T3D Documnetation is incomplete/buggy
by Justin Jones · in Torque 3D Public · 10/12/2009 (12:39 am) · 13 replies
Thread locked by moderator. This feedback has been read, and moved to the official documentation feedback thread found here: Official Feedback Thread.
I have the Demo of T3D and tried the Help
Beginners Guide -> Word Editor -> Terrain Editor -> Setup
<I>None of the modifications you are about to make are required for future tutorials, so feel free to create a new level or use an existing one for testing. As long as you have access to existing materials, you are good to go. For this article, we are going to be using a new level.
(If you do not know how to create a new level, click here)</I>
So I clicked the link and a box opened showing this...
Creating a Blank Terrain
To add a new TerrainBlock to your level, in the file menu click on File->Create Blank Terrain.
Just below the above lines is a place holder for an image that is not present. The other image further on also does not display. On checking the link it show this image which is missing:
http://docs.garagegames.com/torque-3d/official/content/documentation/Component%20Tutorials/World%20Editor/images/CreateBlankTerrain.jpg
The image is not showing up. This is with IE7
I checked another section Beginners Guide -> Word Editor -> Adding Terrain -> Setup with a similar link like this...
(If you do not know how to create a new level, click here)
I clicked that link and get an error that the web page is missing.
Firefox 3.5 shows this for the above Adding Terrain link:
The requested URL /torque-3d/official/content/components/World Editor/Creating New Level.html was not found on this server.
IE7 just shows a Web Page Missing error.
I have checked a few other such links on other pages and all of them show a page missing.
What is consistent is that either the page is not found or if found the images that should display do not.
This is for the Docs installed on my computer as well as teh GG Official Site docs.
Can this be fixed please.
I have the Demo of T3D and tried the Help
Beginners Guide -> Word Editor -> Terrain Editor -> Setup
<I>None of the modifications you are about to make are required for future tutorials, so feel free to create a new level or use an existing one for testing. As long as you have access to existing materials, you are good to go. For this article, we are going to be using a new level.
(If you do not know how to create a new level, click here)</I>
So I clicked the link and a box opened showing this...
Creating a Blank Terrain
To add a new TerrainBlock to your level, in the file menu click on File->Create Blank Terrain.
Just below the above lines is a place holder for an image that is not present. The other image further on also does not display. On checking the link it show this image which is missing:
http://docs.garagegames.com/torque-3d/official/content/documentation/Component%20Tutorials/World%20Editor/images/CreateBlankTerrain.jpg
The image is not showing up. This is with IE7
I checked another section Beginners Guide -> Word Editor -> Adding Terrain -> Setup with a similar link like this...
(If you do not know how to create a new level, click here)
I clicked that link and get an error that the web page is missing.
Firefox 3.5 shows this for the above Adding Terrain link:
The requested URL /torque-3d/official/content/components/World Editor/Creating New Level.html was not found on this server.
IE7 just shows a Web Page Missing error.
I have checked a few other such links on other pages and all of them show a page missing.
What is consistent is that either the page is not found or if found the images that should display do not.
This is for the Docs installed on my computer as well as teh GG Official Site docs.
Can this be fixed please.
About the author
Thread is locked
#2
I can't find any of the art assets that the demo is telling me to use. For example, under the world editor > adding 3d models tutorial, the player.dts file is missing. There are no terrains, collada models or interiors either. I also noticed that the directory structure is a bit different than shown in the documentation. (I'm using the demo). I basically can't move through the documentation any further until I can at least get a clue about where to find it.
10/15/2009 (12:56 am)
I ran into that same problem and then some. I can't find any of the art assets that the demo is telling me to use. For example, under the world editor > adding 3d models tutorial, the player.dts file is missing. There are no terrains, collada models or interiors either. I also noticed that the directory structure is a bit different than shown in the documentation. (I'm using the demo). I basically can't move through the documentation any further until I can at least get a clue about where to find it.
#3
10/15/2009 (1:47 am)
Just before the release of Torque 3D, the templates were completely changed. Scripts were moved, added, deleted...same with assets. There was not enough time for me to go back and rewrite the guides before the release went out the door. Documentation is an ongoing process, I am writing new material and updating bad docs every day (weekends included).
#4
Plus there just aren't enough tutorials to really get a grip of T3d imo.
10/15/2009 (8:09 am)
I have to concur. I gave up for now. Figure I'll come back here and there and maybe dive back into it again in 4-6 months. The beginner tutorials aren't so bad. It's when you get into the more advanced stuff that there's a problem.Plus there just aren't enough tutorials to really get a grip of T3d imo.
#5
I’m glad to see that the T3D documentation focuses more on how the engine works than walking through making a specific game step by step. That is actually a waste of my time. I’d rather see a description of every dialog, button, and menu in the builder, and an example of how and when you would use these. The same goes with Torque Script.
Basically, I don't care about tutorials, I want the features of the engine documented enough to where I can figure the rest out on my own.
What’s frustrating, when learning anyway, is spending three hours on a simple section on adding objects just because the objects in an example are missing. Most of that time was spent googling, back tracking, reinstalling software, etc. And this is a huge let down after switching from T2D, and basically abandoning a lot of work for the same reason. And this makes it even more frustrating when I can see the potential of the software package.
So now I have to figure out what to do. I’m guessing since they took those assets out, new ones need to be made available in order to avoid completely rebuilding the examples. This will take time (I understand). So are there any suggestions on to go through the tutorials without the assets?
10/15/2009 (10:52 am)
I actually just gave up on TGB and decided to switch my project to T3D. That decision was mainly because of the T2D documentation. I’m glad to see that the T3D documentation focuses more on how the engine works than walking through making a specific game step by step. That is actually a waste of my time. I’d rather see a description of every dialog, button, and menu in the builder, and an example of how and when you would use these. The same goes with Torque Script.
Basically, I don't care about tutorials, I want the features of the engine documented enough to where I can figure the rest out on my own.
What’s frustrating, when learning anyway, is spending three hours on a simple section on adding objects just because the objects in an example are missing. Most of that time was spent googling, back tracking, reinstalling software, etc. And this is a huge let down after switching from T2D, and basically abandoning a lot of work for the same reason. And this makes it even more frustrating when I can see the potential of the software package.
So now I have to figure out what to do. I’m guessing since they took those assets out, new ones need to be made available in order to avoid completely rebuilding the examples. This will take time (I understand). So are there any suggestions on to go through the tutorials without the assets?
#6
10/16/2009 (12:15 pm)
Ok, so I've had to pretty much create my own assets since the "adding assets" example. Everything has been pretty smooth after that point. I just finished the sun tutorial (researched creating height maps for a couple hours.) 
#7
There needs to be a bit more work on both ends as right now it seems a lot of time is going into the scripting side (which is needed), but there are still some glaring holes in the basic tool set that needs to be addressed via documentation. A lot of useful information in the forums (a good deal in the private one though), but it would help for those starting out to have a good idea of what all of the objects do and the available options. Even some better documentation in code that covers some information when highlighted would help as wel.
10/16/2009 (2:50 pm)
Doesn't hurt to have both kind of tutorials. A full on (how to create a simple game) shows the flow of how to create a game with an engine and does give a solid example on quite a few topics. If you need to create something totally different it isn't going to help, but it is a good starting point for those who might be completely new to game design.There needs to be a bit more work on both ends as right now it seems a lot of time is going into the scripting side (which is needed), but there are still some glaring holes in the basic tool set that needs to be addressed via documentation. A lot of useful information in the forums (a good deal in the private one though), but it would help for those starting out to have a good idea of what all of the objects do and the available options. Even some better documentation in code that covers some information when highlighted would help as wel.
#10
10/18/2009 (12:48 am)
You charge $1000 for a game engine and release it before the documentation is complete...I'm still confused why people continue to buy your products.
#11
10/18/2009 (6:44 am)
I'd have to say because the engine is worth way more than 1k. I'm happy with having a workable way to learn it, unlike T2D which was a nightmare.
#12
10/21/2009 (1:45 pm)
A revision history would be great with the documentation as well, or at least somthing to let us know that it has been updated.
#13
Please post any and all feedback in the Official Torque 3D Documentation Feedback. It is VERY IMPORTANT that you read the very first post, as it describes how to post and contains the archived thread from the beta.
10/21/2009 (2:04 pm)
The original documentation feedback thread was kept in the private forums during beta. Since we now have users who trying the demo, it is important to save their feedback as well.Please post any and all feedback in the Official Torque 3D Documentation Feedback. It is VERY IMPORTANT that you read the very first post, as it describes how to post and contains the archived thread from the beta.
Employee Michael Perry
GarageGames