Question about which version of Torque is right for me (and a few others)
by Jacob Bender · in General Discussion · 06/11/2011 (5:10 pm) · 3 replies
First off, Hi all, this is my first post on the forums. I am a student at NHTI studying game programming, and I had a few questions about which version of Torque would best suite my purposes.
I am looking into Torque as means to make games (obviously), but what I can't seem to figure out is if Torque 3d or 2d is right for what I want to do. My interest lies in the space-sim genre, drawing inspiration from the game Escape Velocity (see http://chrisbaer.net/mp/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/evnova2.jpg and http://www.techspot.com/gallery/data/502/medium/16Nova1.jpg)
I am leaning towards Torque 2D but have not been able to find any related games like EV. I just want to make sure that it will do what I want it to do.
I have some c++ experience (and learning), so this is not a "Can I make a cool game with out knowing how to code" (what I don't know I am willing to learn).
My other questions broaches on the MMO topic (sort of). Specifically I have not been able to find out much about the networking capability of Torque 2D (is it 3D specific?) I apologize if this is a dumb question but I would feel better knowing. Eventually I want to make a multiplayer version of my game in a persistent universe, though that is far down the road. I want to make sure that technical skills aside, the engine itself can do what I want.
Lastly (for now at any rate), I noticed that both versions are currently selling for $99. This is the pro version with source, so does that also mean the old license models (specifically income restrictions) do not apply? I doubt I will be making $$$ any time soon but I wanted to know.
Thank you all for your time and I apologize if any of these questions are dumb or redundant.
I am looking into Torque as means to make games (obviously), but what I can't seem to figure out is if Torque 3d or 2d is right for what I want to do. My interest lies in the space-sim genre, drawing inspiration from the game Escape Velocity (see http://chrisbaer.net/mp/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/evnova2.jpg and http://www.techspot.com/gallery/data/502/medium/16Nova1.jpg)
I am leaning towards Torque 2D but have not been able to find any related games like EV. I just want to make sure that it will do what I want it to do.
I have some c++ experience (and learning), so this is not a "Can I make a cool game with out knowing how to code" (what I don't know I am willing to learn).
My other questions broaches on the MMO topic (sort of). Specifically I have not been able to find out much about the networking capability of Torque 2D (is it 3D specific?) I apologize if this is a dumb question but I would feel better knowing. Eventually I want to make a multiplayer version of my game in a persistent universe, though that is far down the road. I want to make sure that technical skills aside, the engine itself can do what I want.
Lastly (for now at any rate), I noticed that both versions are currently selling for $99. This is the pro version with source, so does that also mean the old license models (specifically income restrictions) do not apply? I doubt I will be making $$$ any time soon but I wanted to know.
Thank you all for your time and I apologize if any of these questions are dumb or redundant.
#2
I doubt I will be making $500k let alone $1k in the next long while (from game dev) but that clears that up, so thanks.
To answer your questions:
What does persistent universe mean to you?
I wanted to phrase my initial question in a way other then "Can I make an mmo" since that question has been answered many times overs. When I say persistent world what I mean is a universe that is always there even if you are logged off, as opposed to a game where one person must host the game. So, like in runescape, WoW, etc, where users can log in and out and come back to the same universe though it can be effected by other players. This is a goal for far down the road and would not be my first project. I do not expect to be able to fully realize my goal for this game for a long time, I just wanted to make sure it was possible.
Why are you leaning 2D over 3D?
Ease of use mainly. I could be very wrong but I feel that game development is a much smaller/easier process for a very small group (namely me) to take on when you don't have to worry about the 3D element. I have friends who are fantastic sprite artists and sound I can do myself. 3D modeling is not something I care for (or am good at) and adding 3D adds another level as far as things like AI, physics, path-finding, player control, etc go. Do correct me if I am way off though, as I said I am a novice.
Also this project, I feel, would work better in 2D (see SPAZ vs EVE online (look and feel))
Do you have a tight deadline?
Not really. Like every other enthusiastic 20 y/o I would like to make cool game fast, but I am not dying of some horrible illness (as far as I know) so no, not really. I would ideally like to have a single player alpha fairly polished by this time next year, but I am not sure if that is over or under shooting realistic expectations.
What are your target platforms?
PC. At least in this case and for several other games I have planned. Throughout my degree I will learn C++, C#, XNA, UDK, network programming, handheld dev, DirectX, 3D modeling, etc. Down the road projects, goals, and target platforms may change but right now I am looking for something that I can tackle feasibly as a side project.
Thank you again for your time.
06/11/2011 (5:57 pm)
Thank you for your reply, SPAZ does indeed look like what I am aiming for (art/play style).I doubt I will be making $500k let alone $1k in the next long while (from game dev) but that clears that up, so thanks.
To answer your questions:
What does persistent universe mean to you?
I wanted to phrase my initial question in a way other then "Can I make an mmo" since that question has been answered many times overs. When I say persistent world what I mean is a universe that is always there even if you are logged off, as opposed to a game where one person must host the game. So, like in runescape, WoW, etc, where users can log in and out and come back to the same universe though it can be effected by other players. This is a goal for far down the road and would not be my first project. I do not expect to be able to fully realize my goal for this game for a long time, I just wanted to make sure it was possible.
Why are you leaning 2D over 3D?
Ease of use mainly. I could be very wrong but I feel that game development is a much smaller/easier process for a very small group (namely me) to take on when you don't have to worry about the 3D element. I have friends who are fantastic sprite artists and sound I can do myself. 3D modeling is not something I care for (or am good at) and adding 3D adds another level as far as things like AI, physics, path-finding, player control, etc go. Do correct me if I am way off though, as I said I am a novice.
Also this project, I feel, would work better in 2D (see SPAZ vs EVE online (look and feel))
Do you have a tight deadline?
Not really. Like every other enthusiastic 20 y/o I would like to make cool game fast, but I am not dying of some horrible illness (as far as I know) so no, not really. I would ideally like to have a single player alpha fairly polished by this time next year, but I am not sure if that is over or under shooting realistic expectations.
What are your target platforms?
PC. At least in this case and for several other games I have planned. Throughout my degree I will learn C++, C#, XNA, UDK, network programming, handheld dev, DirectX, 3D modeling, etc. Down the road projects, goals, and target platforms may change but right now I am looking for something that I can tackle feasibly as a side project.
Thank you again for your time.
#3
"
Torque Game Builder includes a subset of the networking features found in Torque Game Engine and dubs them "TorqueNet Lite". While TorqueNet Lite certainly does make implementing turn-based multiplayer games a breeze, it is in no way limited to turn-based games, or even focused on making them! While TorqueNet Lite doesn't support "real-time networking" out-of-the-box like its big brother, with TorqueNet Lite, you can still create exciting and addictive multiplayer games. "
However the article on http://www.garagegames.com/community/blogs/view/17923 says "For those of you who caught the live streamcast, you know that we announced that Torque 2D will have real-time networking at Casual Connect. Torque 2D provides nearly 100% feature support across the network so you get mounting, flipping, image-map changes, animation, world-limits, collision-detection, dynamic-field updates, etc. "
I guess one of my main concerns is will it be possible to create a game like SPAZ (for example) but have it be MMO. It says real-time networking is not supported "out of the box" but does that mean it can be done, just with more work on the code side or that it is highly impractical to implement in this case unless extensive code is written by the developer to allow it to do so? Or is the wiki out of date and the post about Real time networking correct?
Another question I have is how T2D handles multiplayer. I was reading it uses client/server methods and that the server is really just an expanded client (as best as I understood it..).
Somebody noted that:
"If you're planning to go with an MMORPG model like WoW (i.e. single server hosting hundreds of users), the answer would be none as you would have to write the new network integration yourself.
If you're planning to go with an MMORPG model like Kart Rider except that a game session ends when the host quits or is disconnected, then it buys plenty. " (first comment on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtKUAFzNRT4&feature=related)."
This post is from 2009 so I am not sure if that answer is still relevant today. I am hoping Torque 2D supports a model with one server hosting hundreds of users though, since that is what the type of game I wish to make would require.
I also noticed that native DB support is not included (unless I read wrong). Has anyone been able to create a DB/DB plugin to work with Torque (this is of course referring to my down the road project but things like player currency, items, resources, etc need to be stored in a DB typically).
Sorry for all the questions I just want to make sure T2D will be what I need when I get to that point in development. Most of these questions relate to projects a ways off from now so thank you for indulging me in this.
06/11/2011 (7:26 pm)
I was reading more into the documentation on the wiki:"
Torque Game Builder includes a subset of the networking features found in Torque Game Engine and dubs them "TorqueNet Lite". While TorqueNet Lite certainly does make implementing turn-based multiplayer games a breeze, it is in no way limited to turn-based games, or even focused on making them! While TorqueNet Lite doesn't support "real-time networking" out-of-the-box like its big brother, with TorqueNet Lite, you can still create exciting and addictive multiplayer games. "
However the article on http://www.garagegames.com/community/blogs/view/17923 says "For those of you who caught the live streamcast, you know that we announced that Torque 2D will have real-time networking at Casual Connect. Torque 2D provides nearly 100% feature support across the network so you get mounting, flipping, image-map changes, animation, world-limits, collision-detection, dynamic-field updates, etc. "
I guess one of my main concerns is will it be possible to create a game like SPAZ (for example) but have it be MMO. It says real-time networking is not supported "out of the box" but does that mean it can be done, just with more work on the code side or that it is highly impractical to implement in this case unless extensive code is written by the developer to allow it to do so? Or is the wiki out of date and the post about Real time networking correct?
Another question I have is how T2D handles multiplayer. I was reading it uses client/server methods and that the server is really just an expanded client (as best as I understood it..).
Somebody noted that:
"If you're planning to go with an MMORPG model like WoW (i.e. single server hosting hundreds of users), the answer would be none as you would have to write the new network integration yourself.
If you're planning to go with an MMORPG model like Kart Rider except that a game session ends when the host quits or is disconnected, then it buys plenty. " (first comment on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtKUAFzNRT4&feature=related)."
This post is from 2009 so I am not sure if that answer is still relevant today. I am hoping Torque 2D supports a model with one server hosting hundreds of users though, since that is what the type of game I wish to make would require.
I also noticed that native DB support is not included (unless I read wrong). Has anyone been able to create a DB/DB plugin to work with Torque (this is of course referring to my down the road project but things like player currency, items, resources, etc need to be stored in a DB typically).
Sorry for all the questions I just want to make sure T2D will be what I need when I get to that point in development. Most of these questions relate to projects a ways off from now so thank you for indulging me in this.
Torque Owner Brian Mayberry
Dead on Que Productions
My limited understanding of the product is that Torque2D can handle multiplayer just fine. The product page simply states: Networking; Torque 2D's integrated networking system makes implementing event-based multiplayer options a breeze. RPG and RTS games can be made to easily support multiplayer modes on any network.
Current EULA states:
2.1.2. develop and distribute in object code format only, an unlimited number of Non-Games for Personal Computers to the extent that Your gross revenue from the sale of software and related products for the most recent calendar year was less than $500,000;
My understanding is that once you're making the Notch-Bucks, it's time to call up GG and work out a new deal.
Now if I may, let me ask you a few questions:
What does persistent universe mean to you?
Why are you leaning 2D over 3D?
Do you have a tight deadline?
What are your target platforms?