CShop vs. Torque Constructor?
by Phil Luhn · in Artist Corner · 03/10/2005 (6:11 am) · 18 replies
Anyone have any idea what the release of Torque Constructor will do to future Torque support in Cartography Shop? I've tried posting in the official CShop forums, but my posts never appear... Tom Spilman, you seem to be inside on all the CShop happenings; have you heard anything?
#2
Similar to how people do models now - some prefer Milkshape, some prefer Max, etc.
Use what you are comfortable using.
03/10/2005 (7:14 am)
I agree with David. Until we see more information about Torque Constructor, it's hard to say. I am assuming that once it's released, it'll be the preferred tool for doing interior work in Torque-engine games. But if the Cartography Shop exporter gets out first (if it's not already out) and people are comfortable with using it, I would think they could continue.Similar to how people do models now - some prefer Milkshape, some prefer Max, etc.
Use what you are comfortable using.
#3
03/10/2005 (7:35 am)
At least for under $5000 and doesn't require another OS specific editor to perform file conversions (JQT, though I believe the map2dif alpha killed the requirement of loading JQT maps into Quark for proper .map file generation). 
#4
David, very well said.
We'll be posting about Torque Constructor later... just so you guys know, believe us, we want to talk about it a lot. But we're still fairly early in development (though we're progressing very quickly!). So, we'll need to be a little mum about everything.. I'm sure there'll be tons and tons of questions, but we won't be able to answer a lot of them for right now. As we get closer to release, we'll be talking about it more and more, of course, and everybody's questions will be answered in time.
The only reason we're even talking about this right now at all is that everyone has been so rabid about wanting a new interior editing tool... we figure it'd be best to let you guys know at least that we have this project coming down the pipe, rather than keep everyone in the dark until we're ready to talk about all the details. We've been working away on this for a while, and you'll hear more about the team involved soon.
Thanks for the interest already guys. :)
03/10/2005 (7:37 am)
Keith, yes it will be. :)David, very well said.
We'll be posting about Torque Constructor later... just so you guys know, believe us, we want to talk about it a lot. But we're still fairly early in development (though we're progressing very quickly!). So, we'll need to be a little mum about everything.. I'm sure there'll be tons and tons of questions, but we won't be able to answer a lot of them for right now. As we get closer to release, we'll be talking about it more and more, of course, and everybody's questions will be answered in time.
The only reason we're even talking about this right now at all is that everyone has been so rabid about wanting a new interior editing tool... we figure it'd be best to let you guys know at least that we have this project coming down the pipe, rather than keep everyone in the dark until we're ready to talk about all the details. We've been working away on this for a while, and you'll hear more about the team involved soon.
Thanks for the interest already guys. :)
#6
03/11/2005 (6:14 am)
@Josh, thanks for introducing this, if it comes soon you just saved me from having to migrate my project to *shudders* windows. 
#7
Since all the other tools out there are tuned for other game engines and we depend on GG community members to create DIF exporters for Torque, how about turning it around for Torque Constructor? Obviously it will have "Save as DIF" or "Export to DIF" built in, but how about "Export to MAP" et cetera, so you can sell the product to users of other game engines?
That way, all the UT and HL nuts would be depending on GG for a development tool, instead of the other way around.
03/11/2005 (9:06 pm)
@Josh, just an idea:Since all the other tools out there are tuned for other game engines and we depend on GG community members to create DIF exporters for Torque, how about turning it around for Torque Constructor? Obviously it will have "Save as DIF" or "Export to DIF" built in, but how about "Export to MAP" et cetera, so you can sell the product to users of other game engines?
That way, all the UT and HL nuts would be depending on GG for a development tool, instead of the other way around.
#8
05/31/2005 (8:20 am)
Will constructor have Torquescript? I hope so, then we can all expand the hell out of it and create batch scripts for various tasks :)
#9
08/27/2006 (3:21 pm)
Yes it will.
#10
08/27/2006 (3:34 pm)
Last post I read Constructor was supposed to be released this year around April or May.
#11
08/27/2006 (3:40 pm)
If your waiting on Constructor it'll probally be a while; buy 3d world studio or CShop. 
#12
I'm definitely waiting for Constructor -- seems a waste to spend money on anything else right now. In the mean-time, I'm prototyping with Hammer. (tdn.garagegames.com/wiki/DIF/Hammer)
08/28/2006 (2:58 pm)
IMO, Constructor looks like it will be vasty superior to 3D World Studio/CShop (and most other level editors) and well worth the wait: www.garagegames.com/blogs/8341/8152 (Be sure to watch the movie.)I'm definitely waiting for Constructor -- seems a waste to spend money on anything else right now. In the mean-time, I'm prototyping with Hammer. (tdn.garagegames.com/wiki/DIF/Hammer)
#13
Are you using hammer 4.x or 3.x? I noticed that the link http://www.garagegames.com/blogs/8341/8152 does not mention version 4. I own halflife2, so I have 'steam', which I believe is required for hammer 4. Is there any reason I can't use this for exporting dif to torque?
Anybody know anthing about this?
Thanks!!!
-TODD
09/09/2006 (12:41 pm)
Hey,Are you using hammer 4.x or 3.x? I noticed that the link http://www.garagegames.com/blogs/8341/8152 does not mention version 4. I own halflife2, so I have 'steam', which I believe is required for hammer 4. Is there any reason I can't use this for exporting dif to torque?
Anybody know anthing about this?
Thanks!!!
-TODD
#14
www.garagegames.com/mg/forums/result.thread.php?qt=50621
I don't recommend using Cartography Shop any more, since 3D World Studio is faster/better/newer.
09/11/2006 (12:56 pm)
3D World Studio is the new sequel to Cartography Shop. I just released v5.50, which will export straight to .dif. See here:www.garagegames.com/mg/forums/result.thread.php?qt=50621
I don't recommend using Cartography Shop any more, since 3D World Studio is faster/better/newer.
#16
09/11/2006 (1:56 pm)
Yes, but it is invisible to the user. I was inspired by the old Quake bsp/vis/lit compilers, and used a similar approach.
#18
I didn't know there was a 4.0 version, so no idea if it will work or not. Try it out and let us know. =)
09/11/2006 (2:41 pm)
@Jonathan: Hammer 3.4. (From TDN: "It is advised that you remain with Hammer 3.4 and not use the 3.5 beta, as this may cause serious problems with your maps.") I didn't know there was a 4.0 version, so no idea if it will work or not. Try it out and let us know. =)
Associate David Montgomery-Blake
David MontgomeryBlake
Considering our knowledge of Torque Constructor comes from a screenshot and small blurb, it seems to be jumping the gun at this point. Once GG returns and we learn more, everyone will be able to make informed decisions about their tools. Right now speculation on anyone's parts (and believe me, the screenshot made me want to speculate) is a cross between knee-jerk reactionary and shot-in-the-dark.
But regardless, I would think that CShop exporter development would continue even if Tom was the only one using it on his own games. Then it really wouldn't be different than most shops that built their own in-house tools.