Game Development Edition?

[WILL]

Well I've made suggestions myself and have heard elsewhere of suggestions and such for Borland making a Game Development Edition of Delphi, but more realistically is this something that can happen for Lazarus?

I guess it could be as simple as a version that comes pre-built with components and libraries included that support various Sound, Graphics and game device APIs. [size=9px](such as JEDI-SDL, DirectX Headers, OpenGL Headers, OpenAL Headers, etc and so on)[/size]

Maybe there may also be some other requirements, tools and other features that would aid in the development of games made in Lazarus?

[M109uk]

Maybe a possability of building an opensource Game dev IDE??
Could have built in functions for say creating an opengl window/context and rendering routines, etc..?? Built in tools, etc??

[Specis]

Erm, i think this might be classed as an extension

But how about a texture/image editor/viewer? nothing fancy just simple.
Maybe also a 3d model viewer.

Actually, i'd be really intrested in helping out with this sort of project actually

you could arrange it like a PGD community project

[Almindor]

Interresting... perhaps just a "package" that will add this functionality to Lazarus. SDL, OpenGL and perhaps some sound library like SDL_Mixer or more advanced like OpenAL usable as "visual objects" as well as non-visual ones. The most difficult part is getting OGL and SDL gfx to work in the window context crossplatformly.(each is handled differently)

[WILL]

Well an 'add-on package' might work, but it would probably be best if it's a simple 'install and go' type of package. The idea being that it's all there ready for you to do game development. No hastles or complicated setups... Thats the idea of a Game Development Edition or Package as you suggest aswell.

But as for whats contained. I recommend ALL the APIs Headers(including DirectX because of it's popularity of use) and toss in any other cross-platform libraries. ie. JEDI-SDL as one I know off the top of my head. Or simply have SDL Headers too.

GLScene for Lazarus could also be incorporated into this aswell...

[Almindor]

Well I don't agree with DirectX.
Anything cross-platform. But leave the one-platform-only out. Lazarus is about crossplatformity in the firstplace IMHO, building a specific package for it is useless.

SDL(including sublibs), OpenGL, OpenAL, perhaps things like GlScene and some pascalish projects which could fall into it.

[cairnswm]

I think that it is important to include things like DirectX compatability with FreePascal as it shows that it can compete with the existing Microsoft tools. If the "only" benifit of FPC is cross platform, then its not actually such a good product. If it can;t use DirectX as well as MSVC why would any Microsoft favoring user switch.

A game dev edition should cover all aspects, from plat form specific to as much cross platform functionality as possible.

[Specis]

I have to agree, Directx is required

Ok it is windows only and lazarus is cross-platform, but most games are created with Directx and most people look for directx features before opengl. Well this is my personal experiance anyway.

This and im not actually that big a fan of OpenGL in the first place

[Almindor]

You didn't get my point. Currently(and for atleast a year from now) Lazarus uses static packages.
That is: Packages are compiled "into" lazarus which is then ran again.
This means that anything platform specific in the game-edition package will make lazarus with it also platform specific(linking).

It could be done by dynamic linking but you'd need a dynamic pascal header for DirectX for that.(+ other hassle)

As for FPC/Lazarus's qualities well, to be honest(note: I do love FPC and Lazarus) it has not much others. It's slower than Delhpi(version dependant), has lesser components than Delphi, more bugs than Delphi etc.

If I was developing in windows I'd use delphi unless my budget or other circumstances(like my love of opensource) forced me otherwise.

I am, however developing cross-platformly

I think a good definition of "game edition" is in order too.
Perhaps it might be best if the package was configurable in some way so you could choose backends. This way many renderers even platform specific ones could be included and will be available to choose on the given platform only.

Even in simpler form this is a helluva work. If you're not thinking one platform only the testing and polishing required(not to mention making the design good, getting GLScene and others working etc.) will be extreme

I'm looking forward to it

[marmin]

Hm.. It's just a matter of learning DirectX/OpenGL and you're ready to go.
I don't see any problem, except for the fact that the Lazarus executables are not optimized. But that's a minor problem. Although I hate it~! But do not forget the power of Lazarus - cross platform. It's a huge undertaking!
And the speed Lazarus versus Delphi- my experience is that the free pascal compiler is way better than Delphi's... just imho
But real speed difference, in a final game product, shows itself in the quality of programming of course.