1 Topics: Introduction to Game Engine Course Overview What is a game engine? Advantages and Disadvantages Torque Game Engine

2 Module Aims: · to introduce what is game engine · to provide an understanding of the need of using game engine · to introduce the components of a game engine · to enable the design and implementation of a game engine

3 Continuous Assessment To be confirmed

4 Schedule To be confirmed

5 What is a game engine? “A game engine is the core software component of a computer or video game or other interactive application with real-time graphics” (Wikipedia) Term “Game engine” was coined in the mid- 1990’s due to the development of first person shooters such as Doom Wolfenstein…

6 What is a game engine? Game Engines –Commercial –Open source Game Engine Architecture –Physics, AI, Graphics, etc.

7 What is a game engine? Main goals of a game engine: Provide for underlying technologies – Graphics Rendering – Physics engine – Sound – Scripting – Animation – Artificial Intelligence – Networking – … Simplify development process Run on multiple platforms

8 What is a game engine? Top 10 Commercial Engines (Devmaster.net) 1. Torque Game Engine 2. TV3D SDK DGameStudio 4. C4 Engine 5. Unity 6. NeoAxis Engine 7. DX Studio 8. 3Impact 9. Beyond Virtual 10.Deep Creator

9 What is a game engine? Many Open Source solutions are also available: Ogre Delta3D Crystal Space Irrlicht …

10 Middleware Components in game engines can be based on middleware (Havok, SpeedTree, …) Increasing popularity of MMOGs spawns new middlewares: – Gamebryo – HeroEngine – Kaneva Game Platform – Multiverse Network

11 Advantages/disadvantages Why use a game engine: Less development time required Less testing and debugging Many features directly available Better focus on the game design Why not use a game engine: No control over the implementation of features Adding features not yet in the game engine might be cumbersome Dependent on other licensing scheme for release Other libraries/toolkits linked with the game engine (physics, AI…)

12 Torque Game Engine(TGE) is a game engine created and marketed by GarageGames ( Torque Game Engine

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15 Why TGE? Fully-fledged Game Engine with Game Development Tools for developing your own games TGE has been used to create a number of AAA Titles including Tribes, Tribes2, and Starsiege Active Community of Developers Full Source Available making it possible to completely modify TGE Cross Platform (Windows, MacOS, Linux) Affordable ($100 for indie license with full source)

16 What Can TGE Create? Though TGE is based on FPS genre, it can be easily extended to create many Genres of 3D games from Racing, RPG, Action, Strategy, Puzzle, to even simulators.

17 Demonstration of TGE Tribes, Tribes 2, and StarSiege (AAA Title) s2/index.html?q=tribes2 e/

18 TGE Features Console Window in TGE

19 TGE Features TGE Scripting

20 TGE Features TGE Level Editor

21 TGE Features TGE GUI Editor

22 TGE Features Final Screen

23 TGE Strong Points Complete Game Engine –Has complete game development solution with embedded tools Full Source Available –Developers can modify the core engine to add new features, change behaviors, and solve bugs Affordable –One of the more cost efficient game engines in the market Strong Community of Developer –Has a community of developers help fellow developers

24 TGE Strong Points Cross Platform –Can run potentially on Windows, MacOS, and Linux platform Can be Extensively Modified –Even from an FPS based engine, it is possible to create games of other genres including RPG, Strategy, Puzzle, Platform, and etc! Good Scripting Engine –Torque Script and the console system great scripting solution and is one point of TGE

25 TGE Strong Points Good Multiplayer Support –TGE comes with a robust network support multiplayer games well Competitive Licensing Agreement –TGE does not require additional royalties per game sold after the initial license is bought (a license upgrade may be required)

26 Drawback of TGE Dated Rendering Engine –TGE is based on a 3D engine made during the late 1990s and early 2000s –Due to that, the rendering engine is dated and does not have shader based graphics Many developers work around this issue by 1. buying the Torque Lighting Pack 2. Upgrading to Torque Shading Engine (TSE) which is a ground up rewrite of TGE (but in BETA) 3. extending TGE to add shaders

27 Drawback of TGE Original TGE After Applying Shader

28 Drawback of TGE 3D Coordinate System not Conforming to Standard –The TGE coordinate system does not follow either the left or right 3D coordinate system Experienced 3D programmers will find this to be a nuisance, but changing the coordinate system isn ’ t difficult Tools –Certain embedded tools are not intuitive and might be hard to use – e.g. world editor tool, particle editor tool To work around, there are a number of 3rd party tools that can be utilized Difficult to Start –Many game developers find it difficult to develop games with TGE

29 TGE Document