Really Confused!

#1 Go read the C++ book, it'll explain what they do. What is it you're trying to get out of torque? It's not going to be very useful without any knowledge of C++. Even the scripting language isn't exactly far off of C. Personally i'd consider trying to learn C++ using torque similar to learning to dive by jumping Niagra falls. :)

NASM err 'compiles' the assembly(er) files so they can be used by the other elements of torque in C++. You really don't need to know what it does exactly (was used for optimisation, but virtually all of this has been moved to C++ for portability now). When you get to grips with the compiler just follow the directions in the readme and forget about it.

Sorry if i've misjudged what you're asking / not been very helpful.

#2 Assimalator, lol! I plan to make a first person shooter (no.... really?) where you make your own gear/Gundam/mech/herc/WTF is the real name?, pilot it, and go against other teams, read my plan.

My Plan

#3 thats a hefty plan, for some one not knowing what they are doing, but your age is of no mater will knowing c++ is benificial, it's not a real nesscessity to learn torque and how it works, your best bet bet would be to take a few mounths and familarize your self with torque by doing the script tuts in the resource section and dl the realm wars test app to use them in, then get ahold of vc6.0 for compiling the engine and do the tuts that include engine changes ,that should give you a good start on it.

#4 Ok elements you'll need.

Models : Models of your Mecha (or whatever you want to call them), these will either come from Milkshape or 3DSMax there are exporter docs in the help section. Milkshape is cheap, 3D Studio is very expensive. Both have serious learning curves.

The same programs are used to create your weapons / pilots etc. You'll have to do the animation in this as well. None of it is easy... Texturing is usually done outside of this program using whatever 2D package suites your style.

Maps : Maps have two different elements, the environment which is greated in the demo app (or your own eventually), and the interiors which are usually created in worldcraft (any program that creates map files), you then place the maps in your environments and you have levels.

The Interface : The actually ingame hud and menu's etc. are created via the interface editor, again in the demo app or your own. The artwork for this will come from wherever.

Scripting / Game : Torque attempts (pretty well actually ) to segment the 'game' from the technology. You'll need to learn / use Torque script so you can configure the 'game' bit yourself like weapon effects, vehicle attributes etc. This isn't exactly easy either. If you want to do something more advanced (say use cell-shading) then you'll have to mod the engine itself in C++.

Now if you can do all of that, then wahey. If not, there's loads of information on these forums, and vast amounts of information on the non-torque tools on the net. Happy hunting.

Dam, I can hear the regulars laughing at me now...

#5 Big problem though is my school, the teacher is an idiot and gives us about 5 projects at once... i still have a book report, and an Africa project just finished, and we won't do japan as a research thing, and i love japan, plus my mom won't let me code till school finishes, and ,y friend is driving me crazy tp print a picture, and someone who was gonna help with my tribes mod FX just left on a trip somewhere for 2 MONTHS!! My life is hectic right now... plus i don't have the money for a $600 microsoft visual studio 6.0!

#6 Then get the Academic Edition for a lot less. They have a list of the resellers Here

If you've got no time, then you won't have time to write a game / co-ordinate a team.

#7 Um.. isn't that for people in college or programming schools?

#8 I'm fairly sure you can get them at any level of education, in the UK you can definatly use them at secondary school level (since that's that they used to outfit our labs).

Mind you that was a 'few' years back, so it might have changed :)

#9 The Academic Edition can not be used to write software for distribution.

#10 Hmm, that's not very useful then. Cheaper to learn with though. How about doing all your coding, then asking someone else to compile it under a full version?

If not, don't bother with windows and just do a Linux version :)

#11 I don't know about this but i have tribal IDE, it's a usefull program for modding tribes 2 but i'm not sure if that will work... it doesn't have compiling functions or anything like that... i think... but i'm very used to Tribal IDE.

#12 What i mean by i need to understand is that it says to input certain stuff but NEVER SAYS WHERE!?!? The index.html

#13 In other words, do i have what i need or do i have to pay $600?!

#14 Here is the options:

Compiler: --takes source code and compiles it (translates) to machine code through various steps
VC 6 (Windows)
GCC (Linux, UNIX) --[the GNU thing you DL'ed]
*** (Mac) --[not sure which is the best compiler for Mac]
--these are the main choices that work, but there are others

3D Modeling: --makes the player, creature, machine models(mesh) for the game
3D Studio Max --$3000.00
Blender
Milkshake
--too many to list

Texture Editor: --makes the picture files that you put on meshes (a mesh has no color, you make a players skin, clothing colors by making a texture(picture) and applying it to the mesh)
Photoshop
Paint Shop
Paint
--too many to list

So, to make a 'game' you would want 1 piece of software from each category of Compiler, 3D Modeling, Texture Editor. But to make a 'mod' you would only need a 3D Modeler, Texture Editor since you wouldn't be changing the source code, you would only change the scripts. Each choice has its plus's and minus's, most Windows programs cost money but are often fairly intuitive since its what most of us use for gaming. Most Linux programs are free but have a bit of a learning curve.

The issue that I think a couple people brought up was that your not just learning C++, you have to learn your NOS(network operating system), your compiler, C++, torque scripting, modeling, texturing, level design and more. The easiest way is to tackle these one at a time, for example (as suggested before) try learning the scripts (model loading, bots, etc.). Then later try making your own meshes and apply what you already learned while scripting and add your model to the game. Later you could add textures to your meshes, but what I am trying to get at is try learning different parts of making a game (using the free tools) and often you will find areas that you are good at (programming, 3D Modeling, etc) at which time you may decide to spend some money on a software package. You can even become part of a team and focus at the area your good at.

Sorry for being long winded, its time for bed and I am rambling. Hope this helps a little

--Aaron

P.S. - In my opinion, I would try Linux and GCC (free and can compile for Windows also) but learning Linux might be something to get used to if you are coming from MS background.

Oh and I think I saw you ask what NASM is, well NASM takes assembly code and compiles it into machine code. Assembly code is a 'low level' language (more like machine code than like verbose syntax (speaking/written language like english) where as C++ is a 'high level' language (using dot syntax) and there for closer to verbose syntax.

Okay now time for bed!!

#15 for learning visual c+ you could get a copy of MS introductory edd. here is a good resource www.macmillansoftware.com/detail_software.cfm?item=1575951754 but dont bother reading the book included as it's not all that good .. but the compiler is worth the price ... one catch, you cannot use anything compiled with that version for anything but testing ( nasty popup comes up anytime you run anything compiled with it ) but as stated before it's great to learn on ...
also their are lots of other compilers out their and a good meny of them free ... check out this place www.thefreecountry.com/developercity/ccompilers.shtml

#16 Hmmm... i have the GNU... 3Ds max with out a registration code... tribal ide... and of course i have the command promt from windows since i have windows, XP By The Way... By The Way = BTW:

#17 BTW: MILKSHAPE, not Milkshake, lol!

P.S. I have Blender!!! Blender is free anyways!!! WOO HOO! Thats it! I'm gonna use all 3 modelers, 2 are free and 1 expired, i'll just keep reinstalling 3Ds max and use it for 14 days, if that will work, i don't think they would be stupid enough not to put something to stop that though... oh well, worth a try!!!!!

#18 I still can't make sense of index.html, what i mean is that i don't know HTH to even make the .exe!

#19 well i dont know what index.html your talking about but ... with the GCC you need to be in the torque dir and then read/print this page www.garagegames.com/docs/torque.sdk/gstarted/compilers.unix.html then jump down to section 3 , it basicly gives you a step by step on how to do it ( whenever trying to do somthing with GCC look for linux doc's as GCC is a linux based program even though their are windows ports ) ... this should give you the exe and all the scripts ....

basicly for now i would stay away from editing any of the .h or .cc files untill you learn more about c++ , their is ALOT you can do on just scripts and once you know scripting really well you will have a good start in learning C .

all thoses .h and .cc files ( and the .obj's the compiler will make ) are the exe , just not put toghter each file deals with one function of the game ( example shadow.cc deals with making shadows ) it's just broken up into all these files for ease of writing/debuging and also for speed ( and a few technical reasions i'm not going into ) ... what the compiler does ( Visual C , GCC , whatever ) is read the config file ( make for GCC , a .dsw file for VC ) and take all those parts , converts then to a more streamlined version that the computer can read better , then link them all into 1 exe ( and maby a few dlls / libs / etc ) ..... best way to learn how to use the compiler is to do a net search for "hello world C++" and see if you can make a small hello program , after about 5 or 6 tries you should get the idea :-)


edit:can't spell

#20 I have the SDK... It has an index.html... it says how to install and all this crap i don't get...