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Thread: Writting a book on game development

  1. #31

    Writting a book on game development

    True, there are also people who still use Visual Basic, Quick Basic or even MSX basic to write games and they can be fun, but in no way can that grow into a professional , state-of -the-art game anno 2005, just because the developer don't know actually what is going on in his/her program, and that shows in the end.

    Due to the extremely fast CPU's and graphics cards it won't show If one created a badly, inefficient programmed game with all kind of redundant code when using the techniques of let's say 5 ys ago. But it's the programming technique that one takes with him.

    And that was my point.
    So i think most smart devs will study the C++ code , buy C++ books, and translate it into Pascal or swith to C++ when they get a programmer job. I learnt all my Direct3D API and some WIN32 api by translating C++ code.. (And i still hate teh language that why I am here !!! )

    There't not much fundamental difference in those languages (although I like pascal better myself) , I was only referring to the fact that most Pascal beginners don't seem to get over the wrapper stage, wich is fine of course but in the end that can not grow into professional game dev.
    Marmin^.Style

  2. #32

    Writting a book on game development

    There't not much fundamental difference in those languages (although I like pascal better myself) , I was only referring to the fact that most Pascal beginners don't seem to get over the wrapper stage, wich is fine of course but in the end that can not grow into professional game dev.
    I don't think I agree. If you want to work with a games company then you should use c++. But how many people in the world are going to get a programming job for a commercial game company? Not very many. So where are most jobs going to be for programming, not with games. If you want to program the latest and greatest games it is prbably much easier to work in c++.

    I am lucky I have a job that allows me to write games and other multimedia programs. We have recently switched from DelphiX to Omega. We have 2d and 3d games and game like environments. Wrappers are fine, there is no need for direct api type stuff.

    One of the programmers on our team has made his own engine that allows both 2d and 3d games. So he knows most about directx programming in our team.

    Success is not whether you use a wrapper or not or whether you use c++ or delphi. It is the end result. How good is your software. Do users find it enjoyable to use. They don't much care what it was written in and if the code was super duper. The software we write at work is used by 8,000 children every week in centres all over the place.
    The views expressed on this programme are bloody good ones. - Fred Dagg

  3. #33
    Co-Founder / PGD Elder WILL's Avatar
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    Writting a book on game development

    Quote Originally Posted by marmin
    Quote Originally Posted by WILL
    I think the best way to aim your material is to stick to the game theory and avoid getting too wrapped up in APIs, platform specific areas and anything that will distract too much from the task at hand. .
    Now, imo that is mainly the problem with object pascal game dev. Am I wrong to notice that most people who want to program choose pascal because it has rad tools like delphi and wrappers like delphiX (that is hopelessly old and slow ).
    I think that the people who think that all there is as an advantage to the Object Pascal language is Delphi-like RAD tools and DelphiX-like do-it-all-for-you components is sorely misguided and obviously not a very good programmer. And in that sense those that only see current day Pascal from that angle [size=9px](Mostly those that look at the language like it's just a tool named Delphi.)[/size] that make that rather discusting mistake.

    These new programmers need to see more of the innovators and pioneers' work and get inspired. Those that want to stick to lego-like game development will either stay or stray away, but those that want to get serious have to have something to go to.

    Quote Originally Posted by marmin
    If one wants to seriously program a fast game one has to dig deep in API, a complex game requires to know exactly what the computer is doing. And most programmers turn away from pascal because they get the impression that pascal game dev is outdated and not technical, fast, at all. That's just my opinion. A game that is made with all kinds of wrappers, rad tools, it's just not the real thing...
    Really depends on how cutting edge it is. A nice simple Windows game can require little more than a neat little set of components and a not-so-CPU-intensive game engine. Those are fine, but if you are trying to be innovative and push the envelope with the industry then you will require to be quite the tinker freak. And that is where those zanny C people and funky nay-sayers get lost.

    Quote Originally Posted by marmin
    Why should a c++ programmer has to know all the details and a pascal programmer not?
    No reason what-so-ever, hence the need of a good ole game programming book using Object Pascal instead of C for a change.
    Jason McMillen
    Pascal Game Development
    Co-Founder





  4. #34

    Writting a book on game development

    Just to add few words to this conversation...

    I think that this book idea is good and most likely I would've bought it myself.

    My only suggestion is that you explain clearly OOP concepts, inheritance and all the specifics to Pascal language. From what I've seen on Afterwarp.Net, many people still lack information on how to design classes well (for instance, a word "reintroduce" or "dynamic" is pretty unknown among many Pascal programmers).

    If you guys need any assistance with writing some blocks about using inline assembly or even MMX/SSE specifics (well, if you decide to add this to optimization section) - you know where to find me.

    Also, I agree that sticking to specific API (not only DelphiX, but even Direct3D or OpenGL) is not a very good idea. The specific API is choosen to fit the needs of market and project requirements, so by explaining an API like OpenGL you almost bind the reader to that API. However, some basic information about various APIs and links to some development and download sites would be handy.

    Finally, what I would suggest is excluding DelphiX not only from the book, but also from any conversations. It's very limited in the concept and rather outdated.

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