A few questions before I buy TGB. (like, Will TorqueScript teach me programming?)
by Puddinlover · in Torque Game Builder · 05/29/2009 (7:38 pm) · 6 replies
First off my first and most important question is: Will torque script teach me programming? (What I mean by that is right I have an intermediate knowledge of PHP and I wanted to start working on stuff outside web development *GAMES* and I actually released a very lame casual game I made in game maker but obviously game maker isn't something that is going to teach me programming. I started learning Python and made a console game in it. I like Python but what I really hate is when I started to learn Pygame I couldn't stand the fact that I couldn't see the maps I was building. So I figured it would be best to find an engine since I'm very visual. I was considering learning .net like maybe C# or vb.net but I might run into cross-platform issues. Over 30% of my fan base is something other than Windows OS. Now I know that Mono could help with this but I have no real clue what Mono is. SO IN SHORT will Torque Script teach me some good programming skills? How hard would it be for someone that knows Torque Script to pick up C#?)
Now as you might have guessed my second question: Will my complied games I make with TGB run on Linux AND Mac (and Windows XP/Vista)?
My third question: Besides the packs on the site are there any other gfx packs for games? I'm terrible with gfx and I'm mainly concerned about the code side and learning programming so I could care less to learn how to make decent gfx (tried a few times with 3d modeling and I sucked at texturing and also tried pixel art and was pretty bad too, AND even with web site gfx I'm not too good... I normally buy them than edit them.)
My last question: I learn well from video tutorials but in general what are some really good tutorials for TGB torque scripting? I'm talking from beginning to intermediate. Not just Beginner then be done. I want a series of tutorials that will teach you from beginner to indeterminate. Off hand I only found one interactive/video tutorial but it only covered the basics. (I'm willing to pay)
My Side Question #1: I see that TGB basically only supports turn based online multilayer games but how easy is it to use the networking in torque?(don't plan to make one till I get good with TGB but once I do..)
My Side Question #2: If I buy the indie license without the source code can I upgrade later (with like a discount since I already own the non-source code version?)
My Side Question #3: Are there any splash screens on my game?
If I do chose to buy TGB I plan to be an active member within the TGB community!
Thanks a lot
Now as you might have guessed my second question: Will my complied games I make with TGB run on Linux AND Mac (and Windows XP/Vista)?
My third question: Besides the packs on the site are there any other gfx packs for games? I'm terrible with gfx and I'm mainly concerned about the code side and learning programming so I could care less to learn how to make decent gfx (tried a few times with 3d modeling and I sucked at texturing and also tried pixel art and was pretty bad too, AND even with web site gfx I'm not too good... I normally buy them than edit them.)
My last question: I learn well from video tutorials but in general what are some really good tutorials for TGB torque scripting? I'm talking from beginning to intermediate. Not just Beginner then be done. I want a series of tutorials that will teach you from beginner to indeterminate. Off hand I only found one interactive/video tutorial but it only covered the basics. (I'm willing to pay)
My Side Question #1: I see that TGB basically only supports turn based online multilayer games but how easy is it to use the networking in torque?(don't plan to make one till I get good with TGB but once I do..)
My Side Question #2: If I buy the indie license without the source code can I upgrade later (with like a discount since I already own the non-source code version?)
My Side Question #3: Are there any splash screens on my game?
If I do chose to buy TGB I plan to be an active member within the TGB community!
Thanks a lot
#2
05/30/2009 (6:24 pm)
How much more is it to get the splash screen removed and how hard is it to port to linux?
#3
06/02/2009 (6:34 pm)
There is an active TGB+Linux community, you can touch base with them. Paying an $150 (for the Pro version) means you don't have to credit Garage Games in your released games. 
#4
@Puddinlover
For the fee, you would have to talk to directly to GG. May I ask why it is so important to you to not have to display the logo on startup?
BTW, just noticed you also need a link to www.garagegames.com and a "This game powered by Torque Game Builder" in your credits/about section.
@Nikos
Not quite true. Pro comes with source but otherweise has the same license as the standard version, i.e. you still need to display the logo and include the statement. AFAIK this pertains to the Commercial editions, too.
06/03/2009 (1:09 am)
@Puddinlover
For the fee, you would have to talk to directly to GG. May I ask why it is so important to you to not have to display the logo on startup?
BTW, just noticed you also need a link to www.garagegames.com and a "This game powered by Torque Game Builder" in your credits/about section.
@Nikos
Not quite true. Pro comes with source but otherweise has the same license as the standard version, i.e. you still need to display the logo and include the statement. AFAIK this pertains to the Commercial editions, too.
#5
#2 Yes you can upgrade to get the source code later.
#3 You need the splash screen unless you buy the Commercial version. The Pro version gets you the source code. So you'd need to Pro-Commercial version to get the source and no splash screen.
As to the question about whether TorqueScript will teach you programming: I think it would be a horrible choice if you're looking to improve your programming skills at large. It's a control language for the Torque game engines and little else. Its error reporting can be difficult. I think TorqueX 2D, which is usable only on windows and the 360 would be a better choice as it deals in C# which has many more resources available.
Sure, you can hack your way through TorqueScript and get good at it eventually but there will be a lot more frustration that using C#. Of course, if you hack your way through the TorqueScript and get into programming the C++ of the engine itself that's a whole different ballgame and could teach you a lot.
06/03/2009 (7:31 am)
#1 It is easy to use the event based networking in TGB. It is possible to integrate real time networking as in the 3D products but this would be a major undertaking.#2 Yes you can upgrade to get the source code later.
#3 You need the splash screen unless you buy the Commercial version. The Pro version gets you the source code. So you'd need to Pro-Commercial version to get the source and no splash screen.
As to the question about whether TorqueScript will teach you programming: I think it would be a horrible choice if you're looking to improve your programming skills at large. It's a control language for the Torque game engines and little else. Its error reporting can be difficult. I think TorqueX 2D, which is usable only on windows and the 360 would be a better choice as it deals in C# which has many more resources available.
Sure, you can hack your way through TorqueScript and get good at it eventually but there will be a lot more frustration that using C#. Of course, if you hack your way through the TorqueScript and get into programming the C++ of the engine itself that's a whole different ballgame and could teach you a lot.
#6
06/03/2009 (10:59 am)
Just thought that I would note that the Commercial license also requires a splash screen. You can contact licensing at garagegames dot com about the cost of removing the splash screen. 
Associate Rene Damm
Let me have a shot at a few of your questions.
1) Sure. All the elements of programming are there and you will be writing real code for your game. TorqueScript remains, however, an engine scripting language with a strict focus on providing extensibility and modifiability to a pretty narrowly focused platform and if you wanted to learn about object-oriented programming and programming in a wider context, there are better languages and platforms out there (that rules out the uber-hackish PHP, too).
2) Mac yes, Linux not out-of-the-box. I'm not aware of people having done ports but it will take some effort and require a working C++ knowledge (as well as a source-included license, i.e. Pro).
3) There are tons of 3D model sites and resources, but for 2D I'm not quite so sure what the state of affairs is. Probably a lot harder to find quality content for purchase.
4) Not that I know of.
SQ #3) Without an additional fee, the license requires you to display a TGB screen on startup.
Hope that was of some help.
Anyways, you're about to purchase a really great product that's looking forward to an even better future.
Have fun.