What are your thoughts...
by Melv May · in Torque Game Engine · 06/22/2004 (10:20 am) · 24 replies
Alright,
I've not got much time to answer this and I should've got this answered at the weekend so here goes...
As you may know, I'm hard at work on Torque Retro (seems to be a good a name as any) which is a 2D engine written such that it integrates within the stock TGE code with *minimal* effort. The next important note is that it's *really* simple to drive.
All the objects that I've created (and folks will probably create lots of others) use functions to configure them but can also be configured from datablocks. All the objects are ultimately based upon the NetObject but at the moment operate in their initial domain on the 'client'. As you know, there's no distinction when operating within the same process, especially as I'm not even starting a 'server'.
This leads me nicely onto my question ... how important do you think is having networking as a fundamental element to creating and driving this 2D engine. The reason I ask is not one of any technical challenge on my part but quite simply, complexity from the users point of view. How many people are struggling with the concept of the networking as a whole? If you're not interested in multiplayer but simply making games quickly and easily from a *really* basic mod-base then no networking is the best but with networking added, it *is* more complex, it cannot be avoided. The fragmentation due to the networking layer can be confusing to people.
What is the concensus? Would you rather be creating swish 2D games quickly without having to mess with networking or would networking be an essential element?
I'll give this 24hrs and then I'll decide whether to promote to use the NetObject properly and fill-in the relevant pack/unpack routines as well as the localised graphics loading etc.
Jeff mentioned that he thought networking was essential and it can always be done but I was considering delaying making it more complex for people to use for the moment to see how people get on.
A quick response would be appreciated.
- Melv.
I've not got much time to answer this and I should've got this answered at the weekend so here goes...
As you may know, I'm hard at work on Torque Retro (seems to be a good a name as any) which is a 2D engine written such that it integrates within the stock TGE code with *minimal* effort. The next important note is that it's *really* simple to drive.
All the objects that I've created (and folks will probably create lots of others) use functions to configure them but can also be configured from datablocks. All the objects are ultimately based upon the NetObject but at the moment operate in their initial domain on the 'client'. As you know, there's no distinction when operating within the same process, especially as I'm not even starting a 'server'.
This leads me nicely onto my question ... how important do you think is having networking as a fundamental element to creating and driving this 2D engine. The reason I ask is not one of any technical challenge on my part but quite simply, complexity from the users point of view. How many people are struggling with the concept of the networking as a whole? If you're not interested in multiplayer but simply making games quickly and easily from a *really* basic mod-base then no networking is the best but with networking added, it *is* more complex, it cannot be avoided. The fragmentation due to the networking layer can be confusing to people.
What is the concensus? Would you rather be creating swish 2D games quickly without having to mess with networking or would networking be an essential element?
I'll give this 24hrs and then I'll decide whether to promote to use the NetObject properly and fill-in the relevant pack/unpack routines as well as the localised graphics loading etc.
Jeff mentioned that he thought networking was essential and it can always be done but I was considering delaying making it more complex for people to use for the moment to see how people get on.
A quick response would be appreciated.
- Melv.
About the author
#23
06/23/2004 (9:49 am)
I can throw in for a little background art or something. :)
#24
Thanks everyone,
- Melv.
06/23/2004 (10:25 am)
That nice David Grace gave me a little artwork to get started on the tech-demo. I always seem to be behind schedule on these things but it is coming along really well and shouldn't be too long. I'll probably shout out for some more artwork if it's needed soon.Thanks everyone,
- Melv.
Associate Ben Garney