| Torque Game Engine The Torque SDK home page
Welcome to the Torque SDK section of the GarageGames site, the home
of Torque related news, resources and activity. |
New To Torque?
Not yet a Torque developer? Check out the Torque Product Page
for more information.
If you're a Torque owner, you can head over to your MyAccount
page to download the installer which includes tools and pre-built example app, or view the Torque Setup section below to get the latest full source code.
Want more documentation? Head straight to the full official documentation and the new Torque Developer Network (TDN).
Getting Involved. So you want to help? Great! You don't need to be a guru or spend lots of time.
You just need a passion for making great games. Are you an artist? 3D-modeler? Scripter? Programmer? Designer?
Tester? and are interested in being part of the community. Head over to the Contribute page and see how easy it is.
Common Tutorials Index
Torque Setup
| Getting Started with TorqueThis is the first place you will want to go once you've purchased the Torque engine. It covers the basic steps of downloading the latest source code to your computer and compiling the engine for the first time. Getting
Started with Torque (All Platforms) Torque
Build Environment by Chris Calef The Torque Build Environment (TBE) is a ready-to-go development
environment for the Torque Game Engine. Designed to help along new users
who do not yet have their own C++ development tools, TBE offers a quick,
simple way to get a new Torque project up and running. This provides
a fantastic, free aternative to tools like Visual Studio for Torque owners
who are new to programming. Essential
Guide to Torque by Edward
Maurina This extensive PDF document covers everything you need
to know about getting started with Torque. Many thanks to Ed for releasing
this to the community! 3D
Game Programming All in One by Ken
Finney
This book is a must have resource for any starting Torque developer! Over
1000 pages of information to help you over the learning curve of Torque.
For beginners and experienced developers alike, it provides invaluable
tutorials and reference.
|
Basic Skills : Modifiying the Starter Kits
| This section covers the basics of scripting and altering the starter.fps application to familiarize you with some of the tools included in the Torque Engine. |
| Mission Editor Documentation Learn how to use Torque's built in tools to add objects to missions and edit terrain. Mission
Editor Documentation by GarageGames
Core Mission Editor Documentation. |
| Basic Scripting TutorialsAlmost all game logic is implemented through the Torque scripting language, a powerfull C++ like language used to control everything from the GUI interface, mission editor to scoring and game victory conditions. Here is a series of basic scripting tutorials to help you get comfortable with the capabilities of TorqueScript. CodeSampler.com Tutorials by Paladin A set of extremely informative scripting articles covering: Static Shapes, Creating Triggers, Shapes and Basic Collision, Particle Systems, Weapons, Bot Path-Finding, Weapons Damage, Vehicle Setup, and Increasing Terrain Texture Support. These tutorials are a great starting point for new users trying to get more comfortable with the capabilities of TorqueScript. MinApp Tutorials by John Vanderbeck A series of tutorials that take a virtually empty version of Torque and build it up to the level of sophistication of starter.fps. Excellent for any coders who want to see the nuts and bolts of a basic game. Also covers basics of GUI creation. MinApp 1 | MinApp 2 | MinApp 3 | MinApp 4 |
| GUI Editor DocumentationThe GUI Editor can be used to simplify the creation and placement of interface elements for your game. New interface objects can be created in TorqueScript and arranged graphically using the GUI Editor. GUI
Editor Documentation by GarageGames
Core GUI Editor Documentation. |
| Scripting DocumentationMore advanced scripting capabilities and scripting language reference. TorqueScript
Documentation by GarageGames
Core Scripting Documentation. TGE
Console Commands Overview by Ron
Yacketta
This is a outline of the default scripting console commands found in the
Torque Game Engine. As excellent reference for starting Torque users. TorqueScript Language Reference by Joel Baxter The TGE scripting language uses a fairly straightfoward syntax, but there are some low-level concerns and high-level ones that need to be addressed in some detail. |
Programming Skills : Digging Deeper
| This section provides a starting point for
some of Torque's more advanced capabilities. |
| Advanced Scripting Tutorials These scripting tutorials explore some of the more advanced scripting
features, such as creating new gameplay elements and interfacing with
the C++ code. Capture
the Flag Triggers by Anthony
Rosenbaum
Learn how to add the most basic elements for a "capture the flag"
style game play. You will using both the scripting language and the mission
editor for this one. Adding
a Teleporter Object by Stephan
Beffy Moises
Adding a Teleporter Object. Covers the scripting of animating DTS objects,
particle effects, and sound in addition to teleporting the player. An
excellent reference for the combined use of a variety of basic scripting
tasks into one gameplay feature. Sharing
Player Data Between Client and Server by David
Michael This is a small, flexible system for communicating information
from the server back to the client. It also includes a mechanism for the
client to request certain changes in this information. This is useful
for games where long-term character data might be stored on the server. Car
with Weapon Mounts by Harold
"LabRat" Brown A MilkShape format car model showing how to create weapon
mountpoints on your vehicles. Includes appropriate script files as well. Weather
and Environmental Effects by Desmond
Fletcher Adding Environmental Effects to Torque: Rain, Snow, and
Lightning. This tutorial lists the steps to create the server scripts,
the dml files, modify the audioProfiles, and add the effects to the mission.
|
| C++ Code DocumentationScripting has its limits. When it comes time to make major modifications
or additions to your game, your access to the C++ source of the engine
is your most powerful tool. C++
Documentation by GarageGames Core C++ Documentation.. dOxygen
Core Engine Reference This is source level documentation on the engine itself.
This documentation is embeded directly in the source and extracted using
doxygen. dOxygen extracts,
formats and cross links all the embeded comments, class definitions, functions,
etc. List
of Script Globals Linked to Engine Code by Joel
Baxter The goal for this resource is a complete list of all the
global script variables accessed by the engine code, along with definitions.
The definitions are a work in progress.
|
| C++ TutorialsThere are many commonly game features that can be added easily using
C++. Here are a few examples that will help you learn how to apply the
power of C++ coding to your game. Inventory
Manager by Tim
Newell This is an Inventory Manager that is written in C++, contained
in the Player class and accessed and manipulated through scripts. This
tutorial covers adding it to your engine and modifying the scripts to
use it instead of the scripted inventory system. Object
Selection in Torque by David
Myers
This tutorial provides one method to enable object selection in your TGE-based
game. This implementation will show how to implement a bounding box cursor
that will be displayed when an object is selected with the mouse. It could
easily be enhanced to allow you to implement a wide variety of features. 3rd-Person Camera Controls
by Cory
Osborn A common feature in many game genres. These tutorials
walk you through a variety of 3rd person camera and player control techniques.
Part 1: Using
a Separate Camera Object
Part 2: Player
Movement with a Separate Camera Object
Part 3: Controlling
a Separate Camera Generic
Render Object by Melv
May This object gives you all the details you need to get
you started with rendering a new object type in the engine.
|
Art Skills : Creating Content for Torque
| This section cover the tools needed to
import new artwork into Torque. |
| Art Tools Overview There are several formats that art assets in Torque can use, each of
which is suited to specific purposes. Learn about these formats and the
tools for editing them. Art
Tools Overview The DTS
Exporter Matrix by Alex
Swanson
This page provides an overview of features supported by all known DTS
creation tools, and links to their download/purchase locations. The DIF
Exporter Matrix by Alex
Swanson
This page provides an overview of features supported by all known DIF
creation tools, and links to their download/purchase locations.
|
| Interior Editing : Quark
Documentation Quark is the prefered editor for DIF Interior files,
or buildings as they would more commonly be called. Learn how to set up
and export from Quark. Quark Documentation
by GarageGames
Quark setup and export documentation. Holodeck
Quark Tutorials by Desmond
Fletcher Tutorials covering a number of useful tasks in Torque,
such as Optimizing for Framerate, Lighting, Interior Render Modes and
use of Portals. BSP
Technical Details for Dummies by Planet Quake Quark and other BSP tools can be frustrating to work with
when one is used to polygon modelling tools. Understanding the technical
reasons for their limitations is helpful for any beginning level designer.
This article lays out the technical capabilities of BSP in a format anyone
can understand.
|
| The Show ToolThe show tool is used to view Art Assets before importing them into the
engine..
Show Tool Documentation
|
| DTS Shape Creation : 3D Studio
Max3DStudio
Max Exporter Documentation by Joe
Maruschak
The official documentation walks you through the use of the max2dts exporter. Unwrapping
your Mesh to create your own Custom Texture by Joe
Maruschak and Logan Foster An indepth tutorial of how you can use 3DS Max to quickly
and accurately unwrap your model's UVW coordinates for painting and texture
placement.
|
| DTS Shape Creation : MayaMaya
Exporter Documentation by Danny
Ngan
This document walks you through the use of the maya2dts exporter.
|
| DTS Shape Creation : MilkshapeMilkShape Exporter
Documentation
This official documention walks you through the use of the ms2dts exporter
for MilkShape. Car
with Weapon Mounts by Harold
"LabRat" Brown A MilkShape format car model showing how to create weapon
mountpoints on your vehicles. Includes appropriate script files as well.
|
| Other DTS Resources These Resources are not specific to any particular modelling program. DTS
Node Listings This document contains a listing and description of all
the default nodes that are usable within various DTS shapes such as characters,
objects, weapons, and vehicles within the Torque Game Engine.
|
Game Design : Advanced Techniques for Torque's Built-In Tools
| This section cover the tools needed to
import new artwork into Torque. |
| Advanced Mission Editor TutorialsThis section covers advanced applications of the Mission Editor. Creating
Terrain from GIS Data by Desmond
Fletcher This tutorial demonstrates the conversion of GIS heightmap
data into a greyscale heightmap that can be imported by Torque's terrain
engine. Procedural
Terrain Texture Placement by Keith
Sponburgh Details use of the procedural terrain texture placement
feature of the Torque Terrain Editor.
|
| Advanced GUIsThis section covers in-depth GUI changes such as adding new GUI controls
and capabilities. Inventory
Manager v2 by Tim Newell This tutorial will help you create a Graphical Display
of the items that the player has on them. This is primarilly a GUI enhancement
but does require a few very minor C++ changes. TgeLobby
by Sean Pollock TgeLobby v1.2 is an advanced IRC-based game lobby system
designed for the Torque Game Engine. v1.2. RPGDialog
by Nelson Gonsalves RPGDialog is a Torque Game Engine modification that adds
standard RPG Dialogs support, including multiple choice questions and
question linking. Also included is an editor for creating and editing
dialogs easily.
|
Additional Reference
| This section includes links to detailed Torque documentation and community resources. |
| Official Torque DocumentationOfficial Tutorials Many sections of this document have been referenced in the sections above, but there are many sections that will prove very useful, especially as your knowledge of the engine increases.
|
| Online ResourcesGarageGames
Resources The GarageGames Resource database contains community supported articles, how-to's, code snippets and links to other online resources, books, etc. The resource tree contains a section devoted to Torque Game Engine related resources. You can help expand the resource database by submitting your own resources, whether they are Torque related or not. Official
Tutorials These are the best community-created tutorials available for Torque. They provide excellent reference for a variety of Torque-related topics. ToRK
Game Dev This site is devoted to 3D game development with the TGE
by GarageGames. It has an archive of many useful tutorials and resources,
as well as information on the ToRK crew's latest projects. Hall
of Worlds
A truly extensive archive of Torque resources, even includes links to
interesting forum threads! This site is also the home of Ed
Maurina's Essential
Guide to Torque. |
| GarageGames ForumsBy joining the GarageGames community, you have become a part of one of the most active development communities on the net! Other members can often answer your questions in the GarageGames forums. Please be careful to phrase your questions so that they can be easilly understood, and to post them in the correct section of the forums. GarageGames
General Forums This site is devoted to 3D game development with the TGE by GarageGames. It has an archive of many useful tutorials and resources, as well as information on the ToRK crew's latest projects. Torque Engine SDK Owners Private Forums
These forums are accessable only to registered Torque owners. Questions regarding the core C++ engine should always be posted here.
|
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IRC Channel Connect with other community members online in the GarageGames IRC Channel, hosted by MGO Networks.
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