Constructor abandoned

#1 Ideally, Constructor's sources would simply be released to the community. Since I guess it's running on top of a modified TGE, that can probably only happen for existing Torque license holders, but would be rather great if GG just bundled Constructors latest repo up and made the drop available to all accounts with an appropriate Torque license.

That way, further fixes and improvements could come out of the community and a rather nice product would probably see a couple more days in its life.

#2 Well, with T3D, they abandoned .bsp files, and they also quit upgrading TGE and TGEA, which use the .bsp format, so it was easy to see that they would quit upgrading Constructor. I've had some problems with it, but for the most part, it works ok. I'm using XP SP3 and rarely get crashes anymore. I save often though because of crashing problems in the past, and I quit and restart Constructor at least hourly. Considering that it has always been free, it's a pretty good program.

#3 I run it Windows 7 64 bit with no problems. Run it as administrator.

#4 Is that true? Constructor is not compatible with T3D 1.1. If so, it should be stated in the Tools part of the website. We purchased three T3D 1.1 licenses and have spent a week learning Constructor to use in our project. We will be highly disappointed if it is not compatible.

Also it is a very stable product for us. If they were to put some time into making it work with T3D, we would be willing to pay for the product. Though it would make more sense if they worked most of the features into the T3D engine it's self.

We were developing in Unity 3D before we moved here to GarageGames to use T3D. One of the features we liked about Unity 3D was it has the ability you to create 3D object right there in your project. All be it they were primitives but we could stack various shapes and texture them and group them, making pre-fabs for rapid prototyping.

They were also useful because if you wanted a bunch of oil drums, crates, shipping pallets, shipping containers or the like, you did not have to leave development to go get or create them in an outside modeler. You could make them right there inside Unity 3D just like you do in Torque Constructor or any other modeler. Texture them, save them in combinations as pre-fabs to use in that project, or even export the pre-fabe to be used later in other projects.

Also "Not Compatible", does that mean we can not use the models we make in it at all in T3D 1.1? Even if we do not texture them in Constructor.

#5 @Dniel,

What made you leave Unity3D for Torque?

I ask because for me, it was the other way around for a client?
Of course, I was using TGE 1.4, and the constant tedious changes you had to make (changing default game to game folder, copying Tutorial.base to game folder, etc.) plus external interruptions was making me too slow for the client.

Like you said about Unity3d, its menu layout and all-in-one design was a great improvement over TGE 1.4

BTW, I do plan on buuying T3D.

In this world, yoiu can't have a wife and a mistress, but three or four game engiines, lets see!

#6 Constructor and other CSG applications which can export to Torque's DIF bsp-type Interiors are still compatible with Torque 3D, they are just not the optimal format for the new rendering implementation. It is technology that is becoming obsolete and non-performant with modern game engines.

#7

Quote:
Ideally, Constructor's sources would simply be released to the community. Since I guess it's running on top of a modified TGE, that can probably only happen for existing Torque license holders, but would be rather great if GG just bundled Constructors latest repo up and made the drop available to all accounts with an appropriate Torque license.

That way, further fixes and improvements could come out of the community and a rather nice product would probably see a couple more days in its life.

Agreed.

#8 If someone could write a constructor script to export to colida format then constructor would still be a useful program, I love it!! It is easy to use, layed out simple, anyone can pick it up quick, I'v used blender, max 3d, milk shape, and NONE can come to the easy of use and nice layout as constructor.

Blender is open source and it's a very powerful program, great for making actors or other things, I think if torque users could work on constructor we could add more features but it would have to be controlled other wise it would quickly become frank in program.

#9 I have since moved on to Quark as my level editor since writing this column. I find it was much easier to design a level with that software than I did with Constructor.
I tired to use Hammer, but I could not configure that tool. Today, I am downloading Radiant to review that tool, but it looks like as long as I'll be using TGE 1.4, quark will be my level editor of choice!

#10 I'd pay GG $50 to make a Collada exporter for Constructor.
If T3D is going to start dropping Dif and Map and I know they stopped
doing BPS for Interiors so I am fearing that soon my Constructor will not work.

I DL Blender and ran it, it comes up and you just stare at the screen. I can't even make a box. Constructor, load it up and you can start right off making anything. Sad GG needs to upkeep Tools like this program. After all T3D is F'en great!, but if you don't have tools to use with it, it's worthless.

Sorry GG guys! :(

Mike

#11 @Michael, over the weekend I'm going to look into what it takes to go from Constructor to Collada. I'm aiming at converting the .lwo(Lightwave object) to collada. If I figure something out, I'll let you know.

#12 sorry...double post

#13 It would probably be more beneficial to export as a dif and then let T3D convert it. Dave created the LWO export feature as a weekend project. I'm not sure what spec was used, but I know people using more modern versions of LW have had issues loading the LWO's exported from it.

Edit: damn autocorrect.

#14 I'v noticed that objects like boxes that I'v been making in Constructor are loading into T3D as interiors and will not let me set a collision mesh.
Normally I would load in a box and you would walk thew it like a ghost unless you set the collision type to visible mesh. But now it's not liking some of my new stuff? I think it's some thing in Constructor.
:( Oh well. Reason I was looking at a Collada exporter.

Thanks for looking into it if nothing else I appreciate it.

Mike

#15 Objects created in Constructor are "Interiors". Interiors in Torque 3D do not have the option to set a collision mesh. So long as your DIFs are convex geometry (and it should if it exports to DIF from Constructor) they will have collision. I've got plenty of DIFs that work just fine, but the format is nowadays obsolete and not as performant as a 3D mesh, so I personally don't use or recommend them.

But, Torque 3D does have the option to export your Interiors to the collada format from the Editor menu. From there you can modify in a 3d modelling app... yet be aware that the face by face texturing of BSP type brush based geometry will be a performance hit unless you unwrap the new mesh and skin it.

#16 ok...made "some" progress.

I'm using Windows 7 64bit, Constructor with 1.0.6 patch, and Torque3D 1.1

//< Short way >//
1. export from Constructor as TGEA legacy.
2. add to level.
3. menu -> file -> export interiors to collada.
4. select the interior, hit ok, and grab the new collada file from the same directory that the interior is located in.

//< Long way >//
1. export from Constructor as lightwave .lwo
2. convert from lwo to 3ds in 3d object converter.
3. the lwo file comes in on it's side, is also mirrored. Texture mapping is also lost. Not sure if these problems are caused by exporting from Constructor or from importing into 3d Object Converter?
4. open in 3ds max. rescale, rotate object on it's bottom, remap object
5. export as collada.
6. import to level.
7. under collision change collisionType to "visible mesh".


Shed_B and Apartment_B are the interiors exported out of Constructor.

Shed_A and Apartment_A are the lightwave objects exported out of Constructor. They are also "flipped" from the orginals. The scale is off because I had to rescale them in 3ds Max and wasn't worried about getting them exact.

@Michael Flynn, I had no problems with these interiors. Is your brush type set to "Structural"?

#17 Thanks guys, I'v started just saving then to DIF in a common directory then make a converter project, load all the DIF's into it and then convert all to Collada from with in T3D. I seems to work good and so far every thing seem OK after the conversion.

I'm not even going to mess with making people or monsters I'll just buy art packs!

Thanks to everyone, maybe someone else who messes with Constructor will be helped by this.

Mike ----

#18 I've actually seen a lot of people say they would be willing to pay for a constructor like program if Garage Games would start working on the project again for use with Torque3D. I myself would pay extra for it too. I would love for Constructor to work natively with Torque3D!!

#19 Hey, Weston, try something called Deled.
I'm also looking at google's sketchUP
Only, it doesnt support manygame engines file types!

#20 Hey thanks Gary! I will check Deled out for sure. Also, I had no idea that you could use Google SketchUP for any game engine. Thought it was just a architectural tool, but that would be downright awesome if Google were to develop it into a full fledge 3D modeler (though I doubt that will happen). Anyway, have you used Deled? What do you like abut it?

I still wish Garage Games would pick back up the development of Constructor though...