Dtsplus error message :(

#1 I have never used this exporter for milkshape so this advice is general;

..go back to where you had the initial issue and rename one of the meshes named "Material_"
to
Materiall_ or Mat_ or Materiul_ or ADDNAMEHERE_ or ilikemats or texturesarecool or thisistoomanyexamples

Rex works in Milkshape, hopefully he'll scurry through and set you straight.

#2 Okay, exporting animations in a DSQ file are you?

From that exporter dialog...let me start by asking why are you exporting geometry in the animation file? Do you 'really' need these objgroup**** mesh groups? Are they for an IFL animation?

Next 'jump in yer face' question....why are you putting negative integers for detail levels? By giving geometry groupings a negative 'detail' value, you are essentially telling the engine to NOT render this particular geometry during runtime; so back to my first question, pass GO, and I'll collect those two 'small' bills...! FTW.

You don't really need to export geometry in the DSQ file unless you have use for it; 'unskinned' meshes[those with only a SINGLE bone influence] generate a 'node' upon export, cluttering the shape...so pass GO again, hehehe, it's late I digress...

I'm just not 'getting' why all the geometry and negative detail numbers...explain yourself, Xyno76, for I, Rex[cough#oldSkool] have left my man cave where I was heads down in Torque development....to bestow essential Torque nutrients!

#3 "I'm just not 'getting' why all the geometry and negative detail numbers...explain yourself, Xyno76,"


Okay on the negative detail, I think the model was imported that way, (I'm using a preset model to test/learn jointing and animation in the game, then I'll start making models from scratch) and I'm not getting the geometry on the animation >.>

#4 Milkshape uses positive numbers on the ends of meshes for the LOD settings, and uses negative numbers for collision meshes. A lot of art thats purchased have generally just been pushed through some batch convert program and not really tested (assumption being that things will just work)

NB as a sidenote, most of these meshes also have horridly mangled names too, so your first step is to possibly go through the meshes and check all that out.

NB2 EEK i just saw your first screenshot, makes the above comment seem non trivial :(

#5 Ok, I was checking all of the names and LODs at school, and I found out some of the material names weren't finished, so I changed it to Material_1,2, etc and each LOD from 0 and up, and It came up with, too many mesh numbers. So then I had to restart all of the Material_ names and put all LODS 0, and then it said a certain material had the mesh with another as 0, does that mean I have too many textures/mesh materials?

#6 Okay, at this point I think it might be quicker and more resourceful to send me the Ms3d file and bitmaps...and I'll take a look. rex at our website.

Examples, ready to go are helpful. It sounds like you are 'over complicating' the shape[materials? in a motion file?]. This is still suppose to be an animation sequence for a DTS shape, right? If you have having issues with exporting these materials and geometry, why are you doing it?

The example, as you got it, is not setup well for things, it would seem....! Let me help teach you to fish....

#7 Okay, I don't know if I'm breaking any rules here, but I've put it on a megaupload link:
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=GY9G6HHP

But I have a few things to say here:
1) Its jointed by myself
2) I just put a quick (and very bad) walking animation there (its named silversonicmkIIwalk.ms3d)
3) the other files SilversonicMkII and silversonicmkIIjointed are the files before the jointing and animation
4) all textures are there, and the obj files, etc.

#8 wait a minute... (double post >.>) you can make the dsq files with the bone structure only right? is that what you meant with the exporting geometry?

#9 Yes, I've been looking at the file you hosted[might want to delete the link], and you could do that; not export any 'meshes', but there is a caveat. You need at least one mesh group, and make it 'skinned'.

Here's what I 'usually' do for exporting DSQ files[not needing meshes, IFL sequences need the geometry, unless sequence is embedded directly into the DTS{recommended}]:

1. find a mesh group in your DTS shape that is 'skinned'[vertices bound to more than ONE node/bone/joint].

2. in the DSQ Scene[file] I delete the 'extra' geometry groups, or combine them all into one single group and rename this group to whatever 'skinned' mesh in the DTS you pick. Combining usually creates a 'skinned' mesh, ;).

3. export your DSQ file...making certain that no 'extra' nodes get created upon Export that are not in the DTS file....

You will need at least one mesh group in your DSQ export scene, as well as your 'bounds' mesh to export correctly.

Before rushing to this end, from looking at your 'export' scene/file; you might want to go back and rename your geometry groups into more manageable names. Your 'detail' numbers were all over the place....the exporter comes with a useful manual which covers the format needs quite well. The export Scene/file had duplicated materials, 'extra' mesh groups using same bitmaps...hard to tell exactly what you 'needed' to achieve with the art...

I use .CFG files, which are helpful for fine tuning your exports, read up on them and use them.

#10 ok, thanks for the help rex