Export static meshes (.DTS) as .DIF?

#1 ..if you're using Torque3D, forget the term/file-extension ".dif".
You only need DTS/DAE.

Avoid constructor, you do not need it or it's terrible terrible interface.

//.dif and constructor were for TGE/TGEA

#2 The game I'm working with is using a really old version of Torque Game Engine. It needs legacy DIFs or something for the interiors.

#3 If you clear the air about your name tag not showing a license, I'll help you out.

#4 Why would I need to own the engine to create content for it? I'm making a map for an indie game called Blockland.

#5 I think what eb wants to know if anybody on your team or a friend owns a license.
Otherwise, how are you gonna use the content without a game engine?

Is Blockland the Lego-Style game from Eric Hartman?

#6 I had no clue what you were doing with which package.
So, that is why I asked you. -You would be surprised how many pirate users try to get help.

Anyways, I have never heard of dts to dif. It's usually .map to .dif.

You may want to check around to see if you can get your model into .map format (WoW,HL or Q3 .map is sufficient) so that you can use constructor's map2dif compiler. Beyond that I am no help. Hopefully someone else can give you more info.

#7 There are scripts for 3DS Max that will allow you to convert them out to .MAP files for constructor to use, one of our old artists was using it for a while.

DIF files are BSP based so will have to remember to model everything as convex though or it would die horribly!!

#8 Constructor allows you to export DIF files with DTS shapes as 'static meshes', but I'm pretty sure that's only compatible with TGE 1.5.1+.

But aside from that, I'd recommend what the others have said - most 3D packages will have some sort of exporter to convert your work to a BSP based format, from which you can convert to DIF. You might need to do some retouching of textures and so on in COnstructor, depending on how good the exporter is.

#9 Alexander, yes that would be the game in question. I completely forgot about the .MAP to .DIF converter. Now if I only knew how to use it.

Edit: Okay it appears that I have no other choice than to actually create my map in Torque Constructor since the exporters don't appear to work. *sigh* So far everything is working nice and dandy, just gotta look up some texturing tutorials.

#10 Which 3D modeling programm are you usually working with?

#11 Blender 2.5 Beta.

#12 If you regress to 2.49 you might be able to find some working exporters. Plus, if you're just using geometry, you'll be able to resume work with the 2.5 series when they're stable and have mature features, since in my experience 2.5 does fine at grabbing geometry from 2.4 files. Animations are what really suffers.

#13 Perfect. I'm only using Blender.
Daniel is right. Blender 2.49 has an exporter for Quake3 maps.

Super easy, i just tested it: Open your blender files in Blender 2.49, go to File->Export, choose Quake 3 (.map)

Start Torque Constructor. Go to File-> Open, choose the exported Quake map.
You can now apply Textures and finally save it as *.dif file.

As Andy already mentioned, the more annoying part is this: Concave/Convex

There cannot be any howls in the mesh and so on...

The easiest way would be to get a license of Torque 3D. As eb said, .dif is outdated and gives headaches. And it's only 99 bucks, yeah! ;)

#14 I use Blender 2.5 for modeling and 2.49 for exporting too. Also that was the first thing I tried. Exporting to .map from Blender and opening it with Constructor, but nothing happened. The file was opened, but the scene was empty.

#15 Try it with a simple cube, it works. I deleted the light and camera, so that there is only geometry in the scene.
When i tested it a year ago, i realized, that if there is anything wrong with the scene, the import doesn't work with the Constructor.

That is the annoying thing i mentioned. You have to check manually if the mesh is compatible.
Maybe you can send me the map and i try it?

#16 Here is the .blend file made in Blender 2.49: http://mirror.dataorb.net/CubeTest.blend
And here is the exported .map with default settings: http://mirror.dataorb.net/CubeTest.map
It's just the default cube duplicated a few times.

#17 Ok, i'll check it out when i come home (1-2h).

#18 Now i see the problem. You have to select all the objects that you wish to export in Blender.
Here is the map-file exported from your Blend-file.

Sorry for the send-space download my webspace doesn't work at the moment.

#19 Thanks. Everything works fine now.

#20 Cool! That's good to hear. Good luck with the project. Maybe you people can post a blog about your success here in the community.