Official TGEA Documentation Feedback
by Michael Perry · in Torque Game Engine Advanced · 03/19/2008 (7:21 am) · 102 replies
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This Thread Is The Official Documentation Feedback Area For ALL Versions of TGEA
If you want to quick search for all TGEA Doc Updates, perform a keyword search in your browser for "Documentation Update:"
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Hey Everyone. I've got my nose to the grindstone working on the documentation and tutorials for TGEA, which was provided in the TGEA 1.7.0 Beta.
By using this thread as a central source to leave documentation feedback, we can keep the other forums clean.
Feel free to post any criticism, suggestions, bugs (missing images or dead hyperlinks), outdated information, etc.
Outside of messing up an object or class name, don't worry about correcting grammar or spelling. Believe me, I'll find those eventually =)
Known Issues:
- Missing images in Mission Editor section (Found the reason and will correct it soon)
- Formatting inconsistent (Created a new template and porting finished sections over)
- Missing or Out of Order Table of Contents for quite a few sections. Let me know what you find
- Reference to a Tutorials Section that does not exist.
I want to elaborate on this last part. I really like how the TGB documentation separates its reference and overview sections from its tutorials. If you read through the GUI Editor section, you'll see there is a mini-tutorial. This is used solely for giving an overview of the Editor and its layout. I'm going to create a Tutorial section, and one example for an extended GUI tut would be "Creating An In Game Inventory GUI."
Look forward to the feedback ladies and gents =)
This Thread Is The Official Documentation Feedback Area For ALL Versions of TGEA
If you want to quick search for all TGEA Doc Updates, perform a keyword search in your browser for "Documentation Update:"
=========================================================================
Hey Everyone. I've got my nose to the grindstone working on the documentation and tutorials for TGEA, which was provided in the TGEA 1.7.0 Beta.
By using this thread as a central source to leave documentation feedback, we can keep the other forums clean.
Feel free to post any criticism, suggestions, bugs (missing images or dead hyperlinks), outdated information, etc.
Outside of messing up an object or class name, don't worry about correcting grammar or spelling. Believe me, I'll find those eventually =)
Known Issues:
- Missing images in Mission Editor section (Found the reason and will correct it soon)
- Formatting inconsistent (Created a new template and porting finished sections over)
- Missing or Out of Order Table of Contents for quite a few sections. Let me know what you find
- Reference to a Tutorials Section that does not exist.
I want to elaborate on this last part. I really like how the TGB documentation separates its reference and overview sections from its tutorials. If you read through the GUI Editor section, you'll see there is a mini-tutorial. This is used solely for giving an overview of the Editor and its layout. I'm going to create a Tutorial section, and one example for an extended GUI tut would be "Creating An In Game Inventory GUI."
Look forward to the feedback ladies and gents =)
About the author
Programmer.
#62
TGEA Landing page: links to the public and private forums are the other way around. (28 is private, 30 is public)
08/16/2008 (1:09 am)
TGEA Material Translucency / The Alpha Channel: the link to SuperPNG is a 404. ( http://www.fnordware.com/superpng/ ? ) TGEA Landing page: links to the public and private forums are the other way around. (28 is private, 30 is public)
#63
"Content Encoding Error - The page you are trying to view cannot be shown because it uses an invalid or unsupported form of compression."
IE 7 works ok.
Hm. Always test in FF, and then make exceptions for IE! :)
08/19/2008 (3:54 am)
TGEA Landing page menu frame under FF 3.0:"Content Encoding Error - The page you are trying to view cannot be shown because it uses an invalid or unsupported form of compression."
IE 7 works ok.
Hm. Always test in FF, and then make exceptions for IE! :)
#64
08/19/2008 (6:34 am)
Huh? The landing page is working fine in FF 3. Apparently your browser doesn't like you.
#65
Believe me, I've had to test concurrently in both FF and IE for the past few months. During QA, we did our best to catch bugs that affected one browser and not the other. We got rid of some really bad ones, but for the most part the landing pages and official docs load in both browsers (latest versions).
08/19/2008 (8:38 am)
@Konrad - Thanks for the 404 error.Believe me, I've had to test concurrently in both FF and IE for the past few months. During QA, we did our best to catch bugs that affected one browser and not the other. We got rid of some really bad ones, but for the most part the landing pages and official docs load in both browsers (latest versions).
#66
09/05/2008 (1:37 pm)
@Konrad - Do you still get the "Content Encoding Error"? I'm going through the Landing Pages now and updating some stuff, so I need to know if you still get that.
#67
I've updated the TGEA Landing Page:
- Links to TDN and GG pages now open in same window/tab
- Links to 3rd party site open in new window/tab
- Fixed grammatical errors
- Added Gem - A - Day link to tutorials
*Note - You may not see the changes immediately. The server cache has to be flushed.
09/05/2008 (2:36 pm)
Documentation UpdateI've updated the TGEA Landing Page:
- Links to TDN and GG pages now open in same window/tab
- Links to 3rd party site open in new window/tab
- Fixed grammatical errors
- Added Gem - A - Day link to tutorials
*Note - You may not see the changes immediately. The server cache has to be flushed.
#68
Also wouldn't hurt to see a bit of the i/o flow for texture loading/allocation/usage flow, for things down the line like procedurally generated/runtime-composite textures (think slapping bulletholes on a moving object, or a gui on a billboard)
Just a couple thoughts on a few things I know I've had to alter/looking to this end that took more than a small amomunt of hunting arround.
09/05/2008 (4:35 pm)
Very nice to see a bit of tech-documentation on the GFX layer in particular. Could we see a bit of the same down the line on the shadergen as well? It's one of those "relatively simple to do once you know what you're looking for/at" issues, but figuring out that that's what you need to hunt for in the first place can be... interesting. Also wouldn't hurt to see a bit of the i/o flow for texture loading/allocation/usage flow, for things down the line like procedurally generated/runtime-composite textures (think slapping bulletholes on a moving object, or a gui on a billboard)
Just a couple thoughts on a few things I know I've had to alter/looking to this end that took more than a small amomunt of hunting arround.
#69
09/06/2008 (10:38 am)
@Kirk - I wouldn't mind diving deeper into the shadergen and texture I/O process. I'll more than likely have to get some help with it, but it's something that could definitely benefit from additional content. 
#70
Here it goes another suggestion. The engines main reference documentation has been improved a lot lately, and maybe its time for a printer friendly version. Im not talking about the formatting, as its pretty sober, which is good, but the distribution.
There is any way of having a PDF, or maybe a giant html file, that we can pick and send to the good'old HP 4050 just saying "Print This"? You most likely have docs versioning by now (which is cool, because beeing on paper, the need for a version reference becames mandatory).
The current scheme is awesome, and pretty handy, but would be really useful too to have it on paper. Of course I understand this must be not as easy as to gather all the material in a file and publish it; but take it in consideration.
09/06/2008 (11:27 am)
@Michael, as always, great work.Here it goes another suggestion. The engines main reference documentation has been improved a lot lately, and maybe its time for a printer friendly version. Im not talking about the formatting, as its pretty sober, which is good, but the distribution.
There is any way of having a PDF, or maybe a giant html file, that we can pick and send to the good'old HP 4050 just saying "Print This"? You most likely have docs versioning by now (which is cool, because beeing on paper, the need for a version reference becames mandatory).
The current scheme is awesome, and pretty handy, but would be really useful too to have it on paper. Of course I understand this must be not as easy as to gather all the material in a file and publish it; but take it in consideration.
#72
Each page in the docs is an individual HTML file. One would have to copy and paste each file into a master doc, or use some kind of converter to perform the task automatically. I haven't heard of any such thing, but if you have any ideas please let me know.
Much thanks for the video tutorial thread! That is awesome and very useful!
09/08/2008 (8:28 am)
@Novack - Quite a few people have been asking about a unified, downloadable set of documents. While I would like this as much as the next person, the way the docs are set up right now would make that task extremely time consuming.Each page in the docs is an individual HTML file. One would have to copy and paste each file into a master doc, or use some kind of converter to perform the task automatically. I haven't heard of any such thing, but if you have any ideas please let me know.
Much thanks for the video tutorial thread! That is awesome and very useful!
#73
09/08/2008 (8:33 am)
Ok then, I'll think how to help on that front. Glad you find useful the thread with the videos. 
#74
09/19/2008 (4:57 am)
The shader section could use more examples of code. Being TGEA, this is a huge reason people have chosen this engine. For example, under the materials section there is a script reference for each rendering property (such as dynamicCubemap = bool) and in the custom materials properties section, there is only one for pass. The example code for pass refers to a material called ShinyMetal2_1 that we can't look at because the example code is assumed.
#75
09/19/2008 (9:51 am)
@Teromous - There will be more of that in the 1.8 update, since I have to document the OpenGL (GFX2) system, Stateblocks, GLSL, and so on.
#76
September Documentation Wrap Up Blog
Big thanks to everyone for helping me get through September =)
09/29/2008 (3:54 pm)
Documentation UpdateSeptember Documentation Wrap Up Blog
Big thanks to everyone for helping me get through September =)
#77
Tutorial - Step by step instructions on implementing game play features, such as the GUI Overview in the current docs. Usually, these contain images and "hand holding" instructions.
System Overview Docs - This doc is very tech oriented. A good example is the Tickable Objects Overview. This kind of doc is a walk through of a module (usually C++), which *might* include an example, but not a tutorial.
Reference Docs - From what I can gather, this is what a lot of people have been asking for. The reference docs, which are generated via Doxygen, contain a class breakdown detailing modules, functions, and variables.
What I would like for you to tell me is what System Overview Docs you would like released *FIRST*. I know we need all the systems covered, but which ones do you think deserve priority.
What modules are difficult to use, or just have vague functionality? Examples:
- sim
- sfx
- bitstream
I'm all ears.
10/27/2008 (9:30 am)
Hey everyone! With TGEA 1.8 Beta shipping, I'm going to be pushing new docs online. I'm focusing on 4 major areas for 1.8:- *Mac Getting Started[li]*GFX2[li]*Resource Manager[li]*Porting to 1.8 Guide
Tutorial - Step by step instructions on implementing game play features, such as the GUI Overview in the current docs. Usually, these contain images and "hand holding" instructions.
System Overview Docs - This doc is very tech oriented. A good example is the Tickable Objects Overview. This kind of doc is a walk through of a module (usually C++), which *might* include an example, but not a tutorial.
Reference Docs - From what I can gather, this is what a lot of people have been asking for. The reference docs, which are generated via Doxygen, contain a class breakdown detailing modules, functions, and variables.
What I would like for you to tell me is what System Overview Docs you would like released *FIRST*. I know we need all the systems covered, but which ones do you think deserve priority.
What modules are difficult to use, or just have vague functionality? Examples:
- sim
- sfx
- bitstream
I'm all ears.
#78
10/27/2008 (2:39 pm)
@Michael, do you mean related to the TGEA 1.8 or in general terms?
#79
10/27/2008 (2:45 pm)
@Novack - I think I got the new 1.8 systems pretty well covered, so TGEA in general is what I'm looking for.
#80
Well, one of the parts where I felt like in turbulent waters when first approaching the engine was precisely the point I was about to propose: "what cames first?".
I mean from the outside, everything seems so clear (console, networking, simlution, graphics, etc), but as soon as you get your hands in it, you quickly found that those 'modules' are pretty much all the same bloody thing (Ok Im openly exagerating here, but just to explain the point).
I think the better approach would be to start with some document that elaborates a little more around doc pages like Systems Architecture Overview, talking about HOW those parts are tied togheter.
Then that "extended overview", would server as an index for the further overview pages.
10/27/2008 (3:23 pm)
Ok, sorry :$Well, one of the parts where I felt like in turbulent waters when first approaching the engine was precisely the point I was about to propose: "what cames first?".
I mean from the outside, everything seems so clear (console, networking, simlution, graphics, etc), but as soon as you get your hands in it, you quickly found that those 'modules' are pretty much all the same bloody thing (Ok Im openly exagerating here, but just to explain the point).
I think the better approach would be to start with some document that elaborates a little more around doc pages like Systems Architecture Overview, talking about HOW those parts are tied togheter.
Then that "extended overview", would server as an index for the further overview pages.
Employee Michael Perry
ZombieShortbus
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Main Landing Page
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