FlattenVertexColors

OptimizeVertexColors

SmoothVertexColors

MaxScripts Release 0.11 Beta Source FOR MAX 3.1 or higher (12/4/2000)

WARNING! The Avguard AVG.DLX MAXScript Extension is REQUIRED when used under MAX 3.1
It can be downloaded from Scriptspot.com / Extensions library.

SHORT DESCRIPTION

FlattenVertexColors reduces the color vertices to the count of the mesh vertices (one vertex color per mesh vertex)
by averaging the multiple colors and storing only the average value. This will work great with smooth objects but will
cause smearing artifacts at hard edges. Developed for Alex McLeod.
OptimizeVertexColors reduces only the redundant color vertices sharing the same mesh vertex and using the same color value,
but keeps multiple color vertices per mesh vertex when containing different colors. Results on smooth meshes will be identical
to FlattenVertexColors, but hard-edged objects' appearance will be preserved.
SmoothVertexColors reduces only color vertices sharing the same mesh vertex when the mesh faces using them share a smoothing group,
but keeps multiple color vertices per mesh vertex when the faces are not smoothed. Results are similar to those from OptimizeVC,
but with the added ability to user-control which colors will be reduced by assigning smoothing groups. Developed for Brian Tate.

All scripts are based on similar code and are completely commented.
Please feel free to use the scripts or parts of the code for your needs.

USAGE

Version 0.11 (12/4/2000)

All scripts come in a single ZIP package containing the sources and two simple sample MAX scenes.
To install, run all scripts, right-click a toolbar/Customize..., find the script names in the "Bobo_s Tools" category and drag to a toolbar.
All scripts operate on the active scene selection. Only geometry objects convertible to a mesh and containing vertex colors will be affected.
To use a script, just select any number of objects and press the respective button (Flatten, Optimize or Smooth).
All scripts will NOT change the existing object, a copy will be created instead and the original will be only hidden. The copy will end up as EditableMesh.
Bellow are the processing results of FlattenVC and OptimizeVC scripts with the sample scene objects provided in the ZIP file.

Object	Mesh Vertices	Color Vertices	Optimized CVertices	Optimize Time (s)	Flatten CVertices	Flatten Time (s)
Plane	1681	9600	1681	46.359	1681	46.563
Sphere	114	672	114	0.515	114	0.5
Box	98	576	218	0.484	98	0.469

All results on a PII 400. YMMV.


Original Scene. After running *OptimizeVertexColors*, the scene looks EXACTLY the same (so no additional picture ;o)	Resulting Scene using *FlattenVertexColors*. Sphere and Plane haven't changed, but Box is smooth.

Assigned the same Smoothing Group on both sides of the box's edge. After running *SmoothVertexColors*, the color vertices at the edge were reduced.

DOWNLOAD PACKAGE

Version 0.11 BETA Source