What does Torque port to?

#1 Torque as packaged only has platform layers for Windows, Linux, and Mac. With those layers, porting is extremely simple (for most projects).

Any other "ports" that you have heard mentioned have been actual by hand ports to the appropriate platforms (XBox Live/Marble Blast, for example).

#2 Porting to the console systems would be easier than porting to the GBA. You can write your own platform layer for the consoles but its not an easy task. You would also need a dev kit for the systems.
I doubt T2D would even fit on a GBA cart.

if you want to learn about the GBA go here
www.gbadev.org/index.php

#3 T2D WOULD fit on a GBA cart, but I don't think it would be a good idea. The GBA has VERY little ram and doesn't have the processing horsepower to handle all the physics(not to mention the pain of having to port all the low-level stuff over to even get it half working).

If you want to make GBA games(unofficial ones of course) you might want to look here:
www.gbadev.org
or here:
www.devrs.com/gba

#4 If you want to make official GBA games check out www.nocturnal-central.com. He will appreciate the business :)

#5 Hmm, I had heard of them(nocturnal) before, but hadn't done much checking on them... Looks like they have an interesting concept for 'indie' console development. Time to bookmark that one for future reference.

#6 PC/Mac/Linux/Xbox/PS2

Unannounced Next Gen/Unannounced handhelds

#7 Pat is absolutely correct, but one thing to clarify: the Xbox/PS2 platform layers are not part of the stock license. Make great games, and they will make it to those platforms, but make the games great first and the rest will come!

#8 [someone using a Jedi mind trick on him] I will make a great game first.

#9 If the .exe can already be compiled for Xbox and PS2, and platform layers exist for those platforms, can they be purchased here? I understand that they aren't part of stock TGE, which is fine with me, I think stock TGE is a great value for the $100. But if some of us are willing to spend more to buy the extra platform layers, is GarageGames interested in selling?

#10 For licensed developers, I'm sure they are.

#11 If you have a serious interest send them an e-mail

#12 I sent an email to bizdev@garagegames.com, but still haven't received a response. This is fine, I'm sure they're very busy. But if this is the wrong email to send such an inquiry to, I hope someone lets me know.

#13 Vijay,

Unless you have a great game that looks promising, chances are pretty slim. You need to show them that. Make a great game, then go console with it.. not the other way around.

#14 I totally agree with you Stefan. It was never my intention to try a console port right off the bat. But one of the publishers I'm currently negotiating with wants a PS2/PSP port, so I just need to be able to tell him if it's even possible. If I could get a confirmed response from GG letting me know that and what would be required to get my hands on it, I can take that answer to the publisher. To be perfectly honest, having just finished a game a year in the making, the last thing I want to do is start porting it to a different platform. But I'm just doing my best to follow through on getting answers to the publisher's questions. I'd hate to promise him that I can do a PS2 port in the future, only to find out later on that GG won't release the port to me for some reason or other.

#15 Firstly, I'd send an e-mail to joshw@garagegames.com

Secondly...PS2? Why PS2? They are a pain to develop for, and unless the game is shipping, right now, on the PS2, I would pick a next-gen platform. Xbox360 will be your easiest port, because TSE is already running on that. PS3 would be my second choice. Xbox my third. THEN PS2 as a next-to-last resort. The only reason I see to do a PS2 title over anything else is because of the PSP/PS2 ease of porting, but you are going to have to do major tweeking to make sure the game "works" on both platforms. With the PSP, the battery life is directly dependant on the game, the controls are different, etc. If it were as easy as a straight port, I think we'd have a lot more PS2/PSP titles out right now. As it stands, though, we don't. Even things like Disgaea would go easily onto the PSP, but they aren't there. This puts up red-flags in my mind, but do as you will.

#16 Pat,

Thanks for the response. That's useful info, and again, I agree with what you guys are saying. I'd like to reiterate that I'm not pushing to do anything, just trying to get some questions answered for a potential publisher. This is all good info I can send to him, I appreciate it.

#17 While I agree the PS2 is a PITA to develop for, when compared to everything else, and that the next gen consoles will probably be out there when a game that is beginning to be ported now gets done But you have to consider that not everyone using Torque is an Indie. And outside the indie market, not everyone is working on their "dream games".

TGE's price point makes it not only interesting to indies, but to small newly born developers who usually start out in small publisher's niche markets and small, unheard-of licenses. They don't care which consoles are easier to develop for, they want their games where they have the most chances of selling more copies, and the fact is that the PS2 is today's NES. Unless you come up with a solid reason for not making a PS2 version, they'll ask for one.

#18 And when they do, you've got options with Torque. :)