HTML Rendering
by Dean Calver · in Torque 3D Professional · 04/03/2009 (9:13 am) · 25 replies
In one of the GDC demos, it showed a Webpage including flash running inside Torque3D and mapped to a texture. I'm just wondering how its done, does Torque3D have an embedded HTML renderer, or does it use the systems HTML renderer and if so how cross platform is it ?
Having an HTML and potentially flash system would be ideal for some of the screens I want to use, so quite excited by what I saw in the video, just hope I didn't get the wrong end of the stick..
Any info greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Deano
Having an HTML and potentially flash system would be ideal for some of the screens I want to use, so quite excited by what I saw in the video, just hope I didn't get the wrong end of the stick..
Any info greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Deano
About the author
Been a games dev for more years than its comfortable to remember. Have shipped a fair few games, most recently have been Lead Programmer on Brink and Heavenly Sword.
#2
We plan on having HTML rendered text in some GUI windows, while using our own BB code formatting for commands and such, so this Q is interesting to me too :)
04/05/2009 (3:26 pm)
Third that question :)We plan on having HTML rendered text in some GUI windows, while using our own BB code formatting for commands and such, so this Q is interesting to me too :)
#3
It's experimental at the moment and won't be part of Torque 3D when it ships based on Josh's comment
04/06/2009 (2:32 pm)
There's an example of it in the Web Demo on Brett's latest blog www.garagegames.com/community/blogs/view/16853.It's experimental at the moment and won't be part of Torque 3D when it ships based on Josh's comment
#4
It also offers some interesting possiblities to extend the object to pass through user events in making interactive console's in game which you can build in a normal web browser.
04/08/2009 (8:28 pm)
It would be interesting to see the performance hit in different HTML content.It also offers some interesting possiblities to extend the object to pass through user events in making interactive console's in game which you can build in a normal web browser.
#5
The embedded browser technology is some experimenting I was doing right around GDC. It is really cool stuff and opens up all kinds of possibilities for things like in game ads, integrated community (think Steam), flash game GUI elements, etc. We won't be rolling this out as part of the engine proper this close to release... but, if there is enough interest we'll see about packing it up as a resource."
This is the qoute from Josh, It probably wont be in the first build.. But as a resource? Am I the only one that seems to notice that all the shiny stuff(forest kit, genre kits, HTML rendering), seems to be not ready or will be addons to be announced at later points. We will see.
04/08/2009 (8:47 pm)
"The web demonstration video is using the Torque 3D Pro web deployment feature (in this case running under Firefox). We provide the full source code to the plugin and integration and you can fully customize/brand it. This includes setting your own MIME type (or ActiveX CLSID), setting up TorqueScript <-> Javascript for in the page scripting (powerful stuff), and security features such as locking which domain(s) your plugin allows itself to run from...The embedded browser technology is some experimenting I was doing right around GDC. It is really cool stuff and opens up all kinds of possibilities for things like in game ads, integrated community (think Steam), flash game GUI elements, etc. We won't be rolling this out as part of the engine proper this close to release... but, if there is enough interest we'll see about packing it up as a resource."
This is the qoute from Josh, It probably wont be in the first build.. But as a resource? Am I the only one that seems to notice that all the shiny stuff(forest kit, genre kits, HTML rendering), seems to be not ready or will be addons to be announced at later points. We will see.
#6
Genre Kits: are sold on their own anyway, don't see the actual problem here.
HTML rendering might just need more testing tweaking to be fullscale usable.
I fully understand that they do not want to destabilize the engine with half done code
04/09/2009 (1:22 am)
Forest Kit is nothing developed by GG, so its out of their hand.Genre Kits: are sold on their own anyway, don't see the actual problem here.
HTML rendering might just need more testing tweaking to be fullscale usable.
I fully understand that they do not want to destabilize the engine with half done code
#7
04/09/2009 (1:54 am)
I think the web stuff has many uses, and am curious in seeing it. That having been said, I don't understand complaining if it won't be in the initial release. The bottom line is do you want to have a stable release as a starting point and move onwards from there, or do you want to push back the release date? Personally, I'd rather have the code when its relatively stable and see it build from there.
#8
Personally I'd love access to the alpha code base right now, if it crashes every 5 minutes or half the features don't work, doesn't bother me... I'll find someway of using it...
04/09/2009 (4:19 am)
I never used a stable code base in all the time I've worked on games... Hell I wouldn't describe any of the big expensive engines I've used as stable. Stick it in and let us use asap alpha or beta, having more people using something tends to find and fix bugs faster...Personally I'd love access to the alpha code base right now, if it crashes every 5 minutes or half the features don't work, doesn't bother me... I'll find someway of using it...
#9
"Genre Kits: are sold on their own anyway, don't see the actual problem here."
Last i checked the FPS kits and Racing Kits have been included with TGE and TGEA as a standard. Its been recently announced that these would be sold seperatly.
04/09/2009 (5:26 am)
@Marc.."Genre Kits: are sold on their own anyway, don't see the actual problem here."
Last i checked the FPS kits and Racing Kits have been included with TGE and TGEA as a standard. Its been recently announced that these would be sold seperatly.
#10
That were originally the "new project" templates and thats what they are out of my sight: project templates
They lack the majority of what makes something a kit. In case of TGEA additionally optimized not broken assets (crossbow and the whole stronghold mission)
A Kit offers you all the common functionallity within its genre, usable in a way that does not force you to hack around like stupid and comes with 1+ missions that show the kit in action.
The Adventure Kit for TGB for example is one or the platformer kit for TX.
04/09/2009 (5:38 am)
Those are no kitsThat were originally the "new project" templates and thats what they are out of my sight: project templates
They lack the majority of what makes something a kit. In case of TGEA additionally optimized not broken assets (crossbow and the whole stronghold mission)
A Kit offers you all the common functionallity within its genre, usable in a way that does not force you to hack around like stupid and comes with 1+ missions that show the kit in action.
The Adventure Kit for TGB for example is one or the platformer kit for TX.
#12
I think FPS is something we don't have to worry if a sample will be there. All we have seen so far were FPS and we all know that the base of the engine even if considerably modified from TGEA, would likely still have a pretty strong focus.
Also, potentially more important, FPS just work best when it comes to eye candy showing. Also they are pretty simplistic in their base requirements (FPS controls and at worst a weapon that shoots, no other genre is that simple) which means far less work for whoever creates the example.
And last but not least I think there always has been and will be a strong interest among the devs to create a 1st person / 3rd person style game of any kind, so they suite a large audience.
04/09/2009 (9:49 am)
But I guess I see what you meant.I think FPS is something we don't have to worry if a sample will be there. All we have seen so far were FPS and we all know that the base of the engine even if considerably modified from TGEA, would likely still have a pretty strong focus.
Also, potentially more important, FPS just work best when it comes to eye candy showing. Also they are pretty simplistic in their base requirements (FPS controls and at worst a weapon that shoots, no other genre is that simple) which means far less work for whoever creates the example.
And last but not least I think there always has been and will be a strong interest among the devs to create a 1st person / 3rd person style game of any kind, so they suite a large audience.
#13
Unfortunately, the vast majority of beginners and hobbyists out there aren't quite so "enlightened" and we would rather avoid having negative criticism heaped on us because people don't understand the difference between an Alpha/Beta and a finished product.
04/10/2009 (11:15 am)
Quote:
Personally I'd love access to the alpha code base right now, if it crashes every 5 minutes or half the features don't work, doesn't bother me... I'll find someway of using it...
Unfortunately, the vast majority of beginners and hobbyists out there aren't quite so "enlightened" and we would rather avoid having negative criticism heaped on us because people don't understand the difference between an Alpha/Beta and a finished product.
#14
After Torque 3D ships we will continue working on an advanced version of the FPS Genre Kit that will be purchasable separately (thorough documentation, more FPS specific game objects, more scripting, more tools).
04/10/2009 (11:25 am)
Our plan is to ship a basic FPS Genre Kit with Torque 3D...essentially starter.fps/Stronghold with much nicer art and a lot of really nice script work by Michael Hall.After Torque 3D ships we will continue working on an advanced version of the FPS Genre Kit that will be purchasable separately (thorough documentation, more FPS specific game objects, more scripting, more tools).
#15
Thank you for the update Matt.
And fully understand your points with the alpha / beta.
I guess the chance is already large enough that this happens with beta unless we receive a mail with an NDA within the next few days to take care of that
04/10/2009 (11:28 am)
CoolThank you for the update Matt.
And fully understand your points with the alpha / beta.
I guess the chance is already large enough that this happens with beta unless we receive a mail with an NDA within the next few days to take care of that
#16
I still want to get stuck in though :P
04/10/2009 (11:42 am)
@Matt: Yeah I completely understand why you want to get it into a reasonable state as some people will moan and you want to give the as little ammunition as possible.I still want to get stuck in though :P
#17
04/10/2009 (11:45 am)
Quote:and a lot of really nice script work by Michael HallOooh! Sounds exciting!
#19
04/11/2009 (5:14 am)
See Matt that wasnt so hard. Planning to ship the stronghold missions with the basic build is pretty good. 
#20
thanks.
04/13/2009 (7:20 am)
Hi there, I had another question on this subject. The HTML and anything else that could be mapped to a texture (GUI controls?), will these be display only, or could they accept input from a user and function normally as if they where being used regularly on a desktop browser or application?thanks.
Torque 3D Owner Pat AfterMoon