Suggested changes to the mission editor

#21 Both of those are already implemented, Entr0py, unless you mean it as something different. You can use simgroups, or select multiple objects.

I do wish that SimGroups themselves could be copied, so that when you select a sim group it copies a new one next to it. I think right now it just copies the contents of the simgroup.

Edit: I'm not trying to discourage ideas... only help. :-)

#22 Heres a feature i just thought of....

Terrain Stencils :
Make a pattern using your favourite image editor, then load it up into torque.
Then you will be able to select the stencil as your terrain brush and essentially shape the terrain using your stencil.
E.g you could make an image of your name, then "paint" it onto the terrain's heightmap all in the terrain editor.

#23 Eric Forhan
"Both of those are already implemented, Entr0py, unless you mean it as something different. You can use simgroups, or select multiple objects. "

I know there are simgroups, but being able to make a simgroup with existing objects would be nice. From what I have seen you can only create a new simgroup to create new objects in. Shouldnt be too hard to make a "new simgroup" button that puts all selected objects into a new group. I guess a lot of times these things end up non-intuitive because most programmers aren't artists and vice versa :)

And as far as duplicating, is that in? I havent been able to do it. Being able to select objects and groups of objects and duplicate them would be really nice instead of having to import them every time.

Luc Jordon
"-Multitexturing on buildings. We need to be able to use at LEAST 3 texture layers on buildings in addition to the shadowmap. Serious Sam uses this to incredible effect; you can have a large concrete texture that, when you get close, you can see is detailed all the way down to the tiniest speck in the pavement. This is necessary especially on large buidlings."

Yeah like the detail levels for models but for textures. Great idea :)

#24 You can add existing objects to simgroups no problem. I dunno if it's supported in the editor, but it sure is via script.

Personally, what I always wanted to see in the TGE editor is something that I really loved about UnrealED:

Multiple axis views. x,y,z and 3D (ala 3DSMAX)

That would friggin own.

#25 More suggestions:

XYZ pivots are too hard to select. I end up moving my mouse all over the screen trying to get one to light up. Either a keybind to each pivot or better pivot selection should be implemented.

A toolbar similar to photoshop would be handy instead of having to remember every shortcut or waste time scrolling through pulldown menus.

Split views - I would like to be able to view my scene from seperate viewpoints at the same time and edit them in each view as well.

A toggle to make the ground solid so that when you place objects or move around you dont lose things underneath the terrain.

Maybe a toggle that causes newly created objects to fall right onto the ground instead of floating in air would save time as well.

When placing objects they seem almost arbitrarily placed somewhere in front of you anywhere from right in front to across the landscape somewhere. Please make it easier to predict where a new object will be placed.

Doubleclicking on an object in the missiongroup window should take you to that object instead of having to search around for it.

More settings that can be set in the editor like gravity and collisions for objects. It sucks to have to mess around with scripting when something can be easily done when you make the object in the first place.

*Bind the Q and E keys to rotate the view left and right without having to leave edit mode to do it. Maybe Z and C to move up and down while your at it :)* -- Nevermind, the right mouse button does this :)

Showtool keybindings are nonintuitive. It's confusing moving something around to look at it. Perhaps being able to freely rotate an object by holding down the mouse button would be better. (Had to check to see if it was like that already).

#26 Entr0py,

There is a way to group existing objects. In Tribes2 you would hit "ctrl-m". It would take all the highlighted objects and put them under your prechosen simgroup. I just havent taken the time to find out the new keys to do that. I agree it could be easier.

As for duplicating, either use the menu "copy"/"cut"/"paste" or ctrl-c/ctrl-x/ctrl-y.
Like I said before, it won't copy sim groups (unfortunately). After just putting in a dozen bases,each with several items apiece, I'd say it'd be great to get the sim groups to copy as well as the rest.

#27 "As for duplicating, either use the menu "copy"/"cut"/"paste" or ctrl-c/ctrl-x/ctrl-y. "

lol out of the hundreds of times I have looked through the dropdown menus, I have never noticed them. Maybe because they were greyed out, or being used to working with 3d packages I guess I was looking for something like "duplicate" instead of text editor-like commands :)

#28 LOL! I hear ya, man... One might suspect those be used only in copying text and values. :)

Edit:

XYZ== I only found out just last week you can make those bars nice and long under the editor settings.

New object placement: There are different options in the menu for object placement (ground, camera, etc). I use the default, though. Just look at the ground of the place you want the model, and it will appear there. I often f8 to camera mode, then face straight down.

In-editor movement: You should be able to right click the mouse, hold and drag left or right.

I do like alot of those suggestions. It seems like there is a way to go to the selected item, but if there is I sure dont remember how.

::end edit::

#29 All in all I would just like to say that a lot of things in the torque engine could be made easier for artists (like me). After all there are a lot of us that are just using torque by ourselves. I can program a little, but I am definately not nearly advanced enough to make my way through all the code. Please make it easier for us, we are a good sized group of people who are buying (and would be buying) torque to work with, not to mention that we are REQUIRED for games lol. :) I originally bought torque just to make a small demo game to show off my artistic talent, since then it has becaome a gigantic chore trying to figure out things that are best left to coders and scriptz0rs.

I know some of you are thinking "hand-holding" but come on, making 3d stuff is hard enough on it's own. I think that once torque is geared for us(artists) as well as programmers that you will see more artists in our community (artists seem to be a rare commodity here).

Don't get me wrong though, I really like Torque and I am well pleased with it enough to go with the steep learning curve that comes along with it, I would just like to see more people using it (especially artists).

By the way, thanx for doing this Victor. I assume that since you are asking for suggestions that you plan on submitting this to GG :)

#30 Dont get me wrong I like torque but i dont like the level editing tool set up. I dont like having to make diffs in worldcraft or qaurk.I also dont like the idea of have to use more then one tool for the level geometry.I came up with an Idea on how to make the process more simplistic and and done in one handy application. First have your regulars from the internal mission editor, acess to your static shapes, interiors, actors and other shapes,terrain blocks, water etc. second have an internal diff builder or a diff builder mode.Third include a script editor. fourth maybe have a text editor for your mission goals. fifth maybe have some sort of plugin system to add new features to the editor that are not present. I know this may seem cracked but its just an idea. I lack the knowledge of c++ to do this myself if I had the knowledge I would have started by now.

#31 If it hasn't already been mentioned and isn't already in there (damned if I can find it regardless), some group rotational options might be nice as well. Basically so you can select a whole lot of objects and rotate them around a fixed point.

#32 alt-leftclick rotates
ctrl-alt-rightclick scales
ctrl-alt-del auto-completes your level. (just kidding!)

Just a reminder: Most of these answers can be found in the help file by hitting "f1".

Entr0py: Camera to selection is under the 'World' menu in the editor. :)

#33 I'm glad to see this thread taking off, and all the great suggestions! I've already learned some new things from it myself, and it has broadened the list of items I was planning on addressing.

Additionally, it looks like I've found a few people that are facing the same frustrations that I am. That is a relief, I was beginning to think I was alone.

And yes, I will be posting the doc when it is finished.

Remember: Nothing limits one so much as the tools he uses.

Vic-D

#34 Well, I'm wrapping this up. If anyone has any last minutes suggestions they would like to see included, now is the time to post them.

Vic-D

#35 If it includes the GUI editor, it tears me up that I can't resize the workspace.

Eric

#36 I can always include the GUI editor as an aside. Unfortunately, I don't have any idea how to use it. Every time I fire it up to try it out, I'm put off by the messiness of it and do something else :(

One other thing, if anyone knows undocumented shortcuts or hotkeys, please list them. I would like to list them.

Vic-D