Torque engine scalability
by yours_truly · in Torque Game Engine · 09/08/2006 (1:22 pm) · 7 replies
I've read good things about the torque engine portability
but not much about how scalable it is, so the questions:
How small can you go with the engine in terms of footprint?
Has the engine been ported, for example, to an ARM9
mobile device, with severe memory limitations, say 4Mbytes
total, with 2Mb for the engine itself. How easy is it to remove
engine features in order to achieve the desired footprint
(assuming code's been feature #if 'ed)?
Any answer will be greatly appreciated.
yours_truly
but not much about how scalable it is, so the questions:
How small can you go with the engine in terms of footprint?
Has the engine been ported, for example, to an ARM9
mobile device, with severe memory limitations, say 4Mbytes
total, with 2Mb for the engine itself. How easy is it to remove
engine features in order to achieve the desired footprint
(assuming code's been feature #if 'ed)?
Any answer will be greatly appreciated.
yours_truly
#2
09/08/2006 (2:05 pm)
You can get Torque down to a very small size. I have gotten it down to 400kb once, but that is without any form of 3D rendering. I dont think it will be a good idea to put it on a mobile platform though, no matter the size - Torque aint designed for it.
#3
Actually nix that, I remember someone ported a portion of Quake 1 to the GBA. Maybe that was just a map loader though. In any case, that's about the level of 3d power the DS would be able to handle. It would be awesome if TGB ran on it though ;P
09/08/2006 (2:38 pm)
I recognize those specs. You're not getting it on the DS. Or any commercial PC based engine for that matter.Actually nix that, I remember someone ported a portion of Quake 1 to the GBA. Maybe that was just a map loader though. In any case, that's about the level of 3d power the DS would be able to handle. It would be awesome if TGB ran on it though ;P
#4
does it support gl and or d3d?
It should support opengl-es, but initially we'd be looking for
2D capability only.
>> I have gotten it down to 400kb once, but that is without any form of 3D rendering.
Would a 2D capable engine still be left at 400kb? In that case so many features would
be out, probably not warranting its use, right?
Thanks,
yours_truly
09/08/2006 (2:48 pm)
>> what type of rendering capability do you have on said device.does it support gl and or d3d?
It should support opengl-es, but initially we'd be looking for
2D capability only.
>> I have gotten it down to 400kb once, but that is without any form of 3D rendering.
Would a 2D capable engine still be left at 400kb? In that case so many features would
be out, probably not warranting its use, right?
Thanks,
yours_truly
#5
it is a 3d engine.
there are no 2d specific capabilities in the codebase
all drawing capability stem from the 3d api's.
while OpenGL es would support a certian amount of torque.
there are plenty of functions used in torque that are Not in the es specs.
(glBegin, glEnd....)
so you are gonna hit some roadblocks there..
what you need to do is rapid prototype your plan in a 2d library package.
then decide if 3d is what you need to finish it.
if so then use OpenGL ES and unless you find someone else's code to do it, write your own little engine.
otherwise continue with the 2d.
do you have the device in your possesion? can you begin testing the OpenGL es support?
if not go directly to a 2d library.
might I suggest something simple like pocketfrog.
that should work on your device out of the box.
(providing it has winblows in one of thier usual brown flavours running on it)
is it running windows ? xp embedded? ce? what version?
Edit:
it should be running Linux.
there is all the support you need, the newest X is Awesome on embedded devices.
Wicked Stuff!!
I am finding some Major performance gains using it, as well the new kernel has some great new stuff going.
all working well here..
09/08/2006 (2:58 pm)
Torque is not a 2d engine.it is a 3d engine.
there are no 2d specific capabilities in the codebase
all drawing capability stem from the 3d api's.
while OpenGL es would support a certian amount of torque.
there are plenty of functions used in torque that are Not in the es specs.
(glBegin, glEnd....)
so you are gonna hit some roadblocks there..
what you need to do is rapid prototype your plan in a 2d library package.
then decide if 3d is what you need to finish it.
if so then use OpenGL ES and unless you find someone else's code to do it, write your own little engine.
otherwise continue with the 2d.
do you have the device in your possesion? can you begin testing the OpenGL es support?
if not go directly to a 2d library.
might I suggest something simple like pocketfrog.
that should work on your device out of the box.
(providing it has winblows in one of thier usual brown flavours running on it)
is it running windows ? xp embedded? ce? what version?
Edit:
it should be running Linux.
there is all the support you need, the newest X is Awesome on embedded devices.
Wicked Stuff!!
I am finding some Major performance gains using it, as well the new kernel has some great new stuff going.
all working well here..
#6
Thanks very much for the information.
I realize there's TGE and there's TGB. Is there a
separate area to discuss the 2D engine (TGB)?
Does all that information apply to TGB (Torque Game Builder)?
Thanks again,
yours_truly
09/09/2006 (1:40 pm)
Badguy,Thanks very much for the information.
I realize there's TGE and there's TGB. Is there a
separate area to discuss the 2D engine (TGB)?
Does all that information apply to TGB (Torque Game Builder)?
Thanks again,
yours_truly
#7
'...TGB sits on "top" of TGE, so you will have a good idea of TorqueScript, datablocks, call-backs, .cs files, etc...'
I guess that's the nail in the coffin to trying to downscale the 2D engine.
Thanks very much,
yours_truly
09/10/2006 (10:32 am)
Found this new tidbit about TGB:'...TGB sits on "top" of TGE, so you will have a good idea of TorqueScript, datablocks, call-backs, .cs files, etc...'
I guess that's the nail in the coffin to trying to downscale the 2D engine.
Thanks very much,
yours_truly
Torque Owner Badguy
Torque scalability will not be kind to downsizing.
the output exe would fill your footprint memory area leaving you 0 room for resources.
this is not the right type of an engine for that type of scaling.
my next question would be:
what type of rendering capability do you have on said device.
does it support gl and or d3d?
if not you will definately be looking for a different engine.
this engine has way to many features coupled too closely together for the #if/#endif pairs to limit any features.
perhaps for a couple but my thoughts are you would burn alot of time.
Good luck