Save Model & Animation in single DTS or in separate DTS & DSQ?

#1 I can think of a couple reasons:

It can be *easier* on the pipeline to export separately, so if you need to make a small change to the base shape or to a specific animation, you only need to export a single one. If you are patching your game you only need to provide a small amount of changed information rather than the entire dts with embedded animations.

It is also sometimes beneficial to share animations among models with the same base skeleton, which is another reason to export separately.

Actually, I can't think of any reason not to export separately hehe.

#2 Model+animations in one file (DTS) makes the thing quite big, because for every frame of the animation a vertex position of the model is saved in the DTS file. this makes the file quite big ,especially if you have many animations you want to export.
model (DTS) + animations in separate files(DSQ's) is quite effective, because the vertex positions of the model are calculated in realtime based on the bone positions in the DSQ file. Also the transition from animation to animation using DTS+DSQ is smooth.
For instance in the first case your work can be done in 2Mb, in the second case - 100kb. Also you have more advantages using DTS+DSQ but you'd better refer to the old DTS documentation in the TDN. There is more on the topic. For character export help you can refet to torque.smdlabs.com/3dsmaxAnimationSetup.htm

#3 Thank you Dave and Picasso for your quick and detailed explanation. I have seen enough reasons to choose to export animation and model separately to dsq+dts.

And thank you Picasso for your documentation link for export from "Max", while there comes out another question: I found there are more tutorials and utilities for Max export than for Maya, am I right?

For example, I previously found a Max2dts exporter utility which integrated all necessary steps for exporting and automatically done many things by simply clicking the command button instead of manually do it step by step (such as create bounding box and collision mesh, etc). But I didn't find such wonderful tool for Maya export...

And if so, is that mean Torque support Max more than Maya?
Since some of my artists use Max while some use Maya, can anyone give me a suggestion of which tool is better for Torque Project, 3ds Max or Maya? Or need I transform all Maya file to Max format then export them using Max2dts/dsq?

#4 Refering to the features chart at the dts exporter section in TDN there are more features available for 3ds max than maya. By the way reading your last post, Nabarro i come to think that you've got the "Dark" version of the DTS exporter. Do not use it for character export! I doesn't work. Instead use the classic version of the DTS exporter as explained at smdlabs.com
I am sure it doesn't matter whether you use 3ds max or maya for mesh export in TGE(A). The main features needed by the artist to export the meshed are present in both exporters.

#5

Quote:Model+animations in one file (DTS) makes the thing quite big, because for every frame of the animation a vertex position of the model is saved in the DTS file.

I'm afraid you're slightly mistaken there. You're probably thinking of the difference between vertex (morph) animation and skeletal animation. You can save skeletal animation (just like in a dsq) inside the dts too, there won't be any difference in size or performance at all.

I generally export animations to separate files for anything that need more than one or two sequences. For simple things it's sometimes more convenient to just keep it in the dts.

#6 Yeah, i was talking about the difference beatween morph and skeletal animations. Exporting the mesh with one or more skeletal animation sequences in one DTS file is possible. But i believe this is a bad arrangement of the work at all. It's better to have every single skletal animation in a separate file.

#7 Hi, Picasso, is the 3DS Max exporter tool from below link the "Dark" version you mentioned of DTS exporter??

http://www.garagegames.com/index.php?sec=mg&mod=resource&page=view&qid=10894

I think it is the best tool I have found until now, but I only used it to export Models without animation to dts, it works well. So, is the "Dark" refers to its dsq function?

Anyway, I will give a deep research on the tool you recommend at smdlabs.com, thank you...

#8 As long as I don't need to cull nodes where it might affect another sequence adversely, it doesn't bother me to embed the sequences inside the DTS shape; take vehicles, for example. I see no reason there, to export a number of external files and then Construct with the engine for the 5 to 10 sequences you might need for any particular shape. They can even be blendTypes, still works fine. I think it really depends upon each individual circumstance. It is just REALLY cool to be able to do it as you, the developer, intends/needs...;) Torque is cool, so cool.....:)

Certainly for my organic, humanoid sequences needing to be shared, separates are the only way to go...see, just depends...

#9 Yes, Nabarro, this is the so called "Dark" version :)
Sometimes i use it too for simple shapes like items, it has quick setup. When i made my first character i was following the tutorial in TDN about the blue guy (which has only morph animations and no skeletal) i used the "Dark" exporter and did it successfully. Afterwards in my first try to export a character with skeletal animations the exporter was useless. It crashed. I don't know if someone has success with it exporting a character with skeletal animations. So i started searching the forums for the solution and finally got the right and some people call it "classical" version of the exporter. the "dark" exporter is max2dtsExporterPlus.dle . instead use max2dtsExporter.dle
Now having the tutorial at smdlabs you shouldn't have any problems.
Good luck!

#10 Thank you so much Picasso, I have known how "Dark" the tool I found is! :=)
Will definitely try yours and very appreciate your experience!