Torque X, TGE, TSE, TGB etc.
by Demo-man · in General Discussion · 11/07/2006 (2:01 am) · 9 replies
Hi there.
I have been looking at Torque ( garagegames ) quite a while now.
I am using another engine currently and although I'm making quite a lot of progress I feel it's lacking in a lot of areas. The fact the engine I'm currently using is completely script based means I can't add all the features I might want to in future. ( I am not a guru in C++ but so far I have managed.)
Reason I am looking at another engine is that I want to build a foundation which I can use for all my game platforms in the future, if I can be successful with it. My current engine is rather limited in this regard as it hasn't got the community or proven games as Torque does. It's a bit up and down there at the moment.
I have looked at the info provided on the GG site but i'm still a little confused about all the options and I have a couple of questions if you are willing to spend the time to answer them.
TGE
The basic Torque? Does this come with Physics? ( How is the physics done in TGE?)
How is colision detection done? Via Code or is this set up in the 3D application? Both?
Can I use Visual C++ Express? Can I use Visual C# Express?
TSE
I see I need TGE to use TSE. How does this work? Is TSE an additional install "plug-in". How easy is it to get TSE working with TGE?
TGB
I know this is a more 2D engine with more click and play type application. I see one can use Torque script here as well. Is this a good 2D engine, given that if I buy the Torque engine that I can learn Torque script and the engine and apply it to 2D games? This would be ideal for me.
Torque X
Can I port my game to MAC/Linux with this version?
Does this include TSE?
Does it use Direct3D and OpenGL? Somehow being aligned with XNA I would assume Direct3D only. unless it uses some abstraction layer for OpenGL.
How does Torque Script tie into all of this?
Does this use physics or is this all provided by XNA?
The Torque programmers Guide Book.
Is this book still up to date? i.e Will I be able to apply all that I learn in there to the latest TGE/TSE/TorqueX ?
Would you reccomend this book in addition to all the documentation ( I assume ) Torque has?
Art Pipeline
My current engine's Art Pipeline is excellent. ( Wish the rest of it was this great :) )I see that Torque uses DTS.
How easy is it to get a model + working Animation ( DTQ?) with colisions and LOD into Torque.
Also is DTS used in Torque X with XNA?
Ok I'm going to stop now before this gets to be a Novel.
Thanks in advance
I have been looking at Torque ( garagegames ) quite a while now.
I am using another engine currently and although I'm making quite a lot of progress I feel it's lacking in a lot of areas. The fact the engine I'm currently using is completely script based means I can't add all the features I might want to in future. ( I am not a guru in C++ but so far I have managed.)
Reason I am looking at another engine is that I want to build a foundation which I can use for all my game platforms in the future, if I can be successful with it. My current engine is rather limited in this regard as it hasn't got the community or proven games as Torque does. It's a bit up and down there at the moment.
I have looked at the info provided on the GG site but i'm still a little confused about all the options and I have a couple of questions if you are willing to spend the time to answer them.
TGE
The basic Torque? Does this come with Physics? ( How is the physics done in TGE?)
How is colision detection done? Via Code or is this set up in the 3D application? Both?
Can I use Visual C++ Express? Can I use Visual C# Express?
TSE
I see I need TGE to use TSE. How does this work? Is TSE an additional install "plug-in". How easy is it to get TSE working with TGE?
TGB
I know this is a more 2D engine with more click and play type application. I see one can use Torque script here as well. Is this a good 2D engine, given that if I buy the Torque engine that I can learn Torque script and the engine and apply it to 2D games? This would be ideal for me.
Torque X
Can I port my game to MAC/Linux with this version?
Does this include TSE?
Does it use Direct3D and OpenGL? Somehow being aligned with XNA I would assume Direct3D only. unless it uses some abstraction layer for OpenGL.
How does Torque Script tie into all of this?
Does this use physics or is this all provided by XNA?
The Torque programmers Guide Book.
Is this book still up to date? i.e Will I be able to apply all that I learn in there to the latest TGE/TSE/TorqueX ?
Would you reccomend this book in addition to all the documentation ( I assume ) Torque has?
Art Pipeline
My current engine's Art Pipeline is excellent. ( Wish the rest of it was this great :) )I see that Torque uses DTS.
How easy is it to get a model + working Animation ( DTQ?) with colisions and LOD into Torque.
Also is DTS used in Torque X with XNA?
Ok I'm going to stop now before this gets to be a Novel.
Thanks in advance
#2
It's just that I have to find a lot of work-arounds for a lot of things on a continual basis.
Getting to the bottom of a lot of my questions will help me decide wheter to stick with my current engine or get *one or the other* of Torque.
11/07/2006 (3:19 am)
Yeah I agree with you Kostya. I have actually made and sold a type of game to a client with my other engine that I am using. It's just that I have to find a lot of work-arounds for a lot of things on a continual basis.
Getting to the bottom of a lot of my questions will help me decide wheter to stick with my current engine or get *one or the other* of Torque.
#3
11/07/2006 (5:18 am)
TGE- Very basic physics[li]Mostly box to box, sphere to box, ect[li]Collision code is written in the engine and exposed to script[li]You can implement entire physics engines into TGE, using C++
- Completely separate SDK/engine[li]Uses same Torque Script as TGE[li]Main feature is a different rendering API taking advantage of shader technology[li]Myself and a couple of others are pondering the capability of getting TSE to network with TGE
- If you learn Torque Script, you can mod any of the engines since they share the same or similar script syntax[li]I'm planning on picking up TGB just for fun experimentation, so I don't have to go through the stress of learning a new engine and script language[li]Also, I can make a TGB game and put it in my TGE application for arcade min-games
- Sorry, I have very little knowledge on this product
- A new book covering updated code and products like Constructor is coming out soon
- Ok, getting the hang of exporting DTS and DSQ is a PITA[li]I happen to use the Maya Exporter, and it was a rough, painful week getting an animation to export without crashing Maya[li]It took another week to get everything scaled, blended, and boxed properly[li]However, after getting the process refined to an art, exporting my models and animations became lightning fast and easy, more so than my own custom exporters.
#4
Do you have a link to news of the new book perhaps?
I think I might just be picking up TGB this week-end. It seems as though it is a good start while waiting for Torque X.
11/07/2006 (5:32 am)
Michael Thanks a lot, It is def. giving me some insight into the Torque world.Do you have a link to news of the new book perhaps?
I think I might just be picking up TGB this week-end. It seems as though it is a good start while waiting for Torque X.
#5
11/07/2006 (3:11 pm)
I would call that a very good decision. I've worked with TGB for quite a while now and find it to be absolutely amazing. Even if you don't buy the source I would think that you will be very happy with this. I can't even tell you how many times I've thought, "Hmm, how would I do that?" and TGB happened to have functionality built for exactly what I was trying to do. Not to mention the documentation associated with TGB is outstanding and getting even better according to Matt Langley's recent blog. If that doesn't cut it then when Torque X comes out in December the deal should be sold.
#6
11/07/2006 (10:04 pm)
I would go with TGB to start and here is why. (I have expierience with all the licenses). When I bought TGE back in 2003 it was fun but after a while I got discouraged i couldn't do what I wanted to do with it and back then being a noob to it is very hard. I am not saying TGE is a bad product this is just what I would do if I had to start over. TGB is a great product to start off with and only $100. It has a fantastic level editor, has really good physics and collision, and you can prototype games rapidly in it. The scope of projects in TGB can be smaller and getting projects done will boost your confidence as a developer. Not only that if you want to be into console development (ahem XBOX 360), TorqueX was announced as free today and the pro license $150 coming out in December. You would basically be paying $100 for TGB (plus $100 a year to Microsoft Creators Club) to get YOUR games on a console. Amazing. I wish they had TGB when I became a member. You could also just not get anything and wait for TorqueX to come out. However TGB will be a great tool to help you get what you want out of TorqueX (Plus with TGB your games can run on Mac/Windows/Linux). Ok, enough preaching.
#7
I think I'll get TGB this weekend.
11/08/2006 (5:40 am)
It defnitly makes sense the way you guys put it.I think I'll get TGB this weekend.
#8
11/09/2006 (4:55 pm)
I'll also throw in my support for TGB. Great product. When you're making a game with TGB, you'll find it puts little constraints on you and offers a lot of functionality that makes things faster/easier. 
Torque Owner Kostiantyn Teterin