Torque 3D Development - Beta 4!
by Matt Fairfax · 07/17/2009 (10:54 pm) · 68 comments
Download Torque 3D Beta 4 from your Account
I'm not sure how, but I believe we have managed to get more into Beta 4 than we did into Beta 3 and we did it in half the time! You'll find the complete list in the Torque 3D forums.
New Stuff in Beta 4!
Datablock Editor - This new editor allows you to quickly and easily update the shared data that powers so much of Torque from inside of the World Editor. Quickly create and modify datablocks and watch the changes happen in realtime while saving directly into your existing scripts.
Undercity - First debuted at GDC 2009, this tight, fast paced deathmatch map by Logan Foster and Adrian Wright of Max Gaming Technologies has been pushing the boundaries of our lighting system and Collada loader since day one. This level is helping to lead the way in redefining what a "Torque" level can be.
Beta 4 also includes...
- Dynamic lighting in Basic Lighting
- A Cubemap Editor accessible from the Material Editor
- Specular Maps which allow you to control your shape's specular color and power on a per pixel level
- Vastly improved Depth of Field PostFX
- Simple example objects with source code to demonstrate how to best use GFX2
- Support for non-convex (polysoup) collision meshes
Decal Editor Video Tutorial
Be sure to not miss the latest of Lara Engebretson's excellent video tutorials about how to use the Decal Editor:
Torque 3D Showoff!
One of the most impressive thing about Torque 3D is just how quickly people are getting incredible artwork into their games! There has a been a ton of developers and artists willing to show off cool things they are doing with Torque 3D and for Beta 4 we decided to open up that thread so that everyone can see the jaw-droppingly cool stuff that has been happening during the Beta. For those of you who don't own Torque 3D yet, be sure to ask questions about it in our new open forum. (The private Torque 3D forum will continue until full release.)
Here is just a small sampling from Song Yongjin, Daniel Hopkins, deepscratch, JulianR, J, Qbound, Tom Spilman, Hewster, and Steve Acaster:
There are also a number of beautiful Torque 3D videos floating around. Here are some from Steve Acaster, the ever excited and industrious OmegaDog, and deepscratch:
More development blogs to come. This is post #27.
Torque 3D development blogs:
- Post #1 - Kickoff
- Post #2 - Apparatus and Warrior Camp
- Post #3 - Luma's racing kit
- Post #4 - Josh Engebretson and Web Publishing
- Post #5 - Pricing and Licensing
- Post #6 - Pricing and Licensing CONTINUED
- Post #7 - Wetness & Precipitation
- Post #8 - Screeen Space Ambient Occlusion (SSAO)
- Post #9 - Matt Langley and the Torque Launcher
- Post #10 - Chris Robertson and Collada
- Post #11 - Depth of Field
- Post #12 - Advanced Lighting
- Post #13 - Soft Particles
- Post #14 - World Editor
- Post #15 - Pricing and Licensing ANNOUNCED!
- Post #16 - GDC Live Edition
- Post #17 - River & Road Editors
- Post #18 - Beta is UP!
- Post #19 - Light Rays, Undercity, and the Material Editor
- Post #20 - Mass Market Hardware
- Post #21 - Beta: Part Deux
- Post #22 - Marching Towards Beta 3
- Post #23 - pureLIGHT
- Post #24 - Lighting, Terrain, and Cloth
- Post #25 - Beta 3!
- Post #26 - Documentation
- Post #27 - Beta 4!
- Post #28 - Coming Soon!
About the author
#62
07/24/2009 (6:45 pm)
Why I am talking about the role BETA4 or DSQ action can not be used to load? 
#63
07/24/2009 (7:38 pm)
Looks like I may have to just sport my Torque 3D shirt at ComicCon tomorrow. :) 
#64
I wish I were at ComicCon. *sigh*
07/24/2009 (11:02 pm)
@Jason: That would be awesome! Please post a shot of you doing something fun at ComicCon. I wish I were at ComicCon. *sigh*
#65
07/28/2009 (2:48 am)
I looked in my account and only find Torque x 3d to download.....Could you tell how I can be a beta tester for Torque3d, I would love to test this new engine.....Thanx in advance for your help
#66
@Donnie
This is a closed beta. To participate, you need to pre-order the engine.
07/28/2009 (3:04 am)
@Donnie
This is a closed beta. To participate, you need to pre-order the engine.
#67
07/29/2009 (5:09 pm)
thank you for replying...I will, with no doubt buy this new engine, I love what I see, and slober all over myself at the screen shots, but I can't say when exactly I can afford the 1000 bucks. Soon I know, but don't want to preorder and lie to my community like that....Thank you again for the info. though........Highground
#68
But I have been wondering after seeing the scene01 demo:
as you can see the popping ON of plants when skimming over the terrain, there seems to be lacking transition to the ON state. the most noticeable is color due to a populated ground cover.
An example would be if a white poppy plant covering ALL the terrain is seen from above, the ground would appear white'ish. not dark green till you get close then POP to white poppy fields, is there any system that can help with this.
perhaps single poly with the rough color or something else in a LOD type system.
thanks again
08/04/2009 (6:56 am)
Nice Job Dev team.But I have been wondering after seeing the scene01 demo:
as you can see the popping ON of plants when skimming over the terrain, there seems to be lacking transition to the ON state. the most noticeable is color due to a populated ground cover.
An example would be if a white poppy plant covering ALL the terrain is seen from above, the ground would appear white'ish. not dark green till you get close then POP to white poppy fields, is there any system that can help with this.
perhaps single poly with the rough color or something else in a LOD type system.
thanks again
Associate Matt Motsinger