Torque X Builder 3D Update
by John Kanalakis · 05/26/2008 (4:29 pm) · 32 comments
Torque X Builder 3D is making great strides as its coming near the end of development. The awesome Ken Holst has already ramped up the QA team to begin seeking out those pesky bugs. We're all moving as fast as possible to bring this out to the public quickly. That means trimming back some of those features that would be nice to have.
In order to make the game truly WYSIWYG, the 3D Builder essentially runs an instance of the stock Torque X 2.0 game engine. That means getting creative about how some things are implemented, such as a new Designer camera, Axis Gizmo (as described in the last post), and scene Serializer (to compliment the existing scene De-Serializer).
Here are a few of the features that did make it into the first release. In this picture, the well known desertLevel.txscene from the FPSDemo project is loaded. The Object Type editor shows the object types that are defined within the project that can be assigned to various objects. The 3D Builder is also set to the default panel layout with the color scheme is set to silver.
In this picture, I've changed the panel layout to my personal favorite - the Asset Browser on the left, scene graph on the top-right, and the Properties window on the bottom right. I've also changed the color scheme to blue. You can also see the representation of a "Spawner" object (the green box). Invisible entity objects, such as Spawner, Lights, Sound Emitters, Cameras, and Triggers appear as box markers.
Sometimes I find it faster to tweak values straight in XML (though I dread creating levels by hand in XML). Here's a monstrous view with the XML editor side-by-side with the 3D viewport. The viewport also reveals the latest form of the Axis Gizmo which looks a lot like the TGE(A) Mission Editor gizmo. Although they look and work similarly, they are completely different in code. You can also see the automatic sizing of the 3D Viewport to maintain a 4:3 aspect ratio. Adding a 16:9 HDTV aspect ratio will probably be saved for the next release.
Assigning and editing components is pretty easy, but I can try to make it look complicated. In this picture, the selected component Properties are listed. You can change the selected component from the drop-down-list. As you set the component properties, they are applied in realtime to keep-up the WYSIWYG goal. To add or remove components, click the green Add button to the right of the drop-down-list. This opens a new dialog box that lets you add or remove components.
Even integration with Visual Studio (2005) is completed. Torque X Builder 3D works just like its 2D counterpart. You can import assets, such as 3D shapes and textures into the 3D Builder. The 3D Builder will automatically update your XNA Game Studio (C#) project. But it's up to you to rebuild that project. After the project has been rebuilt (and the art assets have been compiled into .xnb files), you can add them into your 3D scene and position them. Also, like the 2D Builder, the 3D Builder also scans the generated myschema.txschema file to find out what components you created, so you can attach them to your project.
That's about it for now. We have been working pretty hard on this project to bring out to the public as soon as possible. Though I don't have any official release date to share, we're now talking in terms of weeks instead of months. And with our level of excitement, I'm sure there's going to be a lot of fireworks with the product launch.
John K.
In order to make the game truly WYSIWYG, the 3D Builder essentially runs an instance of the stock Torque X 2.0 game engine. That means getting creative about how some things are implemented, such as a new Designer camera, Axis Gizmo (as described in the last post), and scene Serializer (to compliment the existing scene De-Serializer).
Here are a few of the features that did make it into the first release. In this picture, the well known desertLevel.txscene from the FPSDemo project is loaded. The Object Type editor shows the object types that are defined within the project that can be assigned to various objects. The 3D Builder is also set to the default panel layout with the color scheme is set to silver.
In this picture, I've changed the panel layout to my personal favorite - the Asset Browser on the left, scene graph on the top-right, and the Properties window on the bottom right. I've also changed the color scheme to blue. You can also see the representation of a "Spawner" object (the green box). Invisible entity objects, such as Spawner, Lights, Sound Emitters, Cameras, and Triggers appear as box markers.
Sometimes I find it faster to tweak values straight in XML (though I dread creating levels by hand in XML). Here's a monstrous view with the XML editor side-by-side with the 3D viewport. The viewport also reveals the latest form of the Axis Gizmo which looks a lot like the TGE(A) Mission Editor gizmo. Although they look and work similarly, they are completely different in code. You can also see the automatic sizing of the 3D Viewport to maintain a 4:3 aspect ratio. Adding a 16:9 HDTV aspect ratio will probably be saved for the next release.
Assigning and editing components is pretty easy, but I can try to make it look complicated. In this picture, the selected component Properties are listed. You can change the selected component from the drop-down-list. As you set the component properties, they are applied in realtime to keep-up the WYSIWYG goal. To add or remove components, click the green Add button to the right of the drop-down-list. This opens a new dialog box that lets you add or remove components.
Even integration with Visual Studio (2005) is completed. Torque X Builder 3D works just like its 2D counterpart. You can import assets, such as 3D shapes and textures into the 3D Builder. The 3D Builder will automatically update your XNA Game Studio (C#) project. But it's up to you to rebuild that project. After the project has been rebuilt (and the art assets have been compiled into .xnb files), you can add them into your 3D scene and position them. Also, like the 2D Builder, the 3D Builder also scans the generated myschema.txschema file to find out what components you created, so you can attach them to your project.
That's about it for now. We have been working pretty hard on this project to bring out to the public as soon as possible. Though I don't have any official release date to share, we're now talking in terms of weeks instead of months. And with our level of excitement, I'm sure there's going to be a lot of fireworks with the product launch.
John K.
About the author
John Kanalakis is the owner of EnvyGames, an independent game development studio in Silicon Valley that produces games and tools for Xbox 360, Windows, and the Web.
#2
05/26/2008 (6:56 pm)
Nice post John. Definitely lots of excitement about XNA this year. 
#3
It has been said that making the editors more easily mod-able is a goal in T2, are any of those changes getting into / starting out with this new editor?
As an example of what I mean by mod-able ... a developer might wish to make some additions to the editor (or their own component that interfaces with the editor?) to ship along-side a code-resource-pack. Or, a developer might be working on a specific genre like an RTS and that might require creating a more customized editor.
05/26/2008 (8:02 pm)
Looking sharp!It has been said that making the editors more easily mod-able is a goal in T2, are any of those changes getting into / starting out with this new editor?
As an example of what I mean by mod-able ... a developer might wish to make some additions to the editor (or their own component that interfaces with the editor?) to ship along-side a code-resource-pack. Or, a developer might be working on a specific genre like an RTS and that might require creating a more customized editor.
#4
Brett, Thanks for the compliment :) I can't wait to see a Torque X game sweep the Dream-Build-Play competition.
James, I mentioned a couple posts back that the 3D Builder has plug-in support. Essentially, many of the fuctions within the 3D Builder are exposed as public methods. All you need to do is write a WinForms UserControl that implements a specific interface to hook into it. Then, when you register your .dll plug-in, the 3D Builder will add it to the Tools menu and display your form when its requested. It's pretty basic in the first release, but I think it's going to become much more powreful as time goes on.
John K.
05/26/2008 (9:00 pm)
Phil, sounds interesting. Is purpose for the different background to better distinguish the labels from the editable text? If so, I think that makes a lot of sense.Brett, Thanks for the compliment :) I can't wait to see a Torque X game sweep the Dream-Build-Play competition.
James, I mentioned a couple posts back that the 3D Builder has plug-in support. Essentially, many of the fuctions within the 3D Builder are exposed as public methods. All you need to do is write a WinForms UserControl that implements a specific interface to hook into it. Then, when you register your .dll plug-in, the 3D Builder will add it to the Tools menu and display your form when its requested. It's pretty basic in the first release, but I think it's going to become much more powreful as time goes on.
John K.
#6
05/26/2008 (11:24 pm)
Looks great John.. Any idea if we can expect some concurrent releases with this? TX 2.4? More 2D/3D support? 
#8
Oh and its looking great john. Now when it comes to features like lighting, shadows, normal maps, polysoup, etc. are they all still in? Basicaly is this TGEA or are features stripped down.
Thanks
EDIT: And whats the difference between TXB indie and TXB for creators club members?
05/27/2008 (7:54 am)
Ok im a little confused with the whole torque X 2D/3D, torque X biulder 2D/3D. Now these are seperate products right. Im interested in the 3D Dev. side so I will have to buy torque X 3D and torque X builder 3D right(when their available). And the current torque X and torque X builder is only 2D even though the name doesnt state it right.Oh and its looking great john. Now when it comes to features like lighting, shadows, normal maps, polysoup, etc. are they all still in? Basicaly is this TGEA or are features stripped down.
Thanks
EDIT: And whats the difference between TXB indie and TXB for creators club members?
#9
05/27/2008 (11:46 am)
Great blog John, and thanks for the mention ;D Lotsa hard work getting poured into the 3D Builder and it's looking better and better each time I work with a new build.
#10
So to answer your question Torque X is both 2d and 3d.
"Torque X Builder" is currently 2d only.
"Torque X Builder 3d" is coming soon.
Currently their is no difference between TXB indie and TXB for Creator's Club members.
Creators Club membership will allow you to deploy to XboX 360, but costs $50 every 4 months. TXB for indies is a one time fee.
05/27/2008 (12:44 pm)
@ Dan: You're asking good questions, and once the 3D builder is complete it will be a lot clearer. Here's where things are now: Torque X is a complete 2d and 3D engine, you can build 2d or 3d games with it right now, but Torque X by itself does not have any tools, it's just huge block of C# code. (which means you would have to build your game "by hand" in Visual Studio). Torque X Builder (available now) adds the Torque Game Builder 2d visual/ GUI tool set to Torque X. What John is working on now is a 3d Tool set to add the Mission and Scene editor functions from TGE and TGEA to Torque X (Note this is new code, not a port from TGE/TGEA). Once that is complete the engine and the tools for Torque X will look very similar to want you see in TGB and TGE/A.So to answer your question Torque X is both 2d and 3d.
"Torque X Builder" is currently 2d only.
"Torque X Builder 3d" is coming soon.
Currently their is no difference between TXB indie and TXB for Creator's Club members.
Creators Club membership will allow you to deploy to XboX 360, but costs $50 every 4 months. TXB for indies is a one time fee.
#11
05/27/2008 (1:05 pm)
Well so far from what I've seen from the fps demo of torqueX 3d can to everything that TGEA can. Correct me if I'm wrong btw. With TorqueX, the one thing that it has that TGEA does not, which really baffles me, is real time physics. It almost seems like an industry standard now. So with that in mind, why would anyone want to use TGEA after TorqueX is released? What would be the main reason to use one engine over the other assuming that you are really skilled with both engines and used the graphics capabilities to the max?
#12
Now, when will the 3D builder do my dishes?
05/27/2008 (1:05 pm)
@John - Any plans to rebuild 2D TXB into your builder so you can handle both 2D and 3D from the same editor? The other benefit is the obvious which is that you can extend it if it's built in TX versus not being able to extend the 2D editor in it's TGE form. Great work, it's looking fantastic. Thanks especially for the small things that most new progs ignore such as collapsable panels and such.Now, when will the 3D builder do my dishes?
#13
05/27/2008 (1:32 pm)
Thanks guys thats helps clear it up.
#15
Jonathon, Although the 2D editor is not really extendable, it's really really functional. I think a re-write of that tool is really far out since there are much more pressing needs for now - like a GUI Editor, Terrain Editor, a nice Particle Effects editor, etc. Not to mention all the nice to have features and fixes that still need to go into the engine itself. In time, it would be great (and fun) (and much easier than the 3D editor) to re-work the 2D Builder, but I think most people would question its priority.
Kneekick, the book covers the 2D and 3D builder, but admittedly, the chapter on the 3D builder is much smaller and less detailed. I didn't think it would be fair to hold up the book to finish the 3D Builder. A lot of developers/designers are counting on getting the 3D Builder as soon as possible, so I'm working to make sure it's finished and released as quickly as possible. But, the book does cover it in some detail.
John K.
05/28/2008 (1:04 pm)
Dalo, I think there's a lot that TGEA does that Torque X doesnt. For starters, there's the whole support for .dif shapes and environmental effects, like rain and foliage replication, and billboards. These will eventually make it into Torque X, but aren't there yet. TGEA games are much easier to deploy to broader Windows customers since it doesnt depend upon XNA. But, Torque X can deploy to Xbox 360 and the Community LIVE arcade. I also find Torque X faster and easier to work with since it's based on C# instead of C++ and TorqueScript - which is also why TGEA runs much faster. They're just different engines that serve different purposes. Jonathon, Although the 2D editor is not really extendable, it's really really functional. I think a re-write of that tool is really far out since there are much more pressing needs for now - like a GUI Editor, Terrain Editor, a nice Particle Effects editor, etc. Not to mention all the nice to have features and fixes that still need to go into the engine itself. In time, it would be great (and fun) (and much easier than the 3D editor) to re-work the 2D Builder, but I think most people would question its priority.
Kneekick, the book covers the 2D and 3D builder, but admittedly, the chapter on the 3D builder is much smaller and less detailed. I didn't think it would be fair to hold up the book to finish the 3D Builder. A lot of developers/designers are counting on getting the 3D Builder as soon as possible, so I'm working to make sure it's finished and released as quickly as possible. But, the book does cover it in some detail.
John K.
#16
Has anyone actually tested the two engines side by side to see if this is really true? Obviously C++ is faster than C# if coded properly, however I can say with 100% certainty that someone at or above expert level at C# can code a more efficient and higher fps game than an average C++ programmer, and can do it in half the time.
shhhhh!
Crap, I'm remembering the 3D TXB feature set incorrectly as I thought it included a terrain editor. I'm curious as to the decision to code the 2D TXB in TGE instead of TX like the 3D builder (and I'm glad you are doing the 3D version, or we may have another TGE version!)
GGTP Ken *pffft* ;)
Great work as usual John, can't wait to get my hands on this and beat it around a bit.
05/28/2008 (1:34 pm)
Quote:TGEA runs much faster
Has anyone actually tested the two engines side by side to see if this is really true? Obviously C++ is faster than C# if coded properly, however I can say with 100% certainty that someone at or above expert level at C# can code a more efficient and higher fps game than an average C++ programmer, and can do it in half the time.
Quote:like a GUI Editor
shhhhh!
Quote:Terrain Editor
Crap, I'm remembering the 3D TXB feature set incorrectly as I thought it included a terrain editor. I'm curious as to the decision to code the 2D TXB in TGE instead of TX like the 3D builder (and I'm glad you are doing the 3D version, or we may have another TGE version!)
Quote:The awesome Ken Holst has already ramped up the QA team to begin seeking out those pesky bugs
GGTP Ken *pffft* ;)
Great work as usual John, can't wait to get my hands on this and beat it around a bit.
#17
06/07/2008 (5:07 pm)
This looks like it is really shaping up. This summer is looking to be a good one!
#18
phong
07/03/2008 (2:32 pm)
Just out of curiosity, when TXB 3D is released, will it have a creator's club version as well like with TXB 2D?phong
#19
07/03/2008 (2:33 pm)
Also, is a TXB 3D focused book in the works?
#20
07/12/2008 (3:28 am)
Greet to the awesome work from John for Torque X Builder 3d. And I have some question to ask,hope someone can help me out the doubt. If I purchase Torque X Builder now, can I get a free update to Torque X Builder 3d when it is released? Will the full source code of the toolset will opend to the licensed user just as most of the product from GarageGames? 
Torque 3D Owner Phil Carlisle
Of course YMMV.