Problem with my model, or Torque, or the ShowTool?
by Jimmy Sparks · in Artist Corner · 03/11/2005 (8:59 am) · 6 replies
Hi all, sorry this is a repost of something I posted in another forum. Anyhoo, I'm having some problems and am hoping somebody can help me figure it out. I'm posting this in the ShowTool Pro forum, since I need some clarification on how the ShowTool works.
Basically, I've got a character that works in Torque and in ShowTool Pro. However, I needed to make changes to it. So I added polys and whatnot to it, even changed the texture(kept same name though).
I have the new improved character set up in 3dsmax 5 with a basic animation, and it is set up the same as my original character. I export out of 3dsmax fine. I use the new ShowTool Pro, and the character shows up properly with animation and textures.
However, when I run the engine, the character(which I have replaced the original with) is invisible in the world. I can see that the animation is there, since I have a gun mounted to the hand(the gun being a seperate scene and whatnot, like how Jill in the character pack is setup). Anyhoo, the gun is moving as it did with the previous version of the character.
Can anyone please help me figure this out? I've checked everything with this new character to try and figure out why it's not showing up in the engine. Again, it IS showing up in the ShowTool, which I thought would basically tell me that "yes, the character works fine in the engine" if it displays and animates it.
I'm pulling my hair out!(btw, I did export the old character again, and it works just fine.)
:(
I'm more curious now about why it shows up in the ShowTool. I had been told in the past(at least with the original Show utility in Torque, that if you can see it working in the Show tool, then it'll work in the engine.
Any words of advice or help on this please. :D
thanks.
Basically, I've got a character that works in Torque and in ShowTool Pro. However, I needed to make changes to it. So I added polys and whatnot to it, even changed the texture(kept same name though).
I have the new improved character set up in 3dsmax 5 with a basic animation, and it is set up the same as my original character. I export out of 3dsmax fine. I use the new ShowTool Pro, and the character shows up properly with animation and textures.
However, when I run the engine, the character(which I have replaced the original with) is invisible in the world. I can see that the animation is there, since I have a gun mounted to the hand(the gun being a seperate scene and whatnot, like how Jill in the character pack is setup). Anyhoo, the gun is moving as it did with the previous version of the character.
Can anyone please help me figure this out? I've checked everything with this new character to try and figure out why it's not showing up in the engine. Again, it IS showing up in the ShowTool, which I thought would basically tell me that "yes, the character works fine in the engine" if it displays and animates it.
I'm pulling my hair out!(btw, I did export the old character again, and it works just fine.)
:(
I'm more curious now about why it shows up in the ShowTool. I had been told in the past(at least with the original Show utility in Torque, that if you can see it working in the Show tool, then it'll work in the engine.
Any words of advice or help on this please. :D
thanks.
#2
03/11/2005 (10:33 am)
No, there are no errors related to the character. The animations all show up in the engine, since I can see the gun connected to where it should be, and moving as it should. 
#3
The Torque ShowTool Pro does indeed use the same DTS loading, rendering and animation code as the Torque engine itself.
However, the TGE does add a number of layers on top of this to do game specific stuff -- such as the invisible 'cloaking' effect, etc. Some of these effects are typically controlled with a 'player.cs' file, as well as within the code itself. So, there may be game-specific reasons why your shape shows up differently within the TGE vs. TST Pro.
Something you could try is to add your new character object to a mission as a static shape -- just like it was a tree or rock. This should avoid anything that is specific to the 'player' code and allow you to just view the shape file within your game.
Have you tried your new player shape in a stock TGE 1.3 build by just replacing the player.dts file?
- LightWave Dave
03/14/2005 (9:01 am)
Greetings!The Torque ShowTool Pro does indeed use the same DTS loading, rendering and animation code as the Torque engine itself.
However, the TGE does add a number of layers on top of this to do game specific stuff -- such as the invisible 'cloaking' effect, etc. Some of these effects are typically controlled with a 'player.cs' file, as well as within the code itself. So, there may be game-specific reasons why your shape shows up differently within the TGE vs. TST Pro.
Something you could try is to add your new character object to a mission as a static shape -- just like it was a tree or rock. This should avoid anything that is specific to the 'player' code and allow you to just view the shape file within your game.
Have you tried your new player shape in a stock TGE 1.3 build by just replacing the player.dts file?
- LightWave Dave
#4
03/15/2005 (8:54 am)
Thanks for the response, Lightwave Dave. I'll try what you're saying. I hope it works.
#5
03/15/2005 (11:57 am)
I have the character model loaded into the engine now, as just a static shape. I'm wondering now if it's something wrong with my bones or something. I guess the only way to know is to start from scratch with a new Bip and see what happens. thanks, I'll keep you posted.
#6
07/17/2007 (2:19 am)
Probably it is a LOD problem. Check your LOD settings while exporting the model. 
Torque Owner Todd D. Degani