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my wishes for the next TGE(A)-Updates

Name:	Thomas Bang
Date Posted:	May 22, 2008
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Shape, static Shape, Item

I don't understand why this difference exists. It would be better to have only one of these objects/datablocks. The user can decide which properties he want to use.

TGE(A)-Editor

- the category-property should be removed (the editor should display automatically the folder-hierarchy under the game-root-folder with realtime-update)

- i create a dts/dif and place it in the level... now i want to modify this model with my 3d-app/Constructor... without to restart the engine or level... torque should now replace the older dts/dif with the newer version

- cutscene-editor: i like it to create cutscenes with ingame-graphics

Shadows

- each shape should have four properties:
cast stat. shadow
receive stat. shadow
cast dyn. shadow
receive dyn. shadow

ShowTool Pro

- Shader/Shadow-Preview (it's a real time-saver)
- ShowTool should be able to read Collada/FBX and convert these files to dts

Constructor

- if it's possible to append normal- and/or specmaps to interiors... constructor should display it

TGE(A)-Engine

- protect art assets (a publish-function could do it)
- the old problem: weapon go through the walls
(I know... we can move the weapon more to the player to avoid this. But it would be cool to have a flag like... zorder=true/false. Something like this.)

I hope some of these suggestions find their way to TGE(A)...

Greetings

Thomas Bang
Germany

Recent Blog Posts

List:	10/02/08 - use all engine functions from Torque in your own DLL. 05/22/08 - my wishes for the next TGE(A)-Updates 05/09/08 - gamebase.dll - ready to use (AES Rijndael)

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David Montgomery-Blake (May 22, 2008 at 13:24 GMT)

Good suggestions! A good couple of months (or more) of development there, but very good suggestions.

Ben Acord (May 22, 2008 at 14:17 GMT)

"ShowTool should be able to read Collada/FBX and convert these files to dts"

I'm a command line junky and would like to see a means for batch conversion.

Cut-scenes - I'm with ya.

"create a dts/dif and place it in the level" - Yes, I'd love to see easier, smoother cohesion.

Mark Dynna (May 22, 2008 at 18:07 GMT)

Quote:
Shape, static Shape, Item

I don't understand why this difference exists. It would be better to have only one of these objects/datablocks. The user can decide which properties he want to use.

I think more education is required here as those objects all have very different purposes. The reason they have different engine classes is that they all require distinct functionality.

When you pick an object out of the "Static Shape" menu in the Editor it will be implemented as a TSStatic object. These are objects that are very "light weight" in the engine with a lot of "extra" code stripped out of them. They are designed to add massive amounts of scenery to a level with a lot of "overhead" in taking up memory space and processing time.

From there you move into ShapeBase-derived objects, like StaticShape and Item, which are different properties. These objects can be animated, destroyed, and have datablocks attached to them. These objects should be considered example implementations and really should be customized to your individual game's needs. StaticShape is probably generic enough that it can be left alone, but Item is really something that needs to be customized to an individual game's needs.

Something that I think has never really been communicated well is that you (as a developer) are expected to customize your objects. Everything in the object hierarchy below ShapeBase should just be considered an "example" is not intended to be an all-encompassing solution for everyone's possible game needs.

Mark Dynna (May 22, 2008 at 18:08 GMT)

Quote:
- the category-property should be removed (the editor should display automatically the folder-hierarchy under the game-root-folder with realtime-update)

The same DTS shape might have multiple datablocks, so this is not entirely practical.

Thomas Bang (May 22, 2008 at 20:43 GMT)

@Mark

I dont see a problem. All models (except dif's) should be the same. It is the developers choice to add a datablock or not.
The advantage to have only one model-type is... the user can activate/deactivate each property he want.

Today... i have to decide... which object is a shape, static shape or item. That's not user-friendly.

Quote:
The same DTS shape might have multiple datablocks, so this is not entirely practical.

That's not true. I place a model in a level and i can choose a datablock for this model. If i place a model... it has his own instance. Each model has it's own datablock. There is no need to have multiple datablocks.

Matt Fairfax (May 22, 2008 at 20:43 GMT)

Mark already hit on the differences between Shape, Static Shape, and Items (thanks!) so I won't go into that like I had planned =) There are potentially ways you could combine them but then you would have to wade through *hundreds* of properties to figure out how to make it do what you want (go use the Unreal 3 editor some time to see what I mean ;). I do think the names are confusing and will be keeping an eye out for ways to make them easier to distinguish.

I addressed most of the rest of your requests over in this thread.

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