Torque 3D Open Source 2.0 Launch
by Dave Wyand · 12/19/2012 (5:44 pm) · 50 comments
Torque 3D Open Source 2.0 Launch
Back on September 20, 2012, we launched the MIT licensed version of Torque 3D on GitHub. This was based on the T3D 1.2 commercial version with some changes to accommodate the MIT license. Since that time we’ve had 800 people star and 300 people fork the open source repository.
Now today, nearly three months following our open source launch, we present the first new release under this license: Torque 3D 2.0.
What’s New for 2.0
Torque 3D 2.0 has focused on three areas of development: the new Project Manager, Linux Dedicated Server, and improvement and bug fixing.Project Manager
The commercial version of Torque 3D 1.2 included an application called the Toolbox. It was used to create custom projects based on the included T3D templates, among other things. Unfortunately, it was made with components that could not be open sourced, so the Toolbox had to be dropped.
In its place is the new Project Manager. The Project Manager has been built using the open source version of Qt to allow it to work across platforms, and currently fills the role of creating projects based on T3D’s templates.
You don’t need to use the Project Manager to create your own projects (the manual steps of creating a project from a template are included in T3D 2.0’s readme), but it sure can be a time saver. The Project Manager will continue to be updated and new features added over time.
Linux Dedicated Server
This is a prime example of the community contributing to the open source version of Torque 3D. Long-time member of the community, Fyodor “bank” Osokin, has contributed the changes to make the Linux dedicated server version of Torque 3D a reality. He has even tested it across multiple distributions so it is likely to work with your favorite one. Way to go, bank!
Other members of the community have also stepped in to offer improvements and suggestions. Following the Quality Assurance testing done at the GarageGames’ office, the Linux dedicated server feels solid and ready to serve your project.
Improvements and Bug Fixes
The 2.0 release of Torque 3D includes a large number of improvements and bug fixes. These came from the community and also from the GarageGames’ internal repository from the past year. Here is a complete list of everything that has gone into this release:
- Fix some PHP 5.3.0 errors and warnings (Issue 42)
- Fixes the dllmain.h template file to include MIT header (Issue 16)
- Added support for FMOD 4.42.03 Stable (Issue 3)
- Torque 3D Toolbox fix for project launching (Issue 12)
- Prevented #define for in VS2012 (Issue 39)
- Made Item network members properly in the editor. (Issue 37)
- Required changes to the Torque3D to make it Linux-compatible. (Issue 19)
- Fix for Issue #54 for PhysX client crash on exit (Issue 54)
- Fix for Issue #56 for ShapeEditor save crash (Issue 56)
- AI related bug fixes and improvements. (Issue 11)
- Fix for Issue #62 for Large decal disappears (Issue 62)
- Fix for Issue #64 for GuiTabBookCtrl rendering (Issue 64)
- Rename AiPlayer::produce() to AiPlayer::spawnAtLocation() (Issue 67)
- Fix for Issue #66 for Skinned mesh crash (Issue 66)
- SpawnSphere leaves its spawned object at the origin (Issue 44)
- Fix for Issue #88 for River Editor Snapping (Issue 88)
- Fix for Issue #90 for Camera orbit object bug (Issue 90)
- Fix for Issue #94 for Cubemap render bug (Issue 94)
- Fix for Issue #96 for DAE updating crash (Issue 96)
- Issue #106 Convex Shapes Consume Too Much Bandwidth (Issue 106)
- Issue #108 Turret assumes "heading" node is parented to node with zeroed rotation (z-up) (Issue 108)
- Issue #111 Fix various bitstream issues (Issue 111)
- Issue #110 T3D 1.2 - Particle Emitter ejectionPeriodMS has 1000 limit (Issue 110)
- Issue #114 FootStepSounds issue has occurred again (Issue 114)
- Issue #116 Crash with text using high-numbered unicode characters (Issue 116)
- Issue #118 Collada Importer doesn't render meshes without materials from blender (Issue 118)
- Issue #120 ArrayObject Sort - Desc Parameter is inverted (Issue 120)
- Issue #122 Issue in Material Editor Setting for Sounds (Issue 122)
- Issue #124 CustomMaterial Back Buffer Refraction (Issue 124)
- Issue #126 TCPObject gives "Got bad connected receive event" (Issue 126)
- Issue #128 Soldier shadow displayed in 1st-person view looks wrong with no feet (Issue 128)
- Issue #130 Decals not obeying smoothing groups on meshes (Issue 130)
- Issue #132 RenderOcclusionMgr uses fixed function rendering (Issue 132)
- Issue #134 VS2010 and .rc files (Issue 132)
- Issue #136 Zoning Bug in Underwater Cave (Issue 136)
- Issue #138 guiArrayCtrl Clip Rectangle Fix (Issue 138)
- Issue #69 RayInfo distance with ContainerRayCast (Issue 69)
- Issue #71 BitVector don't have copy-constructor/operator= (Issue 71)
- Issue #141 Remove Toolbox and all game binaries (Issue 141)
- Issue #61 GuiHealthTextHud - a C++ replacement for the scripted numerical health hud. (Issue 61)
- Issue #151 New gitignore for Project Manager (ssue 151)
- Issue #155 Billboard Creation on Dedicated Server (Issue 155)
- Issue #158 Partial revert of changes from Pull #125 (Issue 158)
- Issue #152 Unmatched Bitstream changes in Pull Request #112 (Issue 152)
- Issue #166 Client does not completely load with a dedicated server (Issue 166)
- Issue #170 Some assets do not load under Linux dedicated server (Issue 170)
- Issue #172 Dedicated server - Crash when a turret fires at an enemy (Issue 172)
- Issue #174 Player turret weapon targets the wrong direction (Issue 174)
Where to Find Torque 3D 2.0
As always you may find Torque 3D over on GitHub. Here is a list of all repositories:- Main repository: Torque3D
- Documentation: Torque3D-Documentation
- Project Manager: Torque3D-ProjectManager
In addition to GitHub we also have our own ZIP package that combines the Torque3D repository with the updated TorqueScript documentation, the Project Manager, and compiled versions of each of the templates. This package is ideal for those that do not wish to compile Torque 3D on their own, and is available here:
What’s Next for Torque 3D
With this first open source only release of Torque 3D complete we are now looking towards the next release. The Torque 3D Steering Committee has some ideas on what the road map could look like for the first half of 2013, and we will present this in the new year. But all of this can only happen with you, the community.The Steering Committee exists to help provide direction and lend a hand, but it cannot do everything on its own. In January we will be asking for everyone’s help to continue to drive Torque 3D forward and make it the best open source 3D engine out there.
In Closing
I wanted to end this blog with an amazing video. This is a Virtual Reef that comes out of the Queensland University of Technology. It uses the power of Torque 3D to draw users into an interactive aquarium. Enjoy!- Dave
About the author
Producer at GarageGames LLC
#42
I have noticed that the project manager seems to be missing many of the really useful and fast buttons from the old toolbox.
That would be the world editor, Torsion and Visual Studio IDE buttons... Why is that? Is that really not possible to keep without violating some license of the old toolbox?
12/24/2012 (4:25 am)
Merry Christmas :o) I have noticed that the project manager seems to be missing many of the really useful and fast buttons from the old toolbox.
That would be the world editor, Torsion and Visual Studio IDE buttons... Why is that? Is that really not possible to keep without violating some license of the old toolbox?
#43
12/24/2012 (7:53 am)
@Dwarf King: as long time users of Torque, those of us in the Steering Committee felt that those features were not as useful as the project generator functionality itself -- for me personally, I never once even used those buttons! When working with limited resources and time some things were cut in order to have a cleaner and more flexible codebase moving forward. This does not mean that the Project Manager will not be further improved, for the roadmap of the Project Manager is still yet to be determined. The steering committee has been and will continue to listen to the needs and participation of the community.
#44
Thanks for replying to my question and Merry Christmas :o)
12/24/2012 (5:20 pm)
Well I can find the project file for Torsion and Visual Studio pretty fast but still I found using the buttons more convenient(like a short cut for desktop :o) ). Also I think that it was more user(beginner friendly) friendly for new comers to Torque 3D. Thanks for replying to my question and Merry Christmas :o)
#45
I would like to report a possible bug in the Torque 3D MIT 2.0 because in "File >>> Add FMOD Designer Audio..." this option it is not working.
Moreover, even existing the files "fmodex.dll" and "fmod_event.dll" into the same folder "game" together with Your_Project_Name.exe, after open up the Options >>> Audio >> Audio Provider the alternative FMOD no longer is present in the drop-down list.
Besides in the previous version of the torque 3D MIT the option in "File >>> Add FMOD Designer Audio..." it was working fine.
Season's Greetings,
12/25/2012 (9:38 pm)
Hi Dave,I would like to report a possible bug in the Torque 3D MIT 2.0 because in "File >>> Add FMOD Designer Audio..." this option it is not working.
Moreover, even existing the files "fmodex.dll" and "fmod_event.dll" into the same folder "game" together with Your_Project_Name.exe, after open up the Options >>> Audio >> Audio Provider the alternative FMOD no longer is present in the drop-down list.
Besides in the previous version of the torque 3D MIT the option in "File >>> Add FMOD Designer Audio..." it was working fine.
Season's Greetings,
#47
I'm glad you like the reef. What you may not know is that QUT agreed to release all the code back to the community. I've spent a few days cleaning up and creating a trimmed down demo for the features. Check it out at joticarroll.github.com/Torque3D/.
Congrats on the big 2.0
12/31/2012 (5:51 pm)
Hi All,I'm glad you like the reef. What you may not know is that QUT agreed to release all the code back to the community. I've spent a few days cleaning up and creating a trimmed down demo for the features. Check it out at joticarroll.github.com/Torque3D/.
Congrats on the big 2.0
#48
It would be great if you could report all possible bugs through the forum, or even better from the Issues section of the Torque 3D repository. It is much easier to have a discussion in either of those places, and other users may be able to help too.
@Joti:
Very cool. Thanks for releasing the project's changes back to the community.
- Dave
01/02/2013 (9:13 am)
@Joao:It would be great if you could report all possible bugs through the forum, or even better from the Issues section of the Torque 3D repository. It is much easier to have a discussion in either of those places, and other users may be able to help too.
@Joti:
Very cool. Thanks for releasing the project's changes back to the community.
- Dave
#49
01/04/2013 (8:03 pm)
Congrats on this -- been a while since I poked my head into Garage Games. Five years or whatever. :) 
#50
Please leave a comment on his blog to show your interest. This will be a must have for any future T2D and T3D developers.
01/07/2013 (1:24 pm)
In case you have not seen it, Melv May has posted a new blog about his new project: Nucleus. Nucleus is a concept for a powerful code-editor that supports debugging of both the Torque 2D and Torque 3D MIT code-bases. It will be a cross-platform editor that will initially work on Windows and OSX platforms with a Linux release sometime later.Please leave a comment on his blog to show your interest. This will be a must have for any future T2D and T3D developers.
Associate Ron Kapaun
3tdstudios.com
Yep, that's one of mine. Although, I have a feeling that, that is the ONLY screen shot that will see the light of day from that particular level. (visually interesting, but contextually dull).
Ron