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Jeroen
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 Posted: Mon Oct 15, 2007 4:25 pm Post subject: |
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Awesome stuff really! 
I'm very interested in the graphics pipeline that is being used. As in, what software are you using for which purpose(s) to create the game? Can you tell something about that? |
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santutatu
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Joined: 18 Aug 2007
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Location: ARGENTINA
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| Posted: Mon Oct 15, 2007 6:53 pm Post subject: |
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 awesome....that's the only word i found
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Dale
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Joined: 30 May 2007
Posts: 18
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| Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 11:39 am Post subject: |
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| Jeroen wrote: |
Awesome stuff really!
I'm very interested in the graphics pipeline that is being used. As in, what software are you using for which purpose(s) to create the game? Can you tell something about that? |
Hi Jaroen.
OK, TGE uses 2 file formats, namely DTS, and DIF, as you probably know.
We use Deled in our DIF pipeline.
Chris Cunnington (one of our 3D artists) has put together 2 tutorials regarding our pipeline from 3DSMAX into TGE, and we will upload them shortly and also put the link here.
In the meantime....
Max to DIF Pipeline by Chris Cunnington
The Max to DIF pipeline once setup, is quite simple although it does require quite a few steps to get from Max to the final DIF format. The DIF format is very picky about what it allows you to do, and this can cause some real issues. But once you get used to the limitations they can be pushed quite a bit.
The basic pipeline is 3D Studio Max ---> .3ds ---> DeleD 3D Editor ---> .map ---> map2dif_plus ---> .dif
Intro to DIF
The DIF format is basic BSP technology. Begin by thinking about Lego! Lego is modular and everything you build has a base built from blocks. DIFs expect the same from you, everything is built from cubes. The cubes we make in Max eventually get exported and are technically known as brushes. We use cubes because they remain convex at all times. (this means that all the faces, of the mesh, must point out away from each other.)
Modeling & Texturing
To create complex shapes (where a face would normally be extruded) the method involves creating a new cube and matching its position to appear seamless with the main cube. A multitude of complex buildings and even terrain can be generated with careful thought and planning.
Texturing also has to be done quite carefully; it is preferable to only use the UVW Map modifier, and map each face following a specific axis using the planar projection. The 'Face Mapping' option can also be used to great effect. Do not expect to be able to work with the Unwrap UVW Modifier.
All textures must be imported into a single material library or Multi/Sub-Object material and applied to the mesh at a polygon level in the Edit Mesh Modifier.
Also remember to only use .jpg files which conform to an 8.3 naming structure. (8 Characters and the Extension, e.g., 12345678.jpg, or B01bul01.jpg) This is due to the step of exporting to 3DS. The 3DS format only supports the 8.3 naming structure and the .jpg is used because DeleD only allows .jpg files.
NOTE: Before export to .3ds, all the cubes that you wish to have in a specific .dif must be selected. They MUST have their pivots centered and have their XForm reset.
DeleD 3D Editor
DeleD is then used to convert the .3ds file into a .map for use with the Torque map2dif converter.
When importing the .3ds files you will be asked a few 3DS Import Options:
- Scale Factor = 1
- Import UV Coordinates & Textures should be ticked
- Leave Report Blank
DeleD will then import your brushes and all texture details ready for export using their Torque Exporter. This is then setup to export the .map file. We do not use it to run any conversion tool. Here are the settings
- File name – Setup to export to your HDD
- Texture Folder – Leave Blank
- Scale = 1
- Slice into convex brushes = Blank (We have modeled everything in convex brushes to begin with)
- Lighting Scale = 256 (This is the setting we used, although it may vary depending on the scale of your world)
- Include debugging information – Ticked (This is handy if anything goes wrong)
- Ambient color = White
Hit OK to export the file out. U should now have a Torque complaint .map file ready for conversion to .dif.
NOTE: The above settings will get stored the first time you use the exporter and should not need to be reset again.
map2dif_plus
This is the simplest of all steps, simply drag your .map onto the 'map2dif_plus.exe' and it will do its thing generating a .dif file for you. Remember to then place the .dif and the textures which will have to remain in the 8.3 naming system into the engine together.
Ok, I will put a link to the tutorials here, as soon as we have them ready...
Dale.
OK, here it is:
http://www.luma.co.za/labs
(Under 3D Tutorials)
And thanks for all the positive feedback!
Last edited by Dale on Tue Oct 16, 2007 4:23 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Paul-Jan
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Joined: 08 Aug 2004
Posts: 3066
Location: Lage Zwaluwe
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| Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 4:13 pm Post subject: |
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Wow, thanks a _lot_ for describing your pipeline in such detail, and even shaping it into a tutorial... I applaud you guys for helping out the community like that!
My only pipeline-specific question would be why you don't just simply run map2dif_plus from the DeleD conversion tool? Is that just a remnant from the time when running the conversion tool would occasionally lock up the process, or are there current issues? If so, I'd like to know, so we can fix them!
Oh, and before I forget, those Expo photos absolutely *ROCK*. |
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trucker2000
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Joined: 11 May 2005
Posts: 1839
Location: Sacramento, California
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| Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 9:47 pm Post subject: |
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I wish I could have been there. Those shots are great.
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bydersjoint
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Joined: 17 Oct 2007
Posts: 4
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| Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2007 7:45 am Post subject: Pipeline Question |
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Hey Paul-Jan,
We have tried to optimise the pipeline as much as we could and early on, we slightly modded the map2dif_plus.exe and, wrote an added batch file that converts all .map files in a single directory and dumps the .difs into a new sub folder.
Something that would be awesome to have in the near future from Delgine would be a Batch .3ds to .map converter. Something that would allow you to convert an entire directory at a time. If that tool could then afterwards run a conversion tool the pipeline would be so efficient.
We are also still only using v1.53 and v1.03 or the exporter, simply because its working and for what we are doing with it, its stable.
~Chris
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Paul-Jan
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Joined: 08 Aug 2004
Posts: 3066
Location: Lage Zwaluwe
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| Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2007 12:45 pm Post subject: |
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Ah, that makes a lot of sense! I remember you guys being very professional (conservative) in your approach towards the toolchain, sticking with the version you know about even though it has it's limitations.
The batch tool would certainly be a good thing to have. The one thing holding me back from churning out such a tool right away is the limited target audience. The 'greater public' doesn't take the time to investigate the restrictions in succesful 3DS -> dif conversion (like the very strict 'lego' approach you guys adopted), and is unpleasantly surprised when their random polygon soup doesn't come out the other end. I am a bit afraid that a batch tool might multiply that unpleasant surprise (and consequent negative emotions) by the number of models that is in the batch. Also, it takes DeleD out of the equation, and DeleD kinda is our main product.
That said... the batch converter it's definitely on the list now. |
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Dale
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Joined: 30 May 2007
Posts: 18
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| Posted: Thu Oct 18, 2007 3:40 pm Post subject: |
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No problem Paul-Jan! Thanks for giving us a cool tool to use in the first place!
Dale.
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moraldi
DeleD PRO user
Joined: 08 Sep 2005
Posts: 112
Location: Hellas
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| Posted: Thu Oct 18, 2007 8:36 pm Post subject: |
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You guys, you are gonna make me to by a real new mini... (although it is a little bit difficult to forget my previous Rally 106)
Please is it possible to include this one to the game |
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Dale
Member
Joined: 30 May 2007
Posts: 18
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| Posted: Mon Nov 26, 2007 2:50 pm Post subject: |
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MINI#37 hasn't been officially launched, but you can download Episode 01.
Its free, so go get it!
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DOWNLOAD > http://www.mini37.com/
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Daaark
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Joined: 01 Sep 2004
Posts: 2696
Location: Ottawa, Canada
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| Posted: Mon Nov 26, 2007 3:09 pm Post subject: |
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I tried. But your servers are just too slow, sorry. I'll try again later.
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Jeroen
Site Admin
Joined: 07 Aug 2004
Posts: 5332
Location: The Netherlands
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| Posted: Mon Nov 26, 2007 9:03 pm Post subject: |
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They're slow, but I got it after about 8 minutes downloading. Not too bad, considering some people downloading movies all night etc.
I'll give the software a try a.s.a.p! |
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