Mapping question

#1 The best answer is No you can't. It is possible but Epic games would send out the lawyers if you released any kind of exporter.

#2 Do you know what the best recommended Map editor is for Torque? Thanks

#3 I use the old Cartography Shop and SickHeadGames 'Torque Pipeline for Cartography Shop'. Best is always debatable here but Constructor's release (by GG) is looming and will most likely be the staple in DIF creation and scene layout.



cartographyshop

sickheadgames

#4 Actually you couldn't use an UnrealEd map in Torque even if it were legal. Here is why:

Programs like Quark and Cartography Shop build objects in an open space. UnrealEd carves into a full space. You might not realize it when you are using it, but that is how it works.

-Okashira

PS : Correct me if I am wrong, but I am pretty sure I'm right...

EDIT : On your other question, Quark has the best support(GarageGames has directly written documentation for using Quark), so that is what I would use.

#5 Though to be fair, QuArK's user interface is not at all friendly... if you would prefer something a little easier to approach, you might consider either waiting for Creator to be released or take a look at 3D World Studio, which has some quirks but is generally easier to use thatn QuArK.

#6 True. But from my perspective, Quark(like Blender, which also has a difficult interface) is free. So if you get used to the interface, you can create stuff just as good as the programs with better interfaces that cost money(In features, Blender is almost equal to 3DS Max, but is free instead of thousands of dollars).

So basically-

Quark
+Free
+Quite a few features
-Difficult interface

3D World Studio
+Good interface
+More features
-Not free

Creator (can't really say, but this is what I will guess)
+Good Torque support
+Good interface
-Not free
-Don't know when it will come out

Best thing to do would be to download a few demos(or in Quark's case, the full version) and see what you like best.

EDIT : Also, it is not 3D World Studio yet. It is Cartography Shop 7, 3D World Studio is kind of an upgrade that is still in the early phase and can only be purchased as a $20 Early Adopter upgrade for Cartography Shop 7.

-Okashira

#7 Huh. Maybe we're thinking different programs, then... the program I am using is called 3D World Studio, and it is from Leadwerks Software.

#8 @Okashira. Matt Fairfax developed .t3d sceneobject for TGE. You could actually get map content built in Ued and bring it into Torque. Would have been sweet but, Epic Games isn't going to let anyone release something like this. Anyways, it's all doable.

#9 @Cliff
Hmm...The only 3D World Studio I have heard of(and I just looked it up again) is made by TheGameCreaters(the same people who made FPSCreator, DarkBasic, DarkBasicPro, and lots of other stuff). Strange that they would have the same name. I hear a court case coming :D!

@Eric Johnson
Really? Thanks for letting me know :).

-Okashira

#10 I would suggest using Quark(it's free) for now. Save up your money and get Constructor when it comes out. Quark isn't really that hard once you get used to it. 3D World studio has not worked as posted on their site. Version 5.43 was the last version to work properly exporting to Torque. All other version after that have been a mess for using with Torque. 3DWS cost $ 80, Quark is free, Constructor will probably around the same price as 3DWS. One thing to remember is that Constructor is built for Torque users in mind. Here is a link that you should read and understand: Why is Concave vs Convex important to Torque? This article will only make life easier when making interiors. Also it has links all about the upcoming Constructor.

I have Quark, 3DWS, Gamespace 1.6, and Hammer. I use Quark to clean/add what the other editors can't do. When Construtor comes out, I hope that will be the only program I'll be using for interiors.

Hope this helps.

#11

Quote:Hmm...The only 3D World Studio I have heard of(and I just looked it up again) is made by TheGameCreaters(the same people who made FPSCreator, DarkBasic, DarkBasicPro, and lots of other stuff). Strange that they would have the same name. I hear a court case coming :D!

No court case... same guy making 3DWS. He sells it through TheGameCreators as he did with CatographyShop.

edit: spelling

#12 If you use Q3Radiant 202, does it convert ok for Torque using the Map2Dif Plus? Lighting, objects and everything?

Thanks for all the great advice.

#13 Mark - I have no trouble whatsoever getting objects from 3DWS into Torque. I keep hearing lots of people saying they can't manage this, but I have no trouble at all. I've seen documentation on what to do to get Run Map fixed, but I have no use for Run Map... I just export as a .map file and then I use map2dif_plus in a command shell and it outputs my .dif files just fine.

#14 @Cliff: Back when 5.43 came out, you only had to export to dif in one step. As he advertised on his site in the features section. The next two versions he released did not export to Torque at all. 5.47 was released with the new run map feature, it would not export uv's,import .map files. It took him 45 days to post a fix for it after he had said it was fixed 3 weeks prior. Version 5.43 works as his website states in the features list. I will use 3DWS 5.43 and Quark until Constructor comes out. Which I hope is very soon.

#15 I do agree that Constructor looks like it's going to be the end-all.

Anybody know how well it will work with TSE? I know that it's supposed to be running in the TGE engine so you can see exactly what it will look like in TGE, but will there be perhaps a TSE version that runs directly in the TSE engine so we get the same capability there? We're planning on switching to TSE soon...

#16 Watch for Matt Fairfax blogs. He posts update to the Constructor. Check out his older blogs... he mentioned about TSE in one of them.

#17 Cool, thanks.