Community projects for T3D & T2D
by Kory Imaginism · in Torque 3D Professional · 05/03/2013 (8:44 am) · 14 replies
I just wanted to get the communities thoughts about a community project(s) that I feel may help T3D and T2D.
I know a issue that has came up is tutorials, and another was that people feel that you could only do
FPS games with it (T3D).
I was thinking we could do something similar to what unity did with their live demos. Create multiple small games that could show off
what T3D & T2D could do. Each game would be a different genre and could make the source available as a template and a small tutorial (similar to chinatown)
of what was done to achieve it. Similar what was being done with the Pacific and Sector demos just adding scripted objectives and AI (I'm not for sure how T3D 3.0 is handling thing like AI).
Example: (these can be done just using the default characters that GG has offered throughout the years; or brand new models)
Over-the-Shoulder 3rd person template ( Resident Evil 4 - 6, Gears of Wars)
Gears of Torque
Gears of wars remake in T3D. The default soldier would be the Marines. We could use the SpaceOrc as the locust Boomers in gears.
We would create two or three stages similar to Gears. We could use the original orc as the Berserker. Just a idea!
FPS template (crysis, call of duty)
Chinatown 2.0
It would just be the chinatown again but with AI and scripted-events like airstrikes, crashes, and etc. We could just use the default soldiers, maybe a different color team each stage. Example Red soldier on the night, blue in the foggy, green in the day.
RPG template (Zelda's)
Untitled
We can use the elf character and original orc, and create a similar art style small world set up a few different adventures. Add AI and different scripted events.
Fighting game template ( smash Bros, tekken)
TorqueBrawl
We could put all the characters (past and present) that GG has released in fighting game similar to the smash brothers games. Redo some of the original missions from Tge and TGEA. I'm sure each model would have to be re-rigged and new animations added to the models.
Here are some other genre or template that could be done a Top-Down game template, Each sport template, survival horror,(camera in the original resident evil and silent hill) and etc...
We could even do the same for T2D. I think that would be a good way to draw attention to the engines. At least until there are ports for other platforms.
That's just a idea I had, let me know if it's something that we should push or not. Also who would be willing to help out the efforts?
I know a issue that has came up is tutorials, and another was that people feel that you could only do
FPS games with it (T3D).
I was thinking we could do something similar to what unity did with their live demos. Create multiple small games that could show off
what T3D & T2D could do. Each game would be a different genre and could make the source available as a template and a small tutorial (similar to chinatown)
of what was done to achieve it. Similar what was being done with the Pacific and Sector demos just adding scripted objectives and AI (I'm not for sure how T3D 3.0 is handling thing like AI).
Example: (these can be done just using the default characters that GG has offered throughout the years; or brand new models)
Over-the-Shoulder 3rd person template ( Resident Evil 4 - 6, Gears of Wars)
Gears of Torque
Gears of wars remake in T3D. The default soldier would be the Marines. We could use the SpaceOrc as the locust Boomers in gears.
We would create two or three stages similar to Gears. We could use the original orc as the Berserker. Just a idea!
FPS template (crysis, call of duty)
Chinatown 2.0
It would just be the chinatown again but with AI and scripted-events like airstrikes, crashes, and etc. We could just use the default soldiers, maybe a different color team each stage. Example Red soldier on the night, blue in the foggy, green in the day.
RPG template (Zelda's)
Untitled
We can use the elf character and original orc, and create a similar art style small world set up a few different adventures. Add AI and different scripted events.
Fighting game template ( smash Bros, tekken)
TorqueBrawl
We could put all the characters (past and present) that GG has released in fighting game similar to the smash brothers games. Redo some of the original missions from Tge and TGEA. I'm sure each model would have to be re-rigged and new animations added to the models.
Here are some other genre or template that could be done a Top-Down game template, Each sport template, survival horror,(camera in the original resident evil and silent hill) and etc...
We could even do the same for T2D. I think that would be a good way to draw attention to the engines. At least until there are ports for other platforms.
That's just a idea I had, let me know if it's something that we should push or not. Also who would be willing to help out the efforts?
#2
Pong, Breakout, Asteroids, Pacman, Berzerker, and more...
Of course they can at first look like the "regular" game and then become insanely complex and use the features of the engine. Like spinning the whole level, or using physics for the pieces of the asteroids to bounce. Use fully 3D rendering pieces, etc.
05/03/2013 (11:21 am)
For T2D there should be a bunch of templates for classic video games:Pong, Breakout, Asteroids, Pacman, Berzerker, and more...
Of course they can at first look like the "regular" game and then become insanely complex and use the features of the engine. Like spinning the whole level, or using physics for the pieces of the asteroids to bounce. Use fully 3D rendering pieces, etc.
#3
If a couple of member got together I think we'll be able to put it off.
05/04/2013 (6:45 am)
@Richard Yes a RTS template would be great also. @Demolishun exactly! T2D and T3D both would have template that way people could download which ever is closer to there game design and either remove or modify things as they see fit.If a couple of member got together I think we'll be able to put it off.
#4
Currently, it basically gives you the main menu, loading screen, playGUI and the editors and almost everything else is stripped out.
I'm looking for input on people for just how stripped down it should be. Should I perserve the keybinds so when you load into the level as a camera you can still fly around, etc.
Currently the project, with all editors, clocks in a bit over 20mb, half of that being the engine dll.
My plan with it is to be a good starting point for a super-base project, as well as document the crap out of what it's doing to load the mission, both via the GUIs and the code itself.
So yeah, feedback on what you people want out of a Bare Bones project would be good. If I don't have to do much additional work for what people want, I'm pretty close to just needing to clean and document the build to get it out there.
05/05/2013 (2:21 pm)
I had some free time last night while at work and started hashing together a 'Barebones' project. I'd seen quite a few people want something like this, where it's basically just enough to get a mission loaded.Currently, it basically gives you the main menu, loading screen, playGUI and the editors and almost everything else is stripped out.
I'm looking for input on people for just how stripped down it should be. Should I perserve the keybinds so when you load into the level as a camera you can still fly around, etc.
Currently the project, with all editors, clocks in a bit over 20mb, half of that being the engine dll.
My plan with it is to be a good starting point for a super-base project, as well as document the crap out of what it's doing to load the mission, both via the GUIs and the code itself.
So yeah, feedback on what you people want out of a Bare Bones project would be good. If I don't have to do much additional work for what people want, I'm pretty close to just needing to clean and document the build to get it out there.
#5
I just wonder what others opinion is about the template idea. Not totally for sure and maybe someone from the committee could clear things up but I believe they are wanting to strip the engine down, so that it's not any genre specific. If that's the case then it would make the engine somewhat harder to use for noobie, considering the documentation not being centralized and not up - to - date with the current engine build. That's why I think the basic template and tutorial idea would be good, it would invite noobie to just jump in and get start with building the type of game they want quickly. I even believe Pros and veterans would be able to get a thing or two. I would just like to see others opinion on it.
05/06/2013 (5:32 am)
Jeff, I don't know about everyone else but I think that would be a great spot for a barebones project.I just wonder what others opinion is about the template idea. Not totally for sure and maybe someone from the committee could clear things up but I believe they are wanting to strip the engine down, so that it's not any genre specific. If that's the case then it would make the engine somewhat harder to use for noobie, considering the documentation not being centralized and not up - to - date with the current engine build. That's why I think the basic template and tutorial idea would be good, it would invite noobie to just jump in and get start with building the type of game they want quickly. I even believe Pros and veterans would be able to get a thing or two. I would just like to see others opinion on it.
#6
If I were to do the RTS/Adventure docs again, I'd probably reverse the order and add some NPC interaction to the Adventure doc and some more RTS elements to the RTS doc - since more of the set-up would have been done in the Adventure doc.
05/06/2013 (8:18 am)
I think a roadmap would be a good start. Let us all chime in with template ideas, along with possible template "dependencies", or templates that could be used to "springboard" other templates. As an example, when I wrote the Adventure Prototype I added a note that you need to work through the RTS Prototype because the camera work built off of it. This sort of thing would let the template authors use simpler templates as building blocks - so the roadmap should begin with simpler projects and move to more ambitious ones.If I were to do the RTS/Adventure docs again, I'd probably reverse the order and add some NPC interaction to the Adventure doc and some more RTS elements to the RTS doc - since more of the set-up would have been done in the Adventure doc.
#7
05/06/2013 (8:43 am)
Agreed, There are a lot of genre that use the some of the same elements if not all. I think a road map would be a great idea!
#8
05/06/2013 (8:47 am)
Before start anything I would like to know if we'd have permission to the garagegames characters past and present? They may not be the best but a good place to start from. 
#9
As a sidenote, I love the ideas here but I would recommend against remaking existing games, especially Gears of War. Epic isn't too friendly about that stuff and there's a reason the much fabled Gears of Torque demo that may or may not have existed at a GDC 5 years ago may or may not be buried in the desert somewhere. I can't say, as if such a demo were to have ever existed I could neither confirm or deny its existence. ;)
Seriously though, it's a great idea but I would focus more on making a game that is Gears-like instead of a remake.
05/06/2013 (9:53 am)
I'll look into the answer for that but for now you should assume no to any legacy models or art not present in the MIT for an open community project. This way you can keep things moving without hinging anything on that. I had some game ideas I've been kicking around that involve all the previous characters and whether those games would be open source or not will rely on that answer as well.As a sidenote, I love the ideas here but I would recommend against remaking existing games, especially Gears of War. Epic isn't too friendly about that stuff and there's a reason the much fabled Gears of Torque demo that may or may not have existed at a GDC 5 years ago may or may not be buried in the desert somewhere. I can't say, as if such a demo were to have ever existed I could neither confirm or deny its existence. ;)
Seriously though, it's a great idea but I would focus more on making a game that is Gears-like instead of a remake.
#10
I am interested in the RTS template as this will be most useful to me, so I will try to contribute to that.
05/06/2013 (10:09 am)
Kevin is working on documentation for a RPG. So the others should concentrate on the RTS, Adventure, Platformer games?I am interested in the RTS template as this will be most useful to me, so I will try to contribute to that.
#11
I'm think of little projects from each genre for basic templates. They would pretty much be full games but able to be modded or use as a starting point for that game type. So far I have everything based around the legacy models but things are so early if we wasn't able to it would slow thing down too much. I would nice to get started on thing after 3.0.
05/06/2013 (10:49 am)
Scott, thanks it would be great if we could use them! As for the gears of torque demo, it really wouldn't have to be that but the idea behind the basic game mechanics and camera system. Something that is the basic style with AI and events. These demos would also be able to show off what Torque can do. To show the engine can do more than just FPS. IMO, I think the FPS tutorial could be a little more complete but it really depends on things like AI.I'm think of little projects from each genre for basic templates. They would pretty much be full games but able to be modded or use as a starting point for that game type. So far I have everything based around the legacy models but things are so early if we wasn't able to it would slow thing down too much. I would nice to get started on thing after 3.0.
#12
Our (Steering Committee) understanding of the legacy assets (anything not initially offered in the MIT repository by GarageGames) is that the due-diligence required in pursuing the legal angles is not worth the consideration of using them. Personally I would actually like to see us eventually get rid of all of the current stock assets and create new ones for anything "official" in the repository.
05/06/2013 (12:38 pm)
My/our plan is once the modular template base is complete to start working on a series of Tutorials on adding functionality directly to the base application, as well as potentially creating example modules that demonstrate very basic functionality -- but these will not be game templates since we really can't spend all of our time on them. This would certainly be a good place for the community to step up and contribute to the greater whole.Our (Steering Committee) understanding of the legacy assets (anything not initially offered in the MIT repository by GarageGames) is that the due-diligence required in pursuing the legal angles is not worth the consideration of using them. Personally I would actually like to see us eventually get rid of all of the current stock assets and create new ones for anything "official" in the repository.
#13
05/06/2013 (2:33 pm)
Quote:lol
... there's a reason the much fabled Gears of Torque demo that may or may not have existed at a GDC 5 years ago may or may not be buried in the desert somewhere.
#14
I think if any open source games should branch off, then I think they should always be easily made as a starting point for peoples games. So they are useful additions to the engine. But also great examples.
05/06/2013 (9:10 pm)
@Michael Hall, I think it would be great to start to see how these modules will exactly work and then as you say I think the community can help to make them more complete. I know I would be happy to work towards this aspect.I think if any open source games should branch off, then I think they should always be easily made as a starting point for peoples games. So they are useful additions to the engine. But also great examples.
Torque Owner Richard Ranft
Roostertail Games
My AI Tutorial scripts are available from my GitHub page.
I'd be happy to "consult" and even put a little time in on an RTS game, but my time is limited right now so I can't commit fully.