TGB vs TGE speed
by Backman · in Torque Game Builder · 12/04/2006 (3:16 pm) · 5 replies
Hiya, I'm just starting out with Torque and am hoping to make a 2d game, and possible convert to TGE later on for networking.
I would just like to know how much of a speed increase you can expect when you move over? I'm assuming it'd be faster to go 2.5D since you'll be able to use 3d hardware power on the sprites in TGE... right?
Also, what's the main reason people try to get TGB to do proper networking and not just swap to TGE? It seems to my naive (was going to write young as well but realized they're not) eyes that it'd be easier to do that?
Thanks in advance for any help. :)
I would just like to know how much of a speed increase you can expect when you move over? I'm assuming it'd be faster to go 2.5D since you'll be able to use 3d hardware power on the sprites in TGE... right?
Also, what's the main reason people try to get TGB to do proper networking and not just swap to TGE? It seems to my naive (was going to write young as well but realized they're not) eyes that it'd be easier to do that?
Thanks in advance for any help. :)
#2
If you want 2D as in graphics then start with TGB and stick with it.
If you want 2D as in gameplay then you could do a rough prototype in TGB and switch to TGE to do a 3D game with 2D gameplay. It's likely that pretty much no code would transfer from TGB to TGE in that case.
That said, with experience of both engines it's possible to write the code in such a way that you can transfer some of it over. However, worrying about that when you don't have said experience is only going to cause you major headaches combined with premature hair loss (or head loss if you've already lost your hair).
My advice: Pick one, stick with it.
T.
12/04/2006 (10:41 pm)
TGE and TGB are significantly different enough that you're not going to so much "convert" something from TGB to TGE as "rewrite completely from scratch."If you want 2D as in graphics then start with TGB and stick with it.
If you want 2D as in gameplay then you could do a rough prototype in TGB and switch to TGE to do a 3D game with 2D gameplay. It's likely that pretty much no code would transfer from TGB to TGE in that case.
That said, with experience of both engines it's possible to write the code in such a way that you can transfer some of it over. However, worrying about that when you don't have said experience is only going to cause you major headaches combined with premature hair loss (or head loss if you've already lost your hair).
My advice: Pick one, stick with it.
T.
#3
Such a major bummer about TGB and the networking... please Torque god, if you hear me up there...?
Good to hear about the speed tho, didn't realize TGB used 3d hardware. Cleared things up!
12/05/2006 (4:29 am)
Thanks both.. was hoping for an easy transition as I think networking could do a lot for our game.. but going to stick with TGB and if it's not possible to do networking in the end, so be it. Might just save my hair to be lost to another task instead (aye, hair's still there and growing in all directions).Such a major bummer about TGB and the networking... please Torque god, if you hear me up there...?
Good to hear about the speed tho, didn't realize TGB used 3d hardware. Cleared things up!
#4
12/07/2006 (2:25 pm)
I've only recently bought TGB so I may be wrong, but as I understand it, TGB does client-server networking. See this resource: http://www.garagegames.com/blogs/36282/11807 
#5
tilemaps compared to a pure software engine, and there are 3D tricks you can put on top. Lighting, 3D models
as sprites and more.
I know of one example based on SDL that showed the immense increase you got - from eight to eleven times
as fast display. That leaves a bundle of CPU time for AI and wossnames :)
12/11/2006 (6:37 am)
TGB is basically a tile engine accelerated by your 3D hardware. It gives a manyfold increase in displaying yourtilemaps compared to a pure software engine, and there are 3D tricks you can put on top. Lighting, 3D models
as sprites and more.
I know of one example based on SDL that showed the immense increase you got - from eight to eleven times
as fast display. That leaves a bundle of CPU time for AI and wossnames :)
Torque Owner Phillip "Renolc" Gibson
^_^
As for networking, TGB can do 2D and 2.5D (since it can now use 3D DTS objects) significantly easier than TGE can, seeing that it was built with 2D game play in mind. And since TGB was made from TGE, TGE can, theoretically, do everything TGB can. It's just easier in TGB.