Torque 3D Environment Pack: Back to Basics
by Jacob Dankovchik · 06/28/2011 (1:45 am) · 5 comments
Product Page: www.darkphoenixsoftware.com/index.php?p=1_7
(The product page is old btw, site is currently going through a complete rebuild)
Alright... I had a big writeup for this blog but the GG site died right when I submitted, so it was lost. Time to rewrite.
Recently I was on a bit of an unexpected hiatus from working on my projects and I've since come back with full focus on them, made possible by some life changes. The Torque 3D Environment Pack was supposed to have its 1.1 update sent out a few weeks after release. It's now been delayed several months in my off time and I feel terrible about that. I've spent the last TWO months trying to figure out how to make it up to my customers. I never felt that something like price reductions were fair, and it especially doesn't help those who already bought it anyhow, so I took a different route.
The 1.1 update for the T3DEP will be coming fairly soon but with some massive changes. For starters, ALL materials have been remade! This originally was intended for the 1.3 release but I'm doing it sooner. Furthermore, and this is the big one, the pack has been MORE THAN QUADRUPLED in size! Where the original pack had 50 materials, I'm already over 200 and counting! The sample terrains and L3DT climate files will be expanded upon greatly, not only to make use of these new features but also to just greatly improve their quality.
This all comes with the already planned 1.1 updates: improved ambient sounds, various types of area fog particle effects, a particle waterfall, various duststorm particle effects, splash particles, stream turbulence particles, precipitation, and more! Thankfully since most of those were already done, all focus is on the new additions.
Now obviously what someone worries about with this kind of thing is quality. Any time someone offers up a bulk of something, it's usually low quality. I can promise you, that is not the case. Every material is at 1024x1024 resolution with all proper maps for a complete terrain material. Each map for each material is carefully crafted and adjusted; I don't just desaturate the texture and call it a detail map or run it through a filter and call it a normal map. Everything is carefully adjusted bit by bit, unique processes used for each of the layers.
Here is also an example of the improvements made with time and practice. This is a sample of one of the Lush Grass types, tiled out 4x4:
And this is the updated version:
And now to see it ingame! Take note of the healthier color of the grass, no more sickly yellow, unfitting for "lush" grass. Also the much better uniformity of the details.
Original:
Updated:
And since everyone loves screenshots, here's a couple more!
Original:
Updated:
This improvement of quality is being made to every existing material and carried over into the (literally!) hundreds of new ones added. I'm hoping that this makes it up to those that I let down through my temporary failure to keep on task. Unfortunately life issues took over but I hope these improvements will make it up to any past and future customers.
When I first released this pack I was told that it was an absolutely great deal that I was selling it at. Now I think it's safe to say that it is bordering on insane, so much more for the same price! As mentioned in the summary, with the reduction in the price of Torque 3D, there's no better time to get a copy of the Torque 3D Environment Pack! I am dedicated to making this for YOU to make beautiful outdoor scenes with, and I hope that these changes mentioned go to show that!
Product Page: www.darkphoenixsoftware.com/index.php?p=1_7
(The product page is old btw, site is currently going through a complete rebuild)
(The product page is old btw, site is currently going through a complete rebuild)
Alright... I had a big writeup for this blog but the GG site died right when I submitted, so it was lost. Time to rewrite.
Recently I was on a bit of an unexpected hiatus from working on my projects and I've since come back with full focus on them, made possible by some life changes. The Torque 3D Environment Pack was supposed to have its 1.1 update sent out a few weeks after release. It's now been delayed several months in my off time and I feel terrible about that. I've spent the last TWO months trying to figure out how to make it up to my customers. I never felt that something like price reductions were fair, and it especially doesn't help those who already bought it anyhow, so I took a different route.
The 1.1 update for the T3DEP will be coming fairly soon but with some massive changes. For starters, ALL materials have been remade! This originally was intended for the 1.3 release but I'm doing it sooner. Furthermore, and this is the big one, the pack has been MORE THAN QUADRUPLED in size! Where the original pack had 50 materials, I'm already over 200 and counting! The sample terrains and L3DT climate files will be expanded upon greatly, not only to make use of these new features but also to just greatly improve their quality.
This all comes with the already planned 1.1 updates: improved ambient sounds, various types of area fog particle effects, a particle waterfall, various duststorm particle effects, splash particles, stream turbulence particles, precipitation, and more! Thankfully since most of those were already done, all focus is on the new additions.
Now obviously what someone worries about with this kind of thing is quality. Any time someone offers up a bulk of something, it's usually low quality. I can promise you, that is not the case. Every material is at 1024x1024 resolution with all proper maps for a complete terrain material. Each map for each material is carefully crafted and adjusted; I don't just desaturate the texture and call it a detail map or run it through a filter and call it a normal map. Everything is carefully adjusted bit by bit, unique processes used for each of the layers.
Here is also an example of the improvements made with time and practice. This is a sample of one of the Lush Grass types, tiled out 4x4:
And this is the updated version:
And now to see it ingame! Take note of the healthier color of the grass, no more sickly yellow, unfitting for "lush" grass. Also the much better uniformity of the details.
Original:
Updated:
And since everyone loves screenshots, here's a couple more!
Original:
Updated:
This improvement of quality is being made to every existing material and carried over into the (literally!) hundreds of new ones added. I'm hoping that this makes it up to those that I let down through my temporary failure to keep on task. Unfortunately life issues took over but I hope these improvements will make it up to any past and future customers.
When I first released this pack I was told that it was an absolutely great deal that I was selling it at. Now I think it's safe to say that it is bordering on insane, so much more for the same price! As mentioned in the summary, with the reduction in the price of Torque 3D, there's no better time to get a copy of the Torque 3D Environment Pack! I am dedicated to making this for YOU to make beautiful outdoor scenes with, and I hope that these changes mentioned go to show that!
Product Page: www.darkphoenixsoftware.com/index.php?p=1_7
(The product page is old btw, site is currently going through a complete rebuild)
#2
Looking forward to see how this product develops. I'm sure you'll be rewarded for your work and we'll be happy too. Thanks!
06/28/2011 (5:35 am)
This looks like a really good update!Looking forward to see how this product develops. I'm sure you'll be rewarded for your work and we'll be happy too. Thanks!
#3
06/28/2011 (6:01 am)
Looks good. Nice to see a new entry in the T3D ecosystem! 
#4
06/28/2011 (7:01 am)
Tbh didn't read your blog cept looked at your screenies and the update looks great, or atleast a lot better. However idk if it's your normal maps if you have one applied but the texture looks a little sharp imo in the screenies where you see it from down the barrel view. 
#5
I thought the quality of the original textures was well worth the price. Thanks for adding so much more work than anyone expected!
06/28/2011 (2:45 pm)
Wow, you can't even tell the new texture is being tiled in the screenshots. I thought the quality of the original textures was well worth the price. Thanks for adding so much more work than anyone expected!
Torque 3D Owner Guimo
Good work!