New Constructor for T3D???

#1 It's simple enough to create your normal maps (the Gimp or Photoshop) & a materials.cs for use in TGEa. But maybe, just maybe, the mentioned Material editor will help simplify the process by letting you tweak/design your material effects inside of Torque 3D. Bringing Constructor up to date for TGEa just to be able to view normal maps would be a large undertaking, possibly even more so with the Advanced lighting system that Torque 3D has.

What kind of compatibility problems are you having? I've exported to dif from Constructor and been able to use them in both TGE and TGEa with hardly any problems.

#2 So u can apply normal maps in constructor but just not veiw them? I've read online in some places that constructor can't do anything with normal mapping, but if i could just apply them in constructor then I'll be doing ok.

#3 No. You don't actually "apply" a normal map to anything -- it's a shader effect for bumps and/or specularity. You'll create your normal maps in an outside program. The Gimp has a downloadable plugin for that, or for best result you would use something like Zbrush to add detail to a low-res model (ie-make it super hi-res) and then "bake" that detail onto a texture: the normal map. Afterwards you would use a text editor to add to or create a materials.cs for the texture to which you want to apply the shader effect to. In-game you'll see the effect. Sounds like a workaround but it's standard practice regardless of modeling/constructing application.

#4 and they already said no there will not be a updated version of constructor theres no need to spend money and time on that program anymore. they made that program when there was not that many exporters for the 3d programs. you now got one for just about everything also Collada is coming in T3D so now there will be no need for a exporter just use Collada. why do you think they are releasing Collada it will replace constructor which is by far not a good program to use.

#5

Quote:theres no need to spend money and time on that program anymore. they made that program when there was not that many exporters for the 3d programs

Not to quibble but there have been a number of exporters for 3d programs over the years. Constructor (which has also always been free) was made in order to create CSG based models (not mesh-based) for export to the .dif format (which relies on Binary Space Partitioning to optimize for zoning, culling, and collision. Today that is not so much a problem given the hardware we have now -- it depends on the needs of your project whether or not to use it.

Collada is not a replacement for Constructor or for the .dts format, it's an entirely different means of handling exporting to the .dts format, it turns .dae files into .dts files upon introduction to Torque.