Long time no blog

It has been awhile since I've posted a blog, and I've been itching to make some more posts over the past few weeks, but I've been having a tough time deciding what to post.

As some of you know, I've been rather disappointed with Torque, not as a game engine, but for its tool integration.

Constructor was a step in the right direction, but it's not quite what I was wanting.

Don't get me wrong... TGE and TGEA are absolutely awesome FPS game engines, and with a bit of programing you can do nearly anything with them, provided you're a competent C++ programmer.

I have nothing but respect for the entire Garage Games crew... they've provided some incredible game engines at unbeatable prices.

But... they're still too hard to use for mainstream indie / hobby game developers.

I continue believing that making games should be easier.

Here are some of the pitfalls I see in many of today's game creation tools:

Modeling Tools

Some tools have many features and functions that aren't even meant to be used while creating games. These tools are multi-purpose and can be used for creating full-featured animated films. If you are unfamiliar with these tools or with creating games using a specific game engine, you're likely to create a model that cannot even be exported to the game engine.

Programming Tools

Why is it that most game development programming tools are so far behind? Only recently have there been tools that help with auto-completion, syntax colorization, etc. Where's my "refactor" tool? Where are my class hierarchy diagrams? Where's my version control integration?

Integration!

When I'm working at my day job, I have an integrated development environment where my source code editor, database modeling, GUI editor, UML modeling, version control, bug / feature tracking, performance / unit / regression testing, documentation, project management, etc are all integrated into a nice, beautiful IDE.

Why isn't it this way for game development?

If you want something done right, do it yourself.

I've been piddling around, making games as a hobby, but I'm frustrated at all of the hurdles that normally shouldn't be in my way.

I'm fairly good at 3d artwork and game design, and I'm a good developer. Some of my co-works would even say that I'm a great developer.

Earlier this year when I was at IMGDC 2007, I had a revelation. If I'm such a great developer, why am I wasting my time using someone else's software to help me create games?

I decided that it was time for me to stop messing around at making games as a hobby and start making the ultimate Integrated Game Developement Environment. Not just a programmer's tool, but 3d modeling, terrain creation, GUI editing... everything you need to make a game.

That was the birth of IndieZen Game Studio.

Current Status

Sevent months after starting, I'm nearing completion of the second huge milestone... I know, I've promised a few of you screenshots in the past, but not quite yet.

I'm planning on giving a technology demo of the IndieZen Game Studio at IMGDC 2008 along with unveiling another product geared towards the creation of virtual worlds.

If you can't make it to the conference, I'll start posting screenshots soon thereafter.

Torque Support

A few of you that have been following my progress have begged me to include Torque suport.

As of right now, I haven't fully committed to supporting Torque, although I do have a TorqueScript editor nearing completion (debugging isn't done yet, syntax highlighting, etc is finished).

For me to properly integrate TGE into the IDE, I would have to purchase a commercial license of Torque and I've not decided if that is the correct way for me to go yet. Torque also doesn't follow my "distribute a framework, not a game engine" philosophy and it would take quite a bit of work to resolve that issue.

If I don't include full Torque support, I will at least include DTS / DIF exporters.

Anyways, happy Torquing...