DEXSOFT Models Villager Packs Male and Female
by Joe "doh" Navarro · in Artist Corner · 04/13/2011 (1:55 pm) · 14 replies
Greetings all,
*UPDATE* Frank at DEXSOFT responded and is working to set things right!
Cheers to them and I Will use them again in the future.
For the last three weeks, I have immersed myself in playing with, learning, experimenting and creating with the Torque 3D platform. I have found it to be an awesome environment and very easy to use until now.
I watched the tutorial series for building a scene on Vimeo and was very excited to follow along. I purchased the DexSoft villager packs (based upon the perception these where Torque ready) and I have had no success in getting the models to work in Torque.
I have sent two messages to DexSoft asking for help but no response so far.
I think the models are really well made but are useless to me unless I can get them to work in the game.
I have read and searched threads on the forums for solutions etc and have done the following:
1. Converted the TGAs to PNGs.
2. I have tried to use the Torque files but can only get one model to work. All the others fail to load the animation files or load double images.
3. The Collada files work a little better but are very transparent and the animations seem to be corrupted. They suddenly freak out and start doing wild movements with stretched bones and graphics. Legs hyper extend out of the view in the object editor (and in game when I put one in) and do a 360 degree unatural spin. its funny to watch but irritating that I have spent money on these.
So,Can anyone help me with getting the work, (I am not above the idea that I am not doing something correctly) or should I just give up and get a refund.
Look forward to responses!
Cheers,
Joe
*UPDATE* Frank at DEXSOFT responded and is working to set things right!
Cheers to them and I Will use them again in the future.
For the last three weeks, I have immersed myself in playing with, learning, experimenting and creating with the Torque 3D platform. I have found it to be an awesome environment and very easy to use until now.
I watched the tutorial series for building a scene on Vimeo and was very excited to follow along. I purchased the DexSoft villager packs (based upon the perception these where Torque ready) and I have had no success in getting the models to work in Torque.
I have sent two messages to DexSoft asking for help but no response so far.
I think the models are really well made but are useless to me unless I can get them to work in the game.
I have read and searched threads on the forums for solutions etc and have done the following:
1. Converted the TGAs to PNGs.
2. I have tried to use the Torque files but can only get one model to work. All the others fail to load the animation files or load double images.
3. The Collada files work a little better but are very transparent and the animations seem to be corrupted. They suddenly freak out and start doing wild movements with stretched bones and graphics. Legs hyper extend out of the view in the object editor (and in game when I put one in) and do a 360 degree unatural spin. its funny to watch but irritating that I have spent money on these.
So,Can anyone help me with getting the work, (I am not above the idea that I am not doing something correctly) or should I just give up and get a refund.
Look forward to responses!
Cheers,
Joe
About the author
Retired US Army Airborne Ranger. Currrently working for the Boeing Company as a Systems Engineer.
#2
I have been so frustrated that I figured that would be just another dead end tangent. I guess I should give it a go! Nothing more to lose other than some more time.
Perhaps I can provide some feedback too- in the process. I wish I understood the graphics part of this platform better (and in general). I am reading and learning all I can as fast as I can.
I guess the more technical preparation upfront I can do the better I will be able to implement and create at the back end.
Thanks for the advice. I'll give it a go!
Cheers!
Joe
04/14/2011 (7:21 am)
Stefan,I have been so frustrated that I figured that would be just another dead end tangent. I guess I should give it a go! Nothing more to lose other than some more time.
Perhaps I can provide some feedback too- in the process. I wish I understood the graphics part of this platform better (and in general). I am reading and learning all I can as fast as I can.
I guess the more technical preparation upfront I can do the better I will be able to implement and create at the back end.
Thanks for the advice. I'll give it a go!
Cheers!
Joe
#3
Not to knock the models--some of the 3DRT and DexSoft pieces are really nice as sculptures. They don't seem to use the classic Kork the Torque Orc or the new Gideon skeletons though, so it seems one has to be able to create new classes for them, and that's just not something I have been able to figure out yet, either.
Setting up new players and player models--especially non-standard ones--is a huge, undocumented, painful hole, and it's extra confusing right now because with T3D the classic Ork everything on the subject was ever written about has moved to the different, more complicated Gideon, and the new "Collada" pipeline does not seem well or widely understood.
A source I have found for humanoid models which drop in on the Gideon setup is www.evolverpro.com/. I was able to "sculpt" a male figure in their web interface, and when I pressed "Export to Torque" after twenty minutes of grinding their system delivered a rigged model and the set of .dsqs for it, and it went right in over Gideon and actually worked right off. It was worth $40 just to prove I could do it...
The drawback is that it comes with the idle pose which allows for a gun or crossbow--for someone working with the stock T3D First Person Shooter assumption that is fine, but not so great for sword and sandal settings.
04/14/2011 (7:48 am)
I'd love to read the tawdry tale of all your tries and fails... I'm in a similar situation with a lot of models I've bought from the various vendors who provide "torque-compatible" models and animations. Not to knock the models--some of the 3DRT and DexSoft pieces are really nice as sculptures. They don't seem to use the classic Kork the Torque Orc or the new Gideon skeletons though, so it seems one has to be able to create new classes for them, and that's just not something I have been able to figure out yet, either.
Setting up new players and player models--especially non-standard ones--is a huge, undocumented, painful hole, and it's extra confusing right now because with T3D the classic Ork everything on the subject was ever written about has moved to the different, more complicated Gideon, and the new "Collada" pipeline does not seem well or widely understood.
A source I have found for humanoid models which drop in on the Gideon setup is www.evolverpro.com/. I was able to "sculpt" a male figure in their web interface, and when I pressed "Export to Torque" after twenty minutes of grinding their system delivered a rigged model and the set of .dsqs for it, and it went right in over Gideon and actually worked right off. It was worth $40 just to prove I could do it...
The drawback is that it comes with the idle pose which allows for a gun or crossbow--for someone working with the stock T3D First Person Shooter assumption that is fine, but not so great for sword and sandal settings.
#4
I will check evolverpro out for sure.
One of the Things I have learned to do over the years (so far I have 12 pages) is to document my lessons learned- resources and work arounds in a word document as I have gone along.
This has served me well with regard to being able to identify issues and more importantly when folks need help, sometimes a usable solution is readily available to share.
Thanks for the response and pointer!
Cheers,
Joe
04/14/2011 (8:18 am)
Heh- tawdry at best!I will check evolverpro out for sure.
One of the Things I have learned to do over the years (so far I have 12 pages) is to document my lessons learned- resources and work arounds in a word document as I have gone along.
This has served me well with regard to being able to identify issues and more importantly when folks need help, sometimes a usable solution is readily available to share.
Thanks for the response and pointer!
Cheers,
Joe
#5
04/14/2011 (8:59 am)
When importing via COLLADA loader, did you check ignore bone scaling? Not sure if it will help but what you described sounded like it could be something like that.
#6
Thanks Matt- will let you know if it works!
Cheers,
Joe
04/14/2011 (9:47 am)
Well let me try that out!Thanks Matt- will let you know if it works!
Cheers,
Joe
#7
04/14/2011 (9:55 am)
We have had some luck with other models by changing the LerpAlpha to None. I cannot tell you why this works, but it was suggested to us by Steve Finney and it helps with transparency issues. Worth a try! Won't help with the animations though. 
#8
Just because a purchased player shape may use a non-standard skeleton or animations doesn't mean anything all that difficult either - and I'm not an artist (having one who makes Torque specific art does make things infinitely easier though). Use the Shape Editor, view the nodes & sequences (may have to compare to a working model, read the hints, and rename as needed. Save/Reload and 9 times out 10 if the TSShapeConstructor is now set up correctly then it will work - no coding of new classes necessary. The TSShapeConstructor has always been sort of magical, but now with the Shape Editor tool it makes things surprisingly easy to whip into shape.
There are limitations as to just how much you can force a shape to work through Shape Editor wrangling, but stick with it (despite frustration), and ask specific questions in the forums if you have problems.
04/14/2011 (11:12 am)
I've used plenty of outside models with little or no trouble in Torque. The most tedious issues seem to be setting up materials correctly, but isn't insurmountable. Just because a purchased player shape may use a non-standard skeleton or animations doesn't mean anything all that difficult either - and I'm not an artist (having one who makes Torque specific art does make things infinitely easier though). Use the Shape Editor, view the nodes & sequences (may have to compare to a working model, read the hints, and rename as needed. Save/Reload and 9 times out 10 if the TSShapeConstructor is now set up correctly then it will work - no coding of new classes necessary. The TSShapeConstructor has always been sort of magical, but now with the Shape Editor tool it makes things surprisingly easy to whip into shape.
There are limitations as to just how much you can force a shape to work through Shape Editor wrangling, but stick with it (despite frustration), and ask specific questions in the forums if you have problems.
#9
One is still ferkanked!-LOL So I know now that its corrupted.
So I guess its possible that also I have a problem with my setup of the game platform or an issue in T3D - Beta 3. ( should have thought about that as a possible issue!
(face palm *doh*)
Will see if I have the same bug in the 1.1 prieview and if so then perhaps I have a bug report!
Cheers!
Joe
04/14/2011 (1:30 pm)
Well- So after opening my Collada models in a seperate viewer and another environment, one works just fine!One is still ferkanked!-LOL So I know now that its corrupted.
So I guess its possible that also I have a problem with my setup of the game platform or an issue in T3D - Beta 3. ( should have thought about that as a possible issue!
(face palm *doh*)
Will see if I have the same bug in the 1.1 prieview and if so then perhaps I have a bug report!
Cheers!
Joe
#10
PS: The model I used is also from DexSoft but the modeler is my team. He created some models for them.
http://www.garagegames.com/community/forums/viewthread/125014
04/14/2011 (2:22 pm)
If you want you can take a look at my repport and compare my images with your's. Already moved my Bug-Report to the "Resolved"-Thread as it works fine for me now.PS: The model I used is also from DexSoft but the modeler is my team. He created some models for them.
http://www.garagegames.com/community/forums/viewthread/125014
#11
I do know the Collada Animation in one of my models is corrupted. When I ran it through the independent Collada viewer and another game engine, it's still doing strange animation sequences.
I don't mean to sound so grumpy- Like I said I don't mind doing the fixes and such to make things work, but I just need to find out what they are and how to do them!
Cheers!
Joe
04/14/2011 (3:02 pm)
Thanks!I do know the Collada Animation in one of my models is corrupted. When I ran it through the independent Collada viewer and another game engine, it's still doing strange animation sequences.
I don't mean to sound so grumpy- Like I said I don't mind doing the fixes and such to make things work, but I just need to find out what they are and how to do them!
Cheers!
Joe
#12
I'd love to get a look at those notes if possible. Even if written in your own shorthand (not meant for outside consumption) I'd still like to take a look and see what I can glean from them.
04/14/2011 (6:13 pm)
Quote:One of the Things I have learned to do over the years (so far I have 12 pages) is to document my lessons learned- resources and work arounds in a word document as I have gone along.
I'd love to get a look at those notes if possible. Even if written in your own shorthand (not meant for outside consumption) I'd still like to take a look and see what I can glean from them.
#13
When I get them into some logical order I will share them with you and others in the community!
Everyone else:
Frank Geppert (Dexsoft) got back to me and I am working to get these issues resolved. The response is very cordial and open with willingness to set things right!
That's what I'm talking about! Good Customer service and open communications!
Thumbs up to Frank and Dexsoft!
Joe
04/18/2011 (8:16 am)
@Erik,When I get them into some logical order I will share them with you and others in the community!
Everyone else:
Frank Geppert (Dexsoft) got back to me and I am working to get these issues resolved. The response is very cordial and open with willingness to set things right!
That's what I'm talking about! Good Customer service and open communications!
Thumbs up to Frank and Dexsoft!
Joe
#14
ive had similar issues and i ended up re-rigging the meshes to the gideon biped supplied by GG
im currently trying to work out how to rip the anims from them and make them blendable with the gideon anims, anyone got any clues on that ?
i also had a lot of problems that were fixed by using the "open collada" exporter, its definately worth installing
04/18/2011 (9:42 am)
hi Joe ive had similar issues and i ended up re-rigging the meshes to the gideon biped supplied by GG
im currently trying to work out how to rip the anims from them and make them blendable with the gideon anims, anyone got any clues on that ?
i also had a lot of problems that were fixed by using the "open collada" exporter, its definately worth installing
Torque 3D Owner Stefan D