Plan for Pat Wilson
by Pat Wilson · 11/02/2004 (1:30 pm) · 52 comments
A lot of you have been asking? "When is RTS coming?" "Will I ever get to play with this?" Well we here, at GarageGames, have always known that answer is a definite, 'maybe soon'. Soon is next week.
Right now the doccumentation is all that is left to finish off. The associates, mainly Tom, have been beating on this and we think there are no more crash bugs. Tom did a little water-craft based RTS and found some of the limitations of the pack. (I like to refer to that as, "Things to do for version 2.0") Right now, using the RTS Starter Kit, you will be able to very rapidly prototype a standard RTS. I really feel like I need to do a little expectation management, but I also don't want to undersell the amazing leg-up this pack will give you. This will not make your RTS for you. This will not make you not need to do any programming to make the next Warcraft 3.
What does it do? It will give you a huge head-start into making an RTS game in Torque. It has a minimap which will let you click on the map to re-center the camera, show you your camera field of vision. It has a great script interface to let you add pulsing-markers to the map to alert the player or team-mates. It tracks unit-groups, (CTRL+1, etc) lets you add units to groups, selection code, selection circles, drag-selection, giving orders to units, unit-fighting, damage, a modified projectile class that is more network-friendly, network friendly optimization for unit movement. Buildings, a game lobby, some very basic test-art, a camera which can pan around, zoom, change pitch.
So there you have it. Barring anything (like the dev team getting arrested for protesting tomorow if Bush steals this election too) drastic, you'll see this pack available early next week.
Right now the doccumentation is all that is left to finish off. The associates, mainly Tom, have been beating on this and we think there are no more crash bugs. Tom did a little water-craft based RTS and found some of the limitations of the pack. (I like to refer to that as, "Things to do for version 2.0") Right now, using the RTS Starter Kit, you will be able to very rapidly prototype a standard RTS. I really feel like I need to do a little expectation management, but I also don't want to undersell the amazing leg-up this pack will give you. This will not make your RTS for you. This will not make you not need to do any programming to make the next Warcraft 3.
What does it do? It will give you a huge head-start into making an RTS game in Torque. It has a minimap which will let you click on the map to re-center the camera, show you your camera field of vision. It has a great script interface to let you add pulsing-markers to the map to alert the player or team-mates. It tracks unit-groups, (CTRL+1, etc) lets you add units to groups, selection code, selection circles, drag-selection, giving orders to units, unit-fighting, damage, a modified projectile class that is more network-friendly, network friendly optimization for unit movement. Buildings, a game lobby, some very basic test-art, a camera which can pan around, zoom, change pitch.So there you have it. Barring anything (like the dev team getting arrested for protesting tomorow if Bush steals this election too) drastic, you'll see this pack available early next week.
About the author
#2
11/02/2004 (1:45 pm)
I can't wait to play around with it! 
#3
So I will be looking forward to purchasing this as well.
A lot of nice stuff coming... keep up the excellent work GG!!
11/02/2004 (1:55 pm)
I'm not making an RTS, but I see features there that I could put into the base torque, IE..minimap, modified network-friendly projectile, game lobby..So I will be looking forward to purchasing this as well.
A lot of nice stuff coming... keep up the excellent work GG!!
#4
11/02/2004 (2:40 pm)
I was thinking of purchasing this, but the Bush comment assures me that I won't. You should keep political comments out if you want to sound profesional.
#5
Speaking as Republican Pat's political opinion isn't representative of GarageGames, just ask Benjamin B.
I also find it funny you are worried about political opinions when your dressed as Nazi in your dev picture. Heheh. Breathe :-)
11/02/2004 (2:43 pm)
Relax Will :-)Speaking as Republican Pat's political opinion isn't representative of GarageGames, just ask Benjamin B.
I also find it funny you are worried about political opinions when your dressed as Nazi in your dev picture. Heheh. Breathe :-)
#6
11/02/2004 (2:53 pm)
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#7
Im defintely going to be merging this into illumina.
Got a rough price ?
11/02/2004 (3:02 pm)
Yay cant wait.Im defintely going to be merging this into illumina.
Got a rough price ?
#8
11/02/2004 (3:25 pm)
$49.95
#9
That is if i wanted a "commander role" over looking the battlefield using the rts pack, online e.t.c will still work as normal ?
or does it have its own special network layouts e.t.c ?
In other words is it easy to have an fps/rts mix or is it mainly geared towards solely an rts ?
11/02/2004 (4:15 pm)
Thanks jay, will this work alongside 1.3 fine ?That is if i wanted a "commander role" over looking the battlefield using the rts pack, online e.t.c will still work as normal ?
or does it have its own special network layouts e.t.c ?
In other words is it easy to have an fps/rts mix or is it mainly geared towards solely an rts ?
#10
The RTS pack is built on 1.3. It will not be available for older versions of Torque. It will be kept up to date with future versions (like 1.4 and on).
11/02/2004 (6:54 pm)
As with most Torque resources and content packs, the RTS pack plays nice with most other Torque things.The RTS pack is built on 1.3. It will not be available for older versions of Torque. It will be kept up to date with future versions (like 1.4 and on).
#11
Nice worx on the rts pack, i wish good luck with its release !
11/03/2004 (3:00 am)
Pat...its looks like Bush did it again. :-(Nice worx on the rts pack, i wish good luck with its release !
#12
11/03/2004 (4:45 am)
Pat, you and the GG crew are welcome to join us in Florida. If you're going to be arrested for protesting, you might as well make it count ;)
#13
Yah, I'm just one guy, etc., etc. but I'm just being honest with you. And after having spent $100+ on your stuff, I could be a loyal customer... or not.
11/03/2004 (6:22 am)
Please keep comments like "if Bush steals this election too" out of your plans. More comments like that and I'm going to vote with my feet to some other sdk.Yah, I'm just one guy, etc., etc. but I'm just being honest with you. And after having spent $100+ on your stuff, I could be a loyal customer... or not.
#14
11/03/2004 (6:41 am)
Calm down Mr. Collector, this isn't some kind of GG press release, it's an employees personal plan. If he want's to publicly express his political opinions then that's his right. If you don't want to buy a product from a company because one of their employees has different views then you, then thats your right. However, if you'd be foolish enough to do something like that then you clearly wouldnt have the intelligence or the witts about you to actualy produce an independent game... just something to think about.
#15
RTS kit looks good though - I'm not planning on doing one,
but a lot of the mentioned features could be useful for other things too.
11/03/2004 (8:07 am)
Wow, you guys are pretty riled up.RTS kit looks good though - I'm not planning on doing one,
but a lot of the mentioned features could be useful for other things too.
#16
Ian, this isn't a good pack for Illumina, the AI pack is what we need.
Down with Bush!!
11/03/2004 (8:17 am)
This pack sounds very cool.Ian, this isn't a good pack for Illumina, the AI pack is what we need.
Down with Bush!!
#17
In my opinion, I don't think it is correct to express ones political opinions when its under the GarageGames .plans or when they are advertising a "company product". Under those two situtations, they are a Garagegames representative.
Eric.. bashing someones intelligence or wits because someone will/want/would switch to a different engine is uncalled for--regardless of their reasons. You basically implied that if he acts on his opinion that he's unable to produce an independent game yet you state that someone else has their right to voice their opinion.
Now can we cut this crap out and talk about the RTS?
Keep up the good work GarageGames.. with all the good stuff coming out , I'm really pleased at having selected TGE.
11/03/2004 (8:35 am)
Yes, he does have the right to express his political opinions--in the correct forums or under the personal .plans. In my opinion, I don't think it is correct to express ones political opinions when its under the GarageGames .plans or when they are advertising a "company product". Under those two situtations, they are a Garagegames representative.
Eric.. bashing someones intelligence or wits because someone will/want/would switch to a different engine is uncalled for--regardless of their reasons. You basically implied that if he acts on his opinion that he's unable to produce an independent game yet you state that someone else has their right to voice their opinion.
Now can we cut this crap out and talk about the RTS?
Keep up the good work GarageGames.. with all the good stuff coming out , I'm really pleased at having selected TGE.
#18
Anyways GREAT thing here the RTS pack. GG does it again
11/03/2004 (8:50 am)
For someone who dont wanna talk politics ya talked very little about the RTS pack. Anyways GREAT thing here the RTS pack. GG does it again
#19
11/03/2004 (9:13 am)
I always find it amusing how Bush's supporters want to stifle all political opinion in opposition to them. Not to mention how their preachers tend to tell them to vote Bush or burn. So much for Democracy, free speech, and the independence of church and state.
#20
If you believe that the political affiliation of people should impact whether or not you buy their products, that is your right to excercise your free speech, but I recommend that you be aware that there are probably bound to be progressives in just about every technology company you buy from. If Pat wants to make mention of his political beliefs, then that is his right of free speech as well. No one has revoked that constitutional amendment yet.
11/03/2004 (9:24 am)
@Steve: there is no distinction between personal .plans and "GarageGames" .plans for GarageGames employees, if there you are an employee, all your .plans show up in the GG section. This is not an official product announcement, but rather Pat talking about what he has been working on lately.If you believe that the political affiliation of people should impact whether or not you buy their products, that is your right to excercise your free speech, but I recommend that you be aware that there are probably bound to be progressives in just about every technology company you buy from. If Pat wants to make mention of his political beliefs, then that is his right of free speech as well. No one has revoked that constitutional amendment yet.
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