Torque Book: 3D Game Programming All In One
by Ken Finney · in General Discussion · 05/03/2004 (5:09 am) · 126 replies
(I think the hijacking of Stede Troisi's thread has gone on long enough :-)
This is a sort of continuation of the thread found here.
ISBN: 159200136X
Uses the Torque Engine throughout, also covers MilkShape 3D and QuArK, among other tools.
Click on this link to order. I understand that GG will have an order link of their own on this site sometime soon, and you will be able to order through them as well.
Chapter Preview
Chapter 9.pdf
Table of Contents
1. Introduction to 3D Game Development
2. Introduction to Programming
3. 3D Programming Concepts
4. Game Programming
5. Gameplay
6. Network
7. Common Scripts
8. Introduction to Textures
9. Skins
10. Creating GUI Elements
11. Structural Material Textures
12. Terrains and Skyboxes
13. Introduction to Modeling with Milkshape
14. Making a player model
15. Making a Vehicle Model
16. Making Weapons and Items
17. Making Structures
18. Making the Game World Environment
19. Creating and Programming Sound
20. Game Sound and Music
21. Creating the Game Mission
22. The Game Server
23. The Game Client
24. The End Game
Appendices:
A: The Torque Game Engine Reference
B: Game Development Resources on the Internet
C: Game Development Tool Reference
D: QuArK Reference
This is a sort of continuation of the thread found here.
ISBN: 159200136XUses the Torque Engine throughout, also covers MilkShape 3D and QuArK, among other tools.
Click on this link to order. I understand that GG will have an order link of their own on this site sometime soon, and you will be able to order through them as well.
Chapter Preview
Chapter 9.pdf
Table of Contents
1. Introduction to 3D Game Development
2. Introduction to Programming
3. 3D Programming Concepts
4. Game Programming
5. Gameplay
6. Network
7. Common Scripts
8. Introduction to Textures
9. Skins
10. Creating GUI Elements
11. Structural Material Textures
12. Terrains and Skyboxes
13. Introduction to Modeling with Milkshape
14. Making a player model
15. Making a Vehicle Model
16. Making Weapons and Items
17. Making Structures
18. Making the Game World Environment
19. Creating and Programming Sound
20. Game Sound and Music
21. Creating the Game Mission
22. The Game Server
23. The Game Client
24. The End Game
Appendices:
A: The Torque Game Engine Reference
B: Game Development Resources on the Internet
C: Game Development Tool Reference
D: QuArK Reference
About the author
#42
(is it a DNS error?)
05/09/2004 (2:42 pm)
Jordan, I will check it out. Server has been wonky past few weeks...(is it a DNS error?)
#43
Its a 404 error... page can't be found... I can go to the page, I can even order the book (again ;) ) but the CD Contents and Alternate Chapter 6, produce the 404 error. I can't say for sure if its a DNS error but I'm able to goto cerdipity.no-ip.com/cerdipity/ just not to cerdipity.no-ip.com/cerdipity/book/
Thanks,
Jordan
05/09/2004 (2:45 pm)
Ken,Its a 404 error... page can't be found... I can go to the page, I can even order the book (again ;) ) but the CD Contents and Alternate Chapter 6, produce the 404 error. I can't say for sure if its a DNS error but I'm able to goto cerdipity.no-ip.com/cerdipity/ just not to cerdipity.no-ip.com/cerdipity/book/
Thanks,
Jordan
#45
Thanks for the great book,
Mike
05/09/2004 (5:46 pm)
Ken, I got your book on Friday and I haven't been able to put it down. Love it. The only problem is that there are alot of errors in the text and/or scripts. Is there a site with identified errata yet? If not, when will version 2 be released. :) Is there someone to send errors to or have you got an editor who's finding them?Thanks for the great book,
Mike
#46
I am REALLY looking forward to getting this book. I've leared a LOT about Torque on my own and I really like to consider myself at the Intermediate to advanced level with Torque but there's still a lot I don't know. From the sounds of it it has a lot of information at the advanced level to which ROCKS. That's so after neglected in these types of books.
Hopefully within the next month I can get me a copy of this. I'd get it soooner but 90% of my pay is going straight into the IGC fund :p
05/09/2004 (5:57 pm)
Welp I decided I can't buy this book because my name isn't in it. :p j/kI am REALLY looking forward to getting this book. I've leared a LOT about Torque on my own and I really like to consider myself at the Intermediate to advanced level with Torque but there's still a lot I don't know. From the sounds of it it has a lot of information at the advanced level to which ROCKS. That's so after neglected in these types of books.
Hopefully within the next month I can get me a copy of this. I'd get it soooner but 90% of my pay is going straight into the IGC fund :p
#47
05/09/2004 (6:34 pm)
Mike, email me if you like with what you find. The errors are being corrected for 2nd printing in 2 weeks. I've been through chapters 1 -20 in the printed version, and think I've found everything so far.
#48
What will be the differences between 1st and 2nd printing? I am thinking about buying a copy of the 1st printing and want to know if I should wait.
Bill
05/10/2004 (10:53 am)
Ken,What will be the differences between 1st and 2nd printing? I am thinking about buying a copy of the 1st printing and want to know if I should wait.
Bill
#49
There is the issue with CD code described above by Jordan. The book code is ok. Any CD code errors can be quickly corrected with on-line fixes. There is an incorrect path used in chapter 2 that will be fixed - (says "book", should say "CH2") that most people have been able to deal with rather easily. Two images are confused in chapter 9 (I think), and they will be put in their rightful slots.
My understanding is that the first printing is sold out, and so the publisher has moved the reprint schedule ahead by a huge margin. I no longer have weeks to get the corrections done - I need to finish them by tonight. If anyone finds anything that affects the usablility (accuracy, etc) of the book, please email them to me ASAP so I can check them against my own list, get them into the reprint copy if needed, and get it couriered out tomorrow.
In case anyone is wondering - the checking I'm doing of the printed first edition is the FIFTH proof-reading/checking pass on the contents of the book. It has been a real eye-opening experience.
05/10/2004 (11:18 am)
There are some layout problems in a few places. Many other problems are minor in nature. There is the issue with CD code described above by Jordan. The book code is ok. Any CD code errors can be quickly corrected with on-line fixes. There is an incorrect path used in chapter 2 that will be fixed - (says "book", should say "CH2") that most people have been able to deal with rather easily. Two images are confused in chapter 9 (I think), and they will be put in their rightful slots.
My understanding is that the first printing is sold out, and so the publisher has moved the reprint schedule ahead by a huge margin. I no longer have weeks to get the corrections done - I need to finish them by tonight. If anyone finds anything that affects the usablility (accuracy, etc) of the book, please email them to me ASAP so I can check them against my own list, get them into the reprint copy if needed, and get it couriered out tomorrow.
In case anyone is wondering - the checking I'm doing of the printed first edition is the FIFTH proof-reading/checking pass on the contents of the book. It has been a real eye-opening experience.
#50
What will be the differences between 1st and 2nd printing? I am thinking about buying a copy of the 1st printing and want to know if I should wait.
Bill
05/10/2004 (12:30 pm)
Ken,What will be the differences between 1st and 2nd printing? I am thinking about buying a copy of the 1st printing and want to know if I should wait.
Bill
#51
05/10/2004 (1:28 pm)
Heh. Double-post demon gotcha!
#52
Got my copy the other day... have been reading it non-stop :D
Anyway, says right in the book that you are supposed to be typing along anyway :P
But really, I think the book has been amazing so far, and I have just been bouncing around checking out the coverage for different things.
Got sooooo many ideas from it already.
Now if only I could model/texture/code/make sounds/etc. I might have a game on my hands.
Thanks alot Ken for the awesome book.
Shay
05/10/2004 (5:05 pm)
Yahhhh!!!! Got my copy the other day... have been reading it non-stop :D
Anyway, says right in the book that you are supposed to be typing along anyway :P
But really, I think the book has been amazing so far, and I have just been bouncing around checking out the coverage for different things.
Got sooooo many ideas from it already.
Now if only I could model/texture/code/make sounds/etc. I might have a game on my hands.
Thanks alot Ken for the awesome book.
Shay
#53
05/10/2004 (6:04 pm)
@Ken: Congrats on the first printing selling out. I know from experience that's a huge boost to the popularity of your work (and hopefully better royalties than the first printing depending on your publisher). Have an order into Amazon so just waiting for it to fulfil.
#54
- Jordan
05/10/2004 (7:33 pm)
I'm wondering when the broken links will be fix on the 24.43.28.82:800/cerdipity/ site... I'm still interested in the alternate CH6 and book data... To anyone thinking about getting this book, it's the best purchase I made because I really wanted to quickly get going with Torque and this book provided me step by step how to do that.- Jordan
#55
The CD contents have been taken down, due to extremely high traffic. When I get a more reliable service with better b/w, I'll put the CD back up.
05/11/2004 (11:41 am)
Jordan, try it now. The Alt Ch. 6 link is correct now.The CD contents have been taken down, due to extremely high traffic. When I get a more reliable service with better b/w, I'll put the CD back up.
#56
Before I will buy this book (and as it seems now I will buy it soon)
can someone of you give me the game that you make (after compile, not the source code)
or even better some print screens of it so I can see what I will make.
Plus I didn't understand a few things
1. I don't have Torque yet but I do have Milkshape3D and PSP
so does this book work with those two programs?
2. In which program you are doing the UVMapping?
3. After I will buy the Torque engine and this books is there
anything else I need to buy (compiler ect)?
05/11/2004 (12:56 pm)
HelloBefore I will buy this book (and as it seems now I will buy it soon)
can someone of you give me the game that you make (after compile, not the source code)
or even better some print screens of it so I can see what I will make.
Plus I didn't understand a few things
1. I don't have Torque yet but I do have Milkshape3D and PSP
so does this book work with those two programs?
2. In which program you are doing the UVMapping?
3. After I will buy the Torque engine and this books is there
anything else I need to buy (compiler ect)?
#57
@Eran - You'll need a compiler. The one I use is Visual Studio .NET 2003. Theres a FREE compiler only version but nobody here has given it a try. Visual Studio 6 still works though. I think theres some other sources ... just look at the supported compiler list somewhere. Of course you can still use linux. ;)
r/Alex
05/11/2004 (6:09 pm)
@Ken - I'm leaving for China on Friday (May 14) for a consulting job and I'll be gone for 3 to 6 weeks. Which means my ADSL will be idling (I dont host anything ... my ADSL is used primarily for online gaming). Its a 256 download 128 upload line. If you would allow it, I can setup a bittorrent or FTP share. I would suggest a bittorrent though.@Eran - You'll need a compiler. The one I use is Visual Studio .NET 2003. Theres a FREE compiler only version but nobody here has given it a try. Visual Studio 6 still works though. I think theres some other sources ... just look at the supported compiler list somewhere. Of course you can still use linux. ;)
r/Alex
#58
So I need to buy:
Torque Engine - $100
Compiler (VC++ .NET) - $109
Milkshape - $15
Paintshop Pro - $79
Total - $303 to make a freeware game and
for a commortional one I need to add $495
I only found the link to buy VC++ .NET Standard Edition
can you bring me the link to buy VC++ 6?
I heard its much better
05/12/2004 (8:19 am)
Quote:You'll need a compiler
So I need to buy:
Torque Engine - $100
Compiler (VC++ .NET) - $109
Milkshape - $15
Paintshop Pro - $79
Total - $303 to make a freeware game and
for a commortional one I need to add $495
I only found the link to buy VC++ .NET Standard Edition
can you bring me the link to buy VC++ 6?
I heard its much better
#59
Amazing what I miss when I'm away for some time..
This looks like a great book! Though, and this is not a complaint, I think the book is not really appropriately titled. Looking at that, I would write it off as purely a programming book which, looking at the TOC, it clearly is not. It covers what looks like all aspects of working with Torque.
Great stuff! Nothing I like better than having a book right in front of me when I'm learning something (alt-tabbing between windows to go through a tutorial always bugs me for some reason - and it's alot easier to bring a book with you than it is a desktop PC)
Anyway.. I'll be ordering this gem very soon!
Thanks for the resource!
Take care,
Mike
05/12/2004 (11:23 am)
Wow... Amazing what I miss when I'm away for some time..
This looks like a great book! Though, and this is not a complaint, I think the book is not really appropriately titled. Looking at that, I would write it off as purely a programming book which, looking at the TOC, it clearly is not. It covers what looks like all aspects of working with Torque.
Great stuff! Nothing I like better than having a book right in front of me when I'm learning something (alt-tabbing between windows to go through a tutorial always bugs me for some reason - and it's alot easier to bring a book with you than it is a desktop PC)
Anyway.. I'll be ordering this gem very soon!
Thanks for the resource!
Take care,
Mike
#60
Milkshape is $25, not $15.
If you only have the demo of Paintshop Pro, and still need to buy a paint program, I recommend checking out The Gimp. It's pretty feature-rich, and open source.
So that brings your pricetag down about $69.
And you CAN create a commercial game using the independent license... it doesn't need to be freeware. It's only after your annual sales exceed $250K that you need to worry about getting the commercial license (and if you are making that much, you can probably afford it).
05/12/2004 (12:08 pm)
Eran -Milkshape is $25, not $15.
If you only have the demo of Paintshop Pro, and still need to buy a paint program, I recommend checking out The Gimp. It's pretty feature-rich, and open source.
So that brings your pricetag down about $69.
And you CAN create a commercial game using the independent license... it doesn't need to be freeware. It's only after your annual sales exceed $250K that you need to worry about getting the commercial license (and if you are making that much, you can probably afford it).
Torque Owner Rex
BrokeAss Games