iTGB 1.3 Planning
by Michael Perry · in iTorque 2D · 06/01/2009 (10:50 am) · 218 replies
The iTorque Updates Blog contains the iTGB Roadmap, which announces plans for v1.3. Here is a recap:
iTGB 1.3: The highest priority is upgrading the engine to work with the 3.0 OS and SDK for iPhones. This includes compatibility and integrating the new features.
* Compile iTGB against 3.0 SDK, with GCC 4.2
* Full motion video playback, with examples exposed to script
* Displaying pictures from device library
* Playing music from device library
* Camera access from device
In addition to 3.0 compatibility and new features, the following improvements to the base engine will be made.
* Integration of Melv May’s memory reduction code
* Significant load time reduction
* PVR for cell-based sprite sheets
* New iPhone features exposed to TorqueScript via C++ handlers
* Gesture callbacks for swipe, pinch, and zoom
* More documentation on creating optimized games, using iPhone specific features, and general reference to frameworks (engine code)
* Community member contributions
o Vibration by Dave Calabrese
o Loading and saving game data to device by Dave Calabrese
o Multi-Touch and gestures by Dave Calabrese and Justin Mosiman
* General optimizations that will increase fps
Please use this thread to post feedback about the upcoming features, or 3.0 specific functionality you might be interested in. Try not to clutter this with current bugs or 1.2 issues, which are addressed elsewhere.
iTGB 1.3: The highest priority is upgrading the engine to work with the 3.0 OS and SDK for iPhones. This includes compatibility and integrating the new features.
* Compile iTGB against 3.0 SDK, with GCC 4.2
* Full motion video playback, with examples exposed to script
* Displaying pictures from device library
* Playing music from device library
* Camera access from device
In addition to 3.0 compatibility and new features, the following improvements to the base engine will be made.
* Integration of Melv May’s memory reduction code
* Significant load time reduction
* PVR for cell-based sprite sheets
* New iPhone features exposed to TorqueScript via C++ handlers
* Gesture callbacks for swipe, pinch, and zoom
* More documentation on creating optimized games, using iPhone specific features, and general reference to frameworks (engine code)
* Community member contributions
o Vibration by Dave Calabrese
o Loading and saving game data to device by Dave Calabrese
o Multi-Touch and gestures by Dave Calabrese and Justin Mosiman
* General optimizations that will increase fps
Please use this thread to post feedback about the upcoming features, or 3.0 specific functionality you might be interested in. Try not to clutter this with current bugs or 1.2 issues, which are addressed elsewhere.
About the author
Programmer.
#2
As far as time frame goes, I'm still working that out. When I know the release schedule, I will post it here.
06/01/2009 (11:06 am)
@Raphael - Some of these features will make it into 1.2, but it depends on when they are finished. For instance, the features you mentioned are already in resource format freely available. For the official release, we will build off those base resources and improve them a little.As far as time frame goes, I'm still working that out. When I know the release schedule, I will post it here.
#3
06/01/2009 (12:02 pm)
Was the video playback resource posted? I have the other ones so far and they're working great.
#4
I've written a more technical roadmap for internal use that acts as a spec doc for development. It's there I can specify how a new module would work:
Video Playback:
* MPEG-4 file support
* Renders to separate XIB
* Obj-C code hooked into C++ engine, similar to OS keyboard module
* Exposed to ConsoleFunction Callback: playVideo("data/videos/myVideo.m4v")
* Loading
* Playing
* Pausing
* Unloading
* Returns error codes for failed video
* Pauses game simulation while playing
* Video completed callback, such as Con::executf(1, "onVideoCompleted")
We want to make it easy to play a video, but it's not a module we can just slap together and call it "working."
06/01/2009 (12:47 pm)
@Raphael - Nothing has been posted for video playback yet. I mentioned in another post I got a sample video to play by pushing a GUI button in iTGB, but it was very rough and did not have a clean exit back to the game. Obviously not something that would go into a release build. I've written a more technical roadmap for internal use that acts as a spec doc for development. It's there I can specify how a new module would work:
Video Playback:
* MPEG-4 file support
* Renders to separate XIB
* Obj-C code hooked into C++ engine, similar to OS keyboard module
* Exposed to ConsoleFunction Callback: playVideo("data/videos/myVideo.m4v")
* Loading
* Playing
* Pausing
* Unloading
* Returns error codes for failed video
* Pauses game simulation while playing
* Video completed callback, such as Con::executf(1, "onVideoCompleted")
We want to make it easy to play a video, but it's not a module we can just slap together and call it "working."
#5
06/01/2009 (1:35 pm)
Fair enough! That looks like there's more involvement than I expected than just "Ok, now play video here." Looking forward to the implementation. 
#6
Any of the bugs have to do with optimization or is that not until 1.3?
06/01/2009 (1:55 pm)
"This Friday (6/5/09), we will be releasing iTGB v1.2.1" was mentioned in the blog. Any of the bugs have to do with optimization or is that not until 1.3?
#7
If I say 1.2.x, that means we have not determined the order of a particular bug fix.
06/01/2009 (2:05 pm)
If you scan the bug threads, I've already marked what will be fixed in v1.2.1.If I say 1.2.x, that means we have not determined the order of a particular bug fix.
#8
06/01/2009 (4:25 pm)
Are you also reducing the number of targets in the iPhone project?
#9
06/01/2009 (4:26 pm)
@Ronny - Yes, down to 2. 
#10
06/02/2009 (7:51 am)
Another suggestion either for 1.2.1 or 1.3 would be for the build to only copy PVRs that have associated PNGS - I believe the build process currently copies all images - so PNGS that aren't needed on the iPhone are still copied, increasing the application size. 
#11
1) Using iPhone system message boxes, their on/off sliders, etc.
2) The new DLC purchasing of content supported in 3.0
06/05/2009 (2:13 am)
Integrated Torque / TorqueScript support for:1) Using iPhone system message boxes, their on/off sliders, etc.
2) The new DLC purchasing of content supported in 3.0
#12
1. Good idea.
2. This is part of the Store Kit integration I mentioned. This definitely seems like the most daunting task for a couple of reasons:
*Complex module by itself
*Integration adds alien tech to TGB that has never been attempted, micro-transactions
*Must be the most polished new module to go in, since it deals with money
06/05/2009 (8:00 am)
@Luke -1. Good idea.
2. This is part of the Store Kit integration I mentioned. This definitely seems like the most daunting task for a couple of reasons:
*Complex module by itself
*Integration adds alien tech to TGB that has never been attempted, micro-transactions
*Must be the most polished new module to go in, since it deals with money
#13
Hehehehe, sorry I somehow glanced over your "store kit" point.
Yeah, I'm sure that that one will be the most difficult one to pull off. If it proves to be a time consumer, I'd suggest v1.3 released sooner rather than later with all of the other 3.0 support, then a v1.3.1 with the store support later.
I'll be in touch with you in regards to our usage of it in case we need to work on it as well before you guys are done (but it'll be on the iTGE side rather... should be a straight plug into iTGB though).
06/06/2009 (1:59 am)
@ Mich:Hehehehe, sorry I somehow glanced over your "store kit" point.
Yeah, I'm sure that that one will be the most difficult one to pull off. If it proves to be a time consumer, I'd suggest v1.3 released sooner rather than later with all of the other 3.0 support, then a v1.3.1 with the store support later.
I'll be in touch with you in regards to our usage of it in case we need to work on it as well before you guys are done (but it'll be on the iTGE side rather... should be a straight plug into iTGB though).
#14
06/21/2009 (11:43 am)
A question: are there any plans to integrate some smart pooling functionality to get rid of the "create stuff and trash it right again" situation?
#15
07/01/2009 (9:06 pm)
Do you have an ETA for the 1.3 release? 
#16
07/02/2009 (7:44 am)
Alexandru: really good question...
#17
07/02/2009 (9:39 am)
No ETA yet, though it would be nice if it could coincide with Casual Connect.
#18
07/02/2009 (9:55 am)
Any chance we could get a beta version of the 1.3 version?
#19
07/02/2009 (10:24 am)
Only when we have something stable.
#20
07/22/2009 (1:49 am)
Is there any news about 1.3? ETA? 
Torque Owner BeyondtheTech
Default Studio Name
Any chance of getting some of these improvements early than the 1.3 release, such as the multitouch and pinch/swipe resources recently posted? I'd really like to squeeze in a video intro into my game (also bringing into question whether or not a 2-second splash screen in the video is acceptable for license).