Unfinished game - learn by doing!
by Daniel Buckmaster · in Torque 3D Beginner · 10/06/2014 (5:36 am) · 4 replies
Just saw this interesting thread on Reddit. The idea is that the author has made an unfinished game, and has written as eries of tasks for the user to implement - like scaling the game view, fixing input bugs, removing obsolete code, and replacing placeholder art.
Seems like a really interesting way to be introduced to a variety of areas in an engine - and to be tossed into example code, rather than to have to start from scratch. Very tempted to try doing something like this in Torque, maybe using one of my unfinished game jam entries as a starting point!
Seems like a really interesting way to be introduced to a variety of areas in an engine - and to be tossed into example code, rather than to have to start from scratch. Very tempted to try doing something like this in Torque, maybe using one of my unfinished game jam entries as a starting point!
About the author
Studying mechatronic engineering and computer science at the University of Sydney. Game development is probably my most time-consuming hobby!
#2
I like the idea of having access to some example codes, even if they are not finished or optimized, it helps understanding how things done, so you can learn from it.
If I don't know any further in art related things, I look into other peoples assets to get some inspiration how they have done it, there are some places for open source art assets out there, but I don't know a lot for code, especially not for Torque, so I like the idea.
10/06/2014 (10:29 am)
"One man's trash is the other man's treasure"I like the idea of having access to some example codes, even if they are not finished or optimized, it helps understanding how things done, so you can learn from it.
If I don't know any further in art related things, I look into other peoples assets to get some inspiration how they have done it, there are some places for open source art assets out there, but I don't know a lot for code, especially not for Torque, so I like the idea.
#3
This is why I'm taking the initiative and releasing out my GUI template soon-ish. Introducing new users to things like XML saving, passing data to and from the server on connect, actually making the GUI look decent just by altering the image maps, etc. It all goes a long way to help one find clarity in a sea of confusion. Sure, the stuff's all there if you're willing to dig through the spaghetti code. But most just aren't.
Duion hit it right on here. Duion, I'll have you know that you personally (unknowingly) helped me to understand how LOD nodes work in Torque. It wasn't the numerous postings on the topic, the overly robust documentation on art assets, none of that. It was by me downloading some of your art, cracking it open, and looking right at the nodes in the artwork. Now I can LOD anything, and even understand how the other nodes work. The supplied soldier model was cluttered and confusing while your example art assets were clear and concise.
10/06/2014 (12:54 pm)
Yes, yes, yes, 100 times yes this. I'm glad you brought this up Danny. I feel like the vast majority of Torque's potential is wasted on most newcomers to the engine. The reason? It can be very overwhelming to try to take on the challenge of finding all of the pieces and assembling them yourself. At first glance it's easy to overlook Torque's many, many strengths. Torque is very powerful, and with open source that power is multiplied times infinity. It's just really hard to see through the dated presentation of it. This is why I'm taking the initiative and releasing out my GUI template soon-ish. Introducing new users to things like XML saving, passing data to and from the server on connect, actually making the GUI look decent just by altering the image maps, etc. It all goes a long way to help one find clarity in a sea of confusion. Sure, the stuff's all there if you're willing to dig through the spaghetti code. But most just aren't.
Quote:I like the idea of having access to some example codes, even if they are not finished or optimized, it helps understanding how things done, so you can learn from it.
Duion hit it right on here. Duion, I'll have you know that you personally (unknowingly) helped me to understand how LOD nodes work in Torque. It wasn't the numerous postings on the topic, the overly robust documentation on art assets, none of that. It was by me downloading some of your art, cracking it open, and looking right at the nodes in the artwork. Now I can LOD anything, and even understand how the other nodes work. The supplied soldier model was cluttered and confusing while your example art assets were clear and concise.
Quote:Cool idea - I should just dump my Torque folder somewhere; there are a million unfinished projects in it....Richard, yes please! You'll never know how helpful even the smallest contribution of code that you've released has been for me. If you were to drop an upload of projects that you had worked on, for me personally it would feel like I just finally found the manual for Torque. Words can't express my thanks for the clarity you've brought to me around using Torque. For many of us examples are just better. You've provided that on several occasions, making sense where docs just don't.
#4
10/17/2014 (6:24 pm)
Sound idea, I know its the best way that I learn things myself, by 'doing' something and seeing it take shape rather that theory overload... having 'challenges' would bring something to the table too, could well end up like a community project if something picks up momentum 
Torque Owner Richard Ranft
Roostertail Games