To make a better tool...
by James Brad Barnette · in Torque Game Engine · 09/23/2002 (4:44 pm) · 13 replies
I was wondering a few things:
1: Is the source fot hthe formats for things like player model file formats and models. and the current tools like the 3ds plugins included when you purchase the SDK? Basicly I want to know if everything is there that would be required to say make a new level or building editor that will make the file format. so I don't have to use worldcraft.
2: Do the current file formats support characters that have seperate hit collision sections like head, arm, legs, torso, and so on.
3: How hard would it be to make a a plugin for maya or max or something that would make it so that these programs could be used as level editors? Maya is pretty cheap now and seems like it has a really well supported DEV enviorment for making plugins and tools for games. Would like to have exporters for making models in Maya as well. Really suprised there aren't any already.
anyway just wanted to know
Brad Barnette
1: Is the source fot hthe formats for things like player model file formats and models. and the current tools like the 3ds plugins included when you purchase the SDK? Basicly I want to know if everything is there that would be required to say make a new level or building editor that will make the file format. so I don't have to use worldcraft.
2: Do the current file formats support characters that have seperate hit collision sections like head, arm, legs, torso, and so on.
3: How hard would it be to make a a plugin for maya or max or something that would make it so that these programs could be used as level editors? Maya is pretty cheap now and seems like it has a really well supported DEV enviorment for making plugins and tools for games. Would like to have exporters for making models in Maya as well. Really suprised there aren't any already.
anyway just wanted to know
Brad Barnette
About the author
#2
2. I believe that it does, but myself and my team has not messed around with this aspect of the code, so I am not 100% sure on that one.
3. First of all, there already one for Max and MilkShape, and I believe that I have seen exporters for other packages, but I am not sure. As for writing your own, I would assume that you would need to know whatever scripting language that the application uses fairly well, as well as how the model format that TGE uses fairly well too. Better off asking someone who has more experience in that area though.
09/23/2002 (8:33 pm)
1. You will get access (and the SDK comes with the source for) to the tools that you need to export models into the TGE dts format for MilkShape and 3ds Max. It also comes with an exporter for Worldcraft. You can also get a Torque enabled version of QuArK. However, you still have to use a mapping utility such as QuArK or WorldCraft to make buildings, the built in mission editor in TGE doesn't not make interiors (no shape building tools). So yea you would still have to use WorldCraft, but it comes with the tools needed to use WorldCraft with TGE.2. I believe that it does, but myself and my team has not messed around with this aspect of the code, so I am not 100% sure on that one.
3. First of all, there already one for Max and MilkShape, and I believe that I have seen exporters for other packages, but I am not sure. As for writing your own, I would assume that you would need to know whatever scripting language that the application uses fairly well, as well as how the model format that TGE uses fairly well too. Better off asking someone who has more experience in that area though.
#3
second of all Ben that page does not answer any of my questions. I really wish that if people are not going to help would just not post.
Ok not that that has been settled. Ryan, My programmer is ver framiliar with ethe APIs for both Lightwave and Maya. I really want to use maya on this becasue that is all I can afford MAX is A: unstable at best. B: about 75% more expensive!
As for the Level editing Yes I know that you have to use WC or quark as it stands now. My question was what about making a level editor that would directly with torque? Is this do-able "of course it is" and is anyone already working on this?
09/24/2002 (9:22 am)
Ok first off Ryan Thanx you are always helpful.second of all Ben that page does not answer any of my questions. I really wish that if people are not going to help would just not post.
Ok not that that has been settled. Ryan, My programmer is ver framiliar with ethe APIs for both Lightwave and Maya. I really want to use maya on this becasue that is all I can afford MAX is A: unstable at best. B: about 75% more expensive!
As for the Level editing Yes I know that you have to use WC or quark as it stands now. My question was what about making a level editor that would directly with torque? Is this do-able "of course it is" and is anyone already working on this?
#4
I imagine Ben responded that way because you are asking questions that have been asked many times over, and are asking quite a few of them. While we don't want to discourage new people here we also expect a certain amount of self-effort. Asking the occasional newbie question is one thing, but i don't think it's too much to ask someone to put a little effort into finding the answers on his own. That's what FAQs and Resources are all about. :-)
If you can, get Lightwave. It just came down in price, and we have a nice exporter thanks to Lightwave Dave. If you can't afford that, then Milkshape may be the answer @ about $20. You can get the docs on the .dts format if you do want to create a maya export. Blender doesn't have an exporter, but there has been talk of making one for it--and that's a free program (I can't stand it, myself).
There is a plug-in for max that can export some .dif, but I understand it doesn't work well. There's none for maya that I know of.
Eric
09/24/2002 (9:41 am)
James,I imagine Ben responded that way because you are asking questions that have been asked many times over, and are asking quite a few of them. While we don't want to discourage new people here we also expect a certain amount of self-effort. Asking the occasional newbie question is one thing, but i don't think it's too much to ask someone to put a little effort into finding the answers on his own. That's what FAQs and Resources are all about. :-)
If you can, get Lightwave. It just came down in price, and we have a nice exporter thanks to Lightwave Dave. If you can't afford that, then Milkshape may be the answer @ about $20. You can get the docs on the .dts format if you do want to create a maya export. Blender doesn't have an exporter, but there has been talk of making one for it--and that's a free program (I can't stand it, myself).
There is a plug-in for max that can export some .dif, but I understand it doesn't work well. There's none for maya that I know of.
Eric
#5
Anyway now that that is settled. So there is a LW Exporter eh? that is Very cool!! Is it availible on the GG website? The reason I ask about Maya is casue we have it at my second job and I love it and it is down to like $1900 nowwich is quite a bit less than MAX and would still be worth the money even if it wasn't. So that is the rout I would like to take.
BTW did you know that UT2k3 will come with special version of Maya for making Unreal models!!! that is awesome!! We need this for torque!!!
09/24/2002 (9:56 am)
That is cool I didn't mean to come off that way. I just kinda feel if you can say anything nice then just don't say anything. and don't point me to the features page wich I have obviously already read or would not have been asking these questions in the first place. Anyway now that that is settled. So there is a LW Exporter eh? that is Very cool!! Is it availible on the GG website? The reason I ask about Maya is casue we have it at my second job and I love it and it is down to like $1900 nowwich is quite a bit less than MAX and would still be worth the money even if it wasn't. So that is the rout I would like to take.
BTW did you know that UT2k3 will come with special version of Maya for making Unreal models!!! that is awesome!! We need this for torque!!!
#6
Yes... Dave's lightwave exporter and docs can be found at his site, here.
If you go this route, I'm sure he'd love any help you could offer with programming the exporter. I've read the docs (I don't have LW, but two of the modellers do--so I'm trying to learn that as well) and the exporter has alot of good functions, but still needs some more.
Just checked the Lightwave site. Until the end of the month you can pick up the full 7.5 version for $995US. That's $600 off the regular price.
Welcome to Garage Games... :)
Eric
09/24/2002 (10:51 am)
No problem... :)Yes... Dave's lightwave exporter and docs can be found at his site, here.
If you go this route, I'm sure he'd love any help you could offer with programming the exporter. I've read the docs (I don't have LW, but two of the modellers do--so I'm trying to learn that as well) and the exporter has alot of good functions, but still needs some more.
Just checked the Lightwave site. Until the end of the month you can pick up the full 7.5 version for $995US. That's $600 off the regular price.
Welcome to Garage Games... :)
Eric
#7
09/24/2002 (11:38 am)
Thanx man, You have been very helpful, BTW do you know if there has been any attemp in the community to develop a map editor for torque? to replace WC? Would be nice to see something as polished as UnrealEd but that program alone has taken years to get where it is today Just curious.
#9
http://www.garagegames.com/index.php?sec=mg&mod=forums&page=result.thread&qt=6959
That is the most recent thread that I know of.
10/05/2002 (11:08 am)
Ok, as for making your own editor, I think the general attitude is that yes it is possible, if you put work into it. If you programmer is talented, then yea it is possible to make a new editor. As a matter of fact, there was several threads started to discuss just that. But it wouldn't be a cakewalk. Not being a coder, I don't want to give a definite answer as to the degree of difficulty, so I'll let Melv or someone answer that. But I do know that coding a editor that would do the same or similar things as WC or Quark, as well as the TGE in-game editor would require quite a bit of work. So to answer your questions, yes a new editor could be made with a lot of effort, and yes, there have been efforts to make such an editor, or at least try to coordinate an effort. http://www.garagegames.com/index.php?sec=mg&mod=forums&page=result.thread&qt=6959
That is the most recent thread that I know of.
#10
The "mission editior" where you create the terrain and the "maps" is built into the game.
WC/Hammer is only used to create interior structures, buildings, and non-terrain game play areas.
IT IS NOT used to create a "map" per se as in Half-Life.
10/05/2002 (1:47 pm)
WorldCraft / Hammer is NOT the "map editor" of Torque.The "mission editior" where you create the terrain and the "maps" is built into the game.
WC/Hammer is only used to create interior structures, buildings, and non-terrain game play areas.
IT IS NOT used to create a "map" per se as in Half-Life.
#11
Anyway back to the toptic. So if I make a building in MAX or LW or some Program like that do I stll have import it into WC or QUARK before getting it into TGE?
10/18/2002 (4:46 pm)
ok building editor then. He obviously knew what I was talking about otherwaise he would not have gave the resulting comment. Anyway back to the toptic. So if I make a building in MAX or LW or some Program like that do I stll have import it into WC or QUARK before getting it into TGE?
#12
So, if you make a building in 3ds, you might have to import it into WC/Quark somehow to get it into .dif format via the WC/Quark exporter.
Did you see Eric's post above? Max2Map seems like a good bet, or are you curious about something in particular about what WC and so forth do?
Edit: Yup... Like I said, "somehow" import it into WC. It might be difficult ;)
10/18/2002 (10:43 pm)
All you have to do is get it into .dif format. There was a max2dif convertor, but it seems to be broken or buggy (is this true?).So, if you make a building in 3ds, you might have to import it into WC/Quark somehow to get it into .dif format via the WC/Quark exporter.
Did you see Eric's post above? Max2Map seems like a good bet, or are you curious about something in particular about what WC and so forth do?
Edit: Yup... Like I said, "somehow" import it into WC. It might be difficult ;)
#13
10/19/2002 (12:17 am)
Last I checked,doesn't WC allready have a ability to read MAX files? Or Import that is...
Associate Ben Garney
I strongly suggest that you read through the forums, and check out the features page (at www.garagegames.com/index.php?sec=mg&mod=v12&page=features). All of your questions are answered there.