Greetings everyone,
- I would like to avoid making this thread into an 'argument festival'.
I want to keep this as a mature discussion so that we can get to the bottom of the reason for the post.
...If you have a negative post with no helpful content...please refrain from posting here. Thank you.
Now for the reason:
I have been looking at the TDN and loads of forum threads about the TGEA hlsl implementation. I have suceeded in porting 2 or 3 fx files out of dozens. I am experinced in programming with several languages but not specifically HLSL. However, I have never not-been able to pick something up after reviewing several examples over the course of a few days with reference material.
Before I continue, I will post a little about my extensive search on the subject.
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I have checked the following resources and TDN pages:
http://tdn.garagegames.com/wiki/Torque/Rendering/General_Shader_FAQ/HLSL_FAQ
http://tdn.garagegames.com/wiki/TSE/Shaders
http://www.garagegames.com/index.php?sec=mg&mod=resource&page=view&qid=8835 http://www.garagegames.com/index.php?sec=mg&mod=resource&page=view&qid=5868
http://www.garagegames.com/index.php?sec=mg&mod=resource&page=view&qid=7595
http://www.garagegames.com/index.php?sec=mg&mod=resource&page=view&qid=5774
http://www.garagegames.com/mg/forums/result.thread.php?qt=19220
and loads more of the directly found hlsl threads, resources and tdn pages.
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After reading everything readily available to me from GG...I am still perplexed.
It seems that there are a few gaps in the "structure" of this hlsl implementation.
Perhaps I am unable to recognize these things or perhaps they simply exist in another manner.
One example would be: timers are missing (we can't have something like animated fire in hlsl.)
- Another would be how difficult it is to port a simple shader and have it work 100% properly.
I am not asking for anyone to explain HLSL, but rather to help me understand (what I consider to be) chaos on the C++ to hlsl end of things.
- Surely, I bet a few of you are "griping at me" already but plz 'bear in mind' that I bought an engine license thinking this:
The TGEA feature page plainly reads:
"Users can drop in shaders from demos or tools such as FX Composer and RenderMonkey."
-> http://www.garagegames.com/products/torque/tgea/featurecomp/
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On another note, I am curious why there aren't decals or particle engine shader effects included @ default engine build. The "add a shader to a class" resource is severely outdated and I would imagine that something like this should be included @ base-engine-functionality.
Can an employee or an associate help me to fix this issue ?
(I do not need alot of help along the way, but a few tips would be wonderful.)
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So to end off:
1. I am curious about the hlsl implementation and why there is nothing to make absolute sense of the entire process.
2. I am also curious about why shaders are not implemented on decals or particles.
*To add:
*I am willing to purchase "Decent" notes or documentation on these area's of implementation.
Thank you ahead of time
-eb