I feel lost, where to start?

#21 I cooked this up when I started learning TGB about a month ago.

http://tdn.garagegames.com/wiki/TorqueScript/OOPExample

I agree that the documentation/state of support for TGB is pitiful, but it can surely be worked through.

#22 @John - AFAIK, what you pay for TGB will be discounted from Torque 2D. The iPhone engines are also going through a major revamp, but will remain a separate product. The base Torque 2D and its iPhone counterpart will have similar work flows and share base systems, but both are still in early development.

#23 Seperate products? So like it is now, right? It does require the TGB as of now, so I wouldn't exactly call them "seperate products", since I can't buy only the iPhone tools. Will this remain like it is?

#24 @John - I know it's a little confusing, but we are working on a clear separation. As it stands right now, the iPhone engine is $750. You can buy it outright. If you have purchased any version of TGB, that goes toward the cost.

Now whether this will be the case for Torque 2D and the iPhone version, that's still being worked out. There is always the chance the two will drastically diverge from each other in code base.

#25 What kind of release time frame do you aim towards to? First half 2010, or second? Or even later?

And when you say you work on a clear separation, does that mean that iPhone version will become a whole new product, so that I would have to buy it again, if I buy the current iPhone version now?

But yes, I understand its not clear yet.

#26 They wouldn't make you buy anything entirely over. Even owning the old TGE gives you a discount towards T3D, for instance, so you shouldn't worry.

The iPhone engine is right now an add-on licence to a corresponding desktop engine. TGB has iTGB/T2Di, TGE has iTGE/T3Di. In the latter case, the engine requires buying a $150 desktop engine and a $500 iPhone engine. They are working towards making the iPhone engine being based on the much more modern T3D. With that costing $1000, you can see why they would want to separate the products, as to not price themselves entirely out of the target's market ;)

iPhone developers are typically working alone, with a handful of big companies being the exception, and have much lower budgets - it makes sense to have a standalone engine.

#27 I see, I just got confused with it. You said "TGB has iTGB/T2Di", what is T2Di? Torque2D for iPhone? Is that the iPhone version for the T2D before TGB? (I think TGB was called Torque 2D before, and now they will name it back)

If they base it on T3D, will it be more 3D focused then? Because I only wanted it for 2D game development. Maybe a stupid question.


And I decided to start learning with TGB now, and will buy it as soon as it's possible for me. Thanks for the help.

#28 Notice the name of the iPhone sub-forum back at the index ;)

Yeah, there have been some name changes. The iPhone engine for 2D is T2Di for short. The iPhone engine for 3D is probably named T3Di, but the forum isn't public so I can't verify that.

Like I said: TGB has T2Di as an iPhone add-on. This gives you 2D. A different engine exists for 3D. The product list should tell you that.

Nowhere did I say T2Di was based on T3D ;)

#29 No, you didn't say it was based on T3D, you said they are working towards on basing it on T3D and then making a stand alone product out of it, so you don't need a $1k T3D license to use it, correct?

#30 That's what it looks like to me - so instead of getting iTGE+TGE when you buy iTGE, you'll be getting T3Di, if I've guessed right :)

At least I hope people won't be stuck having to buy T3D ($1000) then T3Di (now: $500 - 2010's update: who knows?). Brett Seyler is working on a blog that I'm hoping is posted today. It might have some of the revelations we want. Keep an eye on the What's New section.

#31
Can someone retitle this discussion? This is good information that ought to be findable by a new visitor.

#32 Yeah it kinda went off after some replies answered my questions. I'll rename it, what title do you suggest?

And thanks for the tip Ronny, I'll watch out on it.

#33 Brett just posted a focused blog on T3D. Nothing on the iPhone side of things yet. Start with the free TGB trial, anyway :)

#34 Thanks for the heads up!

So what I wondered now: If would go for T3D, is the script used there similar to TGB? The offer is so good, I thought I might as well start learning with T3D. Then again, I am more of a 2D artist, so I would still go for T2D when it is released. Thats why I am asking if it would be a good idea to learn with T3D.

#35 You can get T3D for $100 now, play around with the neat editors, and learn scripting. There are a few unique functions related to 2D stuff in TGB, but the scripting language is exactly the same. GUIs are made the same way. Lots of knowledge will carry over.

You could also get the binary version of TGB and do the same, of course. Or you could get both :)

T3D at $100 is the offer which will expire, so if it's conceivable you'll be doing any 3D at all in the future, this is a smart choice. TGB has a 30-day trial mode you can enjoy at any time, and the full version is still $100/$250.

I suggest getting the demos of both and give each a week to get a feel for them.

#36 Yes I got that the offer will expire, thats why I was thinking about starting with T3D.

Is the 3D engine also useful to make 2D things with? I'm not necessarily talking about 2.5D with all 3D models but from a side view, but rather drawn elements with 3 dimensional things in it, like boxes. But thats not that important anyway, if alot of it will carry over, then it sounds to me as if it would be okay to learn with T3D and then when T2D is released use that one too. That way I would also have the possibility to create 3D stuff in the future.

I will get the Torque 3D Demo and mess around with it.

#37 T3D is for 3D :)

T2D is a spin-off from TGE that Melv May made because a 3D engine isn't really great for 3D stuff (T2D has no real depth indexing, beyond tile layers - everything is the same distance from the camera). If you're thinking of a mixed game like Penny Arcade Adventures, that was made with TGE(A?) just to give you an idea of what is possible.

A flat game like Bejewelled is better off made with a 2D engine.

#38 I know T3D is for 3D. :) What I was asking is not that important anyway, its not like I intended to do 2D stuff with a 3D engine, just asking whats possible.

I was thinking about learning the language with T3D since it has this great offer now, and when they release the new 2D engine, T2D, I would use that one to make my 2D things.

Another thing: Do you have any tips for tutorials or documentation on Torque 3D, beyond the documentation here? (I'm going through those too, of course)

#39 @John - I'm currently working on a 2D platformer/shooter using Torque 3D, much like Shadow Complex. 2.5D, essentially. All done via script and editors.

#40 Quote: Quote:there's lots of great information in some other (unspecified) place

Quote:I never said this.

You're right; I take that back...


Quote:I've organized the best of what's available in the TGB Documentation landing, which contains links to the Official Docs, helpful forums, and good TDN tutorials.

...but you're doing it now. Do you realize how cryptic that statement is to someone who just bought TGB, read the included instructions, and is now trying to find the promised documentation? You don't say what a "documentation landing" is or what is the URL. I am guessing that you are referring to the page reached by starting TGB; selecting Help->Documentation from the pulldown menu; then clicking the link "Torque Tutorials Homepage" on the page that comes up. i.e. tdn.garagegames.com/wiki/TGB/Tutorials_and_Guides. As opposed to clicking the various other "tutorial"-related links on the same documentation page.

This page seems to contain most of the good stuff--is that right? People like me would probably be less crabby if it was linked more prominently. But it's still a daunting job to figure out which of the 20 tutorials and 13 reference documents (the link didn't mention those!) would represent the best use of my time. For now, I'll keep working on Breakout.

Hey, I just noticed that this page does tell us that TGB and T2D are different names for the same thing! Hooray!