Torque for Game Consules (XBOX, GCube, etc)

#1 Yes..

#2 How? Do you know any site I can read on regarding this matter?

#3 You have to own a licensed developer kit for the console and work within the constraints of the system. Unless you have a hefty chunk of change, it's a better plan to build your game for the PC with the constraints in mind (specs are available for all of the major consoles) and port it if it takes off.

#4 Well that's a yes and no question. No, in the sence that it doesn't allow you to make games for the consoles on its own right now. Although GG says they have plans to do so in the future.

Yes in the sense that GG has created some games for Xbox and said that if someone makes a good game then they will look at it and maybe help get it ported( at least that's how I saw it).

If your interested in seeing specs or what MS is looking for in games, you can check out the resource that I put together a few months back.

Click Here

#5 Although this thread has been covered a few times before (just do a search for here on GG using some of the console names as keywords), here are some quick answers for those of you who missed it...

Can I Take What I Develop With Torque to A Console? Yes you can, various Torque based games such as Think Tanks, Orbz and Marble Blast are already in the process of being ported to the Xbox. This development though is based on a modified version of TSE.

So Should I Develop With TSE In Preperation? Only if you think that you are ready and if your team is capable of utilizing such a new and powerful engine properly. Plus, even if you use TSE there is no guarentee that you will get the option of doing console development.

It is also important to note though that all the games that are being put on the Xbox at this time that use Torque were all games build on TGE not TSE, these games have all been brought into the modified TSE and made Xbox compatible by the talented individuals who are working full-time on these projects.

When Can I Do This? When the a publisher for that console or the consoles developer comes to you and asks you to do this. If/when this happens you will get the necessary development kits to do the job properly. You cannot get access to this equipment until that time.



In summary: If you have to ask where it is and how you get to do it, you are not ready to put your game onto a console. The option is there, but you need to proove that you are ready and capable. As such you should worry first about making a good game for the PC market and then if it fits the markets needs for that console you might get the opportunity to do console development should your game be good enough.

Logan

#6 Xbox what?

Anything you hear about Torque going to any other consoles or handhelds is sillyness we here at GarageGames know nothing about... ;)

#7 It's probably just as well that GG has no plans to port to current gen consoles, given the hell that other engines have been causing for poor console coders.

#8

Quote:
It's probably just as well that GG has no plans to port to current gen consoles, given the hell that other engines have been causing for poor console coders.

Crap! GG has no plans to port to current gen consoles? What the hell have I been doing with this strange green Xbox on my desk?

Marble Blast Xbox Postmortem (from Pat not long ago)

=P

#9 :o) @James

I think Pat was joking hence the link to the marble blast xbox arcade article and the wink!

If your game is good and more importantly professional enough then it has a good chance of being picked up for xbox arcade. There are a few constraints though. These include size, style (must be an arcade style game not some MMORPG) and some form of online component (high score, team deathmatch etc. etc.)

#10 From what Microsoft's PR company has been telling me (I review games therefore I know every company's PR people), their next gen system will be really easy to develop for and the process of porting over C++ - like code is going to be much easier as the new systems will be able to handle it.

Plus, the new Xbox debuts at the end of this year. Think next gen.

#11 I'm not really excited with Microsoft's new console. From what I know, it doesn't even have the grunt of the current PS2 internally. And let's face it....ease of workflow doesn't mean success....look how EA turned its back on Sega with the Dreamcast?

You see...this where I get a laugh Matt. I've seen quite a few Engines out there that tell us they already have the architecture in place for next gen consoles (PS3 AN XB2). This usually means replacing calls to DrawPrimitive and ignoring the rest of the engine, assuming that it will run okay.

C++ wil always port well (assuming you're using .NET and Codewarrior, ProDG GCC/SNC are a lot stricter) across platforms, and it really does baffle me why people think that script code makes and engine easily portable to other platforms. The Unreal Engine is a great example of this sort of thing being a complete myth.

I don't know exactly what the Torque engine is like, but I'm hoping to purchase a license to evaluate it sometime today. I'm really interested in seeing how easy it would be to port to the PS2 and PSP.

Atleast this engine is documented. You pay over a one million USD for UE on three platforms, they don't even have up to date documentation!! Let's not go into the PS2 port of the engine either....it's my personal hell.

I guess what I'm trying to say is; any engine can be "ported" to a console, but the engine has to be really well organised if it's to be an effective tool in multi-platform development.

Anyhow...it's Monday morning, and I'm sorry if I sound grumpy/difficult. Need coffee :o)

#12 James, if you are seriously evaluating Torque for PS2/PSP usage you should drop an e-mail to:
jaym@garagegames.com
or
jefft@garagegames.com

#13 Thanks for the heads up Pat, I might just do that.