Well your idea seem great cairnswm, though I think that a published solid copy would benifit those that go to the book shelves aswell. However that may depend on the publisher aswell.

:!: DelphiX would not be the best thing to base a book upon at all. In fact I don't think that any specific API should be focused upon at all. Prehaps a chapter or two on SDL, OpenGL and DirectX may be an idea for a 'Beginner Level' book, but anyone seriously thinking of buying a book for the use of developing high-end games would be interested in another one of these books. Something more in-depth like algorythims and methods of more advanced game design would be much much more helpful.

The idea of a series wouldn't be bad like that of Premier Press' 'Game Development Series' that is quite popular as of late. I also believe that it should be non-compiler specific aswell. In fact having a bit of an insight to the different 'Pascal' compilers might also be warrented aswell. Though we'd have to specify what language the example source would be listed in.

[size=9px]ie. Lets say you were writting a portion about using Object Models in your game and were specifying a part of code to illustrate your method. You'd have maybe 2 figures each with either Object Pascal or Pascal(Free Pascal's variation) of what you were trying to illustrate.[/size]

Also improper referances to Delphi as a language it's self should be eliminated completely as we don't want to confuse an already 'bias and confssion-latten' base of programmers as it is. We should set the record straight for them in our own efforts.

:idea: I like cairnswm's idea mainly because a single book wouldn't do much of us as much good as some comprehensive series that we could grow our own experience from the first one we pick-up. The only issue is, what area of programming should we start in? :idea:

I think that using Object Pascal's object classes in writting would be a great start. How many articles, tutorials or times have you heard people just talking about getting further into the fundimentials or more advanced aspects of game programming instead of lightly brushing on a set of APIs and treating them like the Holy Grail to making games with a specific Pascal compiler? I say we, as a community of programmers aim higher.


After that potentially long-winded set of my personal oppinions, here is my list of potential book ideas for someone to write for the avid Pascal game programmer. Please expand on there is you can.


The List:

:arrow: Game Design Under Pascal [size=9px](using Pascal based Object Models and Game-State engines)[/size]
:arrow: 3D Games with Object Pascal [size=9px](concentrate on not only 1 but all 3D graphics APIs each having it's own chapter or more to demonstrate eaches interfaces and ways of doing things, plus focus on formats and considerations of 3D game programming at large)[/size]
:arrow: Isometric game Engines in (Object)Pascal [size=9px](Obviously covering all aspects of the Isometric game engine and how to works)[/size]
:arrow: Design a Great Multiplayer Game! [size=9px](All sorts of informaton on how to design an online game with (Object)Pascal)[/size]
:arrow: Cross-Platform games [size=9px](Maybe the least exstensive of my little list, but it can cover how to do cross-platform game development with Delphi/Kylix and/or Free Pascal; ie. things like installers, APIs available, OS enviroment differences, tricks, etc)[/size]