Disappearing walls in DIF
by Richard Marrevee · in Torque 3D Professional · 07/12/2009 (7:08 am) · 10 replies
I have discoverd a problem when rendering a dif. When I am inside the DIF everything seems OK, except that the lighting is not there. When I get outside the DIF, all the walls disappear. See the images explaining the problem.
This is inside.
This is outside.
It is just a simple DIF created with constructor (latest version), and exported with Export as DIF. It consists of a few brushes to build op the floor, walls and ceiling, a detail brush in one corner and a portal.
I have also tried the other DIF export possibilities, bur only the export as legace TGEA works also. The other hve different problems including crashing the engine.
I think it is a problem with the portal because all works fine when I remove the portal from the DIF.
The question is what am I doing wrong. Hopefully someone can get me on the right track.
This is inside.This is outside.It is just a simple DIF created with constructor (latest version), and exported with Export as DIF. It consists of a few brushes to build op the floor, walls and ceiling, a detail brush in one corner and a portal.
I have also tried the other DIF export possibilities, bur only the export as legace TGEA works also. The other hve different problems including crashing the engine.
I think it is a problem with the portal because all works fine when I remove the portal from the DIF.
The question is what am I doing wrong. Hopefully someone can get me on the right track.
About the author
Started programming in 1984 on an Oric, when time progressed switched to MSX, Amiga and finally the Windows PC with T3D. Now developing an epic fantasy game: The Master's Eye. Creator of the DoorClass pack and VolumetricFog pack @ richardsgamestudio.com
#2
07/12/2009 (8:19 am)
If that doesn't fix it, then it's possibly a portal error from constructor. There can be problems when portals are moved and scaled - if this is the case, delete the portal and recreate it in place.
#3
Used the fix, nothing changed.
@Jaimi:
Replaced the portal, still nothing changed.
Exported the DIF using export/Torque Game Engine, nothing changed.
Exported the DIF using export/Torque Game Engine Advanced, engine crashed!
Saved as a map, loaded it in Quark and exported it again, engine crashed!
What could be wrong?
07/12/2009 (1:34 pm)
@Fyodor:Used the fix, nothing changed.
@Jaimi:
Replaced the portal, still nothing changed.
Exported the DIF using export/Torque Game Engine, nothing changed.
Exported the DIF using export/Torque Game Engine Advanced, engine crashed!
Saved as a map, loaded it in Quark and exported it again, engine crashed!
What could be wrong?
#4
07/12/2009 (1:49 pm)
What happens when you use the internal "Export as dif"? 
#5
I've not had any problems with using any DIF exported with that option in TGE, TGEa, or Torque 3D -- the same DIF works in all three engines!
07/12/2009 (1:55 pm)
Quote:I'm curious too.
What happens when you use the internal "Export as dif"?
I've not had any problems with using any DIF exported with that option in TGE, TGEa, or Torque 3D -- the same DIF works in all three engines!
#6
07/12/2009 (1:57 pm)
Quote:Which version?
It is just a simple DIF created with constructor (latest version)
#7
07/12/2009 (3:03 pm)
Looks like an issue I had with the scale of a dif and the size of the wall before (bits of the wall would disappear at different views). Try making the walls thicker and see if the issue goes away. This was with TGEA as it wasn't a T3D issue. 
#8
See if you can get your camera in between the outside-facing wall and the inside-facing one, and you'll see your outer wall facing inwards.
I have some DIFs that worked fine in TGE but in t3d beta 3 some normals are reversed.
For a temporary fix, export from constructor with "HSR" (hidden surface removal) turned off.
07/12/2009 (6:01 pm)
I have had this problem. The wall didn't actually disappear -- the normal was reversed. See if you can get your camera in between the outside-facing wall and the inside-facing one, and you'll see your outer wall facing inwards.
I have some DIFs that worked fine in TGE but in t3d beta 3 some normals are reversed.
For a temporary fix, export from constructor with "HSR" (hidden surface removal) turned off.
#9
The pictures at the start where taking from the dif exported with the internal exporter. The external exporters give the same results.
@Michael
I am using Constructor v1.0.6, this is v1.0.3 with the update.
@Joshua:
The walls are 0.5 constructor units thick. That should be enough, I think.
@Dave
When i stand between the outside and inside facing wall there is no wall visible. Whit no HSR I still get the same results.
In my opinion it has something to do with the portal, because all goes fine without the portal.
Planning now is to change back to constructor v1.0.3 because I did not see this happen with the old version. I will post the results
07/13/2009 (1:47 am)
@Jaimi, MichaelThe pictures at the start where taking from the dif exported with the internal exporter. The external exporters give the same results.
@Michael
I am using Constructor v1.0.6, this is v1.0.3 with the update.
@Joshua:
The walls are 0.5 constructor units thick. That should be enough, I think.
@Dave
When i stand between the outside and inside facing wall there is no wall visible. Whit no HSR I still get the same results.
In my opinion it has something to do with the portal, because all goes fine without the portal.
Planning now is to change back to constructor v1.0.3 because I did not see this happen with the old version. I will post the results
#10
Somewhere in the forums I have read that the lightmaps are not supported. Is this true?
07/14/2009 (6:06 am)
Changed back to v1.0.3 and still got the same problem. Replaced the portal with a thicker one and the walls are back but still no lighting inside the dif.Somewhere in the forums I have read that the lightmaps are not supported. Is this true?
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