Indie Developer considering torque
by Brian Linton · in Torque Game Engine · 06/05/2008 (4:38 pm) · 7 replies
I'm an indpendent game developer investigating engine options for a 2D title I'm about to develop.
The feature set of Torque Game Builder Pro sounds ALMOST perfect but I really need more than turn based networking support.
Has anyone added real-time networking functions (as suggested in the feature list) and made the code available either open source or for not too much money?
Would it be easier to use the 3D engine to develop a 2D game than it would be for me to add the real time networking support to the 2D code? (I'm an experienced C++ programmer).
I'll try the demos of both engines but if anyone has some quick answers it would help tremendously.
The feature set of Torque Game Builder Pro sounds ALMOST perfect but I really need more than turn based networking support.
Has anyone added real-time networking functions (as suggested in the feature list) and made the code available either open source or for not too much money?
Would it be easier to use the 3D engine to develop a 2D game than it would be for me to add the real time networking support to the 2D code? (I'm an experienced C++ programmer).
I'll try the demos of both engines but if anyone has some quick answers it would help tremendously.
#2
I'm not afraid of doing the work but if I don't have to, I'd rather not :).
06/09/2008 (7:46 pm)
It's going to have a fast-action bullet heavy component but, according to current plan, there will be only two simultaneous entities, like a duel between two ships Star Control 2 style. This can still (obviously) involve a lot of bullets. I'm not afraid of doing the work but if I don't have to, I'd rather not :).
#3
Personally, I don't know of any 2D engines that can do what you are looking for without some modification, but I'm sure there's something out there...
Maybe someone who has worked with TGB networking more than I have can chime in...
06/09/2008 (10:14 pm)
I'm guessing you would have to do quite a bit of prediction on the clients with the current networking system. Trying to track all of those bullets realistically over a network is probably just outside of the capabilities of the implemented system.Personally, I don't know of any 2D engines that can do what you are looking for without some modification, but I'm sure there's something out there...
Maybe someone who has worked with TGB networking more than I have can chime in...
#4
The player movement in the environment you described would really require real-time networking.
06/09/2008 (11:33 pm)
I think handling bullets over the net would be pretty simple provided that you don't do anything *too* crazy to their path once created. Simple linear bullets can be created by the bucket-load using the current event-based system.The player movement in the environment you described would really require real-time networking.
#5
developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Lag_Compensation
Gary (-;
06/10/2008 (12:59 am)
Quote:I think handling bullets over the net would be pretty simple
developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Lag_Compensation
Gary (-;
#6
06/10/2008 (1:07 am)
If you have a bullet that follows a straight line, then surely you can just broadcast the event from the client making the bullet to the server to the remaining clients. I understand there is always a lag problem involved, but if your server is the authorative figure in the structure and handles all scripted responses to collisions, then it shouldn't be a problem. 
#7
06/10/2008 (9:41 am)
Yeah, you don't exactly have to sync the bullet ever, just the firing.
Employee David Montgomery-Blake
David MontgomeryBlake
What type of game are you making? If it is a fast-action bullet-heavy shooter that requires extremely accurate ghosted objects, then you will have quite a bit of work ahead of you in most engines.