Torque Constructor or Blender?

#1 Constructor is a brush based modeler that is meant to make .dif interiors. Blender is what you should use for anything except buildings (unless you have TGEA and use Polysoup) I personally don't use Blender because by the time I found out about it I had already used about 4 or 5 different modeling programs making it hard(er) to learn it.

#2 First up:
Constructor makes DIF format - that's a BSP based structure like in Quake, COD, etc (based on the .map format). Constructor is like Radiant, Quark, Hammer, etc. DIFs are buildings and interiors. You can't make working models (vehicles, guns, objects) with it, they are DTS format. They have portalling which helps improve performance by not rendering what is not visible.

DTS format are for models (static or dynamic - a player model or working gun would be dynamic, a chair that doesn't move would be static). You need a modelling program for them like Blender, Milkshape, Houdini, Wings, 3DS Max, etc. There is a plugin to export to Torque.

Go here for the official explanation between DIF and DTS formats

Also check out the artist documentation page here

Secondly:
I use both programs. Blender for models and Constructor for interiors. Blender is initially difficult to use because it has an unfamiliar interface.

Check out Torque Developer Network for further info on using constructor. Don't be afraid of the search function.

#3 Use Torque Constructor for .dif models. But don't use blender for anything (unless you are really poor)

Use Maya/3ds max for modelling
Use Houdini for rigging and animating.

#4 Ok, so basically. I should use Blender for everything except interiors, and Torque Constructor is for interiors.

#5 Houdini ----------------------------- 99 USD from the GG site. Fine.


3DS Max 2009 --------------------- 3495 USD from Autodesk. Induces nose bleeds.

Maya Unlimited 2008 ------------- 4995 USD from Autodesk. Induces heart palpatations.......

;D

#6 Milkshape may cause lactose intolerance. Good for the money though.

#7 Would Torque Constructor be good for making non-moving objects such as trees and stuff?

#8 Nope use 3ds max/maya/houdini/blender for trees then import them into constructor

#9 I personally love Blender, and use it for everything except DIF models. I have a license for Milkshape, but I never use it. I've used Maya, but it's been years.

Blender is *different*, but it's a solid, powerful package.

#10 Both.

Blender for your interactive objects, Constructor for anything you want to enter inside of.

You can certainly make crates in Constructor, but things like trees that use billboards, and transparencies you would wan to make a standard model (dts) which can be embedded in a dif in Constructor but you lose the dynamic lighting and shadowing effects on embedded objects.

#11 I am trying to use Constructor (v 1.04), but it is very very bugy, and induces hair loss,

Blender is complicated but well documented, and w/ "video tutorials"! (big bonus for me)


Right now i'm trying to make some simple objects that i need to export to legacy difs

I'd like to know if there is any other alternative to Constructor on a powerpc mac with Leopard 10.5.5?

#12 I've just tried exporting a model from Blender in .map format (reduced scale 35pc), imported into Constructor for texturing and then exported using map2dif_plus_tgea. Works like a charm and is a good way to avoid various bugs in Constructor which I've found make the exporter crash (scaling, certain knife moves, extrude, other things the map2dif_plus_tgea exporter throws a wobbly at).

As for Mac (I'm on PC obviously) look and see if there are any other editors like Radiant or Quark, you'll still have to export with Constructor.

#13 I use Blender (in the process of finding another 3D modeler) for everything. And actually Blender is an AWESOME program now that I'm used to it but I'm just trying to find another one that is easier to set up Collision mesh and stuff in so yea. Constructer is the best program I've found so far for Interiors!!!.

#14 Thanks Steve YorkshireRiflesr!!! You saved my life! Blender works like a charm on macs

I tried it a couple of times and there were a couple of things that could not be imported, i.e " Constructor was unable to load 8 out of 344 brushes because they were malformed"


But will keep tinkering with it thanks again

#15 Check your normals on your brushes - I've just had the same problem because some of mine were pointing the wrong way.

Ahhh, it's always the little things that are hard to hunt down which cause the slip-ups.