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View Full Version : Pascal Gamer Magazine Issue 4 Needs Content: Want to write an article?



WILL
02-12-2011, 05:45 PM
Hey folks, it's getting to that time again where I'm looking at seeking out great new articles for a new issue of Pascal Gamer Magazine (http://www.pascalgamer.com/). It's been over a year since I've put one together and I think it's long overdue.

So who is interested in writing and submitting an article to the magazine?

All works are edited and published for the magazine and shared to the community in the next issue. People can read your articles via the free online downloadable PDF format, or they can get a physical copy of the magazine printed and shipped to their doors through the Lulu.com storefront (http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/pascalgamer).

Also with the very exciting release of the first issue of Pascal Gamer Magazine Issue 1 app on iTunes (http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/pascal-gamer-magazine-issue-1/id475264304), all future issues of Pascal Gamer will now appear in the App Store for iPad. Your articles can now be read by iPad users! Future issues will be sold for $0.99 to help cover the cost of running the website and cover costs of creating the magazine issues.

All submitted articles are submitted to Pascal Gamer and considered a volunteer contribution to help support the greater Pascal game programming community. By giving back to the community you are a part of, you are helping it to thrive with the availability of information you are providing in your articles. Help this exciting new format that newcomers can download and read to help get them into making games with Pascal.

I would love to see articles of all topics and skill levels in the magazine, however these are the areas that I would like to see for the next issue;



Beginning game programming 101 stuff with tools/setup/SDL. Write for easy consumption!
A few tutorial series would be great on: networking, graphics, audio, file formats, creating level editors, level design, brainstorming ideas for a new games, etc.
Graphics or other techniques that include code snippets like NeHe (http://nehe.gamedev.net/) or something cool you'd see on pastebin (http://pastebin.com/). Small articles.
I've been tying forever to get a feature on a company like Big Fish about how they make games or how Pascal programmers could submit their games to them.
An article on how to submit your article for a specific distribution self-serve site or distribution company.
Highlights of very popular game engines/libraries. Please no prototypes or WIP.
History of developing a game. Would be great to include a development journal of a game that was made and released and include concept artwork, drawing board sketches/screen captures, and so on.
More ideas, can be discussed if you contact me with your interest in writing!


Sections you can write for... (please consider what each section is about as you write your article for it)

Project Highlights: Talk about a single game project or game engine or tool or library. Past Project Highlights articles have included Asphyre Extreme and Allegro.pas.

Special Report: This can be a report on a special event (like Delphi Live! or Code Rage) or an article about your successes with commercial games like Frank van Gent wrote for us in issue 1. This can be about yourself, but doesn't have to be. You could even write about the history or a simple story about a game company that uses Pascal for example.

Coder's Block: Code snippets used in a small tutorial about working with something specific, but features code. Can be big or small, but must include the code that others can use and learn from. We can include your code in a small archive and distribute it with the issue digitally from the website.


If you are interested in writing an article for Pascal Gamer Magazine Issue 4, please send your interest (and articles) to contact@pascalgamer.com. We can discuss what you are interested in writing. Thanks!

code_glitch
03-12-2011, 04:57 PM
If you have any gaps that need filling with some words - just let me know, I can always polish and improve some upcoming publications meant for the articles section ;) Of course, entirely new content is just as possible. And depending on the time frame - would you be interested in a quick setting up & hello world for android? I was planning something more of the sorts for the article section but since I'm taking the scenic route to get it all working nice it may take a small while to get right ;)

WILL
03-12-2011, 05:57 PM
Hmm an article on introduction to Android would be very nice for the next issue. A complete how to setup your deve environment would be great along with a basic demo (with source) would help a lot of people and get Android dev with Object Pascal going.

An article on iOS development would be great too. I don't think that has been covered either. Considering that Pascal Gamer is now on the iPad, it would be a great promo as an alternative to using Objective-C in Xcode.

code_glitch
03-12-2011, 07:59 PM
Lol. Sorry, but I can't help with iOS, fault of me not owning any apple products and having never developed for them either I can't elaborate on anything. If you want an iOS tutorial - I believe you'd have to talk to RelfOS or Andru for the specifics as they are (to my knowledge) the two most prominent iOS developers.

As for an android tutorial, I'll see what can come up with in the next few days :)

Stoney
03-12-2011, 09:49 PM
I could write an iOS tutorial either for games using either OpenGL ES 2.0 or Apple's UIKit with Xcode and FreePascal 2.6rc1, if I find some time.
You can also use my so far third-part series on the changes of FreePascal 2.6.0 (Part1 (http://www.freeze-dev.com/2011/11/freepascal-2-6-0-advanced-records/), Part2 (http://www.freeze-dev.com/2011/11/freepascal-2-6-0-delphi-like-operator-overloading/) and Part3 (http://www.freeze-dev.com/2011/11/freepascal-2-6-0-real-singletons/)) if you want to.
What is the guestimated timeframe for the release of the fourth issue?

paul_nicholls
05-12-2011, 09:52 PM
Maybe if I get time, I could write a very simple tutorial on making a boulder dash like game using SDL or similar?
As Stoney said, when do you want the articles by?

WILL
06-12-2011, 04:56 AM
code_glitch: Android, awesome!

Stoney: iOS, great!

Paul: A tutorial on how to make Bolderdash would be neat. Maybe something for the Coder's Block section? Also what about The Probe? Have you made a "1.0 Final" version yet? Or maybe you could do a Special Report article on your experiences developing for different platforms and where you can see this going in the future...?

Jim McKeeth from RemObjects has shown interest in writing something and so has Lifepower as well as Matthias from 'FreePascal-meets-SDL.' This is looking to be a very nice return to making issues for Pascal Gamer. And with new Desktop Publishing software too! (iStudio for Mac OS X)

I was also thinking about writing a fun visual history time-line of Pascal game development milestones from early 2000 until now. Anyone else like this idea?

Also... we have a couple of incomplete "series" from past issues of Pascal Gamer. Are we looking at continuing/completing these from this issue? (cronozphere, Jeremy Darling, Brainier?) :)

paul_nicholls
06-12-2011, 05:34 AM
Paul: A tutorial on how to make Bolderdash would be neat. Maybe something for the Coder's Block section?
Sounds good to me :)


Also what about The Probe? Have you made a "1.0 Final" version yet?
In the next few days I will be releasing a bare-bones version of The Probe. There are no menus yet, but it will include a whole bunch of gaming elements that I have gotten working and showcased in some different levels so you guys can test it out and give me some feedback ;)
Not sure if that would be a Beta version, but who knows! :D


Or maybe you could do a Special Report article on your experiences developing for different platforms and where you can see this going in the future...?
I will have a think on that one...I have only gotten Windows/Unix working so far, but thanks to SDL/OpenGL/OpenAL that wasn't too hard :)
Not sure where that might be going in the future, and some other game libraries (ZenGL, RelOS?) would be way better than mine in this regard for future cross-platform updates...

Super Vegeta
17-12-2011, 06:35 PM
I could probably write something about beggining with SDL - or, since Paul already steep out on this one, BASS. Maybe a small article about a leveled.

chronozphere
18-12-2011, 12:55 PM
I might be able to write something as well. I say "might" because I have very little time on my hands. Since I didn't have time to do pascal programming during the last few months (apart from some android experiments, which will already be covered), I think it's best to do something more general, like matrix/vector math or perhaps perlin noise. :)

WILL
18-12-2011, 11:15 PM
Thanks to Super Vegeta we have out first submitted article. I may have had one other article submitted way back, I'll have to check. :)

Math stuff to go into the Coder's Block would be great. Math is after all one of the main principals behind programming. Probably why my high school back in the day put the math department in charge of all the CS stuff.

code_glitch
19-12-2011, 09:01 PM
Well, I'm dead in the water until I can build my new rig. The earliest I can give an ETA on the android goodness would be 2 to 3 days from now, what length are we talking? I could probably squeeze it into 1 or 2 days work for the entire article meaning it could be out by weeks end...

WILL
19-12-2011, 09:56 PM
A few days is excellent actually. :)

I would like to have all the articles in by the end of December this year so I can work on formatting them and putting them into pages of the magazine using iStudio while I'm away for most of the month of January. Don't know how good my internet connection will be out there, I've heard horror stories so...

Such is the life of a man with a committed career. Worry not though folks, I never forget you guys. ;)

WILL
19-12-2011, 10:02 PM
Oh and feel free to include some illustrations, clip art and even graphs and diagrams to go with your article too. These really help speed me along if I have existing graphical stuff to throw in with it right there. Otherwise I have to go searching for appropriate things to put in with the text it's self to make it more than a wall of text. It's a magazine after all, right? ;)

Oh and please please please include a small picture of yourself with your article that I can use to show the author. However I do understand that some people are camera-shy so in such a case an avatar would suffice, but please do consider the photo first. :)

You may have noticed that I have been throwing my ugly mug up on the magazine and on other community media. It really does help to "put a face" to all the community things we are doing. That it's realy people and not just a bunch of kooky Pascal Zealots with their programming propaganda. :P

I await more of your great articles and code bits...

paul_nicholls
20-12-2011, 12:49 AM
A few days is excellent actually. :)

I would like to have all the articles in by the end of December this year so I can work on formatting them and putting them into pages of the magazine using iStudio while I'm away for most of the month of January. Don't know how good my internet connection will be out there, I've heard horror stories so...

Such is the life of a man with a committed career. Worry not though folks, I never forget you guys. ;)

Ok, I will see how I go with my SDL + boulder dash article :)

WILL
20-12-2011, 03:16 AM
Keep in mind that I can also include bonus files for each issue to be downloaded from the website. :)

paul_nicholls
20-12-2011, 03:25 AM
That would very handy as I will want to include example code for the article that people can download, thanks Jason :)

WILL
20-12-2011, 03:26 AM
Yup you can include a complete source of your example game, however don't lean on those files for your article. It's only a bonus and as such the magazine article must be able to function without the included source just as well.

But it is nice to have and very handy as I know from experience.

paul_nicholls
20-12-2011, 03:52 AM
I was just thinking that if I have to explain even a simple SDL program + very simple boulder dash game starting point in the magazine (including full code), then the article might become rather large :(
Any advice?

paul_nicholls
20-12-2011, 04:30 AM
I guess I could break the article up into parts and give them to you so you can possibly put them in different issues depending on the overall size :)

WILL
20-12-2011, 12:06 PM
I found that instead of focusing on the actual code when explaining the make-up of the game, instead focus on the parts/elements of the game mechanics and how to put it together. If people want to learn code then they can just go to a Pascal programming tutorial on the web, if they want to learn game dev techniques then that's want I want them to learn in my magazine. You can show code as an example, but what you are really trying to teach them is the method which the code will follow. The rest falls into place and they can figure out the code themselves easier.

code_glitch
20-12-2011, 02:22 PM
Remember folks - planning and Object oriented.... The two laws of game development. If you want - feel free to rip off a section of my Application design bits and call it your own for the magazine if any of it is useful and can help make a point of planning programs/games beforehand. As for object oriented I may just write up a column out of boredom - as DHL DE have yet to ship me my motherboard for my new rig which I am going to need to do all the android goodness!

komme DHL - schneelllll!

paul_nicholls
20-12-2011, 07:44 PM
I found that instead of focusing on the actual code when explaining the make-up of the game, instead focus on the parts/elements of the game mechanics and how to put it together. If people want to learn code then they can just go to a Pascal programming tutorial on the web, if they want to learn game dev techniques then that's want I want them to learn in my magazine. You can show code as an example, but what you are really trying to teach them is the method which the code will follow. The rest falls into place and they can figure out the code themselves easier.

Ah, ok...that makes sense. I will do a "How to start building a Boulder Dash game" article then and show pseudo code to illustrate various parts :)
I will first start by setting up a very simple SDL program at the beginning which they can then use later on with the Boulder Dash bits...

Thanks Jason!!

EDIT: I am going to get rid of the SDL part so my 'code' can be used for any system, not just SDL...

cheers,
Paul

WILL
20-12-2011, 11:37 PM
That sounds good. Oh and as I've told Ben and others, try to stay away from API specifics such as SDL, OpenGL and DeirectX unless you are actually teaching those API. If you must use something like SDL (and SDL is a good one to use!) try to keep explaination of the SDL bits to a minimum or you'll be stuck in the trap of making it an SDL tutorial as well as what you originally planned.

Hey, maybe it would be good to actually have a getting started article on SDL to reference for all future articles. :) Matthias?

paul_nicholls
20-12-2011, 11:58 PM
That sounds good. Oh and as I've told Ben and others, try to stay away from API specifics such as SDL, OpenGL and DeirectX unless you are actually teaching those API. If you must use something like SDL (and SDL is a good one to use!) try to keep explaination of the SDL bits to a minimum or you'll be stuck in the trap of making it an SDL tutorial as well as what you originally planned.

Yeah, I have already gotten rid of all API stuff so people can use it with SDL, OpenGL, DirectX, whateverX LOL

paul_nicholls
21-12-2011, 02:45 AM
Jason, or whever, any idea how I could format some pascal code into syntax highlighted colours that I can paste into a Microsoft word 2007 document?
That would make the article much nice :)

WILL
21-12-2011, 05:15 PM
"or whatver"? lmao What does that mean? :)

I used to use PasteBin and screen cap from that, but it comes out blurry unless I mess with the DPI of the images in photoshop... It'll be as a single image anyhow so it's not like people will be able to copy paste your code. Nor should they. You can include code in file form that can be downloaded as your article bonus archive file for that. So for beautification, I used to use that.

I actually just manually color code it all myself lately. Takes some time, but it looks the way I need it to at least.

paul_nicholls
21-12-2011, 08:01 PM
"or whatver"? lmao What does that mean? :)
haha I was being silly saying WhateverX for some other API that I hadn't mentioned or heard of maybe!


I used to use PasteBin and screen cap from that, but it comes out blurry unless I mess with the DPI of the images in photoshop... It'll be as a single image anyhow so it's not like people will be able to copy paste your code. Nor should they. You can include code in file form that can be downloaded as your article bonus archive file for that. So for beautification, I used to use that.

I actually just manually color code it all myself lately. Takes some time, but it looks the way I need it to at least.

Ok, thanks mate :)
Maybe I will leave it up to you so it doesn't become blurry if I do it via PasteBin...

SilverWarior
22-12-2011, 07:20 PM
Hi!
After some browsing trough the forum I found a Thread from Mayley (http://www.pascalgamedevelopment.com/showthread.php?12853-Combat-system&p=81039#post81039) in wich he is asking for help in developing off a combat system for his game.
Since I havent ecountered any Theme or article on this matter I was thinking off making an example off a combat system for him and maybe even try to write an article explaining off how it is done.
Would you be interested in including this article in the nex isue of Pascal Game Magazine. If so please do tell me till when I need to finish the article.

paul_nicholls
22-12-2011, 07:59 PM
@WILL: it looks like it might take maybe 2 or 3 more days for me to finish my Boulder Dash article...is this a problem?

cheers,
Paul

WILL
22-12-2011, 09:17 PM
Would you be interested in including this article in the next isue of Pascal Game Magazine. If so please do tell me till when I need to finish the article.

Yes, that would be an excellent idea for an article! 'How to make a combat system for your own RPG Project' has a nice ring to it. In fact I would like more things like that in each issue since it's a GAME development magazine. :) I think sometimes articles focus too much on API and libraries and porting to platforms and code when the really good stuff is in designing the mechanics and structure of different games. As far as deadlines go, I'd like to have it by the end of December if that is possible.

Paul: Hey that's no problem. Like I said by the end of this month is best because I can take all the submitted articles and work on them while I'm away. I don't know what my internet will be like when I'm gone so getting it all in before hand is best.

Again, in case you missed my email address it's contact@pascalgamer.com. Send all submissions to me here. :)

paul_nicholls
22-12-2011, 09:39 PM
Paul: Hey that's no problem. Like I said by the end of this month is best because I can take all the submitted articles and work on them while I'm away. I don't know what my internet will be like when I'm gone so getting it all in before hand is best.

Again, in case you missed my email address it's contact@pascalgamer.com. Send all submissions to me here. :)

Cool! I will get it done ASAP :)

Have a great Christmas (or holidays) and a happy new year!

paul_nicholls
23-12-2011, 08:31 AM
@WILL: I have emailed you my article, please let me know if you want changes!!

cheers,
Paul

SilverWarior
23-12-2011, 12:34 PM
I'm quite confident that I'll finish it til the end of December.

WILL
23-12-2011, 08:03 PM
@WILL: I have emailed you my article, please let me know if you want changes!!
Thanks Paul! I got your article and I'll look it over today. :)

code_glitch
24-12-2011, 03:49 PM
Hey will, about the android tutorial, I'm in france at the moment and although its been going nicely so far I suspect that due to me not having 24/7 access to the web and having to decorate a house I may be a day or two into next week. Of course if that causes any problems I can still push for sunday completion...

WILL
24-12-2011, 04:58 PM
Ok that sounds fine Ben. :) Just whatever you do, don't forget about it altogether. ;)

Is everyone else writing their articles right now? So far I have 3 and 1 in the pipes. Gonna need more than that to make an issue.

Also I've just picked out the next issue's feature, one which I think you'll all like to hear about. But I'm not telling, it'll be a surprise for release day. :D

Ingemar
30-12-2011, 07:26 PM
I could write an iOS tutorial either for games using either OpenGL ES 2.0 or Apple's UIKit with Xcode and FreePascal 2.6rc1, if I find some time.

I have some material on the same theme, but I think Stoney is the authority on the whole chain (all the way to App Store, right?). Maybe I could follow-up on how to write iOS games "totally different"?

What I could cover includes:

- Installing FPC for iOS.
- How to develop for iOS without Xcode.
- Wrapping Cocoa for cross-platform development (games as well as standard GUIs).
- Porting Mac applications/games to iOS.

and maybe some more from there. Game development with FPC in the Mac would be possible too, of course. And I could even write about what it was like to write and publish a successful game engine for the Mac in the 90's, if anyone wants to read about it. And a bit of GPU computing on the top, maybe.

It is a matter of finding time, of course, but also about what people really want to read. Very much the latter, really.

paul_nicholls
30-12-2011, 09:58 PM
I have some material on the same theme, but I think Stoney is the authority on the whole chain (all the way to App Store, right?). Maybe I could follow-up on how to write iOS games "totally different"?

What I could cover includes:

- Installing FPC for iOS.
- How to develop for iOS without Xcode.
- Wrapping Cocoa for cross-platform development (games as well as standard GUIs).
- Porting Mac applications/games to iOS.

and maybe some more from there. Game development with FPC in the Mac would be possible too, of course.

That sounds very useful, not that I have a iOS to play with LOL


And I could even write about what it was like to write and publish a successful game engine for the Mac in the 90's, if anyone wants to read about it.

I would really love to read about this topic :)

cheers,
Paul

dazappa
31-12-2011, 02:42 AM
Is everyone else writing their articles right now? So far I have 3 and 1 in the pipes. Gonna need more than that to make an issue.
I am writing up my article now that I finally have some free time. I should be done by the 31st or the 1st. Hopefully the way I am doing this will make your life a bit easier.

edit: Any specific length requirements? My article is shaping up to be kind of lengthy, and I imagine once it's converted to PDF it'll appear even larger.

Ingemar
31-12-2011, 01:00 PM
That sounds very useful, not that I have a iOS to play with LOL


That is of course the limitation, not everybody have access to the stuff I would talk about. But then not everybody have tried it either.



I would really love to read about this topic :)


Thanks for the encouragement! I have a draft written but sometimes some potential readers is what I need to finish. I have considered taking that to a gaming conference, but even if they accept it, who knows if I get an audience? (And if I do it for either PGM or the conference, it gets easy to do the other.)

code_glitch
31-12-2011, 04:34 PM
Hey you guys, just dropping a line out of my first tastes of the internets in a LOONG time that my article should be here in the next 48 hours or so, as soon as I get a universal way of getting the cross-compiler working on more than just my box as for some reason it seems to hang on every other machine I try it on while compiling the LCL for lazarus :(

Of course, if any pioneers out there have any pointers where they had to defy the wikis and general guidance out there it'd be welcome because at this point it sure does feel like bashing my head against the wall (linux pun not intended :)) and whenever it does go anywhere near right I always end up executing the arm binaries on my x86 OS.... Well, you get the picture......

SilverWarior
01-01-2012, 03:31 PM
Hi!
After some unexpected delays I'm back on work with my article. Unfortunatly it will take more time for me to complete it since I expanded the topic a bit.
My article would now describe how to make a combat system for your game. While I do orient more on RPG styled game it is posible to modify my combat system to fit for other game geners like Strategy games, Space shothers, Squad managment based games etc. I will also write a few lines on how to adopt my combat system for theese geners.
Also due the way my combat system works I have included guidelines for making basic inventory managment. The combat system calculates damage based on attacher character weapon atributes and attacked character armor atributes (different armor items like Boddy armor, Leg armor, Arms armor, Head armor). Direction off attack also affects defense (for instance lower defense when attacked from behind).
And since I'm using class inheritance a lot I was also thinking to write a few lines on this matter. This would make my article much more understandable for those who have less experience in programing.

I do hope to finish it in the next few days.

code_glitch
02-01-2012, 10:20 PM
Status update:

I categorically refuse to be beaten by FPC and this darn cross compiler... Despite all my efforts I simply cannot get the latest SVN releases to work properyl. I've changed my article about 4 times as I thought I had a method that works bit hey :( No choice: got to post on forums.... walk of shame......

paul_nicholls
03-01-2012, 01:41 AM
Status update:

I categorically refuse to be beaten by FPC and this darn cross compiler... Despite all my efforts I simply cannot get the latest SVN releases to work properyl. I've changed my article about 4 times as I thought I had a method that works bit hey :( No choice: got to post on forums.... walk of shame......

Hi code_glitch, I don't know if this may help you? There is a general FAQ in pdf format about how to build and configure FPC: http://www.stack.nl/~marcov/buildfaq.pdf

cheers,
Paul

code_glitch
03-01-2012, 09:27 PM
paul: now that is an interesting document. Although the main problem seems to be random hangs while everything is being compiled. It would seem that as a baseline the compiler functions but none of the FCL is built, or at least, found by the compiler which is a pain and I do not want to have to tack on how to do this manually... No problem though as I may have spotted a big doodoo earlier on in my procedure which could be causing the trouble.

Just got back to another term so its loaded with work and exams are headed my way so I'll tend to that tomorrow once most of all this is out of the way :)

chronozphere
04-01-2012, 11:30 PM
Sorry. I didn't have the time, nor some "real" idea's on what to write.

Matrix multiplication is allready covered extensively a previous issue and more examples are abundantly available online. I also think that the harder concepts in linear algebra are harder to understand and less usefull to a gamedevelopment community. Quaternions could be interesting, but I would need to study them myself first.

Another problem is, that I haven't touched pascal for some time now. I'm actually messing with AVR's, C and my soldering iron. :)
Therefore, I don't really know what to write about.

code_glitch
05-01-2012, 05:48 PM
chronozosphere: Arduino or ATMega based AVRs? Or are you in the picaxe scene? Thoe arduino and ATMega combination is brilliant and their wired base c style compiler is probably the only c relative I can stand... I believe there is a pascal compiler somewhere on the net for AVRs but since wired and C make a decent combo I never bothered.

Just a note: just got my OS ready for a new try and my internet working again after the 4th livebox in 2 months died... Fingers crossed it works :)

chronozphere
05-01-2012, 07:05 PM
chronozosphere: Arduino or ATMega based AVRs? Or are you in the picaxe scene? Thoe arduino and ATMega combination is brilliant and their wired base c style compiler is probably the only c relative I can stand... I believe there is a pascal compiler somewhere on the net for AVRs but since wired and C make a decent combo I never bothered.

Right now I'm programming an ATTiny chip, but I've got 2 ATmega's here too. Just figuring out the basics (blinking leds, PWM, using RS232 serial ports). My end goal is to drive a touchscreen using a microcontroller. Best thing is that I borrowed all the equipment from a friend, so I didn't have to invest anything.
I also think C is good enough for this. The programs are very small, so they are easy to understand, even in C, so it's simply not worth the effort to do it in pascal. There is a lot of material on C AVR programming so it's the easiest way to go.

WILL
08-01-2012, 07:04 PM
Last day before I go on my trip. How are those articles coming along? Please email me anything you've completed or once you do get your final draft done please email it to contact@pascalgamer.com.

I'll be putting it into the magazine while I'm away as this is the best time to do it without distractions of some kind or another.

SilverWarior
09-01-2012, 01:36 AM
Unfortunatly progress on my article has come to a halt. The main reason for this is lack off free time on my part. Another reason is the fact that it's taking me longer than I expected. I have rewriten source code, wich I use as a base for my article, atleast six times. The reason for this is to make code simplier, more understandable and most inportantly more reusable.
I would really like to tell you how much time I still need to finish my article but even I don't know that. I trully hope it will be finished in a next few days but can't promise anything (this is my first article ever).
Anywhay if you are pressed with time on isuing next isue of Pascal Gamer Magazine I will understand if you won't wait for me. But don't worry when I finish my article I do intend to post it on PGD site as a tutorial.

code_glitch
09-01-2012, 03:55 PM
Just a line to let you guys know I may have solved the issue as the latest SVN builds seem to work ?!. Anyways, I'm back on my main home machine and it seems time may be on my side so I'm Virtual Machining my way right now to test and finalize it all so stay tuned! :)

paul_nicholls
09-01-2012, 07:37 PM
Looking forward to your input code_glitch! :)

code_glitch
10-01-2012, 10:21 PM
Could this be... Like actually be..... SUCCESS?!

Judging by how I'm about to keel over unconscious from work and no sleep, I guess I'll have to find out tomorrow... But this has me pretty excited - bashing my head against a wall seems to have worked! So now its just fix up the final draft and send once I've confirmed its working (properly) :) :) :)

paul_nicholls
10-01-2012, 11:38 PM
Nice :) Good luck!

WILL
18-01-2012, 04:52 AM
I'm going to start plugging them in this week. I really want to make this issue beefy with all kinds of topics from basic to the more intermediate. I have a bout 4-5 articles or drafts so far. If you ware working on something for Issue 4 please let me know how you are doing with it. Thanks. :)

code_glitch
19-01-2012, 11:02 PM
Its now official - I now have a square head... Android compilation worked once, I got one APK out and then poof. Niet, yada zip, zilch, null, zero, nil... And now its GCSE time so I'm swimming in that pool. Nonetheless, its solution time: lets hit the forums up on this one :( :( :( I would hate to have the rest of the article go to waste...

WILL
22-02-2012, 03:35 AM
So how are those Pascal Gamer articles coming along? I only received about 4 so far.

paul_nicholls
22-02-2012, 03:57 AM
So how are those Pascal Gamer articles coming along? I only received about 4 so far.

4 articles isn't very much! :(

Super Vegeta
22-02-2012, 11:43 AM
You should have already received two from me; I will send another one in a day or two.

SilverWarior
22-02-2012, 09:22 PM
I'm still working ony mine as much as my free time permits me. I also have a few other ideas for articles (Handling Savegames, Making GUI components, Making proper code structure for games - using gamestates).
If anyone is interested in any of theese ideas go ahed. I only reserve an article about svegames for myself since I plan it to be somehow conected with my current article and since thisone won't be so buig I expect to finish it quite quickly.

Anywhay I think that it would be verry nice if we have all these articles writen before the next PGD chalange since they might all come verry handy for some newbie game developers.

WILL
22-02-2012, 10:48 PM
You know what. A simple article about making a save game and best practices would do it. It doesn't have to be some complicated over-bloated article with huge technical words/terms like methodology or some other fancy new programming technique. We have to appeal to new programmers or beginners to attract a whole new community. So do small and simple.



How to make your own Save Game system. (just cover basics and how to structure the data so that it's easily readable upon reloading save games)
How to make a simple RPG combat system. (just cover HP and basic stats (think Dragon Quest 1) and action list and do it as a text/terminal program)
The basic Code structure for games. (cover basics, main game loop, separating things like graphics into procedures, initializing, deinitializing, reseting game state, etc)


as an example of 3.

Dan
23-02-2012, 01:28 AM
is anyone still making an article about the fpc cross compilation for android?

SilverWarior
23-02-2012, 01:54 AM
You know what. A simple article about making a save game and best practices would do it. It doesn't have to be some complicated over-bloated article with huge technical words/terms like methodology or some other fancy new programming technique. We have to appeal to new programmers or beginners to attract a whole new community. So do small and simple.

How to make your own Save Game system. (just cover basics and how to structure the data so that it's easily readable upon reloading save games)
How to make a simple RPG combat system. (just cover HP and basic stats (think Dragon Quest 1) and action list and do it as a text/terminal program)
The basic Code structure for games. (cover basics, main game loop, separating things like graphics into procedures, initializing, deinitializing, reseting game state, etc)


In my article about RPG battle system I do have already more complicated battle system. But I do start from smal and simple and explain how to make it more comlex etc. And since my battle system calculates values based on certain item a character wears (wepons, armors, ect., I also explain of how to make an inventory system. Also part of that article taks a litle about optimization. When doing all this I try to make it all writen in a way to be understandable even by those who have litle programing expirience. That's why I do some programing teachings also.
For my article about savegames I intend to show how to save data from some object do file and later retrive it. I also imntend to tell about wich data should go into savegame and wich doesn't need to (just teoretics). Then I also intend to talk a little about creating backup copies of previous savegames. Recently I hapened to se a game wich has been doung backup copies by literaly making hard copie of a savegame file by FileCopy routine. This aproach takes more time and is prone to data damage incase of power outage at the time. Simply renaming curent file and then saving savegame into new file is much faster and much safer.

WILL
23-02-2012, 04:17 AM
is anyone still making an article about the fpc cross compilation for android?

I haven't received one yet... but I would love to put this article into the next issue!

WILL
23-02-2012, 04:22 AM
In my article about RPG battle system I do have already more complicated battle system. But I do start from smal and simple and explain how to make it more comlex etc....
Don't get complicated at all. Trust me the readers will be able to do that on their own all by themselves. :) Just give them the basics and feel free to elaborate on it and how to expand, but keep it stupid simple as far as design is concerned and it will have the best readability and usefulness among most of the readership.


For my article about savegames I intend to show how to save data from some object do file and later retrive it. I also imntend to tell about wich data should go into savegame and wich doesn't need to (just teoretics). Then I also intend to talk a little about creating backup copies of previous savegames. Recently I hapened to se a game wich has been doung backup copies by literaly making hard copie of a savegame file by FileCopy routine. This aproach takes more time and is prone to data damage incase of power outage at the time. Simply renaming curent file and then saving savegame into new file is much faster and much safer.

As long as you keep it simple and to the point. Further explanation can be done, but only if it illustrates the point of the core lessons. This applies to the above article too! In fact to all tutorials and written lessons trying to teach something. ;)

SilverWarior
23-02-2012, 04:41 AM
Don't get complicated at all. Trust me the readers will be able to do that on their own all by themselves. :) Just give them the basics and feel free to elaborate on it and how to expand, but keep it stupid simple as far as design is concerned and it will have the best readability and usefulness among most of the readership.

Sorry but my article is already made upon a sourcecode for more complex battle system. If I go back to something stupid simple I need to rewrite my whole article all over again. I have done this several times to achive what I have imagined. To be honest I'm not prepared to throw away all my work so far.
Anywhay I still belive that it will have good redability.

WILL
23-02-2012, 05:11 AM
Well if you've already gotten near competition of your article then I guess the point it practically moot. However don't make this a common practice or you may find the results disappointing so you put lots of effort into writing only to get little reaction to them.

Smaller bites are easier to consume than the much larger ones. As is with articles and their scope.

Right now for an article tally I have only 3 in my folder:

How to start making a Boulder Dash like game - from Paul Nichols (Not sure if it was complete or just a draft?)
Compiler Directives for Working with Muliple Files - from Super Vega
Playing with Pointers - Methods, Procedures & WinAPI - from Patryk "Brainer" Nusbaum

Am I missing one of yours? If so then please send it to contact@pascalgamer.com in case I've accidentally misplaced it. I will have another look around for it. I need them in some kind of odt or doc format to work with them (editing / formatting) locally on my system.

paul_nicholls
23-02-2012, 05:57 AM
How to start making a Boulder Dash like game - from Paul Nichols (Not sure if it was complete or just a draft?)

Hi Jason, that article was complete :)