TGB Next version Wishlist
by Yves (Kreegrr) · in Torque Game Builder · 07/07/2006 (12:32 pm) · 19 replies
Now that we have a final release out the door, what features would you like to see the most in the next TGB?
For me it's:
- A pathfinding set of commands that are easy to use.
- A built-in full blown feature rich IDE with full debugging(browsing the log files or ~ dosen't do it for me sorry :)
- Enhanced level editor with better selection system, grouping, fill system.. ie fill layer with x tile or fill area with x tile, randomized fill..
That's it for me..
For me it's:
- A pathfinding set of commands that are easy to use.
- A built-in full blown feature rich IDE with full debugging(browsing the log files or ~ dosen't do it for me sorry :)
- Enhanced level editor with better selection system, grouping, fill system.. ie fill layer with x tile or fill area with x tile, randomized fill..
That's it for me..
#2
For example, trying to remember which layer is which or what brush is what with no visual reference is very difficult. Thumbnails or something similar for layers and brushes would really make a difference.
Also locking/hiding/naming/reordering layers would improve things dramatically.
07/07/2006 (3:01 pm)
Level/tilemap editor improvements, definitely! That's the biggest sore spot in the product at the moment. It's really polish, but it's functional polish that will make it worth using.For example, trying to remember which layer is which or what brush is what with no visual reference is very difficult. Thumbnails or something similar for layers and brushes would really make a difference.
Also locking/hiding/naming/reordering layers would improve things dramatically.
#3
I should re-visit torsion... :)
07/07/2006 (5:12 pm)
I'm using codeweaver at the moment, it's really nice.I should re-visit torsion... :)
#4
http://www.garagegames.com/index.php?sec=mg&mod=resource&page=view&qid=9711
07/07/2006 (8:20 pm)
There is a pathfinding mod that works really well, its exposed to script and is extremely easy to use.http://www.garagegames.com/index.php?sec=mg&mod=resource&page=view&qid=9711
#5
07/07/2006 (11:28 pm)
Both codeweaver and torsion are nice. I am currently using torsion. It's faster and has a tighter debugger. codeweaver has more bells and whistles in the IDE. Just fyi - the torsion developers have enhanced the debugger in torque and it already got merged into all Torque 1.4 codebase including TGB. 
#6
- Physics fix
And maybee in the next next version ^^
- Networking enhancement
- Some premade filter like Blur, glow, Emboss, gradient,...
With only the 2 first addition TGB would seriously rock. Without it's not the best 2D engine at all.
07/08/2006 (6:48 am)
- Vectorial / Pixel manipulation- Physics fix
And maybee in the next next version ^^
- Networking enhancement
- Some premade filter like Blur, glow, Emboss, gradient,...
With only the 2 first addition TGB would seriously rock. Without it's not the best 2D engine at all.
#7
Built in filters would be nice indeed!
07/08/2006 (1:02 pm)
Geometry wars comes to mind when i think of pixel/vector effects.Built in filters would be nice indeed!
#8
I second that. A final tilemap and tilemap editing system would be great.
And also it would be cool if I could assign a layer in the editor to variable. e.g. to $GAME::PLAYER_LAYER instead of the actual numerical value. Though this can be circumvented by using t2dSceneObjectDatablocks. For everyone who does not use them: They really make the level editor much more useful.
07/08/2006 (2:48 pm)
Quote:
Level/tilemap editor improvements, definitely! That's the biggest sore spot in the product at the moment. It's really polish, but it's functional polish that will make it worth using.
For example, trying to remember which layer is which or what brush is what with no visual reference is very difficult. Thumbnails or something similar for layers and brushes would really make a difference.
Also locking/hiding/naming/reordering layers would improve things dramatically.
I second that. A final tilemap and tilemap editing system would be great.
And also it would be cool if I could assign a layer in the editor to variable. e.g. to $GAME::PLAYER_LAYER instead of the actual numerical value. Though this can be circumvented by using t2dSceneObjectDatablocks. For everyone who does not use them: They really make the level editor much more useful.
#9
When you publish your game, have the packager create one datafile with all your assets inside.
Your installed game directory would have a datafile, your executable and maybe a config file.
The datafile could use a sortof virtual file system and work transparently with TGB's file access.
So weather you use the datafile or regular directories, your code remains the same.
07/10/2006 (6:39 am)
Another thing that would be great is the ability to protect your assets.When you publish your game, have the packager create one datafile with all your assets inside.
Your installed game directory would have a datafile, your executable and maybe a config file.
The datafile could use a sortof virtual file system and work transparently with TGB's file access.
So weather you use the datafile or regular directories, your code remains the same.
#10
07/10/2006 (6:53 am)
I'd like a button on the UI that would reload TGB, so you wouldn't have to close it and re-open it each time you made a change to script.
#11
@Unsung, there is a work around for that written in the Forums. All you have to do is exec your game scripts in your startGame function in game.cs. The level builder calls that function everytime you run your game. Works like a charm for me. :)
07/10/2006 (6:55 am)
@Yves, I dont know how well it works but there is some stuff somewhere that lets you use a protected ZIP as file system@Unsung, there is a work around for that written in the Forums. All you have to do is exec your game scripts in your startGame function in game.cs. The level builder calls that function everytime you run your game. Works like a charm for me. :)
#12
07/10/2006 (7:20 am)
Encrypted zip functionality didn't make it in? Hmmm. Haven't packaged in a while and haven't added that as a resource for a while since I thought it was on-slate.
#13
I guess we'll have to wait and see what GG has in store for us... can't wait!
Looking forward to seeing what's next!
07/18/2006 (6:13 am)
The nice thing about having these features added natively in TGB is you're getting them on all platform.I guess we'll have to wait and see what GG has in store for us... can't wait!
Looking forward to seeing what's next!
#14
Another neat feature would be the option to create off screen surfaces, have pixel/blitting access to them and the ability to save to file in whichever format TGB supports, .pngs, bmps, .jpgs.... etc
07/20/2006 (3:14 pm)
I write them as i think them :)Another neat feature would be the option to create off screen surfaces, have pixel/blitting access to them and the ability to save to file in whichever format TGB supports, .pngs, bmps, .jpgs.... etc
#15
07/29/2006 (2:13 am)
I 'd like TGB to support IME better, right now it has some problem. It show every key i pressed to input some local characters and in fullscreen mode the IME bar is flashing. 
#16
08/06/2006 (8:37 am)
One minor addition i'd like to see in the level builder is a simple coordinate display, so I have some kind of reference for the world positions of objects.
#17
As a workaround to a display on the level view itself, you can go to the edit tab and as you move an object around you'll see a real time update of the coordinates next to the label "position"
08/06/2006 (11:19 am)
@CoreyAs a workaround to a display on the level view itself, you can go to the edit tab and as you move an object around you'll see a real time update of the coordinates next to the label "position"
#18
Hadn't thought of that, but it's definately a solid workaround. Thanks for the tip!
08/07/2006 (11:22 am)
@BenHadn't thought of that, but it's definately a solid workaround. Thanks for the tip!
#19
To make it more general, it would be great if there existed some equivalent function that would call a callback function if an object enters/leaves a specific area (not necessarily a rectangle).
(correct me if those features already exist, I was looking through the ref.manual but nothing ringed a bell..)
08/08/2006 (12:45 am)
I'd like to see specializations for setPositionTarget: setPositionTargetX and setPositionTargetY. those should call accordingly named callback functions once the object reaches the specified x / y position anywhere in my scene. To make it more general, it would be great if there existed some equivalent function that would call a callback function if an object enters/leaves a specific area (not necessarily a rectangle).
(correct me if those features already exist, I was looking through the ref.manual but nothing ringed a bell..)
Torque Owner Oliver Rendelmann - DerR
And the enhanced level editor... I am working on a system that allows for locking groups/layers aswell as turning them invisible, check my blog. I am also going to work on a SimGroup manager that allows for creation of groups and subgroups for objects.