GPGT Chapter 3 - Issues and Questions

#1 Hello again, thank you for answering my last question so quickly. I seem to be having a problem getting the GPGT exe to launch from the disk. I double click on the icon in the lessions file on the disk and the run window flashes for a second but then nothing.

Any suggestions?

#2 Merrie,

Hi. Yes. You have to copy it to your hard-drive. This is getting to be a frequently asked question so I'll post something about it on my site.

Thanks!

Hall Of Worlds - For Gamers
EdM|GPGT

#3 Just some notes to help others that I discovered as I was working through this chapter.

Section 14.4.1 page 574
From the CD in \TorqueDemoInstallers - I installed the TGE demo directly into my main drive c:\Torgue Demo then renamed it to MazeRunner. (It will make its own folder you just have to rename it.)

Section 14.4.2 page 574
The demo comes with the DELDSO script, so the only one you need to make is the DELML script. I just wrote mine up in JEdit and saved it as DELML.bat.

Section 14.4.5 page 576
When modifying the prototype\main.cs file be sure to /not/ make it a separate code block. (In other words don't put a closing bracket at the end, it needs to be part of the existing block under onStart().

#4 Has anybody else experienced fast exits when following the tutorials in chapter 3? I just dropped "myabcshack" into the world as per page 54 and as soon as it drops in and I move, I get a fast exit. This has happened a few othertimes as well.

#5 Ah ha. Setting the copied folder to not be "Read Only" after coming off the CD seems to solve the issue.

#6 @Merrie - Thanks!

@13 - Glad to see you caught that. A lot of folks work right off the disk, not knowing (or forgetting) that the application makes DSO and ML files that it needs to use.

Hall Of Worlds - For Gamers
EdM|GPGT

#7 Page 36 - section 3.3

It says to "please use the GPGT Lesson Kit" from the CD. For Mac people this might be confusing because if you copy that directory over, you have a bunch of Windows stuff and no executable. At this point they probably don't understand how the files are set up and that they need to copy the Torque Demo OSX.app into that directory.

"...and run the World Editor Training mission" - you might want to explain how to do that, because again people may not be familiar with the way things work yet.

Page 54 - section 3.7.2

The file we're supposed to create - myabcshack.dif - already exists from when I copied the GPGT LessonKit directory from the CD... [Edit: same goes for mydummy.dts. Also the directories listed start with example but we were never told to rename the GPGT LessonKit directory so this might be confusing.]

Page 90 - section 3.14.6 "Adding Controls to an Existing GUI"

It reads: "Now, to save your work, select File -> Save GUI, select MainMenuGui.gui, then..."

Figure 3.64 shows this file located in egt/client/ui/ and called mainMenuGui.gui.

My setup [on Mac OS X] does not have this directory or this file. I assume it should be gpgt/client/interfaces/mainMenu/mainMenu.gui ?

- Andy

#8 Page 74 - section 3.11.3

The paths in figures 3.48 and 3.49 do not correspond to the project we copied from the CD, nor does the current texture path, which is egtge.vol1.kit/data/Volume1Base/terrains/scaleTerrains...

This meant searching around for the right files which I think are in gpgt/data/GBGTBase/terrains/.

- Andy

#9 Page 94 - section 3.14.8

"Open the file 'egt\client\init.cs' and...

The path is incorrect - it should be gpgt/client/init.cs. [Aside: maybe a note about '/' and '\' would be advisable at the beginning?]

Also in this section, the code in the book shows a comment:

// Load up the shell GUIs

which is not actually in the code.

And... On Mac OS X I get a strange cursor problem when I try my new dialog:


- Andy

#10 I've recently built TGE from source for MacOSX using the CVS version,
and put a copy of "Torque Demo Debug OSX.app" into the GPGT Lesson Kit folder from the CD,
and start it by double-clicking the app,
but it dies reading creator/ui/InspectDlg.ui
as shown below from console.log:

--------- Initializing: Torque Creator ---------
Loading compiled script creator/editor/editor.cs.
Loading compiled script creator/editor/particleEditor.cs.
Loading compiled script creator/scripts/scriptDoc.cs.
Loading compiled script creator/ui/creatorProfiles.cs.
Loading compiled script creator/ui/InspectDlg.gui.
Fatal: (../engine/core/frameAllocator.h @ 205) Allocating a FrameTemp with less than one instance
Error, a DecalManager (20f2200) isn't properly out of the bins!

I'm pretty newbile wrt TGE, so is this me or something else?

#11 I have tried everything and can't run the MazeRunner mission from the main menu :(

The second GUI has a button that reads "LAUNCH MISSION", this button has the next command:

SM_StartMission();

I have looked at every .cs file in mazeRunner directories and can't find this function!!!!

What's wrong with this?

Thanks in advance

#12 @All - I'm starting to answer ALL of my oustanding GPGT questions. It will take me a few days, so please bear with me over the weekend.

- Thanks

@asmaloney
On your bug notes. All noted. Thanks! I will keep these on my list for fixes/changes in future editions.

Regarding the path egt - This should always ignored and replaced with gpgt.

mainMenu.gui - Yes, you are correct. The path that is listed in the book is wrong.

Terrains Path - Yes and no. You are correct, but I think you typoed. It should be: gpgt/data/GPGTBase/terrains/

Regarding funny mouse trails - Yes, that is OK. Looking at the example, I have you use the command:

Canvas.setContent(MyFirstGUI);

, when in fact I should probably have had you use:

Canvas.pushDialog(MyFirstGui);

The reason you are seeing these trails is as follows:

1. Canvas.setContent() will unload the current canvas contents and replace it with the new contents you pass (MyFirstGUI) in this case.

2. MyFirstGUI was designed to cover only part of the screen. Thus, TGE now has a large area with no content. Think of this as the dead-zone.

3. With no cotent for most of the screen, the engine keeps rendering whatever was there last.

4. The mouse cursor floats over all of this, and when you move it over the 'dead-zone' the mouse graphic replaces the old image there. However since, this area is effectively dead and not being updated, the mouse image stays there, creating your 'mouse trails'.


So, what is the solution to this?

1. Use pushDialog() for elements that only cover part of the screen.
2. If using setContent() make sure that the GUI is as large as the entire canvas, OR is in a container that is large as the canvas.

Thanks too for the script fix!


@William - I can't be sure if the problem is with your build, but I'm guessing that the version of TGE you are building for Mac does not have some of the features that were present when I wrote these examples.

Please do the following.

1. Use the very latest source for you Mac Build.

2. Try the OSX Executable image you can download from my page:

OSX Executable - Use for GPGT Lesson Kit and MazeRunner

3. Get the latest MazeRunner instructions too:
Appendix E. Maze Runner Lessons (Steps Only) - Covers Mac and Windows


@Isaac - I saw from another thread that you resolved this?


Hall Of Worlds - For Gamers
EdM|GPGT

#13 I didn't see this one after a quick review of this forum:

Page 72 - "...copy the "\MazeRunner\Lesson_001\heightFields" directory into "\MazeRunner\prototype\data"

The path "\MazeRunner\prototype\data" does not exist on my CD (which is copied to the hard drive). In order to get this to work, I had to copy the prototype folder from "MazeRunner\A_SettingUp" to "GPGT LessonKit" and then from the "GPGT LessonKit" folder, run "gpgt.exe -game prototype." I created a batch file to run the command, so I don't have to use Run or the command prompt.

#14 @Joe,

Hi. Page 9 in the steps only instructions (Appendix E. Maze Runner Lessons (Steps Only)) fixes this.

Thanks,


Hall Of Worlds - For Gamers
EdM|GPGT

#15 Thanks. I downloaded that appendix yesterday, but I've been going through the book so quickly I've not had a chance to look at it.

Excellent job on the book, by the way. I've gone through the first 140 pages or so, and it's enlightened me on many things.

#16 Hey, I hate to come late to the party (seeing as it's 2007 and the last post was 2006!), but I am having issues with getting the "World Editor Training" mission started, or even found for that matter, in Chapter 3. I am using a Mac and I downloaded the OSX Starter but it won't start anything. Am I missing something? I put the files from that folder in to the GPGT Lesson Kit folder but nothing happens. I feel like I've tried everything, yet it will not work.

FYI, I do have the Indie version of 1.5, so can I just run that from somewhere? I really want to follow along, but it's become impossible since I can't start anything!

Thanks for any help.

#17 Micah,

Hi. It always takes me a bit with MAC questions, but I want you to know I've read this post and will work on this shortly.

Meanwhile, can you clarify a few things for me:

1. You downloaded this file: OSX Executable - Contains executable for use with GPGT Lesson Kit and MazeRunner

2. From your disk, you copied the entire folder "GPGT LessonKit" onto your desktop (or elsewhere on your HD)

3. You then unzipped the file from step #1 (OSXStarter.zip) onto your desktop (NOT into "GPGT LessonKit").

4. Next, you copied ONLY the file/folder "Torque Demo OSX.app" (may show up as "Torque Demo OSX" ) into the folder "GPGT LessonKit" from step #2.

5. Finally, you double clicked "Torque Demo OSX.app" (or "Torque Demo OSX" )


I know, the whole process for Mac folks is a little goofy and I apologize. I won't neglect this process for book 2 like I did this time. (I've got a Mac in my dev pool now which will help :) ).

Oh, and a couple more questions. Can you tell me a little about your machine and OS? i.e. Which Mac are you using and which version of the OS? It shouldn't make any difference, but more information is better.

Thanks!

Ed M.

#18 @ Micah

Hi is this still not working for you? Please let me know.

Hall Of Worlds - For Gamers
EdM|GPGT

#19 Edward,

Sorry it took me so long to reply. I am only working on a Mac at work (PC at home) so I try things there and it's all different at home! Anyway, I believe I did everything you said up until copying the shortcut into the folder ON THE DESKTOP. I was downloading and unstuffing it on to the desktop, and possibly moving the folder in to the Torque folder in my Applications area. I would make an alias, but not a copy, of the Torque Demo OSX. app so that may be an issue as well. I will go through these directions in detail tomorrow morning at work and let you know how it went. I appreciate the help and super fast replies. Sorry again for my delay.

My machine at work is a G5 running 10.4 OS, dual processor 2.5 Ghz with 4 gigs of ram. I believe the graphics card is 512 mb... if not, it's definitely 256mb. In case it matters, I have 2 hard drives (one for storage) and both are 250 gig. I have files on the second, but all the Garage Game apps and the folder for the book are on the main drive.

Thanks again and I'll update you in the morning!

#20 Edward,

I am at work now and followed the steps. Here's what I did:

1) I downloaded the link you supplied above, unzipped it and ended up with a folder called "OSXStarter" on my desktop. I tried the Torque Demo OSX app in that folder and it refused to do anything.

2) I copied the CD over to my hard drive (more specifically, in to the folder I keep my Torque applications... it has its own folder called "GPGT" with all the contents). I unzipped the TorqueDemoOSX-1-4.tgz file and put that Torque Demo OSX.app in to the "OSXStarter" folder on my desktop. This is what I got.


I can only assume, this isn't what I want since I can't open the files from your CD.

3) I then copied the Torque Demo OSX.app file found in my purchased copy of Torque Indie (I have that in a folder in my Applications area called Torque SDK/example. I made sure I did not make and Alias, but actually copied the app file over to the OSXStarter folder on my desktop). It asked if I wanted to replace the file, and I did, overwriting the one from the GPGT disc. The application refuses to fire up, crashing, and giving me the box with "The application Torque Demo OSX quit unexpectedly." and I can close, report or reopen. It never actually runs.

Just to let you know, I can open the purchased copy when I run it from it's original folder.

Thanks for any help and I appreciate the time with this.

Micah