Honest Newbie Question
by Raymond Clark · in iTorque 2D · 02/01/2011 (6:51 am) · 17 replies
I am a PC owner with TGB, I recently bought the iTGB with the impression that you would be using this kit to make iphone/Ipad games. I do not own a MAC, is it needed? Also, I thought that with this software you wouldnt need one because it would allow you to create it in the program and export it to the device?
#2
iDevices connect to the host computer using USB, so (in theory at least) you could probably get by without the use of a MAC (Media Access Controller). You might, however, have some trouble uploading to the App Store without one - dialup modems are pretty slow.
You certainly do need a Mac, however. :-)
02/01/2011 (7:21 am)
Quote:I do not own a MAC, is it needed?
iDevices connect to the host computer using USB, so (in theory at least) you could probably get by without the use of a MAC (Media Access Controller). You might, however, have some trouble uploading to the App Store without one - dialup modems are pretty slow.
You certainly do need a Mac, however. :-)
#3
iPhone SDK for iPhone OS 4
You can still develop up to 80% of your game on Windows (depending on the project), but the last 20% requires a Mac. This 20% includes optimization, Objective C coding, testing in the Simulator and deploying to device. That number can grow depending on how much new iOS functionality you wish to add.
02/01/2011 (7:57 am)
@Raymond - You definitely need a Mac and device to fully create an iPhone game. We list that in the product requirements:iPhone Requirements
Mac OS X 10.6iPhone SDK for iPhone OS 4
You can still develop up to 80% of your game on Windows (depending on the project), but the last 20% requires a Mac. This 20% includes optimization, Objective C coding, testing in the Simulator and deploying to device. That number can grow depending on how much new iOS functionality you wish to add.
#4
02/03/2011 (8:21 am)
@Mich I think you need to add this in big caps to the iTGB product page MUST OWN A MAC! I swear this is the number one question in the iTGB forums.
#5
If you are buying software without reading the requirements, you are in for more trouble than just learning the engine.
02/03/2011 (9:07 am)
...Quote:We list that in the product requirements:
iPhone Requirements
Mac OS X 10.6
iPhone SDK for iPhone OS 4
If you are buying software without reading the requirements, you are in for more trouble than just learning the engine.
#6
02/03/2011 (9:08 am)
That being said, if we need to make the requirements page more prominent I will inform the web design team. However, the link is there. 
#7
02/03/2011 (11:14 am)
Big, floaty box with flashing text and a "You need a Mac!" song by a famous tenor would do.
#8
I agree if you don't look at the requirements, how are you going to use an engine.
02/03/2011 (12:44 pm)
Its not you guys(GG), it just is funny to me how many threads there are that say "Do I need a mac?" I even saw a few tweets today and responded to them, yes guys you need a mac.I agree if you don't look at the requirements, how are you going to use an engine.
#9
By clicking on the "make bestseller App Store game" button, of course! :-)
02/03/2011 (5:48 pm)
Quote:I agree if you don't look at the requirements, how are you going to use an engine.
By clicking on the "make bestseller App Store game" button, of course! :-)
#10
But you will never get anything onto the store or your iOS device cause Apples requirement to use the SDK is an Intel based Mac, OSX 10.6, in addition to the dev license you must pay (whichs page line out these aspects very clearly)
But GarageGames should perhaps cut the windows requirements completely or moved far far out of view into a section where its being talked about using windows for the basic authoring or alike.
As the engine is iOS only the real requirements section should focus on whats required to get anything done on that end at all
02/03/2011 (5:53 pm)
You don't need a mac to use iTGBBut you will never get anything onto the store or your iOS device cause Apples requirement to use the SDK is an Intel based Mac, OSX 10.6, in addition to the dev license you must pay (whichs page line out these aspects very clearly)
But GarageGames should perhaps cut the windows requirements completely or moved far far out of view into a section where its being talked about using windows for the basic authoring or alike.
As the engine is iOS only the real requirements section should focus on whats required to get anything done on that end at all
#11
As an alternative, maybe you could break the requirements page down into sections - one for pushing a game onto a device and/or publishing on the App Store, and another section for working with the editor and developing your scripts. For instance:
Deployment
To upload your game to an iDevice, or publish it on the App Store, you must have an Apple Macintosh that meets the following requirements:
yadda
yadda
Development
You can develop most of your game using a Mac or a Windows PC - but please see the important note above concerning deployment to an iDevice or the App Store. The requirements for a developer system are:
yadda
yadda
02/03/2011 (6:36 pm)
With the current page, it says "iPhone" in the same style as it says "Windows" & "Mac" - perhaps people are simply keying on those headings and skipping to the details about their own platform? If so, that could lead to the assumption that the section titled "iPhone" lists the iOS & iDevice hardware requirements to run an iTGB game.As an alternative, maybe you could break the requirements page down into sections - one for pushing a game onto a device and/or publishing on the App Store, and another section for working with the editor and developing your scripts. For instance:
Deployment
To upload your game to an iDevice, or publish it on the App Store, you must have an Apple Macintosh that meets the following requirements:
yadda
yadda
Development
You can develop most of your game using a Mac or a Windows PC - but please see the important note above concerning deployment to an iDevice or the App Store. The requirements for a developer system are:
yadda
yadda
#13
02/03/2011 (8:18 pm)
It lists windows above mac on the requirements page, the same as TGB and T3D. At least list Mac above windows, and add to the windows requirements cannot deploy to phone or store.
#14
Check it out and let me know what you think.
02/04/2011 (11:27 am)
I've adjusted the product page to be more accurate (some misleading facts about feature support compared to T2D), fixed names of engine to not mention TGB or Torque Game Builder, and adjusted the requirements page.Check it out and let me know what you think.
#15
02/04/2011 (11:39 am)
Much clearer, thanks!
#16
: )
02/04/2011 (2:47 pm)
That is very good, now if only some people would actually click on the requirements. you know what they say about making it idiot proof...: )
#17
The only thing I am not sure if its really required is the ATI - NVIDIA requirement on OSX.
As iTGB (or TGB in general) is only sifting around on Fixed Function with barely any extension usage, there is no reason it technically should not work.
On Windows this part was required to be added because Intels OpenGL drivers on Windows are horrible, with GMA 9x0 being incapable to do much if anything at all and the later ones having "good - bad" ping pongs on driver version.
But for OSX the drivers for Intel are much better. Unhappily I don't have an old macmini or a macbook to verify for sure, but I'm sure others here have.
On the formating I would add 2-3 empty lines before "Windows-based Computers (optional)"
02/04/2011 (4:36 pm)
Looks pretty good :)The only thing I am not sure if its really required is the ATI - NVIDIA requirement on OSX.
As iTGB (or TGB in general) is only sifting around on Fixed Function with barely any extension usage, there is no reason it technically should not work.
On Windows this part was required to be added because Intels OpenGL drivers on Windows are horrible, with GMA 9x0 being incapable to do much if anything at all and the later ones having "good - bad" ping pongs on driver version.
But for OSX the drivers for Intel are much better. Unhappily I don't have an old macmini or a macbook to verify for sure, but I'm sure others here have.
On the formating I would add 2-3 empty lines before "Windows-based Computers (optional)"
Torque 3D Owner Gavin Cox