TX3D 3.1.5 Beta - Does dae2dts work?
by Henry Shilling · in Torque X 3D · 07/01/2010 (1:25 pm) · 5 replies
Build: 3.1.5 Beta
Platform: Windows 7-64 (specs i7 920, nVidia GTS250 6GB ram) 3DS max 2009 32bit
Target: DTS
Issues: When I create a collada file and convert it using dae2dts the output is messed up
Steps to Repeat:
1) Create a simple file> I made a barrel.
2) Export via openCollada plugin.
3) open with TorqueShow tool pro. Nothing will not display at all.
4) open with TX3D project, shows up, wrong textures.
5) run through dae2dts with --verbose flag. Generates error: Object mesh barrel64 has no matching detail <"detail2" has been added automatically>
6) add dummy object detail64 to 3ds barrel file and export.
7) see step 5.
8) try step 5 with --compat. same results.
Suggested Fix: maybe a document explaining how to use the things you give us? I want to create objects with multiple LOD and while this may be just the greatest thing ever, I cant use it.
Platform: Windows 7-64 (specs i7 920, nVidia GTS250 6GB ram) 3DS max 2009 32bit
Target: DTS
Issues: When I create a collada file and convert it using dae2dts the output is messed up
Steps to Repeat:
1) Create a simple file> I made a barrel.
2) Export via openCollada plugin.
3) open with TorqueShow tool pro. Nothing will not display at all.
4) open with TX3D project, shows up, wrong textures.
5) run through dae2dts with --verbose flag. Generates error: Object mesh barrel64 has no matching detail <"detail2" has been added automatically>
6) add dummy object detail64 to 3ds barrel file and export.
7) see step 5.
8) try step 5 with --compat. same results.
Suggested Fix: maybe a document explaining how to use the things you give us? I want to create objects with multiple LOD and while this may be just the greatest thing ever, I cant use it.
About the author
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#2
Are people who are not licensee's of T3D able to use the demo to create needed assets? I really shouldn't need T3D to make TX work.
07/01/2010 (9:27 pm)
We needed that link to some sort of documentation with the dae2dts, right now its just in a folder. No idea how it works. This is TX not T3D, most of us don't have T3D and are not experienced in it's workflow. (well ok I do)Are people who are not licensee's of T3D able to use the demo to create needed assets? I really shouldn't need T3D to make TX work.
#3
You don't have to use the Torque 3D Shape Editor. You can hand write the TSShapeConstructor script using the excellent reference (with examples) that I provided as my second link. In fact, for quite a while last year, that was the only way to access the more sophisticated feature of the Collada importer in Torque 3D. The Shape Editor just puts a nice, easy-to-use graphical interface on top of that workflow.
That said, I will look into getting some sort of document about dae2dts written up...even if it is just an edited version of this thread =)
07/02/2010 (10:44 am)
People who don't own Torque 3D are more than welcome to use the Torque 3D Demo's Shape Editor for dae2dts.You don't have to use the Torque 3D Shape Editor. You can hand write the TSShapeConstructor script using the excellent reference (with examples) that I provided as my second link. In fact, for quite a while last year, that was the only way to access the more sophisticated feature of the Collada importer in Torque 3D. The Shape Editor just puts a nice, easy-to-use graphical interface on top of that workflow.
That said, I will look into getting some sort of document about dae2dts written up...even if it is just an edited version of this thread =)
#4
Now I would think this is only my problem however I downloaded the Sticks and Twigs pack, they use multiple textures as well.
Another quick aside, the T3D Shape editor doesn't show number of poly's and such like the Torque Show tool.
07/04/2010 (12:21 pm)
dae2dts only references one texture? I took a number of objects from my game and ran them trough dae2dts (I was thinking that the newer format may be more efficient) My houses have like 4 textures each. When I use the DTS export from 3ds it uses all of my textures. However when I use dae2dts OR use T3D shape editor then I get one, and only one texture. They appear correctly in T3D but not TX.Now I would think this is only my problem however I downloaded the Sticks and Twigs pack, they use multiple textures as well.
Another quick aside, the T3D Shape editor doesn't show number of poly's and such like the Torque Show tool.
#5
The Shape Editor does have the ability to show the statistics like ShowTool Pro but that may be something that is only available in the Torque 3D 1.1 Beta's.
We did include a dae2dts.html document in the new TorqueX 3.1.5 Pro Beta 2 that should help give people a better understanding. I will work with Mich to get it into the official documentation for the next release.
07/06/2010 (6:29 pm)
dae2dts supports more than 1 texture. However, if your Materials in your art application all have the same name it would likely just load the one.The Shape Editor does have the ability to show the statistics like ShowTool Pro but that may be something that is only available in the Torque 3D 1.1 Beta's.
We did include a dae2dts.html document in the new TorqueX 3.1.5 Pro Beta 2 that should help give people a better understanding. I will work with Mich to get it into the official documentation for the next release.
Associate Matt Fairfax
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That said, it does seem you have a number of misunderstandings about how it works. It isn't quite the same as working with a DTS exporter (which is still recommended if you are comfortable with that workflow).
First, I would recommend that you read the Collada documentation that comes with Torque 3D here and here. The dae2dts tool is largely a commandline version of Torque 3D's conversion process and to make full use of it you would do well to use Torque 3D's Shape Editor. It will build the TSShapeConstructor scripts for you directly and make your life quite a bit simpler.
To address your specific concerns:
1) Torque ShowTool Pro can only display DTS version 24 files. The dae2dts converter spits out DTS version 26 files which will not work with ShowTool Pro. Instead, if you want to look at your models, it is best to use the Torque 3D Shape Editor. With --compat enabled dae2dts attempts to export a DTS version 24 model so that you can view it in ShowTool Pro but in my experience it isn't always reliable.
2) With Collada we changed the way you texture things. In Torque 3D, we have to make a distinction between the Material name and the diffuse texture name because there are any number of other textures that can belong to the same Material (normal map, specular map, light map, etc). You can even layer multiple diffuse textures.
Unfortunately, the DTS format is really only set up to store a single "material" name (additionally we wanted to keep the Material's out of the DTS format and in their own separate files). So, to better match the artists experience with their art tools (which also have the material name separate from the various maps), in Torque 3D and DTS 26 we store the Max/Maya/XSI/Torque 3D/etc Material name instead of the diffuse map name.
However, in TGE and TGB it assumes that the "material" name in the DTS file is the diffuse map name and this isn't something easily fixed.
So, to address your issue, I would recommend making your Material name in your art application match the diffuse texture name you are pointing it at (currently they are likely named with the default Material_1 convention that your DCC tool applies by default).
3) The docs I linked above do a pretty good job of covering the naming conventions needed to do LOD. Alternatively, you could use the TOrque 3D Shape Editor to assemble and edit your LOD's.