Torque game engine licence
by Dustin A. Cromwell · in Artist Corner · 02/03/2005 (10:11 am) · 11 replies
On our team of 5, we only have 1 programmer. Now according to the licence, we only need one torque licence. But only the person that licenced the engine has access to the engine and all the documentation. So My question is this. Who should licence it. Me being the designer and project lead and the guy paying for it anyway, the programmer, being the guy who needs the source, or create an account we all will have access to so we can use the engine and related documentation equally?
About the author
#2
02/03/2005 (12:04 pm)
So what do you suggest for artists and level designers? 
#3
02/03/2005 (12:07 pm)
If they don't use the source, they don't need a licence. 
#4
Your artists can get all the docs they need on-line. Certain parts of the docs are restriced to TGE licensees.
-Jeff Tunnell GG
02/03/2005 (12:28 pm)
The guy that uses the source is the guy that owns the license. There is no corporate or company ownership of Indie licenses. If you buy it, you are giving it to the person that has the license and they are not transferable.Your artists can get all the docs they need on-line. Certain parts of the docs are restriced to TGE licensees.
-Jeff Tunnell GG
#5
02/03/2005 (12:47 pm)
So then my question is this. To work on levels and to import our models/animations into the game, do we still use the demo, or is the guy with the source the only who can put that stuff in? 
#6
02/03/2005 (1:03 pm)
Any engine modifications that are made will have to be done by the guy with the source. If you are doing work that doesn't require changes to the engine, then you can use the demo or the compiled version that they create.
#7
Anyone (everyone, in fact, you can distribute it freely) can use the results of the source code (the executable)--they simply cannot have direct access to the text lines of C++ code itself.
02/03/2005 (1:04 pm)
There is a big difference between the source code itself, and the executable your programmer creates for your team.Anyone (everyone, in fact, you can distribute it freely) can use the results of the source code (the executable)--they simply cannot have direct access to the text lines of C++ code itself.
#8
02/03/2005 (1:09 pm)
So, he can send to us everything he's got, Except for the text lines of the source code?
#9
All you strictly need for models and level design is the compiled executable, the example folder, and the exporters.
02/03/2005 (1:14 pm)
Well, he probably shouldn't send over copies of the documentation that deals with source code either.All you strictly need for models and level design is the compiled executable, the example folder, and the exporters.
#10
I've been in a similar situation. I owned the license and did the programming for a past project. Everyone else did scripting, graphics, etc (non-source code stuff).
Everyone had a game folder on their computer which consisted of only the files need to run the game. The exe, dlls, scripts, graphics, mission files but no source code.
I also had a separate folder which contained the source code. When I compiled it, I'd copy the exe over to my game folder and make sure everything's fine. Then I distributed the exe file to the rest of the team. That's really all they needed access to. The scripts, graphics, etc are what the rest of the team worked with.
Basically, look at the demo that can be downloaded. That file structure is all they need to go with the exe file. They don't need access to anything else. And the compiled tools. I don't remember if they come with the demo or not. I think they do. No source code access though. They don't need it.
Hope that made sense.
When the project was over and I left the team, I took the TGE source code with me. (unfortunately, the project died out....I know we've all been there before) :(
Oh well....time for a new project.
02/06/2005 (3:38 pm)
@Dustin, hopefully this will help shed some light on it.I've been in a similar situation. I owned the license and did the programming for a past project. Everyone else did scripting, graphics, etc (non-source code stuff).
Everyone had a game folder on their computer which consisted of only the files need to run the game. The exe, dlls, scripts, graphics, mission files but no source code.
I also had a separate folder which contained the source code. When I compiled it, I'd copy the exe over to my game folder and make sure everything's fine. Then I distributed the exe file to the rest of the team. That's really all they needed access to. The scripts, graphics, etc are what the rest of the team worked with.
Basically, look at the demo that can be downloaded. That file structure is all they need to go with the exe file. They don't need access to anything else. And the compiled tools. I don't remember if they come with the demo or not. I think they do. No source code access though. They don't need it.
Hope that made sense.
When the project was over and I left the team, I took the TGE source code with me. (unfortunately, the project died out....I know we've all been there before) :(
Oh well....time for a new project.
#11
Various versions of exporters are available here: Torque Artist Page
There are parts of the documentation that are available to the general public (as long as they have a GG account) - these include the exporter docs and much of the scripting documentation. The only restricted documentation is the source code docs.
02/08/2005 (2:21 pm)
The example folder (with your version of the compiled executable) and the executables of the exporters are all that artists and scripters should need. They can then add art assets or modify script/GUI content to their hearts' content.Various versions of exporters are available here: Torque Artist Page
There are parts of the documentation that are available to the general public (as long as they have a GG account) - these include the exporter docs and much of the scripting documentation. The only restricted documentation is the source code docs.
Torque 3D Owner Stephen Zepp
1) "Look" at the source code. No one should even have a way to view any of the .cc/.h files if they don't have a license.
2) "Look" at the private documentation.
Your third option is a direct violation of the license agreement, and should not be done (having one licensed garage games account and sharing the password--that's very much a bad thing(tm) ).