Shaders-3d Max/TGEA
by Suzanne Hunter · in Torque Developer Network · 06/27/2007 (9:31 am) · 2 replies
Hi
I am actually new to game engines. I am specifically a 3d artist. I am finding out that Torque uses alot of programing knowledge which I do not have. Nevertheless, I work for a company that has programmers and uses Torque to produce Sims. They are in the process of acquiring TGEA with shaders. By doing some research I have found out that you actually need a 3rd party plugin or utility to take 3d textures/shaders out of 3d Max (which they use to produce textures/characters/objects/etc...) and then the programmers still need to tweak these to get the animations to work.
I am specifically refering to shaders. My question is can you produce shaders and bump maps in 3d Max that will transfer over into Torque or does the programmer have to produce the shaders in Torque? For instance can an image like a car which has a shiny body, chrome bumper and glass windows be produced in Max and exported somehow into torque in one file. I realize that shader objects are usually separate in a 3d programs like Maya or Max.
I have done a little research and came upon an article by Logan Foster who explains the process a little. I also realize you need a 3rd party plugin or utitlity to make this happen. If so which is the best to use?
Thanks, Suzanne
I am actually new to game engines. I am specifically a 3d artist. I am finding out that Torque uses alot of programing knowledge which I do not have. Nevertheless, I work for a company that has programmers and uses Torque to produce Sims. They are in the process of acquiring TGEA with shaders. By doing some research I have found out that you actually need a 3rd party plugin or utility to take 3d textures/shaders out of 3d Max (which they use to produce textures/characters/objects/etc...) and then the programmers still need to tweak these to get the animations to work.
I am specifically refering to shaders. My question is can you produce shaders and bump maps in 3d Max that will transfer over into Torque or does the programmer have to produce the shaders in Torque? For instance can an image like a car which has a shiny body, chrome bumper and glass windows be produced in Max and exported somehow into torque in one file. I realize that shader objects are usually separate in a 3d programs like Maya or Max.
I have done a little research and came upon an article by Logan Foster who explains the process a little. I also realize you need a 3rd party plugin or utitlity to make this happen. If so which is the best to use?
Thanks, Suzanne
About the author
#2
I was also wondering if you could use Render toTexture out of 3d max to bake the texture into the object?
Someone suggested that. It is my understanding that the texture is then baked into the object whether it be chrome etc. Even shadows can be baked in which will follow the lighting in the game engine. I am still trying to figure out how this thing all works. The file is exported as a DTS which becomes a DSQ? correct?
In the case of separate shaders. How would they then be exported out of Max? Would you have one for a certain shiny material and one for glass. Maybe you don't even need to export anything out of Max. Maybe the shaders in TGEA can all be implemented by the programmers. All the texture artist has to do is take the flat texture maps that they have created put them on the model and then export them as usual. Then the programmer adds chrome or glass or reflections where necessary from within TGEA. Any help here would be appreciated.
06/28/2007 (10:37 am)
Thanks MBI was also wondering if you could use Render toTexture out of 3d max to bake the texture into the object?
Someone suggested that. It is my understanding that the texture is then baked into the object whether it be chrome etc. Even shadows can be baked in which will follow the lighting in the game engine. I am still trying to figure out how this thing all works. The file is exported as a DTS which becomes a DSQ? correct?
In the case of separate shaders. How would they then be exported out of Max? Would you have one for a certain shiny material and one for glass. Maybe you don't even need to export anything out of Max. Maybe the shaders in TGEA can all be implemented by the programmers. All the texture artist has to do is take the flat texture maps that they have created put them on the model and then export them as usual. Then the programmer adds chrome or glass or reflections where necessary from within TGEA. Any help here would be appreciated.
Torque 3D Owner mb
You can download the TGEA demo and look in the shader directory for the shaders and the data directory for the objects.