Alpha3 1.1 is live
by Josh Williams · in Torque Game Builder · 01/19/2006 (6:32 pm) · 42 replies
Hey guys,
We put up a new verison of the Alpha. :) Actually, we put up two new versions... Alpha3a and Alpha3b. Details on 'em below!
First, let me quickly state the difference between the two versions. Alpha3b contains a brand new directory structure layout that we propose providing with T2D (and eventually TGE and TSE). I think it's much, much, much easier for people new to Torque to understand this layout. If you're checking out the alpha, please let us know what you think about it. (In fact, I'm going to start a new thread on it right now :).
Okay, other than the directory structure, these two builds are identical. Here are the highlights of what's new and different:
Alpha 3:
-Includes merge with TGE 1.4 (actually, this includes stuff that will go in TGE 1.4.1...)
-Includes our new packaging utility! Check it out. We're actually working on some revisions to this right now, but it'd be great to get some feedback on it as-is. Note that this is Windows-specific, for now. You can use the packaging utility to automatically create a publicly distributable version of your game. It will go through your scripts and analyze what scripts and assets (eg images and sounds) you use, copy the DSOs all over to a new folder, and insert the T2D.exe and necessary support binaries along with it. In english, it takes everything your game uses and puts it in a nice little package for ya!
-Includes t2dShapeVector... this introduces primitives support to T2D. So, you can create lines, boxes, etc without needing bitmap graphics. We hope to expand our vector support in the (perhaps semi-distant) future. :)
-Includes new polymorphic console methods. We've made it so you don't have to pass everything in as strings now. So, for example, you can call .setPosition(%x, %y), instead of .setPosition("10 20"). I'd really like feedback on this... in fact, if people don't care about us maintaining backward compatibility with the old string-passing method, then I'd strongly consider ripping the string stuff out and working it exclusively with the new and better multiple param methods. :)
-Includes a new gSceneTicker, which you can use to track time. This hasn't yet been fully integrated into every T2D object, but we hope to soon.
-Includes lots of bug fixes
Note though that unfortunately, we didn't get a chance to *entirely* update *all* the docs. And, in fact, in the Alpha3b build, we goofed a little bit and didn't include a couple of the docs we normally ship (eg GettingStarted.pdf!). Woops! :) We'll certainly patch that up before release, but I just wanted to make the note here that the docs in this version, especially Alpha3b, shouldn't be considered final-ish by any means. We also have a lot more docs to write... eg on the level editor.
We'll do another release as soon as we can... and I'm hoping the next one will include yet more editors, and docs that are closer to being fully up to date, along with yet more bug fixes.
Please note... when you report bugs, please mark them as Alpha 3! And if you feel really helpful, in your bug reports, please help us indentify where in the code, script or assets the bug lies... and if you feel extra, extra helpful, go ahead and provide a nice fix! Thanks. The whole idea with these alphas is to give everyone a preview of what's to come, give you early updates, and hopefully have everyone help out making the engine better.
Note as well that the OS X build for Alpha 3 is being worked on now as well. It will take a little time to get it ready, but we wanted to get this build out to as many people as possible as soon as we could. :) Paul Scott is dilligently working to make the OS X side rock though. :)
Thanks very much to Melv, Justin Dujardin, Matt Langley, Adam Larson, and Paul Scott for all their work on this! Also, remember to checkout the T2D section on TDN... lots of great new docs up there, built for T2D 1.1. :)
We put up a new verison of the Alpha. :) Actually, we put up two new versions... Alpha3a and Alpha3b. Details on 'em below!
First, let me quickly state the difference between the two versions. Alpha3b contains a brand new directory structure layout that we propose providing with T2D (and eventually TGE and TSE). I think it's much, much, much easier for people new to Torque to understand this layout. If you're checking out the alpha, please let us know what you think about it. (In fact, I'm going to start a new thread on it right now :).
Okay, other than the directory structure, these two builds are identical. Here are the highlights of what's new and different:
Alpha 3:
-Includes merge with TGE 1.4 (actually, this includes stuff that will go in TGE 1.4.1...)
-Includes our new packaging utility! Check it out. We're actually working on some revisions to this right now, but it'd be great to get some feedback on it as-is. Note that this is Windows-specific, for now. You can use the packaging utility to automatically create a publicly distributable version of your game. It will go through your scripts and analyze what scripts and assets (eg images and sounds) you use, copy the DSOs all over to a new folder, and insert the T2D.exe and necessary support binaries along with it. In english, it takes everything your game uses and puts it in a nice little package for ya!
-Includes t2dShapeVector... this introduces primitives support to T2D. So, you can create lines, boxes, etc without needing bitmap graphics. We hope to expand our vector support in the (perhaps semi-distant) future. :)
-Includes new polymorphic console methods. We've made it so you don't have to pass everything in as strings now. So, for example, you can call .setPosition(%x, %y), instead of .setPosition("10 20"). I'd really like feedback on this... in fact, if people don't care about us maintaining backward compatibility with the old string-passing method, then I'd strongly consider ripping the string stuff out and working it exclusively with the new and better multiple param methods. :)
-Includes a new gSceneTicker, which you can use to track time. This hasn't yet been fully integrated into every T2D object, but we hope to soon.
-Includes lots of bug fixes
Note though that unfortunately, we didn't get a chance to *entirely* update *all* the docs. And, in fact, in the Alpha3b build, we goofed a little bit and didn't include a couple of the docs we normally ship (eg GettingStarted.pdf!). Woops! :) We'll certainly patch that up before release, but I just wanted to make the note here that the docs in this version, especially Alpha3b, shouldn't be considered final-ish by any means. We also have a lot more docs to write... eg on the level editor.
We'll do another release as soon as we can... and I'm hoping the next one will include yet more editors, and docs that are closer to being fully up to date, along with yet more bug fixes.
Please note... when you report bugs, please mark them as Alpha 3! And if you feel really helpful, in your bug reports, please help us indentify where in the code, script or assets the bug lies... and if you feel extra, extra helpful, go ahead and provide a nice fix! Thanks. The whole idea with these alphas is to give everyone a preview of what's to come, give you early updates, and hopefully have everyone help out making the engine better.
Note as well that the OS X build for Alpha 3 is being worked on now as well. It will take a little time to get it ready, but we wanted to get this build out to as many people as possible as soon as we could. :) Paul Scott is dilligently working to make the OS X side rock though. :)
Thanks very much to Melv, Justin Dujardin, Matt Langley, Adam Larson, and Paul Scott for all their work on this! Also, remember to checkout the T2D section on TDN... lots of great new docs up there, built for T2D 1.1. :)
#2
a question though, is the alpha3b "proposed new layout" a for-sure deal? since I modify the source-code directly i am wondering if i should invest the time for the new layout yet, or if it is going to change later.
-Jason
01/19/2006 (6:54 pm)
Super sweet, i was waiting on the unicode (tge 1.4) stuff before I tried getting this working with my c# stuff.a question though, is the alpha3b "proposed new layout" a for-sure deal? since I modify the source-code directly i am wondering if i should invest the time for the new layout yet, or if it is going to change later.
-Jason
#3
01/19/2006 (7:43 pm)
Cool! I'll have a look at it tomorrow.
#4
01/19/2006 (8:52 pm)
The directory structure is almost definitely going to change permanently to something similar to that in alpha3b. Whether it turns out exactly the same or has slight modifications depends on community feedback and our own perceptions as we start using it.
#5
01/19/2006 (9:03 pm)
Thanks Josh, looking forward to playing with this new version!
#6
01/19/2006 (10:51 pm)
Thanks guys! gonna take a look at it tomorrow.
#7
I always got confused by that and asked me "why dont they just use multiple arguments?"...now the functions feel a lot better und you can just use your variables without "%x SPC %y" ;)
01/20/2006 (5:24 am)
The new console methods are very nice.I always got confused by that and asked me "why dont they just use multiple arguments?"...now the functions feel a lot better und you can just use your variables without "%x SPC %y" ;)
#8
To me it doesn't really matter but I really started to like the string-packed arguments.. it feeled convenient to pack logical pairs of arguments into one and if you rip it out completely you're very limited on the custom data for tiles which I found extremely useful.
01/20/2006 (6:57 am)
Hey :)To me it doesn't really matter but I really started to like the string-packed arguments.. it feeled convenient to pack logical pairs of arguments into one and if you rip it out completely you're very limited on the custom data for tiles which I found extremely useful.
#9
I'll download this tonight and provide feedback. This is great progress!
01/20/2006 (9:02 am)
WOW! I'm very excited to check this out. It sounds like there's been a bunch of hard work, particularly in adding the t2dShapeVector! Go Tempest-style games!I'll download this tonight and provide feedback. This is great progress!
#10
So, there's definitely some gray area in this matter. If you're starting a new game and want to make sure your compatible with future releases, use the comma separated arguments because those will pretty much definitely be hanging around.
01/20/2006 (12:03 pm)
The nice thing about the string arguments is you can do things like%thing.setPosition(%otherThing.getPosition());For the most part, I prefer the comma separated methods. But there are functions like setCollisionPolyCustom, which can be called in any of these three ways:
%thing.setCollisionPolyCustom(4, "-1 -1 1 -1 1 1 -1 1"); %thing.setCollisionPolyCustom(4, "-1 -1", "1 -1", "1 1", "-1 1"); %thing.setCollisionPolyCustom(4, -1, -1, 1, -1, 1, 1, -1, 1);In this case, the second one seems nicer to me.
So, there's definitely some gray area in this matter. If you're starting a new game and want to make sure your compatible with future releases, use the comma separated arguments because those will pretty much definitely be hanging around.
#11
01/20/2006 (6:04 pm)
So I guess now is the time to take my T2D 1.0 code and rewrite it for 1.1, eh? Is there a document that details the necessary changes, or should I just use the updated API documentation with 1.1 as my guide?
#12
01/20/2006 (6:33 pm)
I'm very happy about the no longer having to use strings for positions thing, it drove me crazy since I just wasn't used to it. The gSceneTicker sounds great as well!
#13
Where can I find the Alpha 3 for download? It's not on my personal download page at http://www.garagegames.com/pg/download.php?id=nnn. Only Alpha2 is shown there.
This site sometimes seems like a maze of twisty little passages, all alike.
01/20/2006 (6:36 pm)
Okay, I'm not ashamed to ask for directions. I know when I'm beaten.Where can I find the Alpha 3 for download? It's not on my personal download page at http://www.garagegames.com/pg/download.php?id=nnn. Only Alpha2 is shown there.
This site sometimes seems like a maze of twisty little passages, all alike.
#14
Initially when you go to the page, it will bring up your OS's downloads first. Alpha 3 is only under the windows list which was why I didn't see it myself (running Linux).
01/20/2006 (7:06 pm)
Scott:Initially when you go to the page, it will bring up your OS's downloads first. Alpha 3 is only under the windows list which was why I didn't see it myself (running Linux).
#15
Also, I prefer individual arguments instead of string arguments. Big improvement!
Keep up the great work!
J-F
01/21/2006 (8:13 am)
Compiled without a hitch under Mac OS X Tiger for me! Yeah!Also, I prefer individual arguments instead of string arguments. Big improvement!
Keep up the great work!
J-F
#16
01/21/2006 (1:05 pm)
Yes! I've been waiting for the merge with TGE 1.4.. The new console methods are a fine idea, I think.
#17
01/21/2006 (6:07 pm)
Jean-Fran
#18
New directory layout in 3b -- . It's nice and clean :-)
New packaging utility -- First it looks really useful and a lot of thought clearly went into it. But by default wouldn't you want to publish .dso files and not your .cs files, so you are publishing binary not source code? The default is to ignore .dso files.
Level editor -- I know it's not documented, but any hints on how to launch/view the level editor?
Alex
01/21/2006 (9:51 pm)
Josh + Melv, New directory layout in 3b -- . It's nice and clean :-)
New packaging utility -- First it looks really useful and a lot of thought clearly went into it. But by default wouldn't you want to publish .dso files and not your .cs files, so you are publishing binary not source code? The default is to ignore .dso files.
Level editor -- I know it's not documented, but any hints on how to launch/view the level editor?
Alex
#19
J-F
01/22/2006 (4:38 am)
Arg! Sorry about the misleading statement... I compiled 1.1 on the Mac, not 1.1a... I didn't notice that 1.1a was only available on Windows.J-F
#20
(BTW - I didn't misspell your name. This forum eats cedillas!)
01/22/2006 (4:32 pm)
Ah, thanks J-F. I can do most of what I need to do using a2 anyways, and I'll just wait patiently for a3/Mac rather than trying to build it myself.(BTW - I didn't misspell your name. This forum eats cedillas!)
Torque Owner Bob