More Torque Books in 2006

#21 Hello author's if possible can you please include how to enable joysticks in the Torque Engine as I wish to make a Battlezone 1 and 2 R.T.S hovertank and spaceplane 3d first person shooter game.


Most of everything is there except joystick control

#22 @Spencer - I'm sorry I didn't answer sooner. It seems I missed this thread when it went by.

To answer your question, please let me direct you to my site (Hall Of Worlds for Gamers). I am currently assembling a set of product pages for this book. They should at least begin to answer your questions.

These pages are still under construction, but if you find that you still have questions or anything I've written in the product pages is unclear, please ask your questions here. I promise to respond more quickly this time.

@David Blake - You are correct. "The Game Programmer's Guide to Torque" (GPGT) is in fact the successor to EGTGE. However, GPGT covers a great deal morth than EGTGE and comes with a ton of samples, lessons, etc.

@Ian - I'm afraid I do not cover that particular aspect of Torque in this book. However, there may be a solution to your need already available: here. Also, I am going to be adding a gamepad to my game development station soon. Setting up a gamepad is similar to setting up a joystick, so I'll post my results in the forums when I get it up and running.


Hall Of Worlds - For Gamers
EdM|EGTGE

#23 Edward how will your book be different from Kenny's book? I have had a very very difficult time picking and retaining information from his book. There were a lot of errors to many I thought in order for me to get through the book. Can I assume that your book will come with this type of level of bugginess or did you spend a lot of time rechecking your coded examples?

#24 @ Donald,

How will my book be different?
Ken's book coveres not only the engine but several external tools and topics. In my book, I only focus on the engine. This gives me the space and time to examine features in greater detail than Ken had time to. Please note, I cannot give a specific comparison as I did not consider Ken's content while writing the guide. Instead, I focused on writing about the topics that I found to be difficult when I learned to use the engine. As well, I focused on making the book well rounded and complete regarding Torque feature coverage. I really want it to be a learning guide for the new, a reference guide for the experienced, and also to fulfill the needs of instructors, students, and collaborators.

This is listed on my site, but the book consists of the following:

- ~650 printed pages covering Torque in-detal.

- ~580 e-pages of Torque quick references ( Torque scripting language, console classes, methods, functions, callbacks, GUI controls, etc.)

- An application written in Torque containing:

-- 3D Lessons - Single and multiple users (up to 64 total) may connect and examine these lessons together, all interacting in individual lessons/samples. A single users drives the session. The appendicies include instrcutions for creating new lessons which can then be 'dropped-in'. The application will automatically find and load new lessons on next re-start. The kit comes with 21 (perhaps to be 22) lessons already and I'm working on writing additional ones for download.

-- GUI Sampler - A mini-app designed to explore the usage of any GUI interfaces. The kit comes with 22 samples written by me. As with the 3D lessons, you can add more using a template.

-- Interfaces Sampler - A mini-app designed to explore the design challences involved with creating full interfaces. The kit comes with two sets of themed interfaces and three commonly used HUDs. You may create new samples and drop them in, again using a provided template.

-- Sample Script Console - This tool is aimed primarily at the lecturer, but can be used by the individual as well. It allows one to type in sample scripts and to run/demostrate them to a class. It also allows you to load pre-defined course content. I have provided 38 scripts for this aimed at teaching Torque Script. It is a little hard to describe this tool properly and I suggest that you see my site for a screenshot. It's strength comes from the fact that the code may be viewed simultaneously with the output and that you can enter full scripts, not single lines like the normal consoles.

- A Sample Game and the Alpha version of the game - Interspersed throughout the guide are 21 (practical)lessons which, when combined, create a sample game. All the content required to make the game is included on the disk. Additionally, a more advanced version of the game is included to show you the results of some suggestions I provide at the end of the last lesson.

What about bugs, bugs, bugs?
I have spent a significant amount of time checking, and re-checking, and re-re-checking the code that is discussed in the guide, the code that comes with the lesson kit, and the code that is dicussed in the e-appendicies. In fact, we are in the process of doing a complete read and technical check as the pages get prepared for printing.

So, while I won't guarantee 100% perfection (although that is the aim), I'm quite sure that you will find the code in the printed manual, in the e-appendicies, and in the lesson kit to be in working order and up to date with TGE 1.4.

Hall Of Worlds - For Gamers
EdM|EGTGE

#25 Very cool.. ok one more question. The other book focused on a standard MMORGP. It is my aim to make a MMORPG it is set in space. Will your book present the data as:

Script A setups the sword guy
Script B setups the Castle Draw bridge

Or will yours be more along the lines of

Here is what is needed to define a world.
Here is what is needed to define a player
Here is how you can get them to play with each other on a server.

#26 @Donald,

My book is more along the lines of the second set of statements. I break down the individual class uses. However, I do combine them and show interaction between the parts as part of the 3D lessons and while making the game.

I admit in advance that this book will not answer every question that every Torque user has. But, the GPGT Lesson Kit (3D/GUI/Interface/etc.) is designed to allow me to create additional lessons and samples. After the book goes into distribution, I will be posting new lesson content that book owners will then be able to explore using the GPGT Lesson Kit.

Hall Of Worlds - For Gamers
EdM|EGTGE

#27 Cool... I will have to get a look at that book then. Thanks for the info.

#28 Just ordered "The Game Programmer's Guide to Torque" from A K Peters, Ltd. The site says... Availability: In stock. Find out Monday if it ships. Everyone else says it ships in April.

#29 @Edward thank you I will look out for your post

#30 Is there a way I can see the TOC of the book?