Procedure for exporting rigged and animated characters from 3DS Max 2016

[Agarthan Two]

Hello!  ​

I’ve been scouring the forums and the rest of the net for info on how to properly export rigged and animated characters and animals out of 3DS Max, for import into Object Builder, for use in Arma 3.  But most of the tutorials and info I can find reference Arma 2 or earlier, and O2 or earlier. 

We've opened up a Bohemia issued .max file of the A3 Character with rigging.  It opened in Max just fine.  We're trying to export it out of Max as an FBX so that we can import it into Object Builder, so that we can convert that into a P3D, so we can get it into the game.But when we import it into Object Builder, the rig twists the arms all around.  I haven't even tried actual animation yet, I'd imagine the animation would come out as distorted as the rigging itself did. 

I’ve tried looking at Kiory’s Custom Animation Guide, but that doesn’t seem to be current.

http://www.armaholic.com/page.php?id=23351

These tools are likewise outdated:

https://forums.bistudio.com/topic/80130-arma2-modding-toolbox-for-3ds-max-v11/page-13

https://forums.bistudio.com/topic/76387-3dsmax-arma2-modding-toolset/page-12

So for any regular object exported out of 3DS Max as an FBX, I understand that two instances of Object Builder need to be opened, one to open the FBX, from which you copy and paste the object into the second instance of an Object Builder P3D file.  Then compile it.

But I’m not understanding how this works for rigged and animated characters.  I’m finding conflicting information, some of which state that the model and rigging (bones) need to be exported into separate FBX files.  If so, how are the model and rigging reconnected in Object Builder?  In 3DS Max, the model has a skin modifier that is connected to the bones.  If the model and bones are exported as two separate files, this connection between the two that the skin modifier creates is essentially lost.  How does that connection between the two come back once imported into Object Builder?

As others have mentioned here, exporting to FBX has the sometimes unwanted effect of not exporting all the bones:

https://forums.bistudio.com/topic/158370-modders-resource-new-animation-workflow/page-2

https://forums.bistudio.com/forum/165-arma-3-modelling-o2/

I’m also finding references to importing RTM and BVH files into Object Builder, but again, separating the model from the rigging would seem to separate their connection with each other.
On this page:

https://community.bistudio.com/wiki/Arma_3_Modding_Characters

I’m seeing this:

install VM_s-P3D_Export.mcr (included in A3_Character_Examples_1.1.zip ) into 3dsmax (like this: http://www.scriptspot.com/files/Run&Install_MacroScript.wmv, except our groups name is VM's) or Google "installing macroscripts in 3dsmax"

Is that all I’m missing here?  I have to run this script when I export a rigged and animated character out of Max to an FBX?

Also, what is the proper naming convention for the bones?  Is there any information available anywhere with regards to what needs to be done with the SkeletonPivots.p3d file?  Naming conventions for the layers and such?

Is there any information or examples on the facial riggings?

Did Bad Benson ever create a guide for custom skeletons?

Thanks in advance for any help anyone can give!