What is the easiest kind of game to make with Torque

#21 Hey nice section, got me thinking... Eric, wouldn't the FPS SK in TGE 1.5 be enough to write something like a simple Quake 3 Arena ?? Correct me if I'm wrong but I think even someone who has a decent (Not total beginner nor total advance here) amount of modeling and understanding of the GUI could make a small, if not about the same as Q3A shareware? I know, Q3 uses more advanced features like TGEA (Ie Shaders) but still, as advanced as TGE is at 1.5, wouldn't you or anyone here think it would be doable for a Q3 type game from the FPS kit?

I'd like to hear yours and anyone elses thoughts on it cause it really got me thinking. I honestly dont know if anyone is doing a project like this but who knows, maybe so. If so please post :). I've been using TGE since about v1.3 I got onboard but really didn't begin doing anything with it til just about 6 months ago. I may test out a Q3 type game if I get the time but if I do I'll post my results for everyone. So, do you all think its possible? or maybe even a Unreal Tuena... Thanks for any thoughts...

Will rny like game? I'm not talking a game like prey or Doom 3 here, just something simple like a Quake 3 Arena/Team Arena... Lets kick it up a notch... :)

Thanks guys for any replys...

Will

#22 I think that the easiest game to make with Torque would have to be a 3D adventure game. Something like URU. You could even do a multiplayer 3D Adventure game.

#23 @Will, I'd agree that something like Q3A would not be beyond the reach of most small indie teams, and could be accomplished with cut-and-paste level of scripting. Adding vehicles, smart AI, cutscenes, etc. is a lot more complex and would probably require a programmer with a university-level of experience (not that having such knowledge requires actually going to a university, a lot of people learn it on their own).

@Anton: adventure games would be a great starting point - not to mention that they are a genre that is not totally saturated by big budget titles. For indies looking to make something cool that might actually have a chance of getting sales, that would be a much safer choice than FPS - plus adventure games give you the opportunity to write lots of fun, clever dialog.

#24 "memorize Torque script" you should never think that you have to memorize anything, but you should learn, memorizing something will never let you get past what you remember.

With TGEA (TSE at the time) I made a simple Quake 3 Arena clone of a space map and a few weapons, jump pads. And a few resources used, like the movement while jumping. And viola!

I called it "Torque Tournament"


It was mainly a mapping exercise for me to try out all the fancy shaders in TSE MS4 :-). But it did drag on when I started to want to make it look more like Q3A with those easy to spot ammo boxes, and numbered health etc. Oh and the "Quad" Damage of cause :-).

#25 I bet it is tic-tac-toe. :D Actually, no other game is easy to make.

#26 Simple deathmaths fall into waypoint/AI problem. Unless the other player is a human (siple multiplayer), bots requires:
-waypoint selection system;
-shoting accuracy level; (he hits every time?)
-standard awareness (he hear you footsteps on his back at wich distance? He turns around an shoot? etc)
-wich weapons AI have? Can he change them acordingly? (switch from pistols to granades in corner, etc.)
-level of armor

But fact is, AI is just like everthing else inside Torque script: even if you come up with a system of triggers and waypoint logic that can be added to any enviroment, you WILL pull out your hair coding it.
The problem is just one: melding all FPS resources into one. Cars, inventories, AI control, dialogue and cutscene systems- a joint operation welding all FPS resources to create GTA (Great Torque Auto! :P )- THEM you guys would see a TON of fps games on sale around Garagegames.
I'll start a project that does exacly that...

#27 @Edward:

Looks sharp for a small simple level. I wasn't sure if the FPS hit was going to be large but I guess it would have been. Glad you posted about the test. Do you think it may be possible now to build such a game (Q3A) in the new TGEA without a huge frame hit? Or what about in TGE 1.5.1? I know, I'm going cheap here for those who don't have yet or can't afford the TGEA yet... I have both plus TGB. You know too, you don't need the shaders to make a great game, even a Q3 clone... :) Also would you be willing to part with your test files so I could test the level on my system sometime? Just wondering would like to take a peek how the magic was made. Thanks again,

Will

#28 Well that version of TSE didn't have the dynamic shadows etc. But I use the same map today, in some work I do.

With that in mind it used to get a frame rate of 120-160 now with TGEA at the moment it gets 110-180 but with all the dynamic shadows etc.

Resolution of 1280x960x32 (fullscreen)

My system is:
Althon64 3000+
GeForce 7600GT 256MB
RAM 1GB

So I personally feel that TGEA can handle this sort of game easily. My map however is not very complex. It lacks in a lot of areas - but also in my part in knowing how to produce an efficient map.

TGE 1.5.1 is a great engine, but I think that the look of Quake 3 Arena was very nice with lots of moving colour, something I don't think would be easy to reproduce in TGE.

I can email you a link to some test files, I just need to replace a few weapons. The magic however isn't that great, I only spent a few days on this so I think there would be better ways to implement some things.

But it CAN be done, and I think rather easily. As long as you can model and design levels. As Eric Morata has said the AI is a harder part of it all, but if you want a Q3A clone you most likely don't care too much about the bots.

You can also check out: edwardnsmith.blogspot.com/ which is a MOD of TGE 1.4 I made.
Its got a CTF style of game play, its an IT educational game but its a rather good example I reckon. Of cause better could be done with TGE 1.5.

#29 Again @ Edward:

Cool Thanks for the info. Yeah would love to see some sample files. I know my way around TGE pretty well, still hugging that learning curve on TGEA and those sample files would be great. Just want to test out what my frame rate would have on it. I'm running:

Alienware MJ 12 series
NVIDIA GeForce Go 6800 at 256
Intel Pentium 4 CPU 3.00GHz
2 gig of ram
1440x900 wide screen

And said it was tested at Alienware running Doom 3 at 102.6 FPS but I never tested it myself. I do have Q4 and Prey but they run so smooth I really never checked those FPSes either.

Q3 did have the cool level effects in there and the shaders did bring life to every level. Your def. right there. I think I'm going to start a forum post for a group of us to get togeteher and see if we can't make a small Q3 like clone from TGEA but totally original and unique. I don't want a carbon copy of Q3 but just something that plays like it did. Fun with eye popping candy. Then release it for those in the TGEA field to learn from and build upon. I don't usually try to copy others work, but I think doing a Q3 like game would be a learning experience for sure.

You can send me the samples at dlstorminc@yahoo.com if you like, I can't wait to check them out. Thanks much. again for the info. It has helped.

Will
dlstorminc@yahoo.com
Waskom, Tx

#30 @Will

I've just finished re-doing a few things to make it a bit nicer. And swapped out some weapons I had in there from content packs.

So uploading it on to some server space. Then I'll send you an e-mail for you take a look at it.

With all this playing with it again. I'll do what is required to get it to TGEA 1.01 - which isn't much :-).

#31 It looks at this point that Jaren has given up on this thread but in case he's still reading, I don't think there is any program anywhere that you can make a 3d game without some scripting. If there is please correct me but I don't think so. Since it is a hobby to you take the time to learn the script, do a small change here and there. Start off with adding another weapon and switching between them and keep working up.
Since it is a hobby there is no deadline there is no rush so learn it and work with it, but yes basically any type of game outside of FPS is going to certainly need code changes, many games within fps will need some code changes.
So as I put early on the truly most simple game to do in this with the least amount of changes would be a multiplayer only online deathmatch (which is basically what the demo is anyways) add a couple more weapons a couple more levels there you go.
People suggest starting off with 2d because with TGB you can minimise a lot of the scripting (you'll still need some) and don't really have to do any engine changes for most types of 2d games. That will help you get up to speed on the scripting for 3d games, but I think it's almost as easy to learn the script in tge as it is TGB there just happens to be more about TGB in the TDN.

#32 My biggest disappointment with the RTS kit is the code is not portable into another game. The camera system, the click selection, etc are all so intertwined with the rest of their custom c++ files it's almost impossible to use it elsewhere. Unless of course it really is and I'm a complete newb :)

#33 @Steve - So you bought the RTS kit in order to not make an RTS?