Just found torque 2d this morning, been over 14 hours and still not able to use it.. HELP!

#1 Under the Start menu, there's a group called "Torque Game Builder 1.7.5". (Or something similar; I have TGB Pro installed, not the demo.) In that group, you'll find an item called "Documentation." You could have saved yourself a lot of trouble by starting with that.

#2 You mixed up T2D and Torque X. The XNA based engine is Torque X, for which thre is a community version called TX4 CEV. It needs XNA 4. All programming is done in C#.

Now the other engine is T2D, which is a C++ engine. You script it using TorqueScript. It's two completely different engines.

T2D can deploy to MAc and Windows, Torque X to Windows and Xbox360.
I suggest you start out with T2D, as it has lots of tutorials.

#3 One other thing to consider is that you have the demo. you should not need visual studio or other compilers. They are for source code. Demo is just the basics to let you have a look around.

#4 Sherman - Thanks, but I looked through that some and couldn't find anything about the missing templates.

Andy - Thank you for clearing that up for me. However Now I'm confused as the T2D page says it can deploy to "any device" including PC, Mac, 360, Wii, IPhone, Or web. I want to make a few pc games first but ultimately get some on the 360 should I be working with TX?

Donald - Are you saying the Torque demo doesn't have full functionality aside from not being able to deploy to all devices? I would assume a time based trial wouldn't have limited functionality and I'd be able to make games fully (other than launch as I saw on the product page) to see if I want a liscense..


I suppose I should lay out my main simplest question.

I want to make 2d pc games and eventually move them onto the 360.
-Should I be using T2d or TX4 CEV?
-Which year visual studio do I need?
-How do I set it up so that the templates are there when creating a project?

Also I need to do it with a demo first as currently I do not even own $99 and would need to work towards the license only if and when I was absolutely sure I'd use it.

#5 It does not include the source code since it is a demo. You can script games, etc using the demo. You do not have any use for Visual Studio however when using the demo since you will not be compiling anything into the engine, changing the core functionality, etc.

To develop for a console using Torque 2D or Torque 3D, you need to be an officially licensed developer with a devkit.

If you do not want to mortgage your home to get a devkit and push through the console certification process, you most likely will want to work with XNA and target the indie community channel on XBLA.

#6 Yes, I'm going to agree with the above post. :D

#7 Im still on standby from Pino for the CEV... Can anybody else send me it or link me asap... Thank you

#8 Kyle,

-Should I be using T2d or TX4 CEV?

As David already said, TX4 CEV will allow you to deploy to both windows an XBOX360. Note however, XBOX360 means in this case Xbox Live Indie Games (XBLIG) and NOT Xbox Live arcade. XBLIG is not available in every country, actually only in very few. So depending on your location, you will NOT be able to deploy and sell to XBOX 360. XBLIG works trough XNA, the TX4 CEV is programmed in C#. Therefore you can extend the engine with C# if you need to, and your whole game will be programmed in C# as well. For this, you will need Visual Studio 2010 (Express). For a list of XBLIG supported countries, head over to creators.xna.com for more info.
Now T2D is the C++ engine. It shares it's editor with TX4. Howeverm you will program (script) your game using TorqueScript. Ideally you use Torsion to do the scripting, but you could do using notepad only. YOu will NOT need any Visual Studio Version for this. It is possible to create a game without changeing the engine. From a beginners point of view maybe the big difference is that to script your game, you use TorqueScript with T2D, and with TX4 you will use C#. Out of the box, T2D will allow you to deploy to windows and mac. If you have a console devkit, you will also be able to deploy to consoles. However, as a beginner, don't worry about this as you will never get such a kit easily. For T2D, you only need Visual Studio if you want to alter the source code of the engine, for example if you want to integrate another physics engine. But for this you need to be a good c++ coder.
So as a baginenr basically you have the choice between deployment to windows and mac (T2D) and windows and Xbox360 (TX4, given your country is an XBLIG country, otherwise it's windows only).

-Which year visual studio do I need?
For TX4, you will need Visual Studio 2010. Express, which is free, is sufficient. For T2D you will need VS2008 or VS2010, express is fine as well. But again, you will only need it if you want to change the engines source code.

-How do I set it up so that the templates are there when creating a project?
Not sure what you mean. I think you mean the visual studio templates for TX4. You can download them from the TX4 CEV site. You will need to contact Pino after you bought a licence to get acces to them.

#9 Thank you SO much for all the information you've helped clear up a lot.

I think I'll see if I can get going with TX4 as my long run interest is to make Indie games. I live in the US which I assume XBLIG is available in since I play the indie games, but I'll make sure

As for the templates my confusion came from this tutorial video (http://www.youtube.com/user/TheThomasVestergaard#p/u/3/EQHPZ9GVDu8) where he starts by opening up a template in visual studio. He does have the full version however.

#10 @Kyle
I quickly made up a PDF file that explains Downloading, Installing, Starting Project Templates, and getting Documentation.
Let me know if you want it. (Lots of pictures to assist )

#Edit ( Posted Getting Started with T2D.pdf file for download.)
www.gigasize.com/get.php?d=j1mf0cky5qb
Download Starting with T2Da.pdf from FileFactory.com
http://www.mediafire.com/?tsqmgstzdlql1t6

#11 Kyle, in the US you will be able to deploy to XBLIG. Note however that you need to join the creators club (99$ annually if I am correct).

#12 Scott - Absolutely! That would be amazing tyvm! Can you just post a download link? I\'m sure others will use it as well.

Andy - Thank you, good to know :)

#13 It\'s basic. Nothing like the Documents that Mich makes, and from what i heard in IRC, he recently raised the bar for himself and is making his great Docs even better.
This mini guide doesn\'t go through making a game, but Mich\'s Docs will.

#14 Ok, trying to get used to the CEV... I may be doing this wrong but when I open up Visual Studio and select new project, theres no Torque 2D Template... On which you used to get when you used XNA 3.1 ...
Just a tiny bit of help to get me started please....
And everything else should be cool!!!
Cheers peeps

#15 Solloman that's exactly where I was having trouble =/

#16 Visual Studio has Templates for C++ programs that are not Game related.

The Templates you want to start with are in the Game Engine ( not Visual Studio ).

Using a Torque game engine product, be it T2D Demo, or Torque X Demo, etc., will not require Visual Studio at all because the Demo version does not supply you with Source C++ code.

If you buy T2D then you will get source code with your license. At this time you can install Visual Studio C++ so that it will compile your game engine C++ code and any changes you made to the engine code.

Visual Studio does NOT contain Torque Game Engine, T2D, T3D, or other game engine Templates because Microsoft is not affiliated with Torque or GarageGames.
Microsoft Visual Studio does not contain game engine Templates.
Microsoft Visual Studio is ONLY needed if you Buy a license to one of GarageGames engines. If you buy a license to a GarageGames game engine, you'll receive the source code and at that time, IF you make changes to the C++ code, you will need Microsoft Visual Studio to compile your game engine C++ ( modified ) code, so that you can run your Modified Game engine.

You will NOT find game Templates ANYWHERE, except in the game engine. GarageGames has included several game Templates with the DEMO as well as with the Purchased / Licensed game engine of your choice... ( Templates included )

Templates are only in the game engine you choose.. you will never see a game template in Visual Studio ( unless you load your own Template into the Visual Studio C++ Compiler).

I cannot explain this any more ways, I ran out of words to explain it.

One last thing I almost forgot.. GarageGames sells Game engines.
Game Engines are just that, an Engine that you will use to make YOU OWN game with.

Game Engines are not Source code for Mortal Combat, Sonic HedgeHog, Super Mario Bros. Crysis, or any other game Title that you see on the shelf at GameStop ... Game engines are the foundation you need so that you can make your own game on top of the foundation provided.

The examples and Game Templates that are included with the DEMO and PRO versions are not full games, they are examples that are supplied to the end-user to help you gain an understanding of how to make your own game.

One more chance to make this clear as water:

Game Engines like Torque do not have a Large Red Button that reads:
"PUSH" this button to make your favorite game.

Making a game of any kind, requires tons of effort.. Game Engines like the ones sold at GarageGames, are built to give the developer ( thats YOU).. the means to save time, save effort, supply the necessary parts of a game engine, ( all of which you will need ) So that YOU don't have to start from scratch to build your own Game engine.

Last time I will explain this:
Templates for a Game are not an entire game.. they are a framework, they are the basic building blocks, they are the foundation, Templates are another shortcut to Assist YOU the game developer to build your own game.

*whew* my fingers hurt.. if you do not understand that game templates are not in Visual Studio C++, and your still looking there for game Templates.......... then...........

Hint: If you read the Documentation, it explains how to generate a Project often used as a basic template, which in turn is opened in Visual Studio for compiling.. but that project / template you loaded into Visual Studio is not a game either.. it's not a game until you program your additions to the loaded project code. Those additions to the game engine code will eventually make a game if you know what your adding, know how to write your own source code, know how to debug your source code, and hopefully in the end you'll have finished building your own game. ( thought i'd add a bit of clarity )

#17 [like] :-)

#18 haha PHEW Nice explanation! unfortunately I realized most of that with the earlier posts.. but I'm sure MANY new people will find that extremely helpful.

I think the confusion lies in that people that are completely new to indie games, like me, are expecting a visual GUI for making the look like there is, and to make everything that happens happen via code in visual. Most tutorials out there immediately start with opening up visual and a template and don't focus much in torque till later causing demo users confusion.

Thank you for for making everything crystal clear though!

#19 @Kyle
You have a good thread here Kyle. Many people search the internet for a means of making games, usually the "push button" sort and they can sometimes be directed to GarageGames game engine. I guess the term "Game Engine" implies that you insert a key and turn it, then whoila! Presto Chango, Abra-Kadabra, Walla-Walla-Washington.. they have a game they could show off to friends.

Fortunatly, your at the right place. Buy your engine, the community is very strong, and most people will gladly assist you with your efforts when the resources or forums cannot get you an answer.

As for me, I have been here for a few years, never developed a game for release, but I am getting closer now that I have my game design done, working on Modeling my main character first.. might be years before I get a demo release to ask for payed team help.. but you know, it's a process, and a very rewarding one.

Hoping to see you join the community.

#20 So now with the templates sorted and loaded into Visual Studio, I'm now having problems because every time i run a project in Visual Studio it reads

"Visual Studio cannot start debugging because the debug target 'C:/"The root its saved in" test\My Game\My Game\bin\Denug\Game.exe' is missing. Please build the project and retry, or set the OutputPath and AssemblyName properties appropriately to point at the correct location for the target assembly"

This Game.exe file is now where to be found? <<<<<HELP>>>>>