TGEForest Free Release
by Kyle Carter · 10/27/2007 (1:50 am) · 40 comments
Hey guys,
I mentioned this to one or two people at IGC and I found myself with a spare weekend, so here it goes...
I'm releasing the Forest Kit, now renamed TGEForest, for free, to all TGE licensees. Do with it what you will. It comes with no warranty and few restrictions - use it how you like, but please give credit and do not resell it as your own. If you want/need support or features, let me know (but be aware my time is limited).
You can read some previous .plans about my forest work here and here. Things have come a long way in the past few years - it's sort of fun to take a glance back into the mists of time... :)
Links:
tdn.garagegames.com/wiki/TGEForest/Installation
tdn.garagegames.com/wiki/TGEForest/Manual
Note that this code is entirely distinct from what Tom Spilman demoed at last year's GDC - his work is for Torque Advanced and integrates SpeedTree. This is just for TGE, although the code is accessible to Torque Advanced owners as well. Please don't get them confused. :)
Everything you need to know should be on the wiki article, including the download link.
Please post code questions in this forum thread. General questions can go here in the blog.
This code is basically release-ready. It's been tested but it never quite (due to deals with SpeedTree and such) made it out the door. The docs on the wiki should be enough to get you going. The install process is fairly well documented, although I had to make a few last-minute changes to play nice against 1.5.2 (since it includes many Lighting Kit related changes).
Enjoy! Go make something cool from this. :)
#22
(PS - I was totally a community member before I was an employee. GG community rocks! ;)
10/27/2007 (11:40 pm)
@Bobby: Well, technically... "community" usually refers to stuff that the very able GG community members do, while I'm actually a long-time GG employee. :) But I'm glad you like it - and I'd be excited to hear what the Devry profs think of it!(PS - I was totally a community member before I was an employee. GG community rocks! ;)
#23
10/28/2007 (8:34 am)
Yeah! Christmas came early this year! Can't wait to try this out!
#24
10/28/2007 (2:03 pm)
I need to check this and see if I can merge some code with my own forest ressource (TGEA) and see what I can salvage in both. 
#25
10/28/2007 (4:55 pm)
Damn, I thought this was supposed to focus on TGEA, then it would be supported in TGE.
#26
10/28/2007 (5:24 pm)
@Chris - you're probably thinking of Tom Spilman's forest pack. He took this code and rewrote it for TGEA. You should mail him and suggest he release his stuff. :)
#27
10/28/2007 (7:48 pm)
Ahhhh...
#28
Tom Spilman:
10/29/2007 (6:20 am)
For those of us with TGEATom Spilman:
Quote:The ForestKit will be shipping, but I don't have a firm date other than as
soon as I get time to finish some remaining bugs and issues. I'm glad Ben
posted the old stuff as it gives TGE people a good solution that i do not
have time to provide.
I hope to be posting something firm about all this in the next few days.
#29
10/29/2007 (7:15 am)
Thanks for all the hard work!!!
#30
10/29/2007 (9:11 am)
Thanks so much for this Ben!
#31
11/01/2007 (7:05 pm)
I can't see the forest for all these dang trees! Thanks Ben!
#32
11/02/2007 (11:31 am)
I'll have to take back all the things I said about "never shipping" and buy Ben a beer (probably rootbeer) to celebrate!
#33
There were some bugs in lighting and tree placement in the code drop. I have posted some fixes in the thread, so if you are encountering issues, head over there and help test my fixes! :)
Once I've fully fixed these issues I'll be releasing an updated code drop.
Ben
11/04/2007 (6:05 pm)
Hey guys,There were some bugs in lighting and tree placement in the code drop. I have posted some fixes in the thread, so if you are encountering issues, head over there and help test my fixes! :)
Once I've fully fixed these issues I'll be releasing an updated code drop.
Ben
#35
Much +karma to you :)
Mark
12/05/2007 (1:59 pm)
Amazing resource Ben. Thank you for sharing this with us poor folks. I'm going to try and roll this in this weekend. Look super.Much +karma to you :)
Mark
#36
Big Thanks Again, Josh
12/11/2007 (5:10 pm)
Man that's kickass of you to release all of your hard work on the Tree Pack to the whole community. Great work there Ben, I hope to get a go at this stuff sooner rather than late.Big Thanks Again, Josh
#37
02/09/2008 (1:29 pm)
Hello out there. I have implemented all of the code and tried to load the default declaration in the mission file, but keep getting this error: Missing file: newForest..cs! note the 2 periods, I even named the script file newForest..cs. As a result I am getting nothing. Anybody got any ideas what I am doing wrong. Greatly appreciate any help. 
#38
I get that newForest..cs too. But everything works.
The only thing I messed up on was making sure my tree files and terrain texture file is pointing to actual trees and textures I have in my game, in newForest.cs file. Then make sure you have your terrain painted with the appropriate texture to give you your trees. Might have to paint it then restart your mission.
Also, Ben says in the manual that he set the default number of trees to 0, might have to change that in the mission file. Hope that helped.
Very sweet resource, exactly what I needed for my RPG...Thank you very much for your hard work Ben! Greatly Greatly appreciated!
02/21/2008 (6:22 am)
@ShonI get that newForest..cs too. But everything works.
The only thing I messed up on was making sure my tree files and terrain texture file is pointing to actual trees and textures I have in my game, in newForest.cs file. Then make sure you have your terrain painted with the appropriate texture to give you your trees. Might have to paint it then restart your mission.
Also, Ben says in the manual that he set the default number of trees to 0, might have to change that in the mission file. Hope that helped.
Very sweet resource, exactly what I needed for my RPG...Thank you very much for your hard work Ben! Greatly Greatly appreciated!
#39
since the change it now says
Only Forest Kit owners can access this content
can the access be fixed please
thanks
02/01/2009 (4:50 am)
sorry how can i get to the linkssince the change it now says
Only Forest Kit owners can access this content
can the access be fixed please
thanks
#40
Installation Article
Manual
02/04/2009 (11:10 am)
Due to the TDN problems we have been experiencing, you can find the new Forrest Pack TDN Links here:Installation Article
Manual
Torque Owner Bobby Leighton
Imagn' Games