Another issue with exporter 3ds 5

#1 Ok maybe this will help if I go over step by step what I did to get this error. It's happened twice so far with two different meshes.

STep 1: I created a box and named it mesh1. Then converted it to an editable mesh.

Step 2: I Created the bounds box and made sure it enclosed the entire model.

Step 3: I used the DTS exporter script to embed the shape mesh1.

Step 4: I exported the shape to a directory with a .cfg file named the same as the mesh.

Step 5: I changed the file path in all my scripts relating to the player model to the path of the newly exported shape.

Step 6: I opened up the dmp file and everything looked kosher.

Step 7: I started my level and as it got to the loading screen it crashed.

Step 8: I then created two more nodes eye and cam and linked the to the base.

Step 9: Exported again, open level, got same error.

I am in here constantly asking questions and I apprieciate everyones help and I have read every resource front to back, and I am putting together a resource of step by steps and faqs for making and exporting a full character from 3ds and this seems to be the final stumbling block. If anyone has a sample basic model that they have been able to export with no animations please tell me how exactly you did it. Please.... Pretty please :)

#2 I tried last night to take the rw model that comes with the engine and export it using 3ds max 5. After removing multires The model exported, but low and behold the same error I got before appeared when I tried to load torque. Wintendo has encountered an error. So not only do the models I create export wrong but so do the default models.

Whats going on here? Does the exporter actually work? Are all the companies releasing games for this engine writting they're own exporters? Are there really aliens at area 51? Is this all a conspiracy to make my head explode and shoot out multi colored strands of confetti?

The main problem I am having with all this is when I take my max model into milkshape and export it there, I have zero difficulty, it exports fine and works great in the game, except for the lack of up down movements in the arms for looking up and down due to only having one time line. when I do it in max, I encounter problem after problem after problem. So my 30 dollar program exports shapes better to torque then my 4k program. Thats assinine. I will say again I have read every export doc there is to read and followed them to the freekin letter. WHat am I doing wrong?

#3 @Paul,

I don't know of any group, aside from maybe Bravetree that has a custom exporter for DTS and even then they have distributed the exporters they use for anyone to access.

I personally have used the DTS exporter plugin for Max to make a plethora of DTS shapes that work fine and have been used or distributed in a variety of projects. So I can assure you that it does work and it works quite well (not just for myself but for pretty much every other Max user that I know).

In regards to your problem, have you tried loading the file in show tool after you have exported it to a DTS and checked the dump.dmp? This way you can check to ensure that the DTS file loads and displays properly as well as check the sequences and DSQs to ensure that they are all functioning.

Generally if the model loads and plays fine in Showtool, but not the engine its likely guarenteed that there is some code you have running that's going wrong.

If the model crashes inside of show tool then perhaps you should upload your Max file somewhere so that I or someone else can take a look and find out what's going wrong. It might be possible that you have a flakey exporter (perhaps something old or something that wasnt compiled by Bravetree or GG?) but this is incredibly rare.

Logan

#4 Ok all the scripts I am using are default scripts that came with the engine I just changed the path to the model, as I said above I checked the dmp file and it looked fine. I can cut and paste the contents later when I get back home.

I will also try to use the model in the show tool and see if it crashes.

I was just kidding about the exporter thing. I know it's not a conspiracy but I have seen three other threads reguarding this same thing and was wondering why no one could get back to me about them having success with a simple shape as a player model and how they did it because I have followed all the docs to the letter and have gotten nowhere. It's just incredibly frustrating trying to do this one simple thing.

Here is a description of the shape. It is a box, it is an editable mesh. it has the bounding box and all the base detail and start nodes from embedding. That is it. No animations no nothing. WHen I export using milkshape, it works fine. WHen I export using 3ds max it crashes like the hindenberg.

EDIT: Oh and as above stated I tried this with the default model and when I exported it and tried to start the game, I got the same error. So it can't logically be the modeling. I'll try out a different exporter and see if that works. But then again I've seen less then logical things happen in the past year so who knows.

EDIT PART 2: Now that I think about it the exporter i am using is downloaded from this site, so I hope it isn't a faulty exporter.

EDIT PART 3: It shows up in the show tool and shows up in the game as a static object, but when I try to use it as a player model, it crashes before it loads the mission. WHy would this be happening if the only thing i'm changing in the script is the shape path?

#5 Have you checked the console for errors?

#6 Two things to check..

this kind of error usually shows up for one of two reasons. One, the model does not have any animations.. The engine expects the player character to have at least one animation. Check to make sure that your shape has one.

two, there is a bad path to a particle texture or the footsteps, or some other resource.

it may be something else, but check those two first.

#7 @ Matthew
No I haven't. I just assumed that the console wouldn't show anything if it couldn't get a chance to load anything. I'll try it.

@ Joe
Damn! I think you pretty much nailed the problem. If this works I assure you I will birth you a golden man baby. I will check to see tonight if that works. Then I'll post success or failure. Danke

#8 Joe and Alex are pretty tight on the modeling. He's probably right about the animations based on your descriptions.

#9 @Joe

Have I ever told you you're my hero? You are the wind beneathe my wings. It was the lack of an idle animation that was causing the funky crash. After I changed the default script to include the idle animation I was able to walk around with a square for a body. Whoopie. Now I'm going to try the real thing. Thank you Joe. You guys rock.

#10 No problem.. you can show your support for us by buying ThinkTanks (multiple copies if you like) ;)

I am doing my best with the time I have to help out as much as I can. Pass along all knowledge you gain.

Joe