After many, many moons of contending myself with nearly all forms of modding other than modeling, I have at long last decided to venture into that brave new world...

...but have been stopped from doing so before I could even launch gmax. I recently downloaded the tools I needed, and encountered a problem I have been unable to solve. I installed all the programs I needed successfully, but when I lauched NWmax there were some options for me to select which I had no clue as to what their meaning was. I decided to go along with the options that had already been selected, and was then unable to use the program any further. I tried launched NWmax again, and got the message labeled fatal error:

Interactive 3D Render initialization failed.
Please check your device settings using the -H command line function.

Any assistance in solving this problem would be appreciated.

To get rid of that error launch g-max in command line: %path to gmax dir%\gmax.exe -h Try to select opengl driver if you use win98 or directx for xp/2000.
If not working stay on "heidi: software z buffer".

To get rid of that error launch g-max in command line: %path to gmax dir%\gmax.exe -h

I tried doing that, and unfortunately got no results. I don't know how to go about doing the rest of what you suggested.

when you get gmax working, have fun with it, or more importantly try having fun doing you're first UVmap ;) it's gonna be a blast man, good luck :)

@Emperor Devon: look over Readme.Rtf at "display" section maybe you get some help. "gmax.exe -h" should call "gmax Driver Setup" (http://oldflash.batcave.net/clipboard01.jpg) window. Make sellection as you see in that pic. If still don't work (even after computer restart) the problem is elsewere.
note: run "gmax.exe -h" and not "nwmax.exe -h"

it's gonna be a blast man, good luck :)

I hope it will. :)

I just got gmax to work. Thank you for your help, oldflash. :)