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Plan for David "Fulcrum" Wyand

Name:	David \"Fulcrum\" Wyand
Date Posted:	Jun 30, 2005
Rating:	4.5 out of 5
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Blog post

Deconstructing Constructor - Part 1

Welcome to the first in a series of frequently infrequent talks about Torque Constructor. Woohoo!

What is Torque Constructor
Torque Constructor is a .map (as in the .map file format) editing and .dif (the Torque interior file format) producing program being developed primarily by Matt Fairfax and myself under the direction of GarageGames. You may have seen the Development Snapshot of the Day posted back in March where the project was first announced. If you're familiar with programs like Valve's Hammer, with a smattering of traditional 3D apps such as NewTek's LightWave or Luxology's Modo, then you'll understand Constructor.

What I will NOT talk about
OK, let's get this out of the way up front. In this Deconstructing Constructor series I'll not be discussing release dates or pricing in these little talks. Some of you may jump up and down and wave your arms demanding this information, but all you'll get are funny looks. I'm the developer and not the publisher, so I cannot provide this information. I hope we'll not have to speak of this again. Please, don't make me get Pat's knife wielding monkey. :o)

Discussion: Constructor's GUI Layout
Constructor's primary window GUI has been designed to allow the user to modify its arrangement to suit their particular needs. Constructor will ship with a number of pre-built layouts to get you started. Here's a couple of examples, although unlikely to be the final versions:

Default Constructor Layout showing Tim Aste's church from his Content Pack 1
Larger Version

Mini Constructor Layout showing Tim Aste's church from his Content Pack 1
Larger Version

Both of these arrangements were built from scratch from within Constructor, and saved to be accessible under the Layout menu. The process of building your own layout is straightforward: you add horizontal and vertical splitters, drag them about, and fill the resultant panes with Forms. For example, the upper left pane in the Default layout above is filled with the Tools Form, which includes all of the buttons and tabs to access the various plug-in tools.

If you're one of those fortunate people that have a wide-screen monitor, there's nothing stopping you from having more than four 3D views. Below is an example of Constructor running across my two monitors giving an effective workspace of 2048x768. By strategically placing the 3D view's splitters along the center of my two monitors, none of the 3D views need cross from one monitor to the other. In fact, with this much real estate, I could have a Tools Form on both the left and right of the window to cut down on my mousing around.

Wow, that's big!
Larger Version

Finally, I've put together a 9MB Quicktime movie showing the process of building Constructor's default layout from scratch:

Take me there, baby!

Until next time, enjoy!

- LightWave Dave

NOTE: This .plan is now continued here.

Recent Blog Posts

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Submit your own resources!

Adam Lindsay (Jun 30, 2005 at 20:35 GMT)

Absolutely incredible.... can't wait....so when is it going to be out and how much will it cost? :P (Just kidding)... Great work. Looking forward to it.

Jorgen Ewelonn (Jun 30, 2005 at 20:37 GMT)

Great to finally get some info on this baby, been going nuts about it.

Looking good already, will you discuss features and fancy extras later ?

Don't be a stranger :)

[EDIT] and with features and extras I naturally mean the toolset for creating and manipulating geometry, adjusting textures and ofcourse the (possible) integration of (the new and improved) map2dif[/EDIT]

[EDIT.2]My spelling suck :([/EDIT]
Edited on Jun 30, 2005 20:43 GMT

Daniel Brown (Jun 30, 2005 at 20:46 GMT)

I'm loving the lightwave influence!

Clint S. Brewer (Jun 30, 2005 at 21:04 GMT)

looking really great, the video is hawt. thanks for sharing this info with us.

I'd also love to hear more about the geometry editing features, in particular if you guys are going to do anything interesting to help with eliminating light leaks / geometry getting off grid or making invalid brushes from rotating / cracks forming etc.

Prairie Games (Jun 30, 2005 at 21:21 GMT)

Very exciting!

-Josh Ritter
Prairie Games

Hokuto (Jun 30, 2005 at 21:37 GMT)

Wow!

Rodney (OldRod) Burns (Jun 30, 2005 at 22:32 GMT)

Great to finally see some information about this!! And that movie is awesome! I really love the total customization ability for the UI.

I'm really looking forward to this program ;)

Timothy Aste (Jun 30, 2005 at 22:34 GMT)

Having used this program extensively in it's Alpha state, and sitting across the room from Matt, I can say it's easily the coolest BSP program I've ever seen, I love it! It does everything I want when designing levels and THEN SOME, I could easily compare it to being the equivilent of a high-end 3D package for Level editing. Plus it's from Dave & Matt, so you KNOW it's good.

-Tim
Edited on Jun 30, 2005 22:35 GMT

Danny Ngan (Jun 30, 2005 at 22:51 GMT)

I'm not a level guy, and I'm still stoked about this. Looks really sweet! Keep up the good work guys!

Jordan (Jun 30, 2005 at 23:18 GMT)

Action centers on transforms? Is that a placeholder panel or do you have that actually working in this build?

Shit, either way, that is incredibly cool to stick in a map editor. good move.

Are there any plans to include a soft selection system? Just curious.

James Polston (Jul 01, 2005 at 00:27 GMT)

You guys just can't stop amazing me! Great work, I remember way back when you guys released the first shot of that. And this customizable UI, just one word, genius. pure genius. UI is often what turns people off sometimes because they just "dont get it".
This is turning out most impressive!
keep up the good work, and keep us update ^__^

-James

Michael Hense (Jul 01, 2005 at 00:50 GMT)

yeah... but did ya see the video... he kept adding horizontal split after horizontal split... the movie was rapidly coming to and end, and i was hoping to see him add a building or something...

... but he just kept on adding those horizontal splits... just enough time left for a quick building... then he goes and adds tow vertical splits this time!!!!

what a tease :)

seriously though... i hope there is an option to save the layout after setting up such a nice work area... or at least some deafult layouts...

looks like Constructor is another tool i've gotta make space for...

Thanks for the preview D...

--Mike
Edited on Jul 01, 2005 02:34 GMT

Pat Wilson (Jul 01, 2005 at 02:46 GMT)

There are default layouts and ways to save the layouts, of course Michael ;)

Eric Elwell (Jul 01, 2005 at 02:47 GMT)

This is *flat out awesome* ... Can't wait to get my grubby hands on it! ;)

Jesse (Midhir) Liles (Jul 01, 2005 at 06:30 GMT)

You can rest assured that I'll be saving up a pound of flesh to buy this when it's released...
I was going to buy cartography shop, but, this makes CS look like a pile of steaming crap.

James Laker (BurNinG) (Jul 01, 2005 at 06:40 GMT)

David: You showed us that all these views are cool and everything... It looks cool.
But will it be possible to create simple models like we find in Silo? By this I mean
there is only a 3d view, and the geometry can be edited in the 3D view...

Milkshape 2 is also doing this.

The mini layout reminds me of Silo though... and that Rules...

/me jumps up and waves arms...

Gareth Fouche (Jul 01, 2005 at 06:52 GMT)

That is just....awesome....pure unadultered awesome.

Nick Zafiris (Jul 01, 2005 at 09:47 GMT)

Thanks for updating us David! Very well presented, looking forward to your next plans.

Nick

Gabor Forrai (Jul 01, 2005 at 21:05 GMT)

Incredible layout Dave, like a new LW plugin ... clean, looks like very user friendly stuff. Keep up the right work Dave ! :)

James (Jul 01, 2005 at 22:50 GMT)

Brilliant!!!
More!!!
MORE!!!

Anton Bursch (Jul 01, 2005 at 23:28 GMT)

What everyone else said.

Tim Muenstermann (Jul 02, 2005 at 13:52 GMT)

Will it wash my car too?

:P

David Montgomery-Blake (Jul 02, 2005 at 16:53 GMT)

@Burning
It's designed for map creation, not model creation. But, you can create and edit in the 3D viewports. Take a closer look at the actual panes that Dave sets and you'll see some of the nifty geometry features available. You can also check out Tim Aste's video demo to see a tiddbit of usage.

Flybynight Studios (Jul 04, 2005 at 04:01 GMT) Resource Rating: 4

Yeah it's great and all. We already know that guys. Seriously.

What's getting really annoying is that we were told "really soon" back in March. Can we please hear something re a timeframe. Geezus at this point I'd settle for "before christmas". I've got 2 people wanting to do resources for me and I'm asking them to hold off buying Cart shop but we are starting the resources next week regardless. If that means cart shop, so be it.

Let's call a spade a spade guys, your communication on this particular product has been pretty sub standard.

Mark

David \"Fulcrum\" Wyand (Jul 04, 2005 at 19:52 GMT)

Greetings!

It's great to hear that most of you liked this first write up. It takes a lot of time to put even something like this together.

My plan is to continue to do write ups on other parts of Constructor over time, similar in vein to what Melv did for Torque2D. I'm sure Matt Fairfax will also talk about the parts he's been working on as he has time.

Jordan:
What specifically do you mean by 'soft selection' -- something like that in Silo3D? Or something else?

Burning:
I'm certainly working towards making the 3D Perspective view as operational as I can within a v1.0 release. I'd like to have it so you can do everything from the Perspective view, but in the end it'll come down to the time remaining before release.

Flybynight Studios (Mark):
Please post the reference to a 'real soon' release date that was made back in March so that I may put in a note saying that it is incorrect. I just can't find where anyone wrote that Constructor was going to be released soon. The only reference I can find to a release date is from the Dev Snapshot, which reads:

Quote:
This shot demonstrates part of Torque Constructors interface with both the Windows and OS X skin. Torque Constructor will be released this year and will be a full-featured interior editor. It will be able to load .map files, save .map files, and save directly to Torques DIF run-time interior format (no map2dif process required!). It has several other interesting features, but we are not talking about them just yet.

The emphasis is my own to indicate the pertinent information. Please Mark, let me know where you received your information so that no one else may have the wrong impression. Thanks!

- LightWave Dave

Flybynight Studios (Jul 04, 2005 at 21:49 GMT) Resource Rating: 4

Hey Dave. Thanks for the prompt reply.

First off, sincere apologies for coming off sounding like an ass. I think my frustration got the better of me last night. Thanks for being a good sport. After 4 years of working on my own software I should be well versed in how easily minor delays turn into bigger ones.

I'll go ref the post from March. If I recall correctly it was after the GDC conference or the thread about it there. I'll linky in a min.

Thanks Dave, keep up the great work. I know you will have anexceptional product when it's out.

EDIT: And it turns out I was not correct ;) it wasn't the GDC thread it was this one. :

http://www.garagegames.com/mg/forums/result.thread.php?qt=27148

Josh answered a post of mine there. (That'll teach you Josh ;) )
Seriously though, I completely understand setbacks happen etc but even a loose timeframe is all I'm after. Obviously it's been pushed back from what was expected back in March. Honestly what it boils down to is money. I've poured literally thousands of dollars into my game over the last 4 years and it's my own out of pocket cash. It is just tough for me to fork out $300 for 3 copies of Cart Shop (With pipeline) and then have to pay again for three more copies of Constructor when it comes out. Truthfully (although the pipeline is an awesome plugin) I would like to support GG as they have given so much to indie devs I truely feel obligated to give them any monies I can. Anyways Dave... STOP READING MSGS AND GO FINISH THE PROJECT ;) Enjoy the 4th and good luck.

Mark

EDIT #2: Doh, just re-read your post re the "released this year". Although not welcome news it is still a better timeframe than I was originally planning around. Thanks for your responses and time Dave. I wish you all the best with Constructor I know it's got to be alot of work with all teh Xplatform stuff and testing. Will be looking for more info on Constructor towards the Fall of this year maybe.

Thanks again Dave,

Mark
Edited on Jul 04, 2005 22:07 GMT

James Laker (BurNinG) (Jul 05, 2005 at 06:06 GMT)

@David 1: I know... I just find it so much easier in programs using the Perspective view only. Then fixing/adding smaller detail later using the other view. I makes 3d modeling feel easier and makes you feel more in control. Map creation... Model Creation... not that different... but i know what you mean :)

@David 2: Awesome...

Only a maximum waiting time of 6 months for this if GG keeps on schedule... Hell, I waited 6 years for HalfLife 2

Dave Calabrese (Jul 26, 2005 at 21:33 GMT)

Oh yea... bring Constructor to papa... daddy needs his fix... *twitch-twitch*

Treb Connell (formerlyMasterTreb (Jul 27, 2005 at 16:37 GMT)

yay finnaly some solid info on the cunstructor people were beggining to get restless! I can't wait I'd better start saving my pennies.

Flybynight Studios (Sep 12, 2005 at 08:11 GMT) Resource Rating: 4

2 more months and not a peep =( Or did I miss something?

Hope progress is well. Has any price tag been discussed yet? 30-40-50-60?

Thanks

CDK (Dec 01, 2005 at 20:47 GMT)

Maybe they want to release it as a XMAS present? ;)

James Moliere (May 02, 2006 at 03:01 GMT)

Yawn....I think I'll check back next year. All I read are messages, "I can't wait!!!" from last year!!! I'm sure Constructor is NOT vaporware but it's certainly not on my machine and to advertise this software from over a year ago seems to be a bit irresponsible.

Of course, there is no site to register so I'll be notified when the product ships.

Somebody wake me up when this product ships!

Thanks!

Anthony Lopes (Nov 29, 2006 at 15:51 GMT)

Man, this program looks so awesome.
Please... for the love of all things everywhere. Tell me this will be a STABLE piece of sofware.
Gamespace, Torque, Freeworld.. they all have major, crippling, issues. Can't something just work the way it says it does anymore.
Here's to hoping...
Edited on Nov 29, 2006 15:57 GMT

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