Integrate Torque Constructor features into T3D 1.1
by Daniel Voorhees · in Torque 3D Beginner · 06/23/2011 (3:37 pm) · 8 replies
If garage games would like to make T3D move up to a whole new level of game development, integrate Torque Constructor features into Torque3D 1.1. Imagine the ability to create and edit primitives inside your game development environment. Right inside your project, inside Torque3D 1.1.
This is very useful for reasons of faster prototyping also if my programmer is working on something in the project, he does not have to wait for the modeler to make assets. He can create a few Primitives, extrude a few faces, throw textures on them, group and make into pre-fabs and get the code working. Later the actual game models can replace the temporary pre-fabs.
Torque Constructor far exceeds what we could do in Unity 3D. I understand that Torque 3D 1.1 leaves behind some of the things TGE and TGB had, things Torque Constructor uses. Torque Constructor is built on an older version of a Torque Game Engine, so why not take the new T3D 1.1 and incorporate some of the best Constructor features into it.
Torque 3D already has the ability to texture objects and animate textures on objects. It has the ability to paint decals on objects. If the ability to create primitives were added and then maybe add the ability to extrude faces and textures to faces, hollow out primitives and make openings like doors and windows, it would be a whole new game development experience. Don't try to do what Unity does, do something different. Don't compete with them. Do something better that sets you further apart. Integrating Torque Constructor into T3D or at least it's best features, would make T3D 1.1 a phenomenal product.
If it would take a complete rebuild of Torque Constructor to make it compatible with T3D, and sense Constructor is built on an older Torque Game Engine, just port over the best features of Constructor to the current Torque3D 1.1 and BAM! you got Constructor Add-On you can sell. I would buy it to add that kind of functionality to T3D. Rapid Prototyping beyond basic primitives.
This is very useful for reasons of faster prototyping also if my programmer is working on something in the project, he does not have to wait for the modeler to make assets. He can create a few Primitives, extrude a few faces, throw textures on them, group and make into pre-fabs and get the code working. Later the actual game models can replace the temporary pre-fabs.
Torque Constructor far exceeds what we could do in Unity 3D. I understand that Torque 3D 1.1 leaves behind some of the things TGE and TGB had, things Torque Constructor uses. Torque Constructor is built on an older version of a Torque Game Engine, so why not take the new T3D 1.1 and incorporate some of the best Constructor features into it.
Torque 3D already has the ability to texture objects and animate textures on objects. It has the ability to paint decals on objects. If the ability to create primitives were added and then maybe add the ability to extrude faces and textures to faces, hollow out primitives and make openings like doors and windows, it would be a whole new game development experience. Don't try to do what Unity does, do something different. Don't compete with them. Do something better that sets you further apart. Integrating Torque Constructor into T3D or at least it's best features, would make T3D 1.1 a phenomenal product.
If it would take a complete rebuild of Torque Constructor to make it compatible with T3D, and sense Constructor is built on an older Torque Game Engine, just port over the best features of Constructor to the current Torque3D 1.1 and BAM! you got Constructor Add-On you can sell. I would buy it to add that kind of functionality to T3D. Rapid Prototyping beyond basic primitives.
About the author
I am 45. I have worked many jobs, sometimes three at the same time. I like Hot-dogs, Mac N Cheese, Baked Beans and Mt. Dew or Root-beer. MMmmm Mac N Cheese
Recent Threads
#2
Before switching to T3D 1.1 we developed in Unity3D and we could make primitives in it and texture them but we could not make openings in them for windows or doors, so I would have the modeler make a wall with a door and one with a window and door and one with two windows and door and one with just a window.
Everything else was made in Unity 3D (doors, windows, solid walls, carpet, paneling panels, light poles, light globes, lanterns, table tops and legs. We would then assemble the structures in Unity, texture them and make them into prefabs. We then made complete apartment complexes, swimming pools, shopping mall, sidewalks and then switched to T3D.
I was missing the ability to do that, but going form Unity3D Indie to T3D Pro is nice because we get real looking shadows, advanced lighting, the river tool, two road tools, Datablocks, the ability to have sun set and sun rise, easy network play and a bunch of nice plug ins that are surprisingly affordable. Now I see it has the Sketch Tool which is at least a starting point of what I was talking about.
Thanks for the heads up on the Sketch Tool Brian. That video is sweet, a lot of info on the tool in less than 6 minutes, our other modeler was impressed. It should be on the GarageGames website, or at least one that shows what can be done with the Sketch Tool. Now to find some tutorials on it.
06/24/2011 (3:16 pm)
Nice, I seen it last night, well about 3 am and thought it would be for creating primitives but I was doing the Simple FPS Tutorial and so I did not try it out. Before switching to T3D 1.1 we developed in Unity3D and we could make primitives in it and texture them but we could not make openings in them for windows or doors, so I would have the modeler make a wall with a door and one with a window and door and one with two windows and door and one with just a window.
Everything else was made in Unity 3D (doors, windows, solid walls, carpet, paneling panels, light poles, light globes, lanterns, table tops and legs. We would then assemble the structures in Unity, texture them and make them into prefabs. We then made complete apartment complexes, swimming pools, shopping mall, sidewalks and then switched to T3D.
I was missing the ability to do that, but going form Unity3D Indie to T3D Pro is nice because we get real looking shadows, advanced lighting, the river tool, two road tools, Datablocks, the ability to have sun set and sun rise, easy network play and a bunch of nice plug ins that are surprisingly affordable. Now I see it has the Sketch Tool which is at least a starting point of what I was talking about.
Thanks for the heads up on the Sketch Tool Brian. That video is sweet, a lot of info on the tool in less than 6 minutes, our other modeler was impressed. It should be on the GarageGames website, or at least one that shows what can be done with the Sketch Tool. Now to find some tutorials on it.
#3
The sketch tool is made for quickly laying out levels and prototyping gameplay. It doesn't have any tools for UV manipulation, which makes it hard to produce final art with it. But it works really great if you build it, export, and hand it off to an artist.
07/29/2011 (1:00 pm)
Also.. Should note you can export the sketches to Collada. So you can sketch up your level and then hand it off to an artist to make it look pretty.The sketch tool is made for quickly laying out levels and prototyping gameplay. It doesn't have any tools for UV manipulation, which makes it hard to produce final art with it. But it works really great if you build it, export, and hand it off to an artist.
#4
I had all of the textures in the folder with the dif, had them maped. and wanted to export the model as a dae but could never get the dif to work. after making the model for over 6 hours attention to detail. i will never use the constructor again. atleast not until they get new export plugins.
12/29/2012 (9:31 am)
These old threads. the save dif, export dif legacy dif, all are 8 years old in the constructor. i made a 889 brush model and tried every way there was to save, export it. Every time i added the model to my game it had massive holes in it, not just missing textures. I mean whole sections of the walls missing. the floors had textures missing, i could walk on the area with the missing texture. Most of the time the model made T3d1.2 crash.I had all of the textures in the folder with the dif, had them maped. and wanted to export the model as a dae but could never get the dif to work. after making the model for over 6 hours attention to detail. i will never use the constructor again. atleast not until they get new export plugins.
#5
Since there are scores of tools for exporting to DAE, some of them very simple to use (Google Sketch-Up, for instance) it seems like it would be more productive to learn to use one of these tools than to try to use Constructor to make models.
You could export Constructor's prefabs and convert them through the World Editor, then import them into a tool like Blender to make changes or to extend them....
12/30/2012 (12:47 am)
DIF has been removed from the MIT release entirely as far as I know (if it hasn't yet it is soon to be - unless I totally mis-read the blog). It's been on the way out for years and GG has repeatedly said that the DIF format is deprecated.Since there are scores of tools for exporting to DAE, some of them very simple to use (Google Sketch-Up, for instance) it seems like it would be more productive to learn to use one of these tools than to try to use Constructor to make models.
You could export Constructor's prefabs and convert them through the World Editor, then import them into a tool like Blender to make changes or to extend them....
#6
12/30/2012 (11:45 am)
DIF hasn't been removed yet from the MIT code, but it is on the roadmap to be entirely removed. 
#7
12/30/2012 (7:46 pm)
I do like the idea of merging Constructor capabilities into the engine. Is there a possibility that Constructor might go MIT as well? Then if people really want it then the collada could be added/updated for the export, and provide the possibility of merging with T3D.
#8
01/02/2013 (9:44 am)
Constructor will not go MIT, it includes 3rd party code that could not be released. 
Torque Owner Brian Mayberry
Dead on Que Productions