Several Torque Questions
by Angry Breed · in Torque Game Engine · 03/29/2008 (7:55 pm) · 5 replies
Hi,
I'm planning on buying TGE, but I have been wondering about a
couple of things:
1. How large of a terrain (in feet) will work in Torque? I realize that
it has a lot to do with what's in the level(s) and all that, I'm just
wondering with an "average" game level how large the mass can
be. I'm talking a huge level broken up using portals.
2. Can terrains built with other tools (Vue) work in Torque, and if
so, can can Vue's atmospherics be used in Torque? If not, is there
a way to create similar atmospheric effects in torque?
Sorry to bother you with this, but I'm really curious.
Oh... one last thing. Can anyone recommend the best training
for Torque? I don't just mean Torque specific training, but ANY
training that will aid in more efficiently learning Torque?
Thanks,
John
I'm planning on buying TGE, but I have been wondering about a
couple of things:
1. How large of a terrain (in feet) will work in Torque? I realize that
it has a lot to do with what's in the level(s) and all that, I'm just
wondering with an "average" game level how large the mass can
be. I'm talking a huge level broken up using portals.
2. Can terrains built with other tools (Vue) work in Torque, and if
so, can can Vue's atmospherics be used in Torque? If not, is there
a way to create similar atmospheric effects in torque?
Sorry to bother you with this, but I'm really curious.
Oh... one last thing. Can anyone recommend the best training
for Torque? I don't just mean Torque specific training, but ANY
training that will aid in more efficiently learning Torque?
Thanks,
John
#2
Standard TGE terrain max size is 2048 meters x 2048 meters. This uses a 256x256 grid of 16 bit height values (thus 8 meter horizontal resolution). Note that the terrain can be set to "tile" so it repeats infinitely outside the base area.
If you need more resolution, you can reduce the "square size" to 4 or 2, resulting in 1024x1024m or 512x512m (2 m horizontal resolution).
People have talked about using more than one terrain object, I believe.
If you need more flexible huge terrains, look into Torque Game Engine Advanced.
03/29/2008 (10:08 pm)
1. Standard TGE terrain max size is 2048 meters x 2048 meters. This uses a 256x256 grid of 16 bit height values (thus 8 meter horizontal resolution). Note that the terrain can be set to "tile" so it repeats infinitely outside the base area.
If you need more resolution, you can reduce the "square size" to 4 or 2, resulting in 1024x1024m or 512x512m (2 m horizontal resolution).
People have talked about using more than one terrain object, I believe.
If you need more flexible huge terrains, look into Torque Game Engine Advanced.
#3
much appreciate the thorough response. It is very helpful. I'm
quite interested in TGEA, actually.. but being a gamedev noob
I don't want to get in over my head. I'd like to see how I take
to it with TGE first, then TGEA is a nice goal that I can work for.
03/30/2008 (9:40 am)
Matthew, thank you! That is what I needed to know. I verymuch appreciate the thorough response. It is very helpful. I'm
quite interested in TGEA, actually.. but being a gamedev noob
I don't want to get in over my head. I'd like to see how I take
to it with TGE first, then TGEA is a nice goal that I can work for.
#4
much appreciate the thorough response. It is very helpful. I'm
quite interested in TGEA, actually.. but being a gamedev noob
I don't want to get in over my head. I'd like to see how I take
to it with TGE first, then TGEA is a nice goal that I can work for.
03/30/2008 (12:38 pm)
Matthew, thank you! That is what I needed to know. I verymuch appreciate the thorough response. It is very helpful. I'm
quite interested in TGEA, actually.. but being a gamedev noob
I don't want to get in over my head. I'd like to see how I take
to it with TGE first, then TGEA is a nice goal that I can work for.
#5
With Atlas, you could also export your terrain from an arbitrary 3D application (terrain or general) as a mesh object and single large texture.
As for the atmospheres, VUE has a nice function for exporting skyboxes. You can use these with Torque. (By the way, VUE also has a superb mesh exporter for terrains). Of course, atmospheric properties for use by the application's rendering engine cannot be brought into Torque (you can bake out the lighting though--again, VUE has great support for this).
04/02/2008 (7:42 pm)
2. Any terrain tool will allow exporting heightmaps. These can be used by Torque. For doing the surfacing outside of Torque, you would need the ability to export blended terrains (layered opacity maps) when working with TGE terrain or legacy terrain in TGEA. The Atlas terrain system of TGEA brings a lot more flexibility and there are already two good tools that directly support exporting to it (L3DT and Grome).With Atlas, you could also export your terrain from an arbitrary 3D application (terrain or general) as a mesh object and single large texture.
As for the atmospheres, VUE has a nice function for exporting skyboxes. You can use these with Torque. (By the way, VUE also has a superb mesh exporter for terrains). Of course, atmospheric properties for use by the application's rendering engine cannot be brought into Torque (you can bake out the lighting though--again, VUE has great support for this).
Torque Owner Cinder Games