the tile now gets its own shadow dummy child so moving the mesh will also drag the fabricated shadow meshes.
• Now uses custom raytracing functions to prevent raytrace errors in GMAX. (prevents silent crash)
• Now uses custom adjacent edge functions to prevent meshop errors in GMAX. (prevents silent crash)
• Now uses UniqueName() function to get real unique mesh numbers instead of trying to just add an increment.
• Now uses the face center minus the face normal to determine what is "behind" the face. This reduces math mistakes with very small decimals determining the front as the back.
• No longer checks for pre-existing good shadows (speed boost). This means that simple meshes like a box or sphere that could normally sustain good shadows will get a new shadow dummy and will have good shadows built, doubling the face count of that mesh. Remember that face limit per MDL is 10922. Anything over that will cause parts of the tile to not render, or can crash the toolset or nwmain.
• Now checks for self-shadowing (may still fail on distantly separated mesh parts and parts with very small decimal positions). Suggested to round verts to nearest integer position first. (can be very time consuming)
• Now pre-fragments meshes across >30 degree edges (speed boost).
• Now tries to capture only adjacent faces as part of the shadow subgroup (error reduction).
• Does not weld compatible submeshes back together (speed boost). Will cause ascii models to be much larger than expected due to so many mesh header parts.
• Warning: UNDO is now off by default to prevent memory leaks. You won't be able to undo the creation of a shadow. Save often. Use file auto-increment.
• Warning: Rotated and scaled parts will not make proper shadows. Output shadows will not retain transforms.
• Warning: Animated parts may not make proper shadows, however, the shadow dummy should follow the original part exactly. You may need to remove animations on the shadow meshes or they may animate with doubled rotations and translations. Meshes with transform-animated frame 0 will not be correctly transformed.
• Warning: Can still run out of memory fast in GMAX. Don't do too many tiles at once. GMAX memory leaks also cause for...next loops to break out of scope, so parts may be in the wrong place when that happens.
• Debug is set to false by default. If you want to watch the debug list, edit the top line of the script to read '''debugMode = true'''
• Trimesh modifiers on original meshes should now be retained, though SHADOW will now equal 0 if it was 1 before.
• Now avoids walkmeshes, unfinished meshes (such as polygon, box, sphere, etc.), things prefixed with "ignore_", things colored with "NWN_Walkmesh" material, things prefixed with "wm_" or "WM_", and things with textures including the word "water".

version 1.2:

• Fixed issue with non-convex single-element portion being shadowed inside out if the shape was any type of box. The final parts in the chunking system will now simply be exploded into faces rather than doing a lot of extra work.

version 1.1:

• Fixed issue with non-convex multi-element last portion in the chunking system.

version 1.0:

• The function does not check for self-shadowing, only pivot-oriented shadow errors

To run the script:

1. download into your GMAX\scripts folder, and rename extension from .TXT to .MS.
2. using the maxscript panel, either run the script or open it and execute it once (loads the function and required sub-functions)
3. A rollout should appear with options (version 2+)
4. select an aurorabase object with associated mesh nodes which need to be shadow-checked   (or single meshes version 2+)
5. in the maxscript listener run this command:        buildshadows selection[1]    (use the rollout for version 2+)

What it does

If mesh node children of the aurorabase already have trimesh modifiers applied, the script will check for "shadow 0". If shadow is disabled, the mesh will be skipped.

If mesh node chidlren are able to properly cast their own shadows, the "shadow 1" property will be retained, otherwise it will be disabled. (skipped in version 2+)

Mesh node children without a trimesh modifier will be given one with the proper shadow 1 or 0 property

Mesh nodes which cannot cast their own shadows will be cloned, chunked into elements, and then the builder will process each chunk.

Chunk pivots will be set to their average face center (minus face normal version 2+). Any faces on the chunk which cannot cast a proper shadow will be sub-chunked and the process will repeat.

The last faces may be concave, so the pivot will be moved opposite the average face center across the mesh. (skipped in version 2+)

All shadow chunks are named with a unique index per parent, and then all are parented to the aurorabase.

A somewhat detailed list of what the script did will be dumped to the maxscript listener window. (if debugMode = true in the script)