Back In The Saddle

#1 A comprehensive book on T3D script and GUI scripts would be well appreciated. If possible, with the "Torque GUIs Universal" will you be going into databases atall, for items and such to be used with a generic inventory gui, or are you aiming it more at reference book rather then tutorials ?

#2 I'm not sure what Edward is looking at specifically, but to do a section on databases, he would need to have a section on integrating a database system into Torque and then how to hook up the GUI system to it. While beneficial, it might be out of the scope for a GUI reference (or even a general GUI tutorial). Just my early-morning cold-fuzzy thoughts.

#3 @Edward - Happy to hear from you again! It's great you are on another writing kick. The community always benefits from your work. Providing a full reference for an engine is no simple task. Last year we did this for Torque 3D and it took us a couple of months. I have been wanting this for T2D and iT2D for a while, so I wish you much luck.

#4 Edward, your early script references in TDN were immensely helpful to me learning TorqueScript when I first joined the site, and TDN is still my first port of call when I forget how something works. Cheers.

#5 This is awesome news! I loved the GPGT book, it really helped me get over the Torque curve. I've sadly misplaced it since my last desk-move, and have torn up the apartment more than once to have at it again. Its use as a general TS reference has been invaluable to my non-programmer brain. Now that I'm finally super-seriously working on a game this year, I'm pretty sure I'll be picking up your new stuff the second it's released. :P

#6 @Andy - I'm currently focused entirely on references. I will not be doing any 'how to' guides or tutorials till after I work my way through some references.

@Michael - I agree. To be clear, I'm not talking about writing engine class references, but rather console class references. I'm starting out with tightly focused references with a lot of engine-overlap (i.e. applicable to multiple Torque engines):

1. Torque Script + basic Console Classes
2. GUI Classes
3. T2D Game Objects & Classes (as used from the console.)
4. ...

I am utterly avoiding C++ engine references like MGEC. That book was pretty hard to write and less satisfying to complete than GPGT which is closer to the above (less the tutorials how-to content).

(Again: Please don't take my wanting to write more references as a negative. I don't think you are, but I want to be sure, because I do love the GG and TDN docs. I use them regularly. I just think there is space for a different kind of documentation. I think it will dovetail nicely with what GG has now.)


@All - Thanks for the feedback and encouragement. Also, for those who are worried about my non-tutorial focus, don't worry. I have some of that lined up too, but I really want to start with references first. Sort of laying a foundation.

#7 @Edward - No worries, I don't think you are doing anything wrong or trying to be negative. What you are describing (ConsoleFunction, ConsoleMethod, Con Objects and addFields), is what I'm saying as well. We documented all that for Torque 3D last year. There is still room for improvement, as I'm starting to discover a few of them are not quite accurate or full of examples.

#8 Great news Edward. You can put me down for the preorder. :)

#9 Great to hear Edward! I bought both of your original Torque books and I must say, they helped me TREMENDOUSLY! To be honest, I would not have learned Torque as well as I have without your books.

I'm pretty sure I'm going to be getting your new reference books as well. I just got myself a Nook Color e-reader, so electronic format would be great!

Can't wait.

#10 I'll buy your new books as soon as they will come out Edward :-)

GPGT is always near my desk ;-)