EyeCandy Contest

[MarcP]

Please remember than making it run as screensaver is just an option.
Most of the port is trivial (only a few functions to add, should be done with a component), but there's an issue for the moment with the X window handle.
By the way, to draw the root window is easy : it's just an handle like a normal handle
For the "opensource problem", it's done for two things :
1)I want to use the code as tutorial. Most people think that Pascal = Windev or Visual Basic
2)It wouldn't be fair with other competitors if some can use an engine that other can't.
If the engine is usable by everybody (for free purposes) without paying a license, no problem for me that a part of the code is closed.

[WILL]

Marc, what I'd recommend for you do, --because this idea is a good one-- is to create a site/page detailing how to do what you propose. Even better would be to also include a decent tutorial on how to do some of these things.

This will:

1) Show you're serious

2) Attract young people who are usually more interested if they can see or visualize it.

3) Acts as a great showcase later once the competition is over to show off all that was done in the end.


Truth is you have to put in more effort that you expect back to get any results.

[MarcP]

Well, there is no special tutorial.
it depends if it 2d, 3d, opengl, SDL...
The simple way is to use Lazarus in Windows.
If use any component, just check on the web that they work with Linux.
Or install a linux in windows (VMWare is free, ubuntu is easier to install than windows, and Lazarus can be installed in 2 clicks in Linux)
I don't have to much spare time for the moment, but i'll try to code a little demo to show how simple it is

[dmantione]

Tutorials are nice, but I don't think they are your responsibility. The respective technologies, like JEDI-SDL, OpenGL have their own documentation and tutorials, and looking at the projects that are presented in this community, there are quite a few people that know how to use them. A web page on the other hand, is very important I think. However, it doesn't need to be big, just make a small web page with clear goals, rules, deadlines, and just link to the technologies people can use, like Free Pascal, JEDI-SDL, OpenGL.

[cairnswm]

The contest is to display graphic effects.

The screen saver stuff is nice to have.

Anyone on this site can write a graphic demo - in this case it needs to run in linux - so anyone using SDL or OpenGL should be able to do a demo.

Personally I think we are being too hard on MarcP.

[cragwolf]

MarcP should not take my screensaver posts in this thread to be a criticism of his competition idea. I was just naturally curious as to how one would go about creating a screensaver in Linux.

[LP]

The contest seems a really nice idea with an effort put to it, considering that it even has some prizes! Btw, Marc, are you giving away your own cash or is it some sort of community share?

However, since it requires to run on Linux, it enforces the usage of OpenGL, which hurts all those who work with Direct3D on Windoze. Feels like having a Microsoft flavor added to it, but on the Linux part. Why not relaxing the platform requirement a bit, but giving big extra points for every additional supported platform? I mean, you are not promoting a commercial product, but a development freedom, right?

My few cents...

[cairnswm]

So MarcP is this going to be a contest and if so when does it end?

dmantione and I are busy building our entry. We just need to know when to hand it in

[MarcP]

The contest seems a really nice idea with an effort put to it, considering that it even has some prizes! Btw, Marc, are you giving away your own cash or is it some sort of community share?

However, since it requires to run on Linux, it enforces the usage of OpenGL, which hurts all those who work with Direct3D on Windoze. Feels like having a Microsoft flavor added to it, but on the Linux part. Why not relaxing the platform requirement a bit, but giving big extra points for every additional supported platform? I mean, you are not promoting a commercial product, but a development freedom, right?

My few cents...

It's my own cash
Btw, i do not enforce to use something. If you use DirectX, there is no chance to port the demo to Linux, so it's a bad example to show the power of (free)pascal.
But if it run with Linux, it'll probably run in windows easily.
I'm promoting development freedom, but if the software is stuck on one commercial plateform, where is freedom ?
OpenGl is available on most of the platforms, SDL too.
Also, i hope that the contest will show to some people here that a multiplatform code is not so hard to do

And for the new end date of the contest, i just need a few competitors who said '"i'm working on it", then i'll give you ?† 3 month delay, should be enough ?

[cairnswm]

i'll give you ?† 3 month delay, should be enough ?

Then that goes into the same time as the PGD annual contest and I WONT be entering

We have started and I'll give you the final version at the end of the month - and you can judge it when the contest ends....