Using Torque for a 4X game
by Nicholas Shephard · in General Discussion · 08/27/2006 (8:40 pm) · 7 replies
Hi all! I have recently just discovered this great site and the Torque engine has piqued my curiousity. After playing Civ IV for sometime I have wanted to try my hand at creating a similiar 4X style game based on different ideas and execution. The Torque engine shines as FPS engine with packs for MMO and RTS from what I've seen, but I have seen nothing on 4X style games. Anyone know if the Torque engine would be easy to set up for a 4X game?
I'm thinking one of the big concerns is random maps and I don't really have any idea how to do random maps. Anyway, any info and/or advice is appreciated.
I'm thinking one of the big concerns is random maps and I don't really have any idea how to do random maps. Anyway, any info and/or advice is appreciated.
#2
BTW iirc: 4X = exploration, exploitation, expansion, extermination
08/28/2006 (2:13 pm)
I'd say Torque would be ideal for a 4X game like Space Empires or something in that vein. I mean, a 4X game needs good GUIs, and those are easy to setup in Torque. I think something like Civ would be very do-able in the engine... the real challenge is if you can plan it out properly. I've programmed a couple 4X games in web languages before (yup, CSS, Javascript, and CFML with an Access database!) and I can tell you that even that weak of a medium was fine to make the game in. Players cared much more about getting features, streamlining repetitive actions, etc...BTW iirc: 4X = exploration, exploitation, expansion, extermination
#3
EDIT:
Found it - www.garagegames.com/mg/snapshot/view.php?qid=1252
08/28/2006 (2:35 pm)
Look through the Snapshot Gallery section(acessed by the community button at the top of this page), there is a Snapshot w/ info of a Civ-style war game.EDIT:
Found it - www.garagegames.com/mg/snapshot/view.php?qid=1252
#4
@Chris: My real concern isn't the planning out part, I've already begun the planning portion and began committing things to paper. My concern is more along the lines of how to get the engine to do a 4X game.
@Okashira: That snapshot looks very nice. While I'm not going for a modern theme, that set up is similiar to what I want to do. Which proves the Torque CAN do what I want, I just have to figure out how :P
Once again I appreciate the comments, its nice seeing quick and usefull feedback!
08/28/2006 (9:22 pm)
Thanks for the posts all.@Chris: My real concern isn't the planning out part, I've already begun the planning portion and began committing things to paper. My concern is more along the lines of how to get the engine to do a 4X game.
@Okashira: That snapshot looks very nice. While I'm not going for a modern theme, that set up is similiar to what I want to do. Which proves the Torque CAN do what I want, I just have to figure out how :P
Once again I appreciate the comments, its nice seeing quick and usefull feedback!
#5
A while ago I was making a little turn-based strategy game with another engine and what really helped me was to actually make the game on paper in a playable board game(with temp pieces and stuff). That really helped my get the groundwork down of the feel of my game, then I basically just 'ported' it to the computer.
08/29/2006 (7:06 am)
@NicholasA while ago I was making a little turn-based strategy game with another engine and what really helped me was to actually make the game on paper in a playable board game(with temp pieces and stuff). That really helped my get the groundwork down of the feel of my game, then I basically just 'ported' it to the computer.
#6
Good luck. :) I had a lot of fun with my couple of projects. I would say the biggest thing I learned in my experience is making the right GUI. My first game attempt, imo, had a too restrictive and slow interface. But when I tried to "open it up" for the second game, people got lost and didn't like it at all. Had I not been burnt out and dissatisfied with the two games (which were really 1 mega 1-man project over almost 2 years), I think I'd have gone back and merged the best of both worlds: fast and intuitive. (Though intuitive didn't necessarily mean "simple"... it meant "do it how the players are familiar with things.")
I had thought of doing a game in that same vein again in TGB, but have settled upon an arcade-style 1-4 player spaceship melee, ala the classics Star Control and Space War. Depending on how this project goes will determine if I think i'm up for another 4X game because, man, they are not easy! (Though so much fun!)
08/29/2006 (3:19 pm)
@NicholasGood luck. :) I had a lot of fun with my couple of projects. I would say the biggest thing I learned in my experience is making the right GUI. My first game attempt, imo, had a too restrictive and slow interface. But when I tried to "open it up" for the second game, people got lost and didn't like it at all. Had I not been burnt out and dissatisfied with the two games (which were really 1 mega 1-man project over almost 2 years), I think I'd have gone back and merged the best of both worlds: fast and intuitive. (Though intuitive didn't necessarily mean "simple"... it meant "do it how the players are familiar with things.")
I had thought of doing a game in that same vein again in TGB, but have settled upon an arcade-style 1-4 player spaceship melee, ala the classics Star Control and Space War. Depending on how this project goes will determine if I think i'm up for another 4X game because, man, they are not easy! (Though so much fun!)
#7
That board game idea is excellent! I think I will give that a try.
@Chris Jorgensen
I understand how epic of a task creating a 4x can be, some of the 4x games are an epic task just to play :P
What you say about the GUI is true. Many games have turned me off because of bad control or bad interface. I'll be honest and admit that I have not even started thinking of the interface yet XD. Well, one step at a time.
08/29/2006 (10:42 pm)
@OkashiraThat board game idea is excellent! I think I will give that a try.
@Chris Jorgensen
I understand how epic of a task creating a 4x can be, some of the 4x games are an epic task just to play :P
What you say about the GUI is true. Many games have turned me off because of bad control or bad interface. I'll be honest and admit that I have not even started thinking of the interface yet XD. Well, one step at a time.
Torque Owner Sam M