Please clarify the DIF verses DTS better in the docs

#1 You can also use gameSpace. It has a couple dif exporters available now. You can also use it to create dts' also.

(edited to get link right)

#2

Quote:And what do you do if the artist does not want to use Quark or Hammer?

Hmm, stange comment. Thats like complaining that you want to see things yet dont want to use a screen... To do the job you use the tools for the job. Simple as that.

I've yet to be impressed by any map exporters, for the simple fact that they still require you to split your mesh up into what will end up as brushes, which defeats the entire purpose of working in a modelling app imo.

Also, people seem to overlook the whole UVmap issues with regards to maps, and how brushes are not like polys.


[/mini chilled rant]

#3 You gotta love this one, quoted from the fine manual

Quote:Quark is the prefered editor for DIF Interior files, or buildings as they would more commonly be called.

;)

Brian, don't get me wrong. It seems that almost every post I've made the last couple of hours have been in the form of a DUH!, I certainly dont mean to sound patronising.
It took me like 3 months before I started reading the manuals and I must admit there might be some flaws in them, but I believe the great team here at GG will surely iron them out eventually.
I could also recommend the great book by Kenneth Finney. I bought it and could not stop reading. It has everything (almost) covered and it took me from a ? to a ! in about 1000 pages.. get it, you won't regret it!

Piece !

[EDIT]
Ooh, and don't turn down Quark just yet, it is a great piece of software... Keep on at it, you're almost there !!
[/EDIT]

#4 Brain,

I am assuming you've seen this information in the docs, as well as this general overview. Do you still feel that you need more information? Together, we spent close to 1000 wors explaining what DTS and DIF objects are... what they are, how to use them, why we use them, etc.

I think this is more than enough, but let me know if you still have feedback.

Re: QUARK. It's the only free map editor I'm aware of, and that's why we recommend it's use. If you want, you can go with things like GameSpace, but they cost money. In fact, there is a special Torque-specific GameSpace bundle available from Caligari. But we don't have documentation for it because the bundle has docs itself, and QuArK is much more widely used, at the moment.

I do think you're right in that we could mention alternatives like GameSpace by name in the docs. As we get more alternative solutions, we will likely do so.

#5 And what do you do if the artist does not want to use Quark or Hammer? (my understanding is "tough luck" these are the only options)

These are the only options. Well, the only really GOOD options. Sure, you can try to use a polygon mesh editor for brush based shapes, but it won't be smooth.

QuArK is tough medicine, but its currently the best solution for the technology. If you want to work with realtime technologies, you will eventually have to learn the tools of the trade.

#6 Hey, Josh, nice description of DTS files.

One things I noticed is that there is a section for DTS Object Creation but there isn't a DIF creation section. If you look closely you will find it in a paragraph but who actually reads all the documentation :).

Later, Ben