Marathon Man...
by Todd Pickens · 01/31/2007 (1:38 pm) · 19 comments
...Minus 13.1
It has been way too long since my last post, and I have been a busy man.
I started the new year by training for and running in my first half marathon. The best I can describe it would be like being in a polite stampede.
I actually had a blast, and am training for another run coming up soon.
But the running is easy, you just put one foot in front of the other, then repeat until you cross the finish line. The real marathon I have been tackling is game development and content pack creation.
I am working on an very cool little TGB project/mad scientist experiment with my development partner, Jon Jorajuria, and can't wait to share it, but it's not yet ready for prime time, so more on that later. I have a lot of stuff to show in the coming weeks, so I'll keep this one short.
I have been working on updates to both the FPS Environment pack and the RTS Environment pack. See pics below.
The Road Ahead
My research and development on three new large scale content packs is almost complete, at least one of which is going to raze the bar for my future packs, and I hope provide a more diverse and higher quality product for everyone.
Most of the R&D has been about really analyzing Torque and figuring out how to take the visual complexity of TGE environments to another level. Its sort of like an old economics class assignment I did in high school many years ago. You get one sheet of note book paper, one paper clip, one rubber band and 3 inches of scotch tape. Now build the highest free standing tower possible. For the record, I won the tower building contest.
Game development, or in this case, environment development, is sort of the same thing. You have a limited set of resources, in this case, the engines features and capabilities (plus a lot of fantastic community created resources), and a goal, make an awesome environment.
Thats a little bit simplified. The "make it awesome" part is to inspire the user, but fundamentally it has to provide good quality content for them to work with.
I will be starting official development of those new packs and updates soon.
It has been way too long since my last post, and I have been a busy man.
I started the new year by training for and running in my first half marathon. The best I can describe it would be like being in a polite stampede.
I actually had a blast, and am training for another run coming up soon.
But the running is easy, you just put one foot in front of the other, then repeat until you cross the finish line. The real marathon I have been tackling is game development and content pack creation.
I am working on an very cool little TGB project/mad scientist experiment with my development partner, Jon Jorajuria, and can't wait to share it, but it's not yet ready for prime time, so more on that later. I have a lot of stuff to show in the coming weeks, so I'll keep this one short.
I have been working on updates to both the FPS Environment pack and the RTS Environment pack. See pics below.
The Road Ahead
My research and development on three new large scale content packs is almost complete, at least one of which is going to raze the bar for my future packs, and I hope provide a more diverse and higher quality product for everyone.
Most of the R&D has been about really analyzing Torque and figuring out how to take the visual complexity of TGE environments to another level. Its sort of like an old economics class assignment I did in high school many years ago. You get one sheet of note book paper, one paper clip, one rubber band and 3 inches of scotch tape. Now build the highest free standing tower possible. For the record, I won the tower building contest.
Game development, or in this case, environment development, is sort of the same thing. You have a limited set of resources, in this case, the engines features and capabilities (plus a lot of fantastic community created resources), and a goal, make an awesome environment.
Thats a little bit simplified. The "make it awesome" part is to inspire the user, but fundamentally it has to provide good quality content for them to work with.
I will be starting official development of those new packs and updates soon.
About the author
#3
01/31/2007 (1:54 pm)
Nice pine tree - when will it be released? I want that pine tree!!!!!!! :)
#4
Thanks very much, all of the work has a ways to go, but its taking shape.
@ Andy,
Thanks Andy, the pine tree is not quite ready yet, but its close. I am doing a several variations, snow, no snow, full foliage, sparse foliage, RTS version, FPS version, etc.
01/31/2007 (2:01 pm)
@ Joshua & Tim,Thanks very much, all of the work has a ways to go, but its taking shape.
@ Andy,
Thanks Andy, the pine tree is not quite ready yet, but its close. I am doing a several variations, snow, no snow, full foliage, sparse foliage, RTS version, FPS version, etc.
#5
Nothing is carved in stone yet, but the list looks something like this...
- Full TGE 1.5 support to include the shader water resource.
- Alternate seasons with new sky boxes, map textures, trees and plants some other stuff I have not nailed down yet.
- And a few surprises I am gonna keep under my hat for now.
01/31/2007 (2:10 pm)
Almost forgot, the updates for the RTS Pack and The FPS pack are going to be free...unless Tim freaks on me and says I'm crazy.Nothing is carved in stone yet, but the list looks something like this...
- Full TGE 1.5 support to include the shader water resource.
- Alternate seasons with new sky boxes, map textures, trees and plants some other stuff I have not nailed down yet.
- And a few surprises I am gonna keep under my hat for now.
#6
01/31/2007 (2:44 pm)
Sweet! (And please Tim... don't freak out!) 
#8
01/31/2007 (3:22 pm)
Awesome! Really enjoy seeing your work...and the pine trees, of course. ;)
#9
... must... bow... before... Master... *grovels*
01/31/2007 (3:35 pm)
Lovely can't wait to see/hear more.... must... bow... before... Master... *grovels*
#12
01/31/2007 (3:54 pm)
I love how vivid those colors looks! Awesome job!
#13
Thanks very much guys, that keeps me motivated. I am really glad you like it.
@ Rubes,
Thanks Rubes, I know you are looking for those pine trees. I'll keep you posted.
@ Thak,
No groveling! Beating will resume until the groveling stops.
Seriously, thanks very much.
@ Ian,
Glad you like it Ian, I have been itching to revisit that RTS pack for a long while now.
01/31/2007 (4:16 pm)
@ Daz, Tom Bentz, Tom Perry, and Philippe,Thanks very much guys, that keeps me motivated. I am really glad you like it.
@ Rubes,
Thanks Rubes, I know you are looking for those pine trees. I'll keep you posted.
@ Thak,
No groveling! Beating will resume until the groveling stops.
Seriously, thanks very much.
@ Ian,
Glad you like it Ian, I have been itching to revisit that RTS pack for a long while now.
#14
raze?
So this one is going to be so good that you can only go down after that? ;p
02/01/2007 (2:08 am)
Quote:at least one of which is going to raze the bar for my future packs
raze?
So this one is going to be so good that you can only go down after that? ;p
#15
I don't know about the "going to be so good that you can only go down after that" part. But there could be worse fates. Besides, tomorrow is promised to no one, as the saying goes.
I try to make each effort stronger than the last. Every step is a learning experience, and I still have a lot to learn.
My basic development plan is to take everything I have learned from the previous projects successes and failures, and apply it to the next one. Additionally, I try to spot light various resources, like the shader water and the square area fxFoliage Replicator in the last pack. What I hope this does is bring these options to the attention of the end user and help them better achieve their project goals.
As the quality of everyones projects goes up, so does the demand for better and better content and resources.
With this snow ball effect of progressive improvement, the whole community benefits. Or at least thats my hope.
Some of the areas I want to improve on from an instructional perspective, is to provide some simple tutorials on the how and why of various aspects of my content packs.
For example, I want to develop a good clear write up on alpha sorting and the challenges that creates for things like tree construction, and the many solutions available. Or the often overlooked impact that the first person FOV setting has on "apparent" scale within the game, vs the actual scale visible in 3rd person.
Bla, bla, bla, yada, yada, yada...I haven't had any coffee yet.
02/01/2007 (11:02 am)
Neo, I guess it actually should have been "raise the bar" :O)I don't know about the "going to be so good that you can only go down after that" part. But there could be worse fates. Besides, tomorrow is promised to no one, as the saying goes.
I try to make each effort stronger than the last. Every step is a learning experience, and I still have a lot to learn.
My basic development plan is to take everything I have learned from the previous projects successes and failures, and apply it to the next one. Additionally, I try to spot light various resources, like the shader water and the square area fxFoliage Replicator in the last pack. What I hope this does is bring these options to the attention of the end user and help them better achieve their project goals.
As the quality of everyones projects goes up, so does the demand for better and better content and resources.
With this snow ball effect of progressive improvement, the whole community benefits. Or at least thats my hope.
Some of the areas I want to improve on from an instructional perspective, is to provide some simple tutorials on the how and why of various aspects of my content packs.
For example, I want to develop a good clear write up on alpha sorting and the challenges that creates for things like tree construction, and the many solutions available. Or the often overlooked impact that the first person FOV setting has on "apparent" scale within the game, vs the actual scale visible in 3rd person.
Bla, bla, bla, yada, yada, yada...I haven't had any coffee yet.
#16
02/01/2007 (11:33 am)
I love the update, what about a night update with the moon and stars? Can't wait to see your next project if it as good as this pack i will buy.
#17
Funny you should mention that, I was thinking the same thing. I was jogging to the gym last night and there was this beautiful moon with all these stars and clouds sort of encircling the whole scene....
I may get time to add that in. It's a new sky box, a moon, clouds, new light settings, and maybe some crickets chirping and owls hooting. Would be pretty cool.
02/01/2007 (11:39 am)
@ Kory,Funny you should mention that, I was thinking the same thing. I was jogging to the gym last night and there was this beautiful moon with all these stars and clouds sort of encircling the whole scene....
I may get time to add that in. It's a new sky box, a moon, clouds, new light settings, and maybe some crickets chirping and owls hooting. Would be pretty cool.
#18
02/04/2007 (7:52 pm)
I just got the FPS package the other day and it really is spectacular. Awesome work. These updates look phenomenal as well. You mentioned something about a "Sleepy Hollow" content pack in your FPS Pack post mortem. Any news reagarding that?
#19
Really glad you like the FPS pack and thanks very much for the support.
I definitely want to revisit the Sleepy Hollow theme, but I have a few other in the works that I have to get out of my system first.
02/04/2007 (10:20 pm)
Jak,Really glad you like the FPS pack and thanks very much for the support.
I definitely want to revisit the Sleepy Hollow theme, but I have a few other in the works that I have to get out of my system first.
Torque Owner Joshua Dallman
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For those that missed it, check out his frog in our Art Snapshot Gallery - makes great wallpaper.