Constructor File Exporters
by Ron Hiler · in Torque Game Engine Advanced · 01/15/2009 (7:51 am) · 2 replies
1) Are we getting the Constructor forums back any time soon?
2) I need to browse the exporters available for Constructor. Does anyone have a link to where they live?
3) Constructor uses .map files (natively). I don't suppose anyone has any idea if this can be imported into UU3D do they? According to this page http://www.unwrap3d.com/formats.aspx UU3D will import .map files, but it calls them Worldcraft files. That can't possibly be the same thing, can it? Anyone tried this?
I'd really like to use Constructor in my workflow, but I need to get the resulting files into a format I can use, and that's seeming to be a bit problematic :)
2) I need to browse the exporters available for Constructor. Does anyone have a link to where they live?
3) Constructor uses .map files (natively). I don't suppose anyone has any idea if this can be imported into UU3D do they? According to this page http://www.unwrap3d.com/formats.aspx UU3D will import .map files, but it calls them Worldcraft files. That can't possibly be the same thing, can it? Anyone tried this?
I'd really like to use Constructor in my workflow, but I need to get the resulting files into a format I can use, and that's seeming to be a bit problematic :)
#2
Sounds like saving to MAP and converting through UU3D is the way to go (I was just dubious that they were really the same thing in both Constructor and UU3D, but it seems as though they are).
You misunderstand. I'm not using UU3D (in this context) for UV mapping, but simply as a format converter. Ultimately, I need to get my constructions into dae files, which UU3D will export for me, as long as I can get them into UU3D! UU3D doesn't appear to recognize DIF or CSX files, so it looks like my last best hope is MAP files.
(You may wonder why I need dae files. Ultimately, I decided TGEA wasn't the way to go for me. However, I *really* like Constructor (as far as I'm concerned it is far far better than the other options I have) and would like to keep it in my workflow, but to do that I need to convert it's results into something the engine can use, which in this case, are dae files).
01/15/2009 (9:11 am)
Ah, okay, thanks Michael.Sounds like saving to MAP and converting through UU3D is the way to go (I was just dubious that they were really the same thing in both Constructor and UU3D, but it seems as though they are).
You misunderstand. I'm not using UU3D (in this context) for UV mapping, but simply as a format converter. Ultimately, I need to get my constructions into dae files, which UU3D will export for me, as long as I can get them into UU3D! UU3D doesn't appear to recognize DIF or CSX files, so it looks like my last best hope is MAP files.
(You may wonder why I need dae files. Ultimately, I decided TGEA wasn't the way to go for me. However, I *really* like Constructor (as far as I'm concerned it is far far better than the other options I have) and would like to keep it in my workflow, but to do that I need to convert it's results into something the engine can use, which in this case, are dae files).
Associate Michael Hall
Distracted...
2. Constructor's exporter is built in. You can use map2dif on MAP files though, whether created in Constructor or externally in other programs. Constructor exports to the DIF format for use in Torque. It can save it's files as MAP for use in other programs, however DIF is only useful for Torque.
3a. MAP files are most commonly associated with Quake-style games, but it is a common format. MAP has a great level of compatibility for many different interior/level-editing programs, however not all are equal. Example applications: Worldcraft, Quark, Valve's Hammer Editor (used to be Worldcraft), and of course Constructor.
3b. UUW3D's object unwrapping and texturing isn't really applicable to CSG (Constructive Solid Geometry) style modeling (brush based) which is what the MAP format is for. Most CSG based interior/level editors use a face by face application/projection method of applying textures. Unwrapping a model for UV mapping and texturing is a whole different ballpark -- not to say it can't be done for MAP files though!
3c. Constructor's native format is CSX, I've personally had the most success using this and exporting directly to DIF, instead of using map2dif, for both TGE and TGEa.
A few mesh based modeling apps also have the ability to export to the MAP format, but CSG rules still apply, and they then have to be opened up in relevant map-editing software to fix geometry and for texturing.