Which 3d model file format can be imported into TGE?
by Mark Rothensee · in Artist Corner · 11/02/2007 (3:23 pm) · 7 replies
At the very outset I would like to apologize if it seems like a trivial question but which 3d model formats can be imported into and animated in TGE?? Thank you for your cooperation in advance
#2
11/03/2007 (11:44 am)
Thank you very much Alan for providing me with valuable information. I have another question..Can you use models developed in Vue Esprit in TGE? 
#3
11/04/2007 (9:14 am)
Vue, for the most part, creates high poly mesh models for use in their procedural rendering. It wasn't designed for use in real-time graphics (much in the same way Poser was never designed with real-time graphics in mind). But you would have to export the meshes to a format that another engine could use and then re-export them to DTS. And you couldn't use the terrains. You could definitely make your skyboxes in Vue, though!
#4
My kids and I are creating a game in Torque for a school project (and to have fun - of course :) ) and so we are trying to keep the cost as low as possible. Hence the purchase of Daz and Bryce was one of the first things we spent cash on. 20-20 hindsight shows that this may have been a poor decision and that the educational pricing on Maya is within budget after all - NEXT payday or so. But, for now - we are stuck with what we have. Any suggestions are appreciated.
11/04/2007 (9:26 am)
Is there a tool or tutorial on exporting highpoly meshes from Poser/Daz/Vue/Bryce etc? I have been looking, and either I am blind or there are only references to the possibility but no actual solution mentioned. My kids and I are creating a game in Torque for a school project (and to have fun - of course :) ) and so we are trying to keep the cost as low as possible. Hence the purchase of Daz and Bryce was one of the first things we spent cash on. 20-20 hindsight shows that this may have been a poor decision and that the educational pricing on Maya is within budget after all - NEXT payday or so. But, for now - we are stuck with what we have. Any suggestions are appreciated.
#5
My advice: comb the appropriate forums for 10 minutes or so each day, it's amazing the things you'll find out about free, or near free stuff you can use for your game. Blender comes to mind in your case, it's free, and while I'm no artist, my guess is that it could do the job for you. Good luck!
11/05/2007 (5:40 am)
Doesn't the educational version of Maya "watermark" everything you produce with it? And, if so, won't that watermark transfer over to anything you try to export to Torque? I know this happens with 3DSMax, not sure on Maya, and, I'm not sure if this would interfere with the export process or not. My advice: comb the appropriate forums for 10 minutes or so each day, it's amazing the things you'll find out about free, or near free stuff you can use for your game. Blender comes to mind in your case, it's free, and while I'm no artist, my guess is that it could do the job for you. Good luck!
#6
There are exporters for various engines available (Greenbriar Studios and Lightwave come to mind) but you have to do some serious reduction to the models to make them useful.
11/05/2007 (8:56 am)
The problem with the high-poly meshes from the products mentioned is that they were never meant for real-time rendering with game engine. They were made to be used for procedural rendering. It is like trying to beat a square block into a round hole with a sledgehammer.There are exporters for various engines available (Greenbriar Studios and Lightwave come to mind) but you have to do some serious reduction to the models to make them useful.
#7
However - Milkshape seems to be the answer - after having done as you suggested (and another pointer in one of the other forum entries) I found the software tools page in the TDN. It seems to have all the tools needed to convert and even modify (reduce polys for example) and the price is definitely in the right ballpark.
Blender is a good tool - and while I have learned (by no means mastered - is that truly possible with so vast a tool?) th interface, it is an additional challnge that will detract from the enjoyment/momentum that my kids are having so far. Easy intrface==continued enjoyment==creation==learning. So I kind of left that option behind and optd to spend some cash if needed.. just not ALOT of cash.
So far this project has racked up a fair cost ($100.00 here $25 there.. but then, so did Lego Robotics - and that was worth it too!) I just want to minimize as much as possible.. untill/unless this suddenly gets bigger than I expect. Who knows.. it IS an awesome set of tools and terrific possibilities. The kids are more psyched than they were on the Mindstorms (to the extent they are trying to get the local K12 involved now), so ...who knows.
Thanks for the help guys!
11/05/2007 (11:01 am)
No - the educational version of Maya does not watermark (PLE version does - and also prevents the saving of usable filetypes), and is (as stated in their docs) fully usable as a commercial software tool - you just need to qualify for the purchase initially (such as home schooling 4 kids :) )However - Milkshape seems to be the answer - after having done as you suggested (and another pointer in one of the other forum entries) I found the software tools page in the TDN. It seems to have all the tools needed to convert and even modify (reduce polys for example) and the price is definitely in the right ballpark.
Blender is a good tool - and while I have learned (by no means mastered - is that truly possible with so vast a tool?) th interface, it is an additional challnge that will detract from the enjoyment/momentum that my kids are having so far. Easy intrface==continued enjoyment==creation==learning. So I kind of left that option behind and optd to spend some cash if needed.. just not ALOT of cash.
So far this project has racked up a fair cost ($100.00 here $25 there.. but then, so did Lego Robotics - and that was worth it too!) I just want to minimize as much as possible.. untill/unless this suddenly gets bigger than I expect. Who knows.. it IS an awesome set of tools and terrific possibilities. The kids are more psyched than they were on the Mindstorms (to the extent they are trying to get the local K12 involved now), so ...who knows.
Thanks for the help guys!
Torque Owner Alan James
Really Really Good Things Studio
tdn.garagegames.com/wiki/DTS/FeatureChart
The other type is a .MAP based file for BSP objects, .DIF. Again I believe it is particular to Torque, but the most popular BSP editors, working with MAP2DIF can export to this format. The ones that I know of are Quark, Hammer, 3D World Studio, Cartography, and of course the free GG app. Constructor.
Hope this helps (and anyone correct me if any of this is erroneous).