New books from Garage Games
by Hokuto · in General Discussion · 03/14/2006 (1:25 am) · 143 replies
Http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=8502
- GarageGames, an independent game publishing label, has announced a partnership with book publishers A K Peters to create game development-focused books. The first one to be published will be "The Game Publisher's Guide to Torque," a tutorial on using GarageGames' proprietary Torque game engine. "Publishing books is an extension of our efforts to teach aspiring programmers the fundamentals of game development," said GarageGames CEO Mark Frohnmeyer. "We could not have a better partner than A K Peters, a global book publisher with a stellar reputation for publishing high quality texts and references."
- GarageGames, an independent game publishing label, has announced a partnership with book publishers A K Peters to create game development-focused books. The first one to be published will be "The Game Publisher's Guide to Torque," a tutorial on using GarageGames' proprietary Torque game engine. "Publishing books is an extension of our efforts to teach aspiring programmers the fundamentals of game development," said GarageGames CEO Mark Frohnmeyer. "We could not have a better partner than A K Peters, a global book publisher with a stellar reputation for publishing high quality texts and references."
#22
Hall Of Worlds - For Gamers
EdM|GPGT
03/21/2006 (10:25 pm)
@Mark - Thanks for the note. I'll look into it and post a resolution tomorrow night. Hall Of Worlds - For GamersEdM|GPGT
#23
I often buy computer books from computer manuals www.compman.co.uk but I would imagine that the vast majority of the book buying public would go to amazon first.
Of course if you offered an electronic downloadable version you might get more sales from outside the US, (and probably end up with it being on P2P in no time ).
It'd be nice not to have to wait as long, with people already reading their's, but I'll live :)
03/22/2006 (3:33 am)
As far as international distribution goes, as your book will be available on Amazon that's a pretty good start :)I often buy computer books from computer manuals www.compman.co.uk but I would imagine that the vast majority of the book buying public would go to amazon first.
Of course if you offered an electronic downloadable version you might get more sales from outside the US, (and probably end up with it being on P2P in no time ).
It'd be nice not to have to wait as long, with people already reading their's, but I'll live :)
#24
03/22/2006 (5:12 am)
Yes, damn it... I have to wait for Amazon.co.uk to stock it over here
#25
03/22/2006 (9:48 am)
Mark you should have a book or web were we can keep with updated info on torque as it progresses
#26
03/22/2006 (9:49 am)
Sorry, I mean Edward F. Maurina III,should have a book or web were we can keep with updated info on torque as it progresses
#27
03/22/2006 (9:50 am)
Mark you should have a book or web were we can keep with updated info on torque as it progresses 
#28
03/22/2006 (9:57 am)
@Morrie (from Edward's post above)Quote:Additionally, this book is designed to be non-static. I spent significant time and effort designing an application that comes with the book. Namely, the GPGT Lesson Kit. This kit has the following features:
- Runs the current content. i.e., It runs the materials provided with the book.
- Provides templates and documentation for designing new lessons and samples. This means book owners can write their own samples and freely distribute them to other owners.
- Provides the ability to auto-detect and auto-load new lessons and samples. This means that when a user drops new content into the same directory as his or her kit, the kit will find it and make it available for running/examination.
- Provides the ability for book owners to host collaborative sessions where one user hosts 3D lesson sessions and the other uses connect as clients. All users can interact and manipulate lessons, but only the host may change the current lesson. This makes the application ideal for classrooms and team collaboration.
#29
03/22/2006 (1:45 pm)
If I can come up with some cash I will definantly be buying this book.
#30
I credited you for the errata, but if would rather not have your name in the document please let me know.
On that note, I'm going to start a 'original bugs' bounty. I haven't decided what the reward will be, but I'm tracking errata by person and I'll come up with some creative prize/reward/gesture of thanks for the person who finds the most original bugs.
@Morrie - We're in the very early stages right now, but the next few weeks will see some exciting (to me and I hope to others) news releases from Hall Of Worlds regarding GPGT and some other products related to your query. Stay tuned. Additionally, once things get rolling you'll start to see new lessons and Q&A responses in the form of lessons for the kit. These will show up on the 'GPGT Support Page'.
Hall Of Worlds - For Gamers
EdM|GPGT
03/22/2006 (9:06 pm)
@Mark Barner - Alright. I have resolved the issue and posted the fix (first errata fix) on the new 'GPGT Support Page'.I credited you for the errata, but if would rather not have your name in the document please let me know.
On that note, I'm going to start a 'original bugs' bounty. I haven't decided what the reward will be, but I'm tracking errata by person and I'll come up with some creative prize/reward/gesture of thanks for the person who finds the most original bugs.
@Morrie - We're in the very early stages right now, but the next few weeks will see some exciting (to me and I hope to others) news releases from Hall Of Worlds regarding GPGT and some other products related to your query. Stay tuned. Additionally, once things get rolling you'll start to see new lessons and Q&A responses in the form of lessons for the kit. These will show up on the 'GPGT Support Page'.
Hall Of Worlds - For GamersEdM|GPGT
#31
03/23/2006 (5:25 am)
@EFM: Thanks for the bug fix.
#32
I encountered this today.. in Chapter 10, section 10.1.1 onAdd() and onRemove, page 384. - the sample script ts10() I could not get to work in the console. I get " Object 'myTestDatablock' is not a member of the 'GameBaseData' data block class". I used console in the 3D Lesson mission. The other samples in the chapter worked fine. I tried the lesson kit console also and it did not work. I had the host player checked and tried it without it checked... still did not work.
edit: spelling
03/23/2006 (6:11 am)
@EFM: Subject: GPGT FeedbackI encountered this today.. in Chapter 10, section 10.1.1 onAdd() and onRemove, page 384. - the sample script ts10() I could not get to work in the console. I get " Object 'myTestDatablock' is not a member of the 'GameBaseData' data block class". I used console in the 3D Lesson mission. The other samples in the chapter worked fine. I tried the lesson kit console also and it did not work. I had the host player checked and tried it without it checked... still did not work.
edit: spelling
#33
I went ahead and checked out the rest of the test scripts in the book. All of the other bt*() and ts*() scripts worked fine other than the ts10() I reported above.
03/23/2006 (7:33 am)
@EFM: Subject: GPGT FeedbackI went ahead and checked out the rest of the test scripts in the book. All of the other bt*() and ts*() scripts worked fine other than the ts10() I reported above.
#34
Chapter 6, section 6.3.5, Items and dynamicType, page 181. The note caption on the right side of the page, second paragraph:
edit:spelling
03/23/2006 (10:39 am)
@EFM: Subject: GPGT FeedbackChapter 6, section 6.3.5, Items and dynamicType, page 181. The note caption on the right side of the page, second paragraph:
Quote:This is quite useful, as such mounted shapes can temporarily shield an item from contact and thus fromnote caption ended. "Contact and thus from"...?
edit:spelling
#35
You can purchase it from the publisher... mine has already shipped and i ordered it 2 days ago
03/23/2006 (11:13 am)
@HokutoYou can purchase it from the publisher... mine has already shipped and i ordered it 2 days ago
#37
Chapter 6, page 186 expert tip caption:
In the actual file you have is: function rldfade(). Can you name this function anything you want? rldfb or rldfade... does it matter?
03/23/2006 (12:03 pm)
@EFM: Subject: GPGT QuestionChapter 6, page 186 expert tip caption:
Quote: function rldfb() {
exec("./fadeblocks.cs");
}
In the actual file you have is: function rldfade(). Can you name this function anything you want? rldfb or rldfade... does it matter?
#38
Chapter 6, section 6.5.4 Creating TSStatic Shapes, page 187.
now if you type this in the lesson kit "Sample Script Console"... when you hit "~" sends you into the console mode. To let everyone know, you have to type in the complete directory.
03/23/2006 (12:41 pm)
@EFM: Subject: GPGT FeedbackChapter 6, section 6.5.4 Creating TSStatic Shapes, page 187.
Quote:
%object = new TSStatic() {
position = "0 0 0" <--- is missing ";" in book
rotation = "1 0 0 0";
scale = "1 1 1";
shapeName = "~/data/Shapes/Lessons/GeneralLessonShapes/egg.dts";
};
now if you type this in the lesson kit "Sample Script Console"... when you hit "~" sends you into the console mode. To let everyone know, you have to type in the complete directory.
#39
Hall Of Worlds - For Gamers
EdM|GPGT
03/24/2006 (1:05 am)
@ Mark - You've got serious lead for the most errata. I'll review these all tomorrow..err after I get some sleep today and get fixes incorporated in the errata doc soon thereafter. Darnit! I was so hoping you would win with only one bug. :) Seriously though, this is great stuff. I'm glad to these kinds of things caught right away. You're saving other folks frustration and helping me improve t he product. Hall Of Worlds - For GamersEdM|GPGT
#40
I have posted fixes/responses for each of your finds. Thanks so much for finding and reporting these. I'm glad to see that nothing major is broken or wrong so far, but these items will be frustrating for others. Your finding them helps smooth the road for others by letting me address them quickly.
The support pages has moved to its official page here. Of course, the old link will continue to work.
Thanks again!
Hall Of Worlds - For Gamers
EdM|GPGT
03/25/2006 (11:42 am)
@Mark I have posted fixes/responses for each of your finds. Thanks so much for finding and reporting these. I'm glad to see that nothing major is broken or wrong so far, but these items will be frustrating for others. Your finding them helps smooth the road for others by letting me address them quickly.
The support pages has moved to its official page here. Of course, the old link will continue to work.
Thanks again!
Hall Of Worlds - For GamersEdM|GPGT
Torque Owner Mark Barner
mbarnatl
I encountered this the other night .. in Chapter 4, section 4.4.1 Object Namspace Hierarchies, page 133. - the sample scripts bt18(a) and bt18(b) I could not get to work in the console. I used console in the 3D Lesson mission. The other samples in the chapter worked fine. I tried the lesson kit console also and it did not work. I had the host player checked and tried it without it checked... still did not work. It may be something I'm doing but bt19 worked fine. This caused some confusion and pulled me from the lesson I was trying to understand.
edit: spelling