where is the source code for dts exporter?

#1 Do you need something fixed/changed ?
I am the only person that has working/mildly-updated source *with dozens of tweaks and changes that bring the exporter out of 1999 and blazing into 2007! There may be other versions out there but mine has fixed pixel size LOD and other goodies.

- I plan to bring it into 2011(DTS v26 features) at some point but I need inspiration. :P

[If you're looking for specified normals exporting, I compiled Bank's source for a 2010/2011 pro exporter that includes specified normals exporting.]

#2 so you saying that this fine engine,
with soooo many cool features,
and there is no exporter code???????????

EB, its not a question of "if I want to add or change something"
its a question of where is the source??? that I payed for....

??????????????????????????????????????????
???????????? garage games hello ??????????
??????????????????????????????????????????

of course not, why should there be??

"you have the source, code it yourself" just doesnt work out any more.....

how did GG develop the new dts features, but not have an exporter to utilize them???

I payed for the source!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

can I please get what I payed for GG??

just once?????????????????

please????????????????????????

the joke died a loooong time ago GG...........

do you sell a car and tell the customer to go work out how to make the key because they have the car, DIY?

EB, could I get that source from you??
the code that GG should actually supply......

or seeing as it appears to be gold,
could you link me to Banks source??

much apreciated...

thanks

#3 Am i the only one that thinks its complete insanity that the exporters for an engine with source code are all controlled by a tiny amount of people?

imo GG need to consider either supplying up-to-date exporters/code with the engine or re-assessing the model formats used by the engine. so that developers arent at the mercy the 'the few'.

#4 There are up-to-date exporters for everything.
Welcome to Collada.
Leave DTS in the past.

#5 I specificaly want to use dts,

I want to expand the exporter for my needs,

I need the source for it do do this,

dts is the propriatory torque format,

I own a full source licence,

I'd like the full source.

why is this an issue?

only associates and "the few" can get this????

really??

why is that??

#6 As far as I know, the last working source code that GarageGames had for a DTS exporter are the ones found in the TGE 1.5.2 installer.

There were a few internal builds here and there but for the most part the artists at GarageGames relied on the exporters posted by the community up until they started using Collada instead (because this community rocks!).

The new "dts" features were developed as part of the Collada import pipeline and GarageGames never had a working DTS exporter that supported them (we had a guy working on it but he never delivered a working product).

There is no secret "club" of people with the source code to the exporters. Every Torque source owner has access to the same version that GarageGames has (the ones in the TGE 1.5.2 installer).

#7 "my" exporter's sources are the ones which are included in official TGE152 distrib, and I've never used any other.
All of the changes found here on GG are applied to either:
1. "Plus" exporter (the "dtsSDKPlus" folder in TGE152/lib/)
2. "Classic/Regular" exporter (the "dtsSDK" folder in TGE152/lib/)
Any extra features implemented in latest Torque engines are the ones which supported only by Collada (as Matt said right above my reply).
It's all about what you want and can do with the sources you have on hands. At the moment we (at DeeLogic) use Collada for 80% of our art and for rest 20% we are using my version of exporter.
And we are all very happy with Torque.

#8 Often Collada don't cut it and you need your own data moved between the tools - besides, Collada support varies greatly between apps. I feel at least maintaining a sdk for the dts format is a minimum, but honestly the dts format is pretty simple.

I likes my dts.

#9 The earlier versions of the Collada import pipeline definitely had its limitations but, as of the code in Beta 3, at GarageGames we found the Collada import pipeline able to handle everything we had previously relied on DTS exporters for including complex characters with animations.

If it has been a while since you tried the Collada pipeline, I would recommend giving it another go with Beta 3.

Also be sure to report anything that you find it lacking in. Chris Robertson is extremely fast and responsive about improving the pipeline when he is given feedback.

#10 please, a working collada exportable vehicle and player character example???

does it exist?

if not, well then I'll need the exporter code....

#11 I dont remember anybody saying there was a secret 'club' of people, but 'the few' is a very accurate description of the exporter developers simply because they are closed source.

As far as collada is concerned, as mentioned previously you mileage most definately varies depending on what app you use, and even then its only a middleman, its converted to DTS by torque itself. While at the same time all I hear from many artists around here is that collada falls a long way short of being complete.

I personally use the Milkshape DTS plus exporter, which is rugged and simple to use, but even so its closed source, if changes are made to the DTS format or even if the app itself breaks compatibility in the future i'm stuck.

#12 Back before I was an employee, I needed to add a few things to the Milkshape DTS Plus exporter and I emailed Chris to see if I could get the source code. He happily sent me a copy and got me "unstuck".

If it is really a concern for you, I would recommend doing the same. Chris is a really easy guy to work with.

#13 // I started this post hours ago, and then ran errands..came back and posted..so read this as if it was posted hours ago..ok ? thanks :D
------------------------
Bryan; all varieties of collada are a nuisance. It's unanimous in the pro art world. That's not to say it's not viable to an extent, it's simply not ideal for the complete list of purposes here.
- Does DAE blanket the engine with enough functionality ? ..with the 1.1 release; probably.
- Do you know about the gaping holes in T3D1.0.1 with collada ?


Deep; Sure you can have the source. I'll set up an SVN account for you.
We need to chat about this via IM because I'd like to focus on something bigger here...you will like it! ;)

- @Anyone else concerned about the exporter source that I have pieced together and added many, many fixes to; I might be allowing others to join this SVN group...I have a few things to discuss with DeepScratch before I do that. email me at torque.abigholeintheweb.com/host.jpg and I'll send out a group email once a few things are sorted.



- A note for the hell of it;
Love me or hate me, I'm fine with either. ;)
..at least I get things done.

#14 Should I personally become stuck thats an approach I'd have to take. Ive not had any dealings with him personally, but based on whats been posted in the past he seems a very amicable and generous chap :)

I understand that this is a relatively big ask, especially considering the vast array of 3d apps out there. Maybe instead of asking GG (tho updating their current set of exporters and adding them to the t3d source doesnt seem to big) we should appeal to the exporter devs to create a GPL version of the exporters or something on sourceforge or google, and even then, i think a polite request by the powers that be at GG would help that particular campaign a great deal.

#15 eb: We're currently using all collada pipeline, with 1.0.1 currently (on a mac none-the-less) and it's worked mostly well for now. When 1.1 comes out it should fix up the last few remaining issues.

It just seems to me that DTS is the "old way" to do it based on a number of comments from GG and their love of Collada, and so with that you have to be willing to move forward as well...
Same issue with the interior difs - it's the old way, it works for now but that's not planned for future support so the sooner you start learning the "right" way (or the "new" way however you want to take it) the better off the project will be.

#16 Heh, Your words should confuse yourself since DAE is compiled into DTS.
Comparing DIF in any way to DTS vs DAE is something no one should never do. Let's just not talk anymore, you're going to give me a headache. :P

As long as you're happy with what you're using, does it really matter ?

#17 eb: Yes DAE files are converted / cached at load time to DTS...but we're talking art formats not inner workings :)

And frankly, the new collada support makes it a lot easier to get art into the game quickly, at least for artists who haven't mastered the "old way" of exporting individual DSQ files, then a DTS, and config files I've seen referenced and everything else. Instead I tell my artist put everything into the timeline, import the model into T3D, setup the animations in shape editor, save.

Really not trying to get into a big forum fight here so I'll leave it alone here but it really does sound to me like people are just insisting on doing what they've always done, despite there apparently being much better options (and please, if there really is a benefit to using DTS files over collada other than that's the way people are used to...what is it? From a workflow standpoint I mean)

#18 you can export lovely, pretty boxes with dae, for sure......

I still wait for an example,

not talk,

an actual example of the buggy in dae format that I can export,

and a player model in dae format.

till then, dae does not match up.

sorry

#19 deep...they SHOULD be doable...but then I know we haven't
We have a properly functioning hovervehicle here from collada, is that close? :)
Is the standard buggy / wheeledvehicle a lot more complex than the hovervehicle?

#20 animations for steering, node work,
I have yet to see a working vehicle or player in collada,
not talking about it....