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Adding meshes to .dif models

by John Spivey · in Game Design and Creative Issues · 09/06/2006 (9:16 pm) · 1 replies

I have seen talk of adding meshes to the .dif models. My question is this:

Do you use a modeling program to add the .map file into the program and use that as a guideline to build your meshes? Meaning if i put in a block that is a house into a .dts type modeling program and want to make the roof a mesh, do I import the .map file into the modeling program, build the mesh on the .map model, delete the .map model and add the .dts (roof model) in engine? Hope that makes sense.

If that is the case, what .dts modeling software allows for this? I tried looking in milkshapes to no avail. Please dont tell me that max or maya would be the only way.

If this is not the steps needed to add meshes to the .map model what is?

Any help here would be greatly apreciated.
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Associate David Montgomery-Blake
David MontgomeryBlake
#1
09/06/2006 (10:06 pm)
Okay, here is what I did for a long, long time. Take your map file, hopefully structured correctly, and run Map23DS. then take the 3DS file and import it into your favorite modeling app. Create structures as necessary. Export to DTS and load it up into the engine to see how your exporter works with scaling. Then scale accordingly. Construct in-engine and go.

Constructor and LightWave are a good mix since the export to LWO feature works nicely with the DTS exporter. But that is down the line and I have no idea if it will be featured in the final version or what the export features are, etc. I'm hoping scripting export, but I don't know.

You could also use DeleD which has a DIF exporter and a DTS exporter, which I believe use the same scaling. One package might fit all. I haven't tested it yet, but it is an intuitive modeling package. I haven't used the exporters for TGE, though.

EDIT: Link to Dave's LWO constructor blog.