OK These are the steps that I have used to get a complete character shape into the game with my own sequences . I have had no problems since I have started to follow these steps so I will attempt to put them down for you to use and maybe they will help you find out what you are missing . I have found that for most of the times that I had not been able to export a mesh that it was some small oversite that I didnt bother to double check hehehe routine checking is your best friend : ) Also , I got all this Info by reading and re reading Joe Marshuks ( My apologies if I spelt Joes last name wrong ) 3dsmaxdts exporter docs . They give you the full meat and bones of the subject. 1.)ADDING THE BIPED First ,make sure your character is scaled properly { Its on the Docs } ,and centered at 0 ,0 ,0 with its feet just at 0 , and that when you are viewing him/her in the front viewport , that you are seeing the characters back . Then reset x-form on your character I use the box method suggested in the docs , create a box and move it to 0,0,0 . Convert the box to an editable mesh {{ you can make a simple max script to automate making the box ,moving it to ,0,0,0,and converting it to an editablemesh by using this script ---> Box lengthsegs:1 widthsegs:1 heightsegs:1 length:2 width:2 height:2 transform:(matrix3 [-1,0,0] [0,0,1] [0,1,0] [0,0,0]) isSelected:on set coordsys world macros.run "Modifier Stack" "Convert_to_Mesh" }} , attach the box to your character . Deselect attach , go into sub-object mode and select "element" . Select the box , and delete it clicking yes when it asks you to delete isolated vertices . Leave sub-object mode and rename you mesh to whatever you like ( the box trick changes the name of your mesh to box : ) I use bodymesh for my character mesh names. go to your Hierchy tab in the command panle , select "pivot" , Click on "affect pivot only " , and then make sure the characters pivot is set to have the red arrow facing RIGHT , green FORWARD and blue UP . de-activate affect pivot only and your mesh is ready to add the biped .(make sure your mesh is an editable "mesh" not and editable"poly" if you are using max 4 or you will get an error exporting } Create a biped to fit the character and then got to figure mode { located in the command panel under "motion " when you have a piece of the biped selected } activate it , select Bip01 and rotate it so it is facing the same way as your mesh . While still in figure mode , adjust your biped till it is the way you want it , then save the FIG file so you have a root back up . De-activate Figure mode , you can also save your biped now too . I do so I have a back up. Add a skin modifier and add the bones you want to affect your mesh ( I leave out bip01 , and any that end with nub } Do your weighting till you are satisfied , and make sure you have a weight assigned to all vertices , or you will get an error when you export. 2.)ADDING MULTIRES AND MULTI-RES DETAIL LEVELS OK now that your Mesh is ready , we can do a quick recap to make sure its really ready . In the front viewport you should be looking at the backs of the mesh and the biped , and your mesh should be scaled if not well start over If so , select the mesh and click on tools--> snapshot make sure its set to single and mesh . rename it to MultiRes::(NAME OF MESH) ie: MultiRes::bodymesh link MultiRes::bodymesh to your main mesh " bodymesh" add a MultiRes Modifier to MultiRes::BodyMesh then , go to your utilities panel , select maxscript and then choose open script open the adjustLODs.mcr that you get with the torque filepack . you need to install this script which you do by opening it , and selecting all the text you see in the maxscript listener except for the top line " macroScript adjustLODs category:"Torque_Tools" tooltip:"Adjust LODs"" it creates an error when you do it this way , you then drag it all to your toolbar or a tab panel. If it works you'll see a button called adjustLODs or a small window with a blue top. With this done , you need to decide on how many detail levels you want to add. I used 8 so .. create 8 dummies and name them detail145 , detail80 , detail60 , detail30 , detail18 , detail12 , detail6 , and detail3 link all 8 detail nodes to Bip01 select the MultiRes::bodymesh you made and added a multires modifier to. Select the multires modifier from the stack and click generate Then , run the adjustLOD script you installed a window will pop up and you will see little buttons representing the detail nodes you created click each one on , entering these values for each 145 = 1.0 80 = .76 60 = .64 30 = .5 18 = .29 12 = .13 6 = .07 3 = .05 These values arent what you have to use they are just what I used for the mesh I made , change them as you see fit click "apply settings" right click on the MultiRes::bodymesh select "properties" Click on the USer Defined tab and you should see these values if you have done it right MULTIRES::DETAILS = 1.0,0.76,0.64,0.5,0.29,0.13,0.07,0.05 MULTIRES::SIZES = 145,80,60,30,18,12,6,3 select those lines and copy them .Now , select your main mesh bodymesh , and right click on it and choose its properties , click on the user defined tab , and if those 2 lines arent there , paste them in . now you have a mesh with its LOD levels and all you need are the bounds and nodes for mount , cam etc.. so .. 3.) MOUNT NODES , BOUNDING BOXES AND OTHER NODES create a box the fully encompasses your character , click on the hierarchy tab on the command panel , select "pivot" and then "affect pivot only" move the pivot to the players feet at 0,0,0 and make sure you align the pivot to red arrow RIGHT , Blue Arrow UP and Green FORWARD . Name the box Bounds and link it to Bip01. In the heirarchy tab , click on "Link Info " and make sure that you uncheck z for move under the inherit heading now , create a Dummy name it Eye . Link it to Bip01 Head , and move the eye node so it is in front of the head , again , make sure Its pivot is set properly {Like the bounds etc..} Create another Dummy and name it " Unlink" , and link it to the Bip01 Create another Dummy called " Cam" Make sure its pivot is set right , move it to where the eye node is and link it to the Unlink Dummy Create more Dummys for your Mount nodes name them acordingly ie: mount0 , mount01 etc... and link them to the corresponding Bip parts IE: link mount0 to the " Bip01 R Hand " so you cab have a weapon on the right hand etc...   now you are about ready to export the character . You just need a cfg file in the directory where you currently open max file resides. 4.)THE CFG FILE , KNOW IT , LEARN IT , LOVE IT ! I used this in my player.cfg in regards to this demo AlwaysExport: eye cam mount0 mount01 Mount02 NeverExport: Bip01 Bip01 L Finger.nub Bip01 R Finger.nub Dummy* Bip01 L Toe.nub Bip01 R Toe.nub start01 mountpoint +Error::AllowEmptySubtrees +Error::AllowCrossedDetails +Error::AllowUnusedMeshes -Error::AllowOldSequences -Error::RequireViconNode -Param::CollapseTransforms -Param::findMergeIndices -Param::computeScreenError you will add and take stuff away as you learn , Ill leave that up to you : )just pass the info on for the rest of us 5.) EXPORT ME PLEASE OK , now you have a cfg file , multi res and biped , now lets export and test select your dts exporter , and open your cfg file . now, under parameters , uncheck Collapse Transforms then export whole shape to wherever you want to put your new character in the game dir structure . OK now it should load into the show tool , but you need to do one more thing before the engine will load it . With Multi res added , you need to run unmessdts so the game will load it . You do this various ways , heres what I do. you place the UnMessdts.exe in the same dir as you new Player.dts you exported . creat a new text doc called unmessdts.bat (make sure it has the *.bat extension and not *.txt ). Right click on the unmessdts.bat and select edit add this line unMessDTS Player.dts Player.dts and save it . double click unmessdts.bat to run it and you are done .   I hope this helps some people out and feel free to add to it or let me know what you think . If it gets a good response Ill do one for exporting sequences next. If you want to see my max file for this EMAIL ME AT jokersgrin@telus.net or ICQ me at 42499644 have a good one : )