Anyone using Blender for dif creation?

#1 I worked on a script with Joe Sulewski (another member here) that generated a .map from a Blender scene. I worked but needed lots of improvement.

I stopped developing with it and I think he continued it. You should ask him if the latest version is available or ready for release.

NOTE: From what he has told me, there are some problems when pulling certain coordinates from Blender to feed to map2dif.

#2 Scott:

It this the script what you are talking about

Map Export

/roland

#3 "NOTE: From what he has told me, there are some problems when pulling certain coordinates from Blender to feed to map2dif."

Maybe I sound like an idiot saying this, but could that possibly be because the coordinates might comprise a concave polyhedron? Or does this script automatically divide brushes to make them convex?

#4 So, it is possible to export blender scenes into the dif format?!
this is awesome, i enjoy the blender program and this is really good news.

i wanted to create a script but didnt know where to start. this solves my problem

is their a location (like url) where i could access it? i tried to click on the map exporter link from above but i got an error message

#5 Sorry to resurrect this, but, yes, it is possible to create rough DIFs with Blender (Ok, technically, you can create a map which can be converted to a DIF). Joe was working on a script, and he got it much farther along than I had. I can't seem to get ahold of him to check on the status, however.

The other day, I was looking through my external HDD (amazing how fast a laptop get filled up, isn't it?) and came across my version of the script.

It still needs some work, but at least I can get some basic shapes out of it. My version doesn't have the texture support in it, which is what Joe was working on. Mine does have support for lights, though (not sure he incorporated that part, since I was just working on it). Currently, everything comes out mapped in the same way expecting a "concrete" texture. Not very fancy, but at least you can get an idea of what's going on (and possibly use Quark or something else) to finish it off.

I hope to get time to work on the script more, so I can get the texture support going.

Here's a simple scene exported from Blender. It's a single cube, scaled down, then copied several times, and rotated around the 3D cursor. Then, I put a UVsphere with 10 segments and 10 rings in the center.

#6 This is going to sound sarcastic, so please don't take it the wrong way, but sometimes it's hard to get this point across, so humor might work:


Yes, you can use Blender to create .difs. You can also use a hammer to cut a 2 foot hole in a piece of plywood. Neither one is going to be easy, nor look very polished when it's finished.

The fundamental nature of .dif shapes is completely different from .dts shapes, which is why there are two completely different tools to build each (map editor vs shape editor). The primary issue is that .dif shapes require convexity, while .dts shapes sacrifice collision and rendering performance for the ability to use concavity. Map editors by their very nature enforce the requirements of .dif shapes, whereas .dts editors (Blender, Max, Maya, etc.) do not...

We do realize that the .map editor toolset out there is not the most professional, which is why Constructor is on the horizon.

#7 Hey, I realize that. I started the Python script for the export to learn Python under Blender and because it was way before any announcement was made of Constructor.

I'm not wasting my time on it. I'd like to get Constructor (if/when it gets released). Blender is great for lots of things, but map editing, it is not.

#8 Fair enough :) We get this question a lot from commercial studios of all sizes that don't really understand the difference, and aren't willing at their start to add a second art asset pipeline for .difs.

#9 Ok, i think this thread is somewhat closed now. i bought cartography shop witht he torque pipeline. i can create the models in blender, export as .3ds and import them into cartography shop 4 wiht a plugin. then it goes to TGE, it looks amazing:), so thank you to everyone that replied:)

#10 Im looking to make buildings as a standard mesh, then have an invisable dts structure around them for player interaction.
I hate how windows and detail break up the dts meshes, creating un-neccessary subdivisions.

Would this resource be able to convert just the dts object from blender into the invisable .dts?

that way we could have high poly, good lookin buildings with basic collision detection.

Your above picture with the arch and ball look to be all that's neccessary.

thanks,

Alaric

#11 Ok, well... i got my hands on the .map-exporter.script from draekko, but now i don't know where to put it, or how to integrate it into blender... *noobish*...
is there any map2dif for the mac version of blender?

#12 Ok... got it into blender, but when i try to export it as a .map, it asks me for a .map-file to save, not a blenderfile... what the he**? all i got from this was a small version of confusion...

when i press export i get the error:

Pythonscript error: check console.

#13 Kinda starting to gnaw the cable to my ac-dc-adapter in frustration...


could anyone ona MAC please tell me the right way to get a working .dif?

#14 Alex,

I too was looking for the MAP exporter (from Scott or Joe), was unable to find it though. I believe you're to place it into your Blender .Scripts folder, then Update the scripts so the new one appears on the selection list.

#15 Done that, got the exporter to show in the list, but i can't export anything.

#16 I would like to give it a try, but where can I get the exporter, please?

#17 click here to download it in .zip-format.

#18 Thanks ;)

#19 Np, m8... anyone reading this post knowing if there's ANY program for mac that can handle the creation of .dif?
as i statet now numerous of times, i would lovet o be able to create more complex buildings for my game.

#20 None that I know of. The best way to get it, untill Constructor is released, is using Quark over VirtualPC. It is easy to setup and it works fine.