Tutorial and some questions

[Multicoder]

Hi there,

I'm a delphi-developer but now I want to learn pascal to create games.

My 2 questions are:
Do you know any good tutorials for newbies like me?
What compiler are you using and where can I get it?


Thank you! :D

Greet'z
Multicoder

[jdarling]

For a compiler most people here are using FPC (http://www.freepascal.org), Lazarus (http://www.lazarus.freepascal.org/), or a few other minor players. FPC/Lazarus is a cross platform implementation of ISO pascal that supports Delphi mode compilation. Basically that means that with a few minor changes you can compile most Delphi applications in Lazarus.

For tutorials, the pickings are slim. Do a search of the forums on this site for tutorial and you should find plenty.

For graphics take a look at JEDI-SDL (for cross platform), unDelphiX (for windows DirectX 9), GDI (for Windows), Graphics32 (for raw power), Asphere (again DirectX 9), and the many others that are listed all over the place.

Personally, I'm using Lazarus and FPC with JEDI-SDL. Then using Lua for cross platform scripting. Right now I can compile my engine for Windows, Linux, and Mac. Though I have only actually tried it on Windows :).

Another sample would be looking at Project Phoenix (search again) or CrainsGames (http://www.cairnsgames.co.za/public.asp).

That should give you a pretty good start in the right direction. If Huehnerschaender would ever get his tutorials back up on his site they were another good starting point.

[Multicoder]

Okay! Thank you very much! :D
I just downloaded FPC. It looks a bit retro but I like it....because it look so retro^^

Greet'z

[czar]

Is that true?


most people here are using FPC

I would have thought most people use Delphi.

Has a poll ever been done on that question?

[technomage]

I don't think a poll has been done. Would be interesting though...


edit:

I do think allot people here do use FPC, but maybe not at the primary IDE or compiler.

I develop in BDS 2006 99% of the time, I switch out to FPC to make sure my stuff still compiles and runs in that environment, and when I compile apps on Linux or FreeBSD. Bu tI don't actually use Lazarus or FPC for my main development. (when I get a change I might add a menu route to BSD to compile the current project in FPC and display the results , I'm lazy like that :wink: )

[cairnswm]

What about people that use more than one tool? I use delphi for my game dev - but I make sure it also works in FPC.

[savage]

I've added a poll to the top of this thread. So place your bets.

If there is a Pascal compiler I've missed out, let me know.

PS. What is Colony Trader? Also if you are Delphi developer, you must know Object Pascal.

[Multicoder]

Yeah, I know object pascal, but I wanted to learn basic pascal (or how its called).
Colony Trader is/will be developed with Delphi.

Colony Trader is/will be an mass multiplayer online game (a trading simulation).
You can settle several planets and build factories on them to gain ressources. You can sell these ressources to other players or to NPCs.
If you have enough gold you can build spaceships - both freighter and battleships.
If you think, your fleet is very big and you don't want to be a salesman anymore, you can become an intergalactic pirat.
You can be a pirat from the beginning on, too. But I think it's very dificult to be a pirat with a little freighter with a minimum of equipment :wink:

Unfortunately someone hackt our old server, so we had to switch the webspace. The old game-client doesn't work properly with that webspace, so i have to develop a new game-client. I'm at the beginning again :?
Yesterday night I completed the launcher for the game.
I think it will take several months to create the new client.
Current status: 2 DLLs completed

The game will be much complexer, but my english isn't good enough to tell the whole story :wink:

I translated the gamestory with the google-translator:

Welcomely in a far future
Only in order to make it here times clear, this play is not one the normal Browsergames with that it therefore only goes as fast as possible a planet Imperium developing and its other opponents as fast as possible to defeat and thus than Hegemonial stand there. In the reason we are also no Browsergame separate we possess their own Client with a Browsergame to compare are. Naja so far so well… now YOU are to be taken at the row your fate into the hand and to be fallen you into space adventure. Mentioned we live like already above in a far future. The inter+planetary large realm collapsed in itself like a house of cards, since everyone of the individual colonies for independent explained. It is now because of you as a dealer to procure to you a ship and to supply the planets further with goods. Because only by fate you will become one of the largest colonial dealers. But is warned… The competitor does not sleep. In the space trade everyone is safe the next one. Also the travel is not simple… Piraten and anomalies of space make the life heavy for you. If you become large willt, you must together-do willy-nilly with other players to a commercial alliance. A Handelsgilde bases or becomes more a Handelsimperium. Like it is your thing employs. No limits are set to you. Imposes Handles embargoes over the air lanes… Controls systems… An enormous fleet builds for you by the individual systems accompanied and your region ships defended… Imposes a system prohibition for commercial alliances or drives protection money in the individual systems. Are good or bad… But are certain… The large it will all the more draw it the envy other on you and it can you pass, that it of other alliance drive out. It is completely because of you… whether their largely realm and famous become or however nothing else as a heap Weltraumschrott. Now register you and show which in you is

Greet'z

[savage]

I thought google translator was pretty good, until I read that translation. :?

[Multicoder]

yes^^ me too^^
if you know any better translator, please let me know, so I can translate the text the right way :)

[savage]

Thread moved to General as the Tuts thread is for posting actual Tuts rather than requests for Tuts.

[Traveler]

Voted for Delphi. (I assume that does include Turbo Delphi too?)

As for the tuts. I had several on my site, but they're being converted at the moment (due to site redesign). If all goes well, they should be available again by the end of the weekend.

[K4Z]

I voted for FreePascal (Lazarus); over about the last year or so I really pushed myself towards using it more, and slowly migrated all my exsisting projects over, and did not regret it at all. I really found beging able to easily work on the same project in multi platforms at once really handy.

That and the fact that I lost my Delphi7 disc a few months ago :oops: :oops: :oops: :oops: :oops:

:P

[Robert Kosek]

Delphi/Turbo Delphi for me. Works great.

I have no real issues with the lack of cross platform stuff, since I don't actually like Linux. I worked with it, on it, in it for 2 months (I was paid to) and I don't think I'll be switching anytime soon. Macs are out of the question though, since I only use computers. :P

[JSoftware]

Macs are out of the question though, since I only use computers. :P
:lol:

[savage]

Macs are out of the question though, since I only use computers. :P
:lol:

I watched the recent Apple Developer conference keynote speech and it's amazing how much M$ has swiped from Apple's recent MacOS X releases.