Portals & Mirrors...

#1 Ill i know is c'tor 1.01 (when that will be is anyones guess)

but i do agree that not having portals in 1.0 is really poor, i can understand mirrors... but portals are a big thing with optimization.

#2 Any ideas when the "Export to Dif..." function (without using map2dif at all) will be supported in Constructor?

#3 It is supported...

#4 Hey Matt... actually, I should have phrased my question differently... what I meant to ask was when is "Export to Dif..." going to function with portal support?

#5 Yes...portals are fully supported with 1.0.2 (there was limited support in 1.0.1) and mirrors have been supported since 1.0.1.

#6 Okay, that's good to hear. Perhaps I am simply doing something incorrectly.... I will experiment tonight with a simple hollowed cube with a portalized opening and load it into TGE 1.5.2 after exporting through "Export to Dif..." and give it a test drive. I was unable to get it to work in my current map using 1.0.2 but maybe my map was too complicated. (???)

#7 Hello there again... Matt, I built up an example that I can show you, to illustrate the issues I'm running into with the portal export. I built up a very, very simple hollowed cube with a hole in it. I stuck a portal in the opening... it works beautifully and exports beautifully using map2dif_plus. The portal functions, and everything is happy go lucky. If I export the very same cube using "Export to Dif...", the portal no longer functions when included in TGE. It is as if it is not there at all...

The box I created, that is referenced above, can be found here:
http://www.doubleedgesoftware.com/constructor_issues/box.zip (THIS FILE HAS BEEN REMOVED)

I have a more complex map that I've been working on that exports just great with "Export to Dif..." (and of course I am not using portals in it right now) but crashes map2dif_plus. Because of this, I cannot export this main map I'm working on through map2dif_plus, even though it does recognize portals.

The more complex map I'm working on can be found here:
http://www.doubleedgesoftware.com/constructor_issues/test.zip (THIS FILE HAS BEEN REMOVED)

If you have any suggestions, or any advice as to when "Export to Dif..." will support portals, that would be great!

Thanks,
Jason

#8 Ah, I see what was happening Jason. The portal was working correctly in that it was doing visibility culling (F9 in debug mode) but it was still passing the ambient light through. I have fixed the bug causing this in Constructor and it will be part of the update that will hopefully come this week.

#9 Matt, thanks for the informative response! I guess I was assuming that the portal wasn't working at all because of the ambient light passing through, as you had mentioned. I will look forward to the update hopefully this week! Overall, I have never used an editor that I enjoyed more than Constructor! 1.0.2 is truly a God-send to us all and I appreciate all of your hard work (you meaning anyone who has been working on it, including yourself.)

I used to work for a game development house that had licensed Unreal Engine 3, so I got a chance to play with UnrealED for that engine... I must say, Constructor reminds me a LOT of that editor. But I have been able to catch on to Constructor in half the time!!! Great job!!!

#10 Hey Matt, not to sound completely like I'm beating a dead horse, but do you have any ETA as to when 1.0.3 will be out? I'm eagerly awaiting the upgrade!

#11 I talked about the timeline I am looking at here.

I may have to wait until our Mac guy is back from being sick before I can get everything shipped. Hopefully, he will be feeling better by Monday =)

#12 Sorry to dig it out again but- can you guys tell me if anybody has mirrors working (Constructor) ? I am rather succesfull with all other types of entities but no luck with this one.

#13 Export mirror thru Constructor\File\Export\Torque Game Engine (map2dif plus).

#14 Tried that, as well as all other obvious solutions- not to avail. Any other ideas ?

I've managed to use planar reflections on floor- with great results- but it never happened to me to have mirrors work, no matter- quark, hammer, constructor.

#15 I will setup a file for you, if it is okay I will email it to you.

#16 Sure, it would be great. My mail is rkurczewski at gmail dot com.

#17 Thank you very much. I am still battling it (might be just fact I am using TGEA). In any case- I am gratefull for help.

#18 You welcome. If I not misstake mirror does not work in TGEA.

#19 Too many things doesn't work yet in TGEA... :-\

JoZ

#20 Is there any way we can create the mirror or reflective surface in TGEA. i am having big trouble on it.