So recently I've been working on the halo 3 resupply pod textures(didn't like the reflections) and in doing so found out that some of the verts weren't welded on the model, making the faces not smoothly roll the reflections correctly. So i imported it into max, welded the verts, deleted all smoothing groups and redid them all. Exported the model, compiled it, recompiled the map and looked again. And the entire interior, and several random faces across the outside, have completely vanished. At first i thought they were flipped, or the textures weren't assigned correctly. So i checked the textures, and everything was fine there. So i imported the new model. The faces are just gone, deleted. So i was wondering what caused this problem, and how to fix it. Is it an exporting error, a compilation error, or what? Thanks for any help anyone can offer.

They could have been detached from the model or deleted before you exported. That's the only possible reason for that. If you are looking for a fix, revert to the original model or create the faces again and re-UV.

I have the model in max. The faces are attached to the same geometry, and welded verts. I have tried re-exporting, but still the same result. In max, the model's fine. Once exported and compiled, it's damaged :/
Edited by grunt_eater on Dec 12, 2013 at 02:36 AM

Well, You can check if the faces are in the jms file (open in notepad). If they are then it's the compiler, if they aren't then it's the exporter. You can try a different exporter. Also:
Does the model have regions?
Is the model animated?

It's a piece of scenery. No regions, just one mesh. Not animated, just a mesh attached to a base node. How would i know which faces are the ones i'm looking for the in JMS file? It's all just a bunch of numbers to me.

Look in the indices array. Faces are usually defined by vertex numbers (line from vertex 1 to vertex 2, line from vertex 2 to vertex 3, line from vertex 3 to vertex 1) is 1 face, of course it won't look like that.

What jms exporter do you use?
Have you tried deleting those faces and creating them again?
Do you get any tool errors?
What 3ds max version?

For some reason I think the problem has something to do with the collision.

edit
Do you have teamviewer? I'll help you personally. PM me.
Edited by Banshee64 on Dec 12, 2013 at 02:56 AM

I'm using bluestreak. It's a model exported from halo 3, ported to ce, not by me, but it had errors, so i imported it to max and fixed them, but i didn't alter any geometry. No tool errors. 3ds max 2011. I doubt the collision's the problem, i haven't touched it and the only difference in the model itself is that i fixed smoothing groups. I don't have teamviewer, and it's 2 Am and i have to work in the morning, so i'm actually going to bed right now and i'll try to sort this some more tomorrow. Thank you for being so dedicated, though.

...did you convert to editable mesh before exporting?