Marte Game - Torque Game Engine Advanced (1.8.1)

[Sempiternam]

An example game with AI code and particles effects made in Torque Game Engine Advanced ver.1.8.1

Stage 0: Orc invasion on Mars' human land-based facilities. Orc AI-point path, AI-shooting. Meteor rain collision. Particles FX. 3D death animation tweaks.

Stage 1 (finishing): Alien Facility Labyrinth. Bot AI alternative modes. Firegun launcher (finishing Bot interaction).

Please wait for more code working... Stage 2 (2 computers Lan net game)

Thanks for this forum. See you later.

Note: possible exception needed for IDP.Generic detected (old Stronghold.exe)

[bsisko]

Thanks for posting sir.

I have a question.  Since Garage Games no longer offer this engine for sale, do you know how I could legally obtain a copy of this engine for use as I only have a license to the 1.4 version.

BTW, your screenshot looks good.

[Sempiternam]

There is a post by Johxz with useful links for Game Examples on Torque.

https://torque3d.org/forums/topic/125-games-made-with-torque-3d/

Search the examples made with TGEA. I found many good work there and I want to share my simple coding process.

Thanks for the reply Bsisko.

 

PD: I don't know about today registration of old Torque products.

[Sempiternam]

MARTE GAME - Stage 0: (zero as a testing example of AI programming code and game play concept design)

MARTE GAME - Stage 1: (finishing code programming; one as the next step on the character's mission on Mars)

Edit: Adding sound effects for Stage 1. Bot AI alternative modes finished. Balance required for resolution steps (working on).

Some of the game play pictures attached:

Edited September 26, 2022 by Sempiternam

[bsisko]

OK.  Thanks for the reply.  Are you saying that all of these screens are from the TGEA version.

Just curious.  As I stated before I like using the TGE 1.4 version of torque for developing my games (as opposed to T3D) because it is easier for me to use.  What your reason for using TGEA.  Again, just curious.

[Sempiternam]

Hello Bsisko. It's like your own reason. Look at the "A Stronghold" mission screenshot, it's wonderful. I found Garage Games many years ago but TGEA 1.8.1 was an old version by then. So I started with some code learning and tried to do some programming work... I left it many years and return to the code. The ideas I used with other works, like AI coding, finally born in Torque as an example for my own... Then I wanted to do some other AI working with a labyrinth art work by a partner and there is where I found my own big problem begins. I'm finishing with this, just waiting for more enthusiasm for next projects.

So, TGEA 1.8.1 was the first nice engine I found on Garage Games and next was Torque 3D. I will program with T3D too. I don't know if I will do with old TGE but it would be nice too.

Thanks for your writing Bsisko. (Sorry for my english)

PD: I have just remembered that TGEA 1.8.1 version was the fastest 3D example program on my old PC (don't remember CPU or RAM)

Edited July 26, 2022 by Sempiternam

[Sempiternam]

MARTE GAME / Stage 1 screenshots (dramatic moments, alternative gameplay)

Through the labyrinth of the alien facility a player could lost the way, find a beast or make a wrong resolution step and get a faulty game end.

Edited July 27, 2022 by Sempiternam

[Sempiternam]

Performance Design:

I like to make some alternative modes on each programming project. Performance for MARTE GAME on TGEA is limited to 32 bit Windows system. RAM memory used will be limited to a number of mission loaded; a "game over" screen will be showned after a limit implemented by human selected options (select "play game", select "quit game", select "next stage").

There are many datablock loaded on TGEA that will crash the main program after a number of "loading objects" procedures. Screenshot of the usual crash moment:

[bsisko]

Its been nice chatting with you.  Awaiting for your game, whether I pay for it or not!

[LoLJester]

Great pictures! 

 

[Sempiternam]

Thanks Bsisko and Jester, I'm trying to get finished stage 1 to share the scripts, codes and resources.

MARTE GAME is a simple example of basic and alternative AI programming.

Edited September 3, 2022 by Sempiternam

[Wolfsong3D]

Hello, bsisko,

Great screenshots! Always makes me happy to see people doing stuff with TGEA/TGE. They may no longer be supported, but there's still life in them for anyone who wants to dig in (and was fortunate to purchase a license before they stopped selling them). The more real-time 3D strives for realism in everything, the more I find I appreciate the classic stuff - especially the PS2/PS3/Gamecube era.

Plus, I just find - at least for me - my creativity comes out much more when I have more restrictions to work within. As a drummer, it's like playing on a small 4 piece kit, instead of a massive 12 piece kit. Fewer options leads to more creative use of them.

I'm curious what your asset pipeline looks like? 
What software do you use to create and get your DTS and DIF assets into the engine?
From what I can tell, Blender hasn't had any kind of support for DTS export to TGE/TGEA for a long time now, and DIF is pretty much obsolete as well.

I own TorqueConstructor (still a fun program to work with, IMO) for the DIF work. I have Milkshape3D which has a compatible DTS exporter. I'm glad I purchased all these programs way back when, and held on to them.

I'm curious to see what asset workflows others use for TGEA/TGE, though.

Thanks!

Edited September 2, 2022 by Wolfsong3D

[Sempiternam]

Hello Wolfsong. Just wanting to show our 3D program resources:

Shaper
https://web.archive.org/web/20110819084305/http://www.inversesoftware.com.au/Shaper/index.php

https://archive.org/details/shaper1.13

------------------------------------------------------------

Torque Constructor
http://demos.garagegames.com/constructor/TorqueConstructor_Win_1_0_3.exe
https://web.archive.org/web/20220514065849/http://demos.garagegames.com/constructor/TorqueConstructor_Win_1_0_3.exe

(update 103-106)
http://demos.garagegames.com/constructor/TorqueConstructor_Update_Win_103-106.zip
https://web.archive.org/web/20220514010701/http://demos.garagegames.com/constructor/TorqueConstructor_Update_Win_103-106.zip

------------------------------------------------------------

MilkShape 3D
(trial or license) - Edit (download)

https://milkshape-3d.en.uptodown.com/windows
https://www.entidad-3d.com/tutoriales/tutorial_entidad_3d/tutorial_milkshape_3d/index.html

Program screens (Shaper - Constructor - MilkShape)

 

Marte Game: working on AI-beast special reaction (firegun shot / collision or short distance interaction)

Edited September 6, 2022 by Sempiternam

[Wolfsong3D]

Nice! I haven't heard of Shaper before. Interestingly enough, I was able to download it from the Wayback Machine. Looks like it was a commercial program, though, so I probably only have a demo version. (Edit: yep it's a demo version).

I have Constructor and Milkshape, purchased both. 

So, was shaper used to setup the skeleton/animations?

Thank you for posting that

Edited September 3, 2022 by Wolfsong3D

[Sempiternam]

Wolfsong, Shaper is the program that can import .dts and .dsq, change sequence and export to a new file. (DSQ sequence: Translation axis problem, Rotation good job)

[Wolfsong3D]

That's really cool. It's too bad I can't seem to buy a full copy anymore.
I can't register my copy of ShowToolPro anymore, either, since the registration server seemed to go down with GarageGames.

Edited September 7, 2022 by Wolfsong3D

[Sempiternam]

Torque ShowTool Pro can't use ignition key if we want to install the program into a new windows system install, only could run if the program was installed and registred with the ignition key before the last day of www.garagegames.com and using the ignition code in the ignition file:

[8ed5e966]

ticket = "the encryption code"

key = BBPK-KC46-2MDR-KYPY

If you have an old windows system were ShowTool was running that file will be needed to run a new copy of the program in that system only.

[Wolfsong3D]

Nope. I'm out of luck, then.  I don't have any installs on any other systems. 

And I can't get a full copy of Shaper, either. 

Welp lol.

Might have to just give up the chase using TGEA for anything. I feel like I'm going to hit even more walls. Shame. I think it's still a perfectly capable engine that still looks good, as long as you're not going for bleeding-edge, super-realistic graphics.

[Sempiternam]

Don't give up to anything, change some specific program resources, try Torque 3D 4.0 for example (I will do for a more special game project).

The programs could be downloaded in the complete feature but I didn't search to deep, sorry.

Edited October 13, 2022 by Sempiternam

[Sempiternam]

Marte Game: stage 0 complete, stage 1 last changes (SFX interactions, firegun interactions & restrictions, AI aleatory response to fire collision).

No music edited for these stages (Mb saving), just one or two prelude tones...

Attached: 1st person view for stage 0 + transparency characters / Stage 1 poor jailed ally (Spacesuit model, new animations)

 

Update: new AI code working for stage 1 (extra "fire interaction" with bots: explosion on gas system; direct impact pros/contras)

 

Question for the Torque community:

Do you like extra levels of difficulty? Marte Game Stage 1 have low, medium and hard level resolution depending on how a player reach to each objective step.

I have many hours playing the beta version, know the points of interest on the stage and get some hard game playing I enjoy... But I want to make this stage an "all player moods" interesting gameplay (or tedious).

Edited October 13, 2022 by Sempiternam

[Sempiternam]

Sorry for the delay...

The simple but complicated AI system I have done for Stage 1 is working with many tweaks, just one or two more twists to give me a nice difficult playing and it will be callibrated to work for any kind of player.

So, Stage 0 must be completed to obtain some gameplay data to process a difficulty level to play Stage 1. The stats numbers are deaths, time, levels, fires, (accuracy), healings... Stage 0 has a number of levels with some bots at the same time, that could be used to obtain player statistics on how good solves the problem.

Stage 1 could have different kind of helps for players who finished Stage 0 with low stats. Then difficulty level will be adjusted on each step (not just stats). Bots will respond different with experienced players and beginners.

Thank you people. Some weeks more...

Edited November 26, 2022 by Sempiternam

[Sempiternam]

Thanks people for your hard work. Have a nice 2023 year begining.

My own hard work have to wait because multiple "instances"... See you.