One thing I like about darkbasic was that it was easy to catch onto and get something up and running in no time. But me being me wanted something more. Something powerful. So I was on one of those sites that shows every engine out there and rates them. The Torque Engine (which I am sure some of you have heard of) was rated very high and came second to a engine that was extremely expensive and beat 3d Gamestudio another raved about engine. So I went to their site looked around and I was like wow looks great. No this is where the miss leading come in (or let me restate that miscommunication comes in). Torque talks about it's ease of use and will be easy for people that program in C++ to use. I've used C++ I love C++ just hate programming for Directx. But anyway they also talked about having a great world builder (I took it they called their level editor "World Builder") Boy was I wrong. Don't get me wrong I was trying to ask questions about the engine. But forums are locked unless you brought the engine. So I emailed Garage Games cause who better to explain their engine then them. I was like $100, it works with alot of 3d Modelers maya, 3d max, milkshape, gamespace, truespace and so on. So I even downloaded the demo looked at it. And they were really selling it.
So finally I caved in and I gave up 100$. I get it and there is no manual. Nothing to tell me keywords that I would need to know. So I post on the forum like what the hell. People responded like check out the resource section I look there and they give vague info on how to program with their engine. Then just like Darkbasic have a book guiding you through how to get to know the engine they have a book you can buy. So I bought the book 3d Game programming All In One by Ken Finley. (Cha Ching) Another $50. I started reading the book all pumped up and excited but as I started getting further and further into the book about around 150 I notice he really wasn't teaching me anything. He was more like type this code in. And he would tell you what some of the code would do but really wouldn't go into the purpose of them.Now mind you I'm at pg 150 and the program that we are suppose to be making once the book is finished I am still programming it to set it up. I have really programmed nothing that would make it a functional game. I have to program for a server side even though I don't want to use it. I have to program for a client side. All this coding and I have nothing that I can just boot up and run. To see what I am doing, what I'm coding.
And even tho I am on 150 pages of the book I have learned absolutely nothing. I had so many questions onwhat was up with the engine I got to the point I called up to Oregan to find out what the hell was going on. It seem like the only thing it's good for is that u modify what they already made. Or maybe it's not the right engine for someone who is trying to do games solo. So sorry for being so long winded just had to get that out and forwarn others who may set their eyes upon this engine. They tell you the engine that brought the hit Tribes 2. The engine that to me really isn't worth the investment unless you want to take a year to figure out their engine. And to 'The Game Creators' you guys have done a great job and thx for making us independent developers lifes a little easier to program our dreams.
