iTorque Updates
by Michael Perry · 06/01/2009 (9:48 am) · 42 comments
The Future Is Almost Now
The Road Till Now
In case you have not noticed, iTorque has really taken off. For each beta and point version of the engines, at least one app has been pushed to the App Store. Recently, the amount of completed iTGB games has caused us to dedicate an entire page to games made with iTorque.iTGB Update
Past versions of iTGB had specific purposes:Beta: Proof of concept
1.0: Base engine running
1.0.x and 1.1: Optimization and stability
1.2: Usability improvement
1.2.x: Bug fixing
The bug fixing process has already started for 1.2. This Friday (6/5/09), we will be releasing iTGB v1.2.1. This update is dropping due to the excellent bug collection and reporting by the community. The bug reporting process set up by Ken Holst for Torque 3D has worked quite will for the iTorque forums.
iTGB 1.3 focuses on 3.0. The logical path for 1.3 would be:
1.3.0: Compatibility and new features
1.3.x: Bug fixing
iTGB Roadmap
iTGB 1.3: The highest priority is upgrading the engine to work with the 3.0 OS and SDK for iPhones. This includes compatibility and integrating the new features.* Compile iTGB against 3.0 SDK, with GCC 4.2
* Push Notifications with example
* Store Kit framework integration with examples
* Full motion video playback, with examples exposed to script
* Displaying pictures from device library
* Playing music from device library
* Camera access from device
In addition to 3.0 compatibility and new features, the following improvements to the base engine will be made.
* Integration of Melv May’s memory reduction code
* Significant load time reduction
* PVR for cell-based sprite sheets
* New iPhone features exposed to TorqueScript via C++ handlers
* Gesture callbacks for swipe, pinch, and zoom
* More documentation on creating optimized games, using iPhone specific features, and general reference to frameworks (engine code)
* Community member contributions
o Vibration by Dave Calabrese
o Loading and saving game data to device by Dave Calabrese
o Multi-Touch and gestures by Dave Calabrese and Justin Mosiman
* General optimizations that will increase fps
iTGE
The recent releases of Marble Blast Mobile and iFPS are great news for iTGE. Luma (MBM) and Pick Up and Play (iFPS) are contributing code they wrote for their games to iTGE. This will finally push the engine out of beta and into 1.0. We are still working out the logistics and roadmap, but iTGE 1.0 will get its own blog soon announcing 1.0 and a solid future.Additionally, we are looking at the concept of shipping future engine updates with solid tech demos taken from games already in the App Store. This will be our way of providing you with solid examples of how to optimize your games to run as smoothly as the two games I just mentioned.
How Can It Be Done?
We are expanding our iTorque team temporarily. In addition to the usual dev team, I have scouted out a few community members and associates to help out with QA, bug fixing, and contributing new code. As community members, continue doing your part: making games, posting bugs, submitting resources, and helping your fellow devs out. iTorque would not be where it is today without the efforts and contributions of the community. Congrats to all who have completed their games, and I look forward to what the rest of you can come up with.Update:
I forgot to post some kind of visual for you all...since I do not have any new iTorque screenshots, here's a bit of funny for you. I just got back from a 1.5 week vacation in Florida, where I finally got married. It's difficult to balance out a job in the game industry with your social and family life. It takes patience and effort, but my marriage is the perfect example of"Having your cake (shoved right up your nose) and eating it too".
About the author
Associate Producer / Project Manager for GarageGames
#22
Cannot wait for the iTGE release (Hopefully it will be released with complete documentation). As a Windows user, the iTGE beta is making my head hurt without documentation.
06/02/2009 (9:01 am)
@Michael: Congrats on the wedding and cake inhalation...Cannot wait for the iTGE release (Hopefully it will be released with complete documentation). As a Windows user, the iTGE beta is making my head hurt without documentation.
#24
The details there look very fine and I'm glad you pointed it out.
@David: I didn't get any email.
I guessed that one potentially was sent and then killed by my annoying hosted, even though it worked last time.
I changed my profile mail adress now so it ends on the alternative mail adress, in case thats the one that has been used and if you would like to resend it.
06/02/2009 (12:05 pm)
@Micheal: Thank you for the pointer. Must have missed that thread, the amount of stickies has grown the past weeks so I have not put too much attention to them recently.The details there look very fine and I'm glad you pointed it out.
@David: I didn't get any email.
I guessed that one potentially was sent and then killed by my annoying hosted, even though it worked last time.
I changed my profile mail adress now so it ends on the alternative mail adress, in case thats the one that has been used and if you would like to resend it.
#25
Thanks, but can you update the link to point the GG site for the game, instead of an old preview page:
www.garagegames.com/products/marble-blast-mobile
Now you just need to update the iTGE page with updated MBM screenshots (currently have alpha stuff in there), and replace that "fake" screenshot of Marble Blast Online running on the iPhone (on iTorque and iTGE pages) with a shot of MBM ;)
06/03/2009 (2:31 am)
@Deborah & Mich:Thanks, but can you update the link to point the GG site for the game, instead of an old preview page:
www.garagegames.com/products/marble-blast-mobile
Now you just need to update the iTGE page with updated MBM screenshots (currently have alpha stuff in there), and replace that "fake" screenshot of Marble Blast Online running on the iPhone (on iTorque and iTGE pages) with a shot of MBM ;)
#26
06/03/2009 (7:53 am)
So if that was $50 worth of cake, then that means my slice fell somewhere in the 80 - 100 range. No wonder it tasted so rich. 
#27
06/03/2009 (3:35 pm)
Congrats on the marriage! Takes a lot of work to make that happen. Cheers to your future years together! :) 
#28
Pst..... TGB :P
06/03/2009 (5:30 pm)
Congrats on getting married!!!! May you and Mrs. Perry have a long and happy life together!!! :)Pst..... TGB :P
#29
06/03/2009 (6:28 pm)
Congratulations, Michael! Being married is nice. 
#31
On the For iPhone Engine page --> The published games list should be under the games tab page. [Edit the iTorque Games link is there its just so small I did not see it]
This is important because I've been an avid torque customer since 2003 and I came very close to buying --Another nameless Game engine-- over the past couple of months, because I could not find any evidence of a single torque game published on the iphone. The other game company has several games that have been in the top 25, and they advertise that fact very nicely.
Come on! Lets pick up the visibility! If it were not for the fact that this post was at the top of "whats new" I would not have found it. And if I waited a couple of weeks to check the site I might not have noticed.
06/04/2009 (5:04 pm)
I have to say the iTorque Games is not easy to find. It should be linked in the main section on the page under the menu item Engines / For iPhone On the For iPhone Engine page --> The published games list should be under the games tab page. [Edit the iTorque Games link is there its just so small I did not see it]
This is important because I've been an avid torque customer since 2003 and I came very close to buying --Another nameless Game engine-- over the past couple of months, because I could not find any evidence of a single torque game published on the iphone. The other game company has several games that have been in the top 25, and they advertise that fact very nicely.
Come on! Lets pick up the visibility! If it were not for the fact that this post was at the top of "whats new" I would not have found it. And if I waited a couple of weeks to check the site I might not have noticed.
#32
Now, the main iTorque Game page is less visible, but the link does exist. Deborah is always working on improving visibility and exposure of Torque power games, so I'm sure she will look into this.
06/04/2009 (5:11 pm)
Not sure if we can make it any more pronounced Britton. If you are looking for games made with Torque, the link is on the same menu as the Engines drop down (as you suggested). Clicking on that brings up a list and iTorque is right there in visible sight.Now, the main iTorque Game page is less visible, but the link does exist. Deborah is always working on improving visibility and exposure of Torque power games, so I'm sure she will look into this.
#33
06/04/2009 (5:15 pm)
At any rate, now that you have found the page and see all the awesome stuff being made with iTGB I hope to see you join the ranks of iPhone devs and see ya in the forums =)
#34
Here is a suggestion how about iT2D and iT3D... eventually that is where you want to go I'm sure.
06/04/2009 (5:15 pm)
@Micheal, yes and this is recent news. Very good news by the way. I'd like to say its also a bit confusing. What do I buy and what is available? I see iTGE and iTGB if I did not already own TGE and TGB I'd have no idea what was what. Here is a suggestion how about iT2D and iT3D... eventually that is where you want to go I'm sure.
#35
06/04/2009 (5:18 pm)
Well, I'll leave that part up to the biz dev and marketing people. My naming convention for projects is not exactly...practical...Before we decided on "Doc System" for our documentation generator tech, I was referring to it as Project-X Zombie Raptor =)
#36
The last comment will be this. iTorque 2D and iTorque 3D are what I would consider to be the perfect names for these products. They should be in a whole "iTorque" section under your engine nav menu on the right. After I select iTorque for iPhone I'd see the iTorque 2D and iTorue 3D and know exactly what I was buying. Perhaps these two should really be different aspects of the same product? The other game engine makes no such distinction. If they need to be seperate, then you should be able to explain why the customer needs to buy two different licenses.
My guess is GG sales of iTorque would probably benifit from a little shuffling around on the website. iPhone development is "in" my friend. I have buddies that would never code a game in their life writing their own game engines for the iphone right now.
Just my 2cents.
06/04/2009 (5:37 pm)
@Michael, yes my comments are directed toward the bizedev and marketing people. By the way, "Project X Zombie Raptor" is a perfect name for a documentation system. It implies something that is very efficient at sucking the life out of you, which is exactly what "doing" documentation does.The last comment will be this. iTorque 2D and iTorque 3D are what I would consider to be the perfect names for these products. They should be in a whole "iTorque" section under your engine nav menu on the right. After I select iTorque for iPhone I'd see the iTorque 2D and iTorue 3D and know exactly what I was buying. Perhaps these two should really be different aspects of the same product? The other game engine makes no such distinction. If they need to be seperate, then you should be able to explain why the customer needs to buy two different licenses.
My guess is GG sales of iTorque would probably benifit from a little shuffling around on the website. iPhone development is "in" my friend. I have buddies that would never code a game in their life writing their own game engines for the iphone right now.
Just my 2cents.
#37
There's a reason I'm not in marketing.
06/04/2009 (5:41 pm)
I think it should be called Torque Mobile and open up the platform for Android development as well. If people want to convert the engine core to Java, that is. Hmmm... Then we could call it Torque JavaCore Freak-Nasty Edition!There's a reason I'm not in marketing.
#38
06/04/2009 (5:43 pm)
@David - SHHHHHH! Someone will hear you and try that out!
#39
Seeing the following list TGB, TGE, iTGB, iTGE, T3D TGEA, Torque X, Torque Wii makes me think I have to rewrite the game and buy a license for each platform. It does not really spell cross platorm compatibility to me, it spells convoluted mess. It makes my head spin. It may be the truth and it may be the right thing to do from an consumer education stand point. But, it sends a confusing message to the consumer, and perhaps it makes them hesitate on the purchase of anything.
Again the other game company is pretty consistent... its marketing message smells very nice and clean. Sorry for the brutal honesty here, I like you guys. I my self was drawn in by the sirens lure of the other game company marketing, their message is really quite beatiful. You buy the "game engine" and you make games that run on the platform you want. Its a nice unified marketing message as if the game engine some how united all the platforms together. Misleading? Not sure, it might be true. But it is attractive.
Honestly I think Torque has more, and thats why you have so many names for so many things. Its a difficult message to get across. I'd say buy torque and pick your style and platform.
Toque should be an entry point to game development kind of like a wizard. Building a game with torque should be like a wizard. The sales process should be the same way.
1. Build game, select style (2D or 3D)
2. Select platform
* Windows
* Mac
* iphone
* Wii
* Xbox
The second page is like a download page.
Then you buy it. You could even take out page 1, by making 2D and 3D the aspects of the same product. I think there is no reason to sell 2D and 3D game engines seperately. Its like selling separate products for Torque Racing or Torque FPS or Torque RPG. That would be page 3.
3. Select Genre
* FPS
* Racing
* RPG
If you mentally guide the consumer and the developer it makes it easier. Right now I see all sorts of options available at once. Even when I get to I iTorque I have no idea if I want iTGB or iTGE.
06/04/2009 (5:53 pm)
@David, Toque mobile is a great name. I'm thinking that from a consumer perspective I'd to even go one more step backwards. I'd like to simply buy "Torque." One game engine that ports to all these platforms. I'd like to think I could write a game in torque and then export it to the iphone or wii or whatever. Even if this is not the case... from a marketing perspective I think its easier for a consumer to understand. With this message I buy torque and then I buy a "plugin" that allows me to port my game to whatever. Seeing the following list TGB, TGE, iTGB, iTGE, T3D TGEA, Torque X, Torque Wii makes me think I have to rewrite the game and buy a license for each platform. It does not really spell cross platorm compatibility to me, it spells convoluted mess. It makes my head spin. It may be the truth and it may be the right thing to do from an consumer education stand point. But, it sends a confusing message to the consumer, and perhaps it makes them hesitate on the purchase of anything.
Again the other game company is pretty consistent... its marketing message smells very nice and clean. Sorry for the brutal honesty here, I like you guys. I my self was drawn in by the sirens lure of the other game company marketing, their message is really quite beatiful. You buy the "game engine" and you make games that run on the platform you want. Its a nice unified marketing message as if the game engine some how united all the platforms together. Misleading? Not sure, it might be true. But it is attractive.
Honestly I think Torque has more, and thats why you have so many names for so many things. Its a difficult message to get across. I'd say buy torque and pick your style and platform.
Toque should be an entry point to game development kind of like a wizard. Building a game with torque should be like a wizard. The sales process should be the same way.
1. Build game, select style (2D or 3D)
2. Select platform
* Windows
* Mac
* iphone
* Wii
* Xbox
The second page is like a download page.
Then you buy it. You could even take out page 1, by making 2D and 3D the aspects of the same product. I think there is no reason to sell 2D and 3D game engines seperately. Its like selling separate products for Torque Racing or Torque FPS or Torque RPG. That would be page 3.
3. Select Genre
* FPS
* Racing
* RPG
If you mentally guide the consumer and the developer it makes it easier. Right now I see all sorts of options available at once. Even when I get to I iTorque I have no idea if I want iTGB or iTGE.
#40
06/04/2009 (9:47 pm)
At some point I plan on buying the iTorque kit to develop games to the iPhone / iPod Touch. Maybe in the next month or two I can swing it. I did just buy Torque 3D Pro after all :P
Employee David Montgomery-Blake
David MontgomeryBlake
Hey Marc! I sent you an e-mail at the end of last week about your inquiry on iTGB. I believe Multi-Touch is currently included in the engine, but not at the level that we would like it. Gesture support is one that the team is working on.