TDM Engine Development Page

[TorQueMoD]

Hey guys,

Apologies while I necro an obviously dead thread but I'm really curious if TDM Engine is actually available to the public yet? I'm contemplating working on a Doom-like indie project which the id tech 4 engine would be perfect for but I'd much rather use a more up to date version if it exists.

[SteveL]

Hi. This thread will never be dead, it just goes quiet from time to time Yes the source code is available, both the current release (2.03) and the 2.04 alpha build both from the public svn that I think you can find at TheDarkMod.com main website. The compiled release version is the file TheDarkMod.exe that you get with a TDM download.

[TorQueMoD]

Thanks SteveL,

 

So if I understand correctly, this version has full editor support and is also allowed to be used by others for creating their own indie projects? I've been searching all over the internet for a proper working id tech 4 SDK like IOQuake and Qbism were for Q3 but its virtually impossible to find. Seems everyone abandoned the projects.

[New Horizon]

If by editor you mean the built in doom 3 editor then I don't think hat really works anymore. The dark mod has a customized external editor called Dark Radiant.

[demagogue]

Since the engine is under a GPL liscense, it's indeed available for indie projects, with the one caveat if you make changes and release anything, you need to release the new code too.

 

Also note a lot on the gameplay side of the engine has been changed and Doom3 stuff stripped out. So if you wanted to make a shooter you'd have some work to do. Aside from that there are a ton of improvements in the core systems over vanilla idtech4 too.

[TorQueMoD]

Oh ok thanks. So you removed the shooter stuff to make it more like theif then... guess it'd be better to use Dark Radiant with the ordinary build of D3. Thanks for the info

[revelator]

Working on implementing framebuffer object code in doom3 atm, still a lot of work to do since im porting most of it from ioquake3 which is C so i had to port it to C++.

Also some different functons which will need some rework, but the engines are quite similar in a lot of places so its doable.

 

This should help with some of the problems in regards to resource heavy operations that use the now accessible depthbuffer (softshadows etc.).

 

As for parallax mapping im looking at some tesselation code examples to use for heavy detailed objects instead.

 

Btw seems raynorpat has taken up work again porting the BFG GLSL render backend to idtech 4, many changes in the code but no project or cmake solution yet.

Yet it might be one to look out for

[Bikerdude]

We have cheap fog, but it doesn't play well with skyboxes and caulk.

Hey that is amazing. If we could get a cheap subtle distance "fog" that would make far off objects less detailed, that would be huge for TDM.

 

Here are some shots with a fog light placed placed in the map (and the nofogboundy arg) and in the skybox -

 

[SteveL]

Ah I never thought of putting one in the skybox. That's a nice job of recreating the gloomy look from T3! This is a good weekend for murkiness

[revelator]

Finally back, though it is step by painfull step atm.

After 10 years they finally operated my back injury, and guess what...

in those 10 years i had been walking around with a broken back !?!, so not weird at all that i was in constant pain ouch .

So now i have 8 titanium screws holding things together and two artificial diskus to replace the ones that where grinded down to nothing.

 

I have a lot of catching up to do, but i had a look at the latest darkmod source and yowsa you been busy.

I had no idea my little contribution would spawn that much activity, great work guys .

 

I also noticed you kept compatibility with some ARB shaders, cool.

 

I started cleaning up the source a bit, and fixed a few whoopsies in the VBO code.

 

Unfortunatly i lost all my work as my computer broke down recently and im not even able to get my old revelation port running correctly anymore since i made a load of changes in both the menu gui and removed a ton of deprecated

cvars so im back to square one on my engine, cause one of the things i lost where the fixed materials and gui code for it sigh.

 

So ill probably see what i can get out of fhDoom as a base for a new project, the ARB compatibility for one would be most nice to have since fhDoom still cannot play the expansion (shaders not ported yet).

 

Besides that i will keep an eye on darkmod, and lend a hand if needed.

[Destined]

Wow, I wish you a quick recovery! Good to have you back!

[revelator]

Thanks atm. im not able to spend as many hours in front of the screen as i used to, but hopefully soon .

 

Tbh i had no idea that getting access to the depthbuffer would spur so much work, steveL has done some amazing stuff with my initial codepiece, and the other devs have taken it to a level i would not have imagined

 

I feel kinda bad because in the few years i been away i forgot allmost everything i had learned about C++, so it will take me some time to get back in the game again.

 

Upside might be that i probably wont make the same coding mistakes again (i hope...).

[Bikerdude]

Welcome back fella, or shall we just vall you metallo

[lowenz]

So now i have 8 titanium screws holding things together and two artificial diskus to replace the ones that where grinded down to nothing.

 

And you got the correct diagnosis (for a *major* spinal issue) after 10 years? WUT :|

How is this even possible?

Edited July 14, 2018 by lowenz

[revelator]

 

Welcome back fella, or shall we just vall you metallo

Hehe something like that might indeed fit now it seems.

 

 

And you got the correct diagnosis (for a *major* spinal issue) after 10 years? WUT :|

How is this even possible?

Yeah beats me to, as the Guy who put those screws inside my back said he was not even aware that my back had been broken since i was obviously able to walk albeit with a lot of pain,

and the MR scans had showed nothing that would indicate a broken back.

He actually first found out about it under the operation if you can believe that sigh...

[Anderson]

Finally back, though it is step by painfull step atm.

After 10 years they finally operated my back injury, and guess what...

in those 10 years i had been walking around with a broken back !?!, so not weird at all that i was in constant pain ouch .

So now i have 8 titanium screws holding things together and two artificial diskus to replace the ones that where grinded down to nothing.

 

I have a lot of catching up to do, but i had a look at the latest darkmod source and yowsa you been busy.

I had no idea my little contribution would spawn that much activity, great work guys .

 

I also noticed you kept compatibility with some ARB shaders, cool.

 

I started cleaning up the source a bit, and fixed a few whoopsies in the VBO code.

 

Unfortunatly i lost all my work as my computer broke down recently and im not even able to get my old revelation port running correctly anymore since i made a load of changes in both the menu gui and removed a ton of deprecated

cvars so im back to square one on my engine, cause one of the things i lost where the fixed materials and gui code for it sigh.

 

So ill probably see what i can get out of fhDoom as a base for a new project, the ARB compatibility for one would be most nice to have since fhDoom still cannot play the expansion (shaders not ported yet).

 

Besides that i will keep an eye on darkmod, and lend a hand if needed.

 

With that condition you might want to consider this, especially if you use laptops: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standing_desk

 

Good that your fitness is coming back. Any kind of work needs variety with other activities.

Even prisoners should get access at any time to outdoors walks and at least 1 hour every day outside.

[revelator]

That's a good idea, im having less trouble standing than sitting after the operation allthough i use a desktop it might still be fine.

 

Doing as much as my back is allowing me to allready and yes you do need variety, especially at my age, i turned 50 yesterday.

Also after 10 years i look forward to being able to take some long walks again,

i pretty much could'nt walk further than a few hundred meters before, so even a trip to the nearest shop was impossible without transportation.

[Anderson]

Even the smallest progress counts.

 

The nearest I had to this was a head concussion coupled with a leg hematoma caused by being beaten unto the pavement by 6-8 dudes over some stuff.

At any rate I needed 3 months to finally get the feel that my leg is totally back to walking normally. It felt the worst on stairs but regularly insisting to take walks made a huge deal.

 

Maybe you could also use some special massage for the back once a month or once a week. Many people with scoliosis it helps go about the daily routine.

But each person needs an individual approach. See what works best for you!

 

Also that you forgot things about C++ might not be that bad because repeating is the mother of learning. Taking it easy with slow steps is the best. Reminiscing like riding a bicycle.

 

As long as there is health and time things will turn out for the better with effort, perseverance and tenacity.

Edited July 18, 2018 by Anderson

[revelator]

Even the smallest progress counts.

 

The nearest I had to this was a head concussion coupled with a leg hematoma caused by being beaten unto the pavement by 6-8 dudes over some stuff.

At any rate I needed 3 months to finally get the feel that my leg is totally back to walking normally. It felt the worst on stairs but regularly insisting to take walks made a huge deal.

 

Maybe you could also use some special massage for the back once a month or once a week. Many people with scoliosis it helps go about the daily routine.

But each person needs an individual approach. See what works best for you!

 

Also that you forgot things about C++ might not be that bad because repeating is the mother of learning. Taking it easy with slow steps is the best. Reminiscing like riding a bicycle.

 

As long as there is health and time things will turn out for the better with effort, perseverance and tenacity.

 

 

Holy crap i hope they caught those idiots, sadly violence seems more the norm every day,

personally i prefer to discuss it, even loudly if that's what it takes but i newer in my life been the first to throw a punch on anyone.

 

Im starting at physio therapy next month, so i guess most is covered in that regard.

But i allways start early even though most would rather wait and see, i guess it comes from being a cross motorcycle runner in my early days.

If you had a big accident (and i did have some...) there was no other way to stay in the game than to hop on that beast again the first chance you got or you would loose your appetite for it completely because of fear.

 

This might also explain why i was able to make every day work to some degree besides having a major back injury,

cause over the years i developed a rather strong tolerance to pain in general, and why noone suspected me of having a broken back.

 

Still in case of back injuries this should have been investigated just for good measure.

[duzenko]

Was the throne hall in Old Habits1 always that slow? It's 4K draws but really was that an issue back when it was released?

[Obsttorte]

It wasn't the best performing place in the map, but afair noone really complained about it. What exactly is slow, though? (That's a bit vague)

[duzenko]

It wasn't the best performing place in the map, but afair noone really complained about it. What exactly is slow, though? (That's a bit vague)

After posting that I realized the problem was one of the recent changes in svn, that somehow impacted draw call speed. I fixed that now. False alarm!

[revelator]

Tried the new engine, and im impressed it runs pretty well.

 

So you went for a hybrid approach ? using parts of the BFG engine like the updated vertex cache in 2.07,

guess it went better ironing out some incompatibilities from standard idtech 4 than it did for me hehe.

 

Theres a little light bleed in some missions, and its rather dark compared to earlier versions,

the light bleed might be something that needs looking at in those missions (not all of them have it) so i suspect shaders ?.

 

Not completely sure why its so dark though, but then again it is called darkmod

[New Horizon]

Not completely sure why its so dark though, but then again it is called darkmod

 

The lighting should not be any darker than previous versions, if it is then that sounds like a bug or your ingame menu settings changed.

[revelator]

Using same settings as previous version 2.06 no changes, but there was a few additions to some settings that did not exist in previous versions so ill try toying a bit with the settings on them.