A few questions about Torque X and Xbox Indie Games
by joe modzeleski · in Torque X 2D · 02/26/2011 (1:38 pm) · 3 replies
Hey, i'm brand new to Torque, and I have a few questions. My team is looking for an engine to make a platformer for Xbox Indie Games, and Torque looks really appealing.
1. Torque X officially is only supported by XNA 3.1, I heard about a CEV version that is unofficial, but brings the engine up to XNA 4 compatibility. If I were to buy Torque X 2D now, is this CEV version available to me today ?
2. How difficult is it for someone with fair C# experience to adapt to using Torque ? I know nothing about programming, so I'm asking this question for our programmer.
3. We're looking to make a 4 player action platformer, can Torque handle multiple local players just fine ? Is getting the platformer starter kit something that's worth doing if we're making a platformer ?
4. For someone who has no programming experience, I really like the idea of being able to build my levels within a user-friendly interface, and I can only imagine having torque would take a huge load of our coder. For a small team trying to make Xbox games, is Torque X a good way to go at this time ? Is purchasing the engine worth it ?
Thanks guys.
1. Torque X officially is only supported by XNA 3.1, I heard about a CEV version that is unofficial, but brings the engine up to XNA 4 compatibility. If I were to buy Torque X 2D now, is this CEV version available to me today ?
2. How difficult is it for someone with fair C# experience to adapt to using Torque ? I know nothing about programming, so I'm asking this question for our programmer.
3. We're looking to make a 4 player action platformer, can Torque handle multiple local players just fine ? Is getting the platformer starter kit something that's worth doing if we're making a platformer ?
4. For someone who has no programming experience, I really like the idea of being able to build my levels within a user-friendly interface, and I can only imagine having torque would take a huge load of our coder. For a small team trying to make Xbox games, is Torque X a good way to go at this time ? Is purchasing the engine worth it ?
Thanks guys.
About the author
I'm an artist, musician, and designer with a huge passion for video game development. I'm brand new to Torque and have no programming knowledge.
#2
The biggest problem for me going to torque is that it is set up a differently from the regular XNA. I spent many hours trying to figure how to solve the problems I had already solved in the regular XNA.
I am also an artist/musician/designer. I learnt programming like any other skill (like painting a house or landscaping). The trick is to not think that programming is hard because if you do it will be hard ;).
02/28/2011 (5:53 am)
Hi I was in the same boat as you were about 2 years ago. There are a plethora of C# tutorials online. I personally devoted a lot of time to learning how to make games. Do a few tutorials a day and in a few months you will get the hang of it.The biggest problem for me going to torque is that it is set up a differently from the regular XNA. I spent many hours trying to figure how to solve the problems I had already solved in the regular XNA.
I am also an artist/musician/designer. I learnt programming like any other skill (like painting a house or landscaping). The trick is to not think that programming is hard because if you do it will be hard ;).
#3
www.youtube.com/watch?v=TE2E7vGMdjg
The way I did it for Kobold's Quest was to create a spawner for each player. The spawner was assigned a number between 0-3 that represented the controller that controlled the player. If that player was active, the spawner would spawn the Kobold. It would assign the Kobold the player number of the player who is controlling it. When the Kobold created its PlayerController, it passed the player number, which it uses when binding the input map to the proper controller.
03/25/2011 (8:31 pm)
Quote:3. We're looking to make a 4 player action platformer, can Torque handle multiple local players just fine ? Is getting the platformer starter kit something that's worth doing if we're making a platformer ?Torque X can do multiple players just fine. We also are doing a 4-player platformer:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=TE2E7vGMdjg
The way I did it for Kobold's Quest was to create a spawner for each player. The spawner was assigned a number between 0-3 that represented the controller that controlled the player. If that player was active, the spawner would spawn the Kobold. It would assign the Kobold the player number of the player who is controlling it. When the Kobold created its PlayerController, it passed the player number, which it uses when binding the input map to the proper controller.
protected void _setupInputMap(int PlayerNumber)
{
MoveManager moveManager = new MoveManager();
ProcessList.Instance.SetMoveManager(this, moveManager);
InputMap inputMap = _inputMap;
inputMap.MoveManager = moveManager;
int gamePadNumber = PlayerNumber;
int gamepadId = InputManager.Instance.FindDevice("gamepad" + gamePadNumber);
inputMap.BindMove(gamepadId, (int)XGamePadDevice.GamePadObjects.LeftThumbX, MoveMapTypes.StickAnalogHorizontal, 0);
inputMap.BindMove(gamepadId, (int)XGamePadDevice.GamePadObjects.LeftThumbY, MoveMapTypes.StickAnalogVertical, 0);
... 
Torque 3D Owner Will O-Reagan
Modern Intrigues
The platformer starterkit will solve alot of the really mind bending issues any programmer would have with trying to make a platformer. A simple port of the startkit is much easier then having to figure out how to program physics, and animation states, as well as enemies AI's. So I'd go with the kit, once you are up to snuff on how to use the TX platformer, porting the kit in should be easy enough for your coder.