Game Development Community

TXT, DTS, Collision shapes... and stuff...

by Michael Niedda · in Artist Corner · 02/18/2006 (3:12 pm) · 8 replies

I notice that I can export mesh as Torque Shapes. The exporter saves it as a .TXT file. I went into the Starter.FPS directory and noticed that there arn't any .txt files at all. All the static mesh are in DTS format with collision cages.

If I wanted to insert static mesh within a level, I use the DTS exporter, right? Should I worry about the .TXT export?

Also, not that i'm lazy or anything, is there a plugin that "auto-wraps" collision cages around static mesh in Max? Cuz I noticed that Unreal uses something called Karma that actually adds the collision for you based on the shape of the static mesh, I thought that was awesome and was wondering if theres something like that for Max?

Also, I'm having trouble loading a .MAP level I built from Max into QuArK. I made sure the shapes are conexed and added a simple texture. But when I load it in QuArK it gives me a "Syntax error in map file, at line 7 :
unexpected char" error.

I have no idea what that means... :(

I checked my texture map, 512x512 JPG. Has 2 colors.

Any suggestions?

#1
02/18/2006 (7:03 pm)
Map files are plain text as I recall. Might behoove you to save a simple quark map and check the two files side by side to see how they're different in format.
#2
02/18/2006 (9:16 pm)
I am not sure but either you are exporting through File/Export/TorqueShapeExporter(*.TXT), or you are using the utility panel "Export text description".
You DON"T want to do either. Use the Utilty Panel/ DTS export Utility, Whole Shape for the mesh and rig, or, Sequences for the Animations.
If DTS Export Utility is not in your utility panel already Click "More" on the top of the panel or "Sets" to add it to your panel.

Hope that helps
Matt
#3
02/18/2006 (10:34 pm)
It works just fine to go through File->Export... and choose "Torque Shape Exporter (*.DTS)" (or DSQ for animations) too. I always found it a bit too messy to have to switch to the utility panel.
#4
02/18/2006 (11:47 pm)
So I was able to export out a map from QuArK. I made 2 files, Map and Dif but I can't load the map file in tutorial.base. It gives me an error, "You do not have the correct version of the Torque Engine or the related art needed to connect to server..."

Im using QuArK 6.4 Alpha if that makes a difference.
#5
02/19/2006 (5:11 am)
Do you have all related texture files where they should be?
#6
02/19/2006 (6:23 am)
"It works just fine to go through File->Export."

Unless you are new to the whole thing which he obviously is. Better to point them towards easy novice root. No offense.

Matt
#7
02/19/2006 (10:27 am)
Sweet! Thanx Brian, that was the problem, didn't put the textures in the folder. :)
#8
02/19/2006 (3:18 pm)
No problem Michael, glad I could help.