Torque Game Engine DocumentationVersion 1.3.x
| Torque Game Engine Documentation Version 1.3.x |
Table of Contents
Artwork is a very important part of game design. Your game's artwork can either attract users to the game or push them away before they ever even look at the gameplay. There is another aspect of artwork that, if well done, the user will never be aware of, and that is optimization. It is important to understand, before you begin making artwork for your game, that you will have to learn not only how to get your models into Torque, but how to model efficiently for a real-time game engine. This document will offer some suggestions of this topic, but it might be wise to purchase a book on modelling for real-time environments.
Unlike 3D modelling packages or motion pictures, a game engine must be able to render huge amounts of geometry and effects in real time. In order to do this, many shortcuts are taken in the rendering process to ensure optimal framerate. DTS is a model format designed to be both flexible and optimized for rendering in the Torque Game Engine. Throughout this document some of the limitations of SDTS will be highlighted. It is important to understand why these limitations exist and what the DTS format is designed for. Many problems that are encountered in the art pipeline are due to a misunderstanding of the purpose of the tools available.
The following list outlines the functions for which DTS format is designed. If you stick to these functions you should expect quality performance and a minimum of problems.
Small complex objects. These can range from rocks and trees to individual detail objects such as chairs and tables. They can be attached to player or vehicle models, in the case of weapons, packs, or flags. All dts objects can be animated.
Character models. This is where the real strength of the DTS format lies. Characters can be animated using bone structures. With the use of script, animations can be blended to form complex gestures from simple components.
Vehicles. Similarly to character models, vehicles are a place where DTS really shines. Player models and weapons can be mounted on vehicles, and they can be controlled by the player.
Animated details to be added to structures. This can include rotating radio towers, turrets, and other dynamic objects. DTS objects of this sort should be small in size relative to the building housing them.
The following list outlines the functions for which DTS format is NOT designed. You may experience strange behavior and/or major performance hits when attempting to use DTS for purposes such as these. Carefully consider what you want your shapes to be used for when creating them, and try to avoid going against their intended functionality if you do not have the programming knowledge necessary to extend that functionality.
Buildings and other large objects. DIF format and programs such as QuArK are much better suited for this purpose, as the provide much more efficient culling of off-screen geometry. This is especially true of any structure large enough for the character to go inside.
Objects requiring complex or precise collision. DIF format and programs such as QuArK are also better suited to this task. Collision is one of the most complex functions a game engine performs, and DTS shapes are not optimized for complex collision. They have a simplified collision scheme that is effective in simulating collision on a small scale. It is not precise enough for extremely close interaction, such as that of a character walking on a much larger object.
Objects that will regularly take up several screen lengths. DTS shapes are intended to generally be smaller than the screen, as a character, vehicle, or tree would be. When a DTS object stretches out too far, it may be culled from the scene if its center point is too far off-screen. This can be solved by using DIF shapes for large objects, or by splitting one such object up into several smaller ones
Animated details to be added to structures. This can include rotating radio towers, turrets, and other dynamic objects. DTS objects of this sort should be small in size and used only when necessary.