New constructor wish list

#21 I agree with 'Sun Yu' I do very close up work with verts in Constructor and when you zoom in on them you cant select them...but most of my problems would be solved if you could have a tool to make Verts lock to one another...not join to form a combined object, but just so that when I'm not using the snap to grid function the vert that are not of the grid corner can have an object line up with it right...make any sense?

Also I wanted to ask Jaimi....how are you doing the updates do you have source??Just curious:)

#22 @Bobby -

Yes, I am working directly in the C++ source code, as well as in the Torque Script.

Jaimi

#23 Jaimi,

Definitely agree to some of the above and want to add:

* Open DIF files in Constructor or a psuedo-Torque (quick to load) window to be able to check geometry problems, zones, etc. without having to load into Torque every time
* Ability to generate a text file in .MIS format for any Referenced DTS objects. That way we could place objects in Constructor for reference and copy/paste the text into Torque easily. Either paste as-is as far as positions go (then have to highlight all DTSs and move them into position within Torque), or better yet, in Constructor be able to specify the x,y,z coordinates of the DIF object's world position in Torque, generating the exact positions for the DTS text
* Grouping brushes would be great to show in the tree, and be selectable
* Maya Exporter (I've been working on this myself through MEL code, but maybe it's easier as a plug-in? Also, Jaimi, if you know the conversion process for Torque rotation (quaternion?) to Maya's (euler?), it would help me a ton in creating this MEL-version converter)
* Possibly an .FBX exporter ... I believe it's the most universal format for 3D Apps

If I think of more, I'll let you know....... but in advance, THANKS A TON, JAIMI!

#24 Since you have the source Jaimi How hard would it be to get shaders working, would be glad to help;)

#25 @Woody
3DS, OBJ, FBX, or Collada (if say, pathing enters the mix at some point and animation is needed, then FBX and Collada would be choice formats). The LWO code was added by Dave Wyand while he was on vacation as a lark. I don't think it or any other export format like it were part of the overall plan. 3DS and OBJ is more universal for apps than either FBX or Collada since they're the new kids on the block. But they are much more variable in the data they can hold (which makes their exporters and importers a bit more irritating when moving between apps; especially with FBX).

I love the idea of a quick showtool for DIF's. That's a very sweet idea.

In addition to grouping, the ability to drill-down into groups ala 3D GameStudio's WED would be nice. I loved that I could create a group, drill down, and make changes to the group, drill up and see those changes.

@Bobby
You would need to get GG approval and be under NDA. If I had time, I would seriously try to help Jaimi out with Constructor stuff, but I don't have the time right now and won't in the foreseeable future, sadly. But as it is built on top of an older version of TGE (I believe 1.4, but am not sure), I'm not sure how salient the TGEA features would be in translation or which milestone would be easiest to accommodate.

#26 @Woody:

Quote:
Grouping brushes would be great to show in the tree, and be selectable

This should be available now, in the last version that I added.

Quote:
* Open DIF files in Constructor or a psuedo-Torque (quick to load) window to be able to check geometry problems, zones, etc. without having to load into Torque every time

I like this idea, I'll see what I can do.

@Bobby - I think it would take a ton of work to get shaders going. Perhaps the option above would be good for now (given the ability to specify which application, and where you want the map to be written)...

#27 I know I saw a DIF viewer released as a free resource last year sometime... it was just a bare-bones Torque environment to check out your interior, and I think you could even place DTS objects and it would export the mission script code with proper relative transformations. I never played with it, but I could have sworn I downloaded it. Anyway, I can't seem to find it now... maybe someone else remembers what I'm talking about.

#28 Thanks, Jaimi ... The DIF Viewer idea would really save a lot of time in testing things out.

There is a DIF viewer, Ryan. I came across that a while back too ... unfortunately it was made before Constructor, so it only supported Quark (and I think maybe Hammer). I too just looked for my download, but can't find it. Mysterious. he he he

#29 Are you guys looking for this?

http://torque.smdlabs.com/difEx.htm

#30 Exactly :-) thanks for finding it

#31 Jaimi,

I remembered something else that would be big ... the ability to generate shadows for referenced DTS objects (this kind of coinsides with the creation of a text file request) that stay baked into the DIF after export .... that way we get the positives of both worlds .... nice shadows and ability to occlude objects in-game.

(This, of course, could also be solved by allowing occlusion of baked-in DTSs within the portalized DIFs ... but I'm guessing that may be more complicated to achieve?)

Thanks again for your hard work!

#32 One last thing to request .... :-) Hopefully others will post so that I'm not triple-posting again. :-P

Anyway, currently, when I am working on very large DIF scenes (my mine sections that I sent you a copy of ... thanks again), Constructor gets SUPER slow. Just selecting a section (grouped into either a straight section or an intersection) can take minutes, and it gets exponentially worse when selecting multiple sections. SHIFT-DRAGGING to copy (or Ctl-C/Ctl-P) takes a super long time as well. When I was working on a VERY large scene, it actually took over 1 hour to SHIFT-copy some pieces.

So, I guess my question is: Is it possible that something can be improved there, or is constructor limited to very basic scenes?

Thanks once again!

#33 @woody - I'll look into it.

#34 I'm guessing 99% of Constructor users are interested in it for making Torque maps but I'm more interested in its potential as a generic mapping tool for other projects. In light of this, my top requests (as someone who has hardly used it) are:
Allow the user to select if an object/brush cast/receives shadows and is/isn't rendered. This could tie into the "Collision brushes cast shadows" bug.. Yes yes I know, this reflects the problem that exists in Torque ^_^.

Second would be the ability to create new game types... Or letting me know how this is done ^_^.. So new entities and brush types etc. could be created under new game names as opposed to simply 'Torque' or 'Constructor'.

The ability to import more open formats as static meshes like OBJ for instance would allow users not to have to set themselves up with the DTS exporter to simply export something like a chair.

#35 Jaime <3


:D

#36 Nice Jaimi, now I can re-ask for some elements of my wish list that weren't been took into consideration...

In order of importance for me:

1- Option for having or not the texture resizing when you resize a brush: this is for me a must to have, sincerely it is one of the main things that prevent me in doing an intense usage of Constructor... the way I'm used to texture interiors really need this and since (it seems to me) the most of BSP editors have this option it must have some reason...

2- Option for a power of 2 grid (nice to see others also asked for it).

3- Some kind of shape (.dts) placement into mission? Like if you reference some shapes into your constructor scene and then a reference to the object is placed inside the .dif exported... then when the dif is loaded into mission the referenced meshes are placed at the exact position inside the interior... i know this is something that would require a lot of thinking about... ;)
(Truly the best way I can think about it would be by having something like a special sim folder inside the mission ... call it "grouping-folder" ... and moving it will move all you have inside it, so preserving the placement of your shapes inside the interior... but obviously this would require changes to the engine and so in not on topic here ... )

I would pay you 10 beer for point nr. 1 and 5 for point nr. 2 ... and if you like point nr. 3 and find a solution for it you can choose your present and I let you know if it is possible... ahahahah :)

Keep up the good work Jaimi, you rock!

#37 Hey Jaimi I really like Constructor but constantly find myself frustrated not having a Merge Vertixes tool like most 3D programs have. That aside, my biggest issue is not being able to export large models in Constructor, particularly ones containing arches. The Arch tool for some reason seems to corrupt any model I work on or export, causing missing faces among other things. It's sad because I like the Arch tool, but cannot use it for that reason.

Anyways thank you for the great tool! I still prefer it over map2dif. :D

#38 Have you had the missing faces problem when using the arch tool in 1.0.4?

#39 If we had the full functionality of Q3 levels, that would be perfection... but if you can at least implement curves, I would so stoked! Anyone that's done level design for Q3 knows how huge these are -- suddenly things like arches and pipes, which are generally just a PITA in CSG level editing, become practically free. I remember when Q3 came out and I first delved into Q3 level editing (coming from Q1 & Q2), I was completely blown away by the curves; like, "You can do THAT? Whoa." =)

And if you really want to get an idea for what I'd like to see Constructor become, take a look at this (if you haven't already); yeah, it's a long read to get through it all, but I think there are some good ideas in there:
www.garagegames.com/index.php?sec=mg&mod=resource&page=view&qid=13517

Man, I'd kinda given up hope on ever wanting to use Constructor, but your work is making me want to take a second look. Thanks, Jaimi.

Oh and, as an aside, what ever became of smooth lighting for DIFs? It was my understanding that it works in Constructor, but never made it into the engine proper. (And browsing through the engine code, it's not immediately clear if it's working or not...) Can you tell me if this is working and if so, how do I go about setting things up to use it? Flat shading on everything is really starting to bug... =)

#40 Great points in your list Kevin! I used to also have that problem with menu items disabling but it seemed to be fixed some time ago 'cause I haven't experienced the problem since.