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Plan for Matt Summers
Plan for Matt Summers
| Name: | Matt Summers |  |
|---|---|---|
| Date Posted: | Nov 16, 2004 | |
| Rating: |  4.8 out of 5 | |
| Public: | YES | |
| Comments: | YES | |
| RSS Feed: |  or Subscribe with  . | |
| Profile Page: | View profile page for Matt Summers |
Blog post
Full steam ahead on the Softimage XSI 4 DTS exporter...
Work is progressing nicely on the Softimage XSI 4 DTS exporter. Right now I'm writing the helper tools that automate all of the setup involved in creating a DTS shape, but everything will still be able to be setup manually for people who like to understand whats going on under the hood. Here's screen capture of the work in progess version.
Some of the cool features I'm working on are a DTS setup validator that scans the scene and list problems before you even export (my selfish attempt at reduceing support) and auto collision shape generation similar to the auto bounds generation in some of the other DTS exporters. i.e. it will auto-magically create a collision box the volume of selected object(s). You'll also be able to export a .CFG file from the GUI as well, for those people out there that fear text editors.
Docs will be built right into the exporter UI so no one will be able to use the excuse that they couldn't find them. (you know who you are people) :)
Some of the cool features I'm working on are a DTS setup validator that scans the scene and list problems before you even export (my selfish attempt at reduceing support) and auto collision shape generation similar to the auto bounds generation in some of the other DTS exporters. i.e. it will auto-magically create a collision box the volume of selected object(s). You'll also be able to export a .CFG file from the GUI as well, for those people out there that fear text editors.
Docs will be built right into the exporter UI so no one will be able to use the excuse that they couldn't find them. (you know who you are people) :)
Recent Blog Posts
| List: | 10/05/05 - Plan for Matt Summers 11/16/04 - Plan for Matt Summers 08/20/04 - Plan for Matt Summers 07/27/04 - Plan for Matt Summers 06/18/04 - Plan for Matt Summers 04/09/04 - Plan for Matt Summers |
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Submit your own resources!| Timothy Aste (Nov 16, 2004 at 04:19 GMT) |
I've been playing around with XSI a little in my spare time. Half-Life 2 & all....
:-)
| Josh Moore (Nov 16, 2004 at 05:20 GMT) |
| Hokuto (Nov 16, 2004 at 11:51 GMT) Resource Rating: 5 |
I'm the proud owner of a new license of XSI 4 Fnd. A Torque DTS exporter sounds plain cool!
Great Stuff... keep us posted
| Jess Pugsley (Nov 29, 2004 at 23:05 GMT) Resource Rating: 5 |
bummed that there wasn't an exporter. I've bookmarked your plan and I am following the forum thread.
Keep up the good work. I am one of those Indies that feels XSI is a godsend for us.
| Allan Brown (Nov 30, 2004 at 20:44 GMT) Resource Rating: 5 |
| Alex Rice (Jan 14, 2005 at 06:09 GMT) Resource Rating: 5 |
How much of the exporter matrix features will be implemented?
http://www.alexswanson.com/torque/dts/
How will it deal with the Motion Mixer and the node-based surfacing systems that XSI has?
| Matt Summers (Jan 14, 2005 at 23:44 GMT) |
The exporter will support the entire DTS feature set.
Animation is handled by dealing with the positions of objects, bones, nodes, etc at the time keyframe data is handed off to the exporter so it is very independent of what is driving the animation in XSI. This allow is you to use fcurves, the motion mixer and most of the animation tools in XSI to control your animation.
We are going for a minimalist approach with dealing with the XSI surfaceing system. The only things that are used by the exporter are the UV's and the textures applied to the surfaces. All of the other data is Torque specific and is handled through custom material properties that you can manage via the GUI for the exporter.
Edited on Jan 14, 2005 23:51 GMT
| Alex Rice (Jan 15, 2005 at 03:35 GMT) Resource Rating: 5 |
| Alex Rice (Jan 15, 2005 at 18:58 GMT) Resource Rating: 5 |
Also have you thought about a "custom display host" for XSI-Torque? Apparently it's possible to run a game engine right in the XSI program. There is a neat demo reel showing that on the softimage website.
| Allan Brown (Jan 28, 2005 at 16:57 GMT) Resource Rating: 5 |
| Matt Summers (Jan 28, 2005 at 19:49 GMT) |
| Alex Rice (Mar 09, 2005 at 06:41 GMT) Resource Rating: 5 |
As I mentioned in email, I would be happy to contribute $ if you put up a paypal donations button. Or if you make the exporter commercial, that would be cool too. Just look at Torque ShowTool Pro it's like $35.
| Hokuto (Mar 09, 2005 at 09:35 GMT) Resource Rating: 5 |
If this tool-project comes to completion...
Will this Softimage XSI 4 DTS exporter for Torque enables us to also export Levels/Maps to the Torque Engine... Or is that all another story/format/etc..
Thanks
| Alex Rice (Mar 10, 2005 at 13:45 GMT) Resource Rating: 5 |
| Matt Summers (Mar 10, 2005 at 17:22 GMT) |
Yes, the XSI DTS exporter is still in development. We have several projects that we are currently working on XSI is just one of them. I expect to be able to say more about it in the next few weeks. Bare with me...
Tiziano: the XSI DTS exporter tool is for exporting players, objects, weapons and vechicles from XSI. There are no plans at the moment to write level building tools for XSI. If you havent already take a look at the Torque Constructor thats in the works.
| Alex Rice (Mar 12, 2005 at 05:05 GMT) Resource Rating: 5 |
| Hokuto (Mar 12, 2005 at 09:32 GMT) Resource Rating: 5 |
It was funny the other day when I posted here... then went to check the DelD mapping apps... then came back to GG pages and saw Torque Constructor news... just on time:) even if of course we don't know when Contructor will be ready.
I hope you can get time to finish off your XSI DTS tool very soon:) I guess will support animations?... as XSI is probably the only App without one to use with Torque:)
Thank you for your efforts, remember, you don't need to sleep and eat... you only need to see this tool completed... ermm well... just trying my jedi powers! :)
| Alex Rice (Mar 13, 2005 at 02:55 GMT) Resource Rating: 5 |
| Matt Summers (Mar 13, 2005 at 05:21 GMT) |
See the training DVDs and the XSI docs for more information on Shadow Rigs. They basically let you create a simple rig that has animation mapped to it from a more complex rig. All of the controlers, up vectors and other tools are used to control the complex rig and then the actual animation of the complex rig is mapped to a simple box rig that you use for your DTS export.
| Alex Rice (Mar 13, 2005 at 05:35 GMT) Resource Rating: 5 |
| Hokuto (Mar 13, 2005 at 10:00 GMT) Resource Rating: 5 |
Can't wait.... will it be a commercial release? Or do you already have a donation page?
| Chris \"C2\" Byars (Mar 17, 2005 at 23:27 GMT) |
I can't wait, hope release is soon! =)
| Mathieu Marquis-Bolduc (Mar 18, 2005 at 22:20 GMT) |
| Jim Evans (Mar 27, 2005 at 06:31 GMT) |
| Jim Evans (Apr 21, 2005 at 06:51 GMT) |
| Hokuto (Apr 21, 2005 at 08:22 GMT) Resource Rating: 5 |
| Chris \"C2\" Byars (Apr 22, 2005 at 00:41 GMT) |
| Chris \"C2\" Byars (May 20, 2005 at 22:11 GMT) |
| Broken_Sword (May 26, 2005 at 11:57 GMT) |
Thanks for doing it Matt.
| Chris \"C2\" Byars (May 29, 2005 at 00:55 GMT) |
| Tom Bentz (May 31, 2005 at 17:47 GMT) |
| Alex Rice (Jun 03, 2005 at 07:22 GMT) Resource Rating: 5 |
Just export your model from XSI into .obj format using file menu | export | obj file. Then drag n drop the obj file onto the obj2dts icon.
| Chris \"C2\" Byars (Jun 14, 2005 at 23:00 GMT) |
| Matt Summers (Jun 15, 2005 at 00:16 GMT) |
| Alex Rice (Jun 15, 2005 at 01:13 GMT) Resource Rating: 5 |
| Chris \"C2\" Byars (Jun 15, 2005 at 01:47 GMT) |
| Hokuto (Jun 22, 2005 at 11:52 GMT) Resource Rating: 5 |
FTK v.3.6.3. Download the latest version of the XSI File Tool Kit, a complete file-format and API toolkit for taking easily-parsable 3-D scene and animation data in and out of XSI via the dotXSI file-format. go
This is on Softimage home page...
I thought it may come handy in case you were too busy with other stuff andyou missed this update about XSI
Matt... we really need this.....
From XSI direct to TGE and especially TSE
Static objects
Animated objects
Textures / Shader (?) / Normal Mapps
Scenes
People that bought a license for Torque and bought a license for XSI may be willing to pay for an XSI plug-in or dedicated tool to make XSi and TORQUE communicate effortlessly.
No idea if you were preparing this plug in to be made avaialble for free...therefore pushing this project into the low priority bin
but since add ons like content packs are sold for a price (rightfully so)
and tools like 3rd party level editors etc.. are also sold for a price (Rightgully so)
Maybe a paid for end product would push a tool like a communicator between XSI and Torque back up in your priority list.
XSI foundation has apparently sold over 25,000 licensed copies.
XSI users could potentially be interested into Torque if an easy workflow is avaialble to take their content out of XSI and striaght into Torque. Like many people do with the Mod Tool to take content out of XSI and striaght into Unreal Engine and Half Life 2 engine.
So.. there could be a niche market for such a tool and a pool of potential new Torque licensed users from the XSi community....
Would GarageGames be intereseted in working with Softimage to create such a tool to make XSI to TORQUE pipeline a friendly experience?
Well I'll keep hoping that something along these lines will happen
| Alex Rice (Jun 22, 2005 at 13:56 GMT) Resource Rating: 5 |
Garagegames has told me that the XSI exporter is not being developed in-house so they have no control over it's development schedule.
Garagegames also thinks that XSI users that also own Torque licenses are too few in number to make it worth while to be anything but a back burner project.
It seems totally obvious to me that if there were an XSI exporter for Torque, that there would be LOTS of XSI users around here. Naturally when your only offically supported exporters are Maya and 3dsMax that's what everyone seems to be using.
Garagegames does not see it with the same logic I guess. It's pretty frustrating eh?
I suggested to Matt both in private email and in the forums that he should make the XSI exporter commercial or put up a donations paypal link, to fund the completion of it. Especially because he complained at one point that "if someone wants to pay my bills". He didn't respond.
| Hokuto (Jun 22, 2005 at 14:58 GMT) Resource Rating: 5 |
I know Matt does not work for Garagegames...
This is what indeed brings sadness to me :)
The tool/exporter I would love to have is left in the hands of the community, which means it may and may not happen.
It is great that at least Matt has an interest in working on a DTS exporter,
but of course this is not a priority for him, so who knows when he will have time to complete this project.
If someone had the skills and time to develop a full exporter for XSI to Torque (Scenes/Lights/Objects/Anims/Textures) it could be a commercial product.
The other option is to get Torque to be fully compatible with DotXSI or FBX...maybe.
I agree with you when you say:
"It seems totally obvious to me that if there were an XSI exporter for Torque, that there would be LOTS of XSI users around here."
hmm
:)
| Thomas Shaw (Jun 23, 2005 at 04:19 GMT) |
http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/dotxsictk/dotXSICTK_V11_src.zip?use_mirror=peterhost
PS. the tool needs to be compiled.
| Thomas Shaw (Jun 23, 2005 at 04:22 GMT) |
| Jack McMackin (Aug 05, 2005 at 00:48 GMT) |
| Matt Summers (Aug 05, 2005 at 01:59 GMT) |
We've been working hard a several projects at the moment that I cant say much about just yet but they are fast approaching completion. As soon as I get the green light Ill post an updated plan about what we've been working on.
We are working directly with both Softimage and Garage Games to finish the XSI DTS Exporter. The folks at Softimage have given us full access to SDK development team at Softimage and they have been wonderful to work with.
Keep in mind we are working on a polished, documented product, and that takes time. Believe me the wait will be worth it.
Im hoping to have the exporter tested and ready for release before IGC.
Later,
Matt
| Hokuto (Aug 06, 2005 at 11:09 GMT) Resource Rating: 5 |
Thanks
| Alex Rice (Aug 06, 2005 at 15:43 GMT) Resource Rating: 5 |
| Brian Byers (Aug 08, 2005 at 20:11 GMT) Resource Rating: 5 |
I totally understand about how hard it is to make a quality, polished product with documentation, etc etc etc. What is it, 80% of the effort is in the last 20% of the project or something? :)
Anyway, just wanted to encourage you, keep going at your own pace, and I look forward to seeing what great things you've done! :)
| Tom Bentz (Aug 16, 2005 at 07:11 GMT) |
| Joe Bird (Sep 01, 2005 at 02:33 GMT) Resource Rating: 5 |
| Scott Valline (Sep 22, 2005 at 18:03 GMT) |
Edited on Sep 22, 2005 18:14 GMT
| Alex Rice (Sep 29, 2005 at 01:26 GMT) Resource Rating: 5 |
| Matt Summers (Sep 29, 2005 at 03:29 GMT) |
| Stan Miskiewicz (Oct 06, 2005 at 08:21 GMT) |
| Tom Bentz (Oct 10, 2005 at 18:03 GMT) |
| Matt Summers (Oct 11, 2005 at 04:47 GMT) |
The XSI exporter is being sent out to beta testers as early as next week. The exact date is hard to gauge as I still have to catch up with projects left hanging while I was away at IGC. Basically all thats left is just to finish porting the UI that I wrote for the new Max Pro Exporter to XSI and then user testing. The core exporter is already feature complete.
Ill be putting out the call for XSI beta testers later this week, if you are interested please email me with your request and include one or more screen shots of your 3d work. (You must also own a copy of XSI 4.x or 5.0.)
Edited on Oct 11, 2005 06:36 GMT
| Alex Rice (Oct 11, 2005 at 06:31 GMT) Resource Rating: 5 |
Myself I am taking a detour into T2D land for my 1st game but definitely plan on buying & using the XSI exporter at some point.
| Tom Bentz (Oct 11, 2005 at 07:13 GMT) |
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