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Best book to start with

by Eric den Boer · in Torque Game Engine Advanced · 02/21/2009 (9:59 am) · 4 replies

Dear community,

I'm a starting Torque user. I've been looking at some Torque books on Amazon, but .. which one is the best?

There's:
- Multiplayer Gaming and Engine Coding, supposedly works with TGEA
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Multiplayer-Gaming-Engine-Coding-Torque/dp/1568814224/ref=pd_sim_b_1

- 3D Game Programming All in One, Second Edition
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Game-Programming-All-One-Second/dp/1598632663/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

- The Game Programmer's Guide to Torque: Under the Hood of the Torque Game Engine
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Game-Programmers-Guide-Torque-GarageGames/dp/1568812841/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

Which one is the best to start with? I'm really thinking of buying the third book, Game Programmers Guide, but I'm not sure.
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Torque Owner Mike Rowley
Mike Rowley
#1
02/21/2009 (11:00 am)
It depends on the type of game you want to make. All 3 are great books. (I own all 3)

If you are making an fps, 3d game programming all in one is great. It shows you how to add ai, vehicles, and environmental effects.

For a game where you are dynamically adding content as the game goes along, there is the game programmers guide to torque. It's a different type of fps that shows you how to add in scripted objects on the fly. (think, disapearing paths with fireballs shooting at you)

The first book you show actually gets into the engine itself. (C++ code) and assumes you've already completed the game programmers guide.

All 3 are great books. All 3 teach you torque script from different perspectives. You can read parts of the books on amazon and I'd suggest you do to help figure out which one fits best. The books range in age from the oldest (in my list here it's the first one) to the newest. (last one on my list above) Just remember, which ever one you choose, Use the engine that comes with the book as it is what the book uses.

Associate Michael Hall
Distracted...
#2
02/21/2009 (11:09 am)
Quote:Just remember, which ever one you choose, Use the engine that comes with the book as it is what the book uses.
...and once you've followed through on the lessons for any of the books, then you can transfer the knowledge/skills gained to any Torque engine. None of the books were written with TGEa in mind but they are all still relevant with a little "porting".

Torque Owner Andy Rollins
ZDay Game
#3
02/21/2009 (2:11 pm)
Just to add to the descriptions, the 3d Game programming all in one covers texturing, modelling and sounds whereas the Game Programmers guide goes into more depth with Scripting.

So which is best can be down to how much knowledge you have in those two areas - I've found the 3d Game Programming all in one to be the better book for me... if you opt for that one get the Second Edition as it's for a later version of the Torque engine and uses Constructor for building an interior rather than Quark in the first edition.

Torque 3D Owner Eric den Boer
#4
02/22/2009 (9:21 am)
Cool, thank you all.

We've bought all 3 books now for the team to use. I myself bought the guide and the multiplayer book, while another team member bought the guide and the 3D programming book.

The guide sounds like what we really need. Thank you all for your kind and quick replies! I'm sure I'll drop by some more for some n00b questions :D