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Please clarify DIF verses DTS again

by Scott Peal · in General Discussion · 06/13/2004 (9:31 am) · 10 replies

Newbie Programmer here,
Just spent the last 3 days of reading any document I can find for Torque. I have discovered that Torque supports DTS and DIF formats. And I see that Quark seems to be the recommended method for interiors. However, my partner (the artist) wants to use a professional application for interiors like Maya or 3D Max, not Quark. So the question is:

If you use Maya to create an interior (say a building) what exactly would be the path for me (the programmer) to take that object (the building) and get it into Torque? Assuming that I know Quark and the building would have functions inside (like doors that open/close). Is DTS an option, or must it be DIF?

Please keep the art language to a level for us programmers :-)

Thanks for the help.
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Torque Owner Mz
#1
06/13/2004 (9:41 am)
If you want a player to walk on it or in it, it should be a DIF. DTS is for things that don't need exact collision, like trees or detail objects.

You can try searching the forums for 'max2map' for an inkling of the problems you'll be in for if you try to build your interiors in max or maya. It's possible, but it can be a real pain.

And before the flamers step in, QuArK, worldcraft and such things /are/ professional applications. They just fill a different role than tools like 3ds max do.

Torque 3D Owner Eric Forhan
#2
06/13/2004 (9:42 am)
In GG's own words: Why do we use DIF?

Torque 3D Owner Chris "DiGi" Timberlake
#3
06/13/2004 (9:43 am)
Yes I agree w/ mark, Hammer and worldcraft are progressional programs, they just fill a gap and do some things 3ds and milkshape cannot do, and easier too.

Torque 3D Owner Scott Peal
#4
06/13/2004 (9:44 am)
Thanks Mark,
No bad intentions meant about the professional software comment, that was just what the "artist" called it.

It looks like I will have to force him to learn Quark or Worldcraft.

Torque 3D Owner Scott Peal
#5
06/13/2004 (9:45 am)
Any Maya artist guys out there that can recommend which was better in the end for you to learn Quark, Hammer, or other for interiors?

Torque Owner Jeff Tunnell
#6
06/13/2004 (10:55 am)
We have said it many, many times. Don't use Hammer. It has licesing problems. We have dropped any reference to it in our docs. This has been the case for more than a year.

Torque 3D Owner Scott Peal
#7
06/13/2004 (10:59 am)
Thanks Jeff!

FYI, The confusion is the fact that references to hammer has not been removed from the resources or forums. Thus the question.

Thanks for the advice.

Torque Owner Stefan Lundmark
#8
06/13/2004 (11:04 am)
This is because many of us still use Hammer (or WorldCraft for that matter) - it's only that GG doesn't support neither anymore, and Valve hasn't clearly said it's legal for us to use it yet.

Torque Owner Bruno Grieco
#9
06/13/2004 (11:10 am)
@ Eric, thanks for the link. Very instructive.

OK, since .DIF uses BSP and CSG modeling. What does .DTS use ? A simple winged(or half)-edge structure ?

Associate Ben Garney
#10
06/13/2004 (6:31 pm)
DTS uses... meshes. You can have a small number of convex collision hulls.

You might want to read over the DTS and DIF exporter docs, as well as looking at the source code for both of those parts of the engine.