Torque Constructor: How do I make a sphere?
by Sasuga · in Technical Issues · 07/18/2009 (6:05 pm) · 4 replies
Is there something special I am missing?
I am trying to create a flying saucer using the Torque Constructor.
When I create objects in Torque Constructor they usually appear as soon as I hit 'Make'. All except for spheres.
I choose the sphere brush, I drag and make a sphere outline, I then hit "Make" and the sphere outline vanishes and leaves me no sphere. I see a line "brush - 1" appear in the list that's in the upper right hand corner, but unlike other objects I can not select the sphere from there either (assuming the new entry is the sphere).
What am I missing?
I am trying to create a flying saucer using the Torque Constructor.
When I create objects in Torque Constructor they usually appear as soon as I hit 'Make'. All except for spheres.
I choose the sphere brush, I drag and make a sphere outline, I then hit "Make" and the sphere outline vanishes and leaves me no sphere. I see a line "brush - 1" appear in the list that's in the upper right hand corner, but unlike other objects I can not select the sphere from there either (assuming the new entry is the sphere).
What am I missing?
#2
It's not making spheres again, and the color IS NOT 255 255 255.
Changing the color isn't fixing the problem this time. I've tried red, yellow, blue... it doesn't care. it's not making spheres for me (again).
07/18/2009 (7:44 pm)
Update:It's not making spheres again, and the color IS NOT 255 255 255.
Changing the color isn't fixing the problem this time. I've tried red, yellow, blue... it doesn't care. it's not making spheres for me (again).
#3
07/22/2009 (7:45 am)
If you start adding detail to the spheres in terms of more brushes, it will start creating invalid geometry. This is a problem with using spheres with BSP packages. Radiant has trouble with them, though people do not care since they use curves more often with it. I would recommend using a DTS as your sphere. 
#4
I've never been able to exceed 40 units in size in either axis without spheres producing bad geometry. Exceeding more than 32 sides can cause massive slowdowns, and I sometimes started having problems between 16-24 segments.
Do not ever try to slice one on a grid line -- Constructor will crash. Make a slice/cut/knife 0.1 units off a grid line and it will work. Usually after you have made several cuts, generally 4 or more, it's ok to start slicing on the grid lines.
Hollowing a sphere will produce lots of unnecessary brushes. The hollow operation will usually fail below a certain size setting, I don't remember what that setting was.
Over time I ended up getting better results by making spheres the tedious and hard way -- by stacking blocks and moving vertices till I had a hollow sphere.
But this is the first time I've ever heard of anyone adjusting the sun color to help them make spheres -- strange that is.
Oh, and David's recommendation about using DTS for spheres is golden. You can get much better looking spheres, domes, and curves with "real" models instead of brushes.
07/22/2009 (9:36 am)
Spheres in Constructor are tricky. Sometimes they work for some people, sometimes not. I had added some info/tips on how to use spheres in the "All About Constructor" thread, but I don't think anyone still reads that after it devolved.I've never been able to exceed 40 units in size in either axis without spheres producing bad geometry. Exceeding more than 32 sides can cause massive slowdowns, and I sometimes started having problems between 16-24 segments.
Do not ever try to slice one on a grid line -- Constructor will crash. Make a slice/cut/knife 0.1 units off a grid line and it will work. Usually after you have made several cuts, generally 4 or more, it's ok to start slicing on the grid lines.
Hollowing a sphere will produce lots of unnecessary brushes. The hollow operation will usually fail below a certain size setting, I don't remember what that setting was.
Over time I ended up getting better results by making spheres the tedious and hard way -- by stacking blocks and moving vertices till I had a hollow sphere.
But this is the first time I've ever heard of anyone adjusting the sun color to help them make spheres -- strange that is.
Oh, and David's recommendation about using DTS for spheres is golden. You can get much better looking spheres, domes, and curves with "real" models instead of brushes.
Torque 3D Owner Sasuga
Here's how I fixed it:
I went to the SUN tab and the color was 255 255 255.
I changed the color to 255 255 10. (Randomly picked a number.)
Now when I hit make the sphere appears!
If I return the color to 255 255 255 and try to make a sphere, again they don't show up. (I don't need 255 255 255, I'm just stating that for the record.)