Problems with cartography shop dif crashing torque
by Glynn James · in Artist Corner · 05/21/2005 (5:13 am) · 4 replies
Ive been playing arround creating models in cartography shop and exporting them as difs, but it seems anything other than a simple block shape crashes torque
the model i have created is just a simple rock, made of 3 x 16 panel cylinders with the vertexes moved arround a bit to warp the shape of the columns and then stacked on top of each other.
I create a new folder in the "shapes" directory called "rocks" and dump my dif with jpg in there, when i load up torque for some reason the object is in the interiors section of the world creator rather than the shapes folder, and when i click to add torque crashes.
ive looked into the the console.log and the only reference i find is -
Could not locate texture: starter.fps/data/shapes/rocks/NULL
Could not locate texture: starter.fps/data/shapes/rocks/ORIGIN
Could not locate texture: starter.fps/data/shapes/rocks/TRIGGER
But a few other models that come as default with torque seem to display this anyway
Any pointers as to what im doing wrong?
I must admit ive not figured out what the difference between a dif and a dts is yet and if this has any significance.
the model i have created is just a simple rock, made of 3 x 16 panel cylinders with the vertexes moved arround a bit to warp the shape of the columns and then stacked on top of each other.
I create a new folder in the "shapes" directory called "rocks" and dump my dif with jpg in there, when i load up torque for some reason the object is in the interiors section of the world creator rather than the shapes folder, and when i click to add torque crashes.
ive looked into the the console.log and the only reference i find is -
Could not locate texture: starter.fps/data/shapes/rocks/NULL
Could not locate texture: starter.fps/data/shapes/rocks/ORIGIN
Could not locate texture: starter.fps/data/shapes/rocks/TRIGGER
But a few other models that come as default with torque seem to display this anyway
Any pointers as to what im doing wrong?
I must admit ive not figured out what the difference between a dif and a dts is yet and if this has any significance.
About the author
#2
Vertex editing can quckly lead to non-convex brushes which the DIF format does not support. Cartshop tries to keep you from creating non-convex geometry when vertex editing, but it can't keep you from doing it if your determined to. On export our exporter will spit out warnings of concave geometry that should alert you to issues.
Second you don't stick DIFs in the shapes directory normally. Shapes are DTS meshes exported from Max/Maya/Milkshape and DIFs are put in the interiors folder. The crash may be related to this... try moving it to the interiors folder.
Lastly things like rocks, especially if you need something that will eventually react to physics, are better created as DTS meshes. DIF is better suited for simpler geometry.
Also there is a Cartography Shop forum here on GarageGames where several experienced Torque users frequent.
05/21/2005 (11:28 am)
Yea Glynn it seems you're confused about DIFs vs. DTS. First i assume your using Pipeline since you say your exporting DIFs out of Cartshop (if you're not you should check it out).Vertex editing can quckly lead to non-convex brushes which the DIF format does not support. Cartshop tries to keep you from creating non-convex geometry when vertex editing, but it can't keep you from doing it if your determined to. On export our exporter will spit out warnings of concave geometry that should alert you to issues.
Second you don't stick DIFs in the shapes directory normally. Shapes are DTS meshes exported from Max/Maya/Milkshape and DIFs are put in the interiors folder. The crash may be related to this... try moving it to the interiors folder.
Lastly things like rocks, especially if you need something that will eventually react to physics, are better created as DTS meshes. DIF is better suited for simpler geometry.
Also there is a Cartography Shop forum here on GarageGames where several experienced Torque users frequent.
#3
yes i was using pipeline for cart shop
so cartshop for say buildings etc, and milkshape for more complex objects
05/21/2005 (5:33 pm)
Thank you!yes i was using pipeline for cart shop
so cartshop for say buildings etc, and milkshape for more complex objects
#4
05/21/2005 (5:36 pm)
Yep that's right. No problem. 
Associate Matt Fairfax
PopCap
You may be creating non-convex brushes with your vertex editing which could lead to crashing. The mission editor scans the folders by file type so it will find *any* .dif and have it show up in the Interiors part of the creator.
Those texture warnings are normal and unharmful.