TDN Work, more tutorials.. vehicles and GUI

Well I've been busy on the Torque front, althought I really should be working on University work.

Simple Vehicle
This has been a really fun thing to play with. I got an old model up and I wanted to make it fly, as it's designed for this. So I thougt I'd research the flying vehicle stuff and write a tutorial. This is certainly one of the more complex areas of development, linking in all aspects of the engine. Its cool. I got my vehicle working in Torque:


I've been working on getting it running smoothly, it loads up fine in the racing sdk example, but I need into the fps. I've looked at many scripts and I'm going to work on something that should give the option for people to mount it either by collision or by keystroke. I need to fix a size bug in the mesh, and check if all the mountpoints work. The tutorial is pretty well underway now, with much of the information there. I'm not entirely sure about the contrails working or not? I know you need to bind a keystroke to the jetemitter, but this doesn't seem to affect the contrails? or does it?

I need to work on the scripts really and expose that side. For a simple flying vehicle, it's not easy to write something withouth being too complex about it. I'll work on it more. I have been having fun setting up a good amount of particle and effects, once these are done it's amazing how much you can do. It really helps to provide people with this sort of effects and information, it just gives people more stuff to play around with straight away.

Creating a simple flying vehicle

GUI
I looked into making a GUI overhall for NinjaSticks a while back and I found it rather complex and ill supported. Not in what the GUI can do but in how to edit it. So I started thinking about the best way to create a GUI that's easily done and produces something cool in a short amount of time. I didn't facy making little images that didn't together all that well, so I thought how about I just make a big window concept, and use PhotoShop's slices to provide me with all the little bits that go together. And I developed this photosop file, which I've provided in beta right now on TDN.

I haven't gotten to the scripting bit yet, but this will come in a little later once I have time for it. It's not that hard.

GUI Overhall Tutorial

Other than that, I still need to write more in the Visual Style section and polish the GUI and vehicle stuff. I've been peaking my nose into the weapons stuff, but that might wait until we get back into characters and all.

I guess I should be looking into showtool really.. umm..

And one last thing...
Few new projects, mostly around torque and possible the devil's machine, but who knows.. I'll talk only if someone gives me belgian beer!