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Thread: Game Development Edition?

  1. #11
    Co-Founder / PGD Elder WILL's Avatar
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    Game Development Edition?

    I don't think the topic of DirectX is such a sticky issue. How does Delphi handle DirectX headers? Dynamically! Of course it does, the whole API from Direct3D to DirectPlay DirectSound is a series of Dynamic Link Libraries.

    Go fishing for fish with a fishing rod and/or net and hunt bears, moose and deer with a riffle. Not the other way around.

    Any truely powerful game can always be improved upon by a good few in-line assembly routeens and good solid coding practices. This eliminates many speed bumps you may have by being innovative. Besides, like Delphi and it's predicessor Free Pascal and Lazarus will get better at these things. If you make maximum use of your resources you'll not run into too many problems that it will destroy your project.

    The idea I had with the Game Edition and the way I think it should be approached is like that of a fully installed copy of Delphi with all those neat little component suites, Graphics Headers and libraries pre-installed and sitting in a common installed directory so you can simply do things like;


    :arrow: Click on File -> New Project... -> Select 'OpenGL + OpenAL Game' icon
    OR
    :arrow: Click on File -> New Project... -> Select 'OpenGL + BASS Game' icon
    OR
    :arrow: Click on File -> New Project... -> Select 'JEDI-SDL Game' icon
    OR
    :arrow: Click on File -> New Project... -> Select 'DirectX Game' icon
    ETC...


    And these options within the Game Edition Menu will create a defualt set of code that like in Delphi will have your included uses clause with it's default listed libraires [size=9px](it'll change depending on your profile you selected when you made a new project.)[/size] The libaries will already be included in your Library Directory Search Paths from install AND the libraries and their sources will have their own set directories for those APIs or platforms supported.

    The idea is to make game programming easier making a distrubution of sorts [size=9px](if not new product depending on what platforms and APIs the studio will support)[/size] that is for game development.

    Ideally you would want to use already established libraries or capable projects already in place. Such as taking a copy of Lazarus, adding the latest JEDI-SDL package, popular+functional DirectX Headers, DGL's OpenGL headers, noeska's OpenAL headers and using other such open-source and established projects than to go reinvent the wheel... This may even aid to the ability to maintain alot of modularity in the use of APIs and Libraries in your projects.

    The rest is pretty much splitting hairs and what you like and don't like. This is fine, but when creating something of thise effect as a multi-platform/multi-API solution, you want more options than less or you'll have less users than more. Thus less support, feedback, interest, life-span of product.


    Are there actual interested parties in doing something like this? This is one of those projects that PGD may consider becomeing involved in via some kind of mirroring or page hosting, etc...
    Jason McMillen
    Pascal Game Development
    Co-Founder





  2. #12

    Game Development Edition?

    I think it would be best to 1st make a group of people. Each one or few will be then assigned jobs according to personal experience/prefference. I for example would like to help with the SDL parts and add my networking code to the project(OOP, crossplatform).

    We need atleast one programmer for each library since most FPC header units are still static linked, they will need to be remade and then a set of visual and non-visual OOP components will have to be made.

    I think it might be good to also have some sort of abstraction on top of it so we have a common interface.

    So, hands up people
    Feel the power of Open Source.
    <br />Feel the power of Free Pascal.

  3. #13

    Game Development Edition?

    Im Intrested in this, probably wont be much help but intrest is there for me

  4. #14
    Co-Founder / PGD Elder WILL's Avatar
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    Game Development Edition?

    [quote="Almindor"]We need atleast one programmer for each library since most FPC header units are still static ]

    I think my point about using well established libraries was lost somewhere here...

    Have a look at these sites:

    JEDI-SDL -- http://www.delphi-jedi.org/Jedi:TEAM_SDL_HOME
    Clootie's Translated DirectX Headers --http://clootie.narod.ru/
    noeska's OpenAL AND OpenGL Headers -- http://www.noeska.com/en.aspx

    I am quite sure that if you look well enough you'll be able to find other OpenGL headers of the same make-up(DGL Headers perhaps?). Why try to re-invent the wheel needlessly? Notice how these packages, libraries and suites already make use of the APIs dynamically and work under Free Pascal already?

    Also take notice how they are updated by other already commited individuals who update their own work? We don't even have to do all the work, it's done and continued to be done for us! It just makes too much sense! :lol:


    I'd like to help with hosting and the odd task here or there. But only if it turns out to be a Game Development Edition/distrubution or branch of Lazarus. Otherwise my time can be better spent elsewhere, sorry to say.
    Jason McMillen
    Pascal Game Development
    Co-Founder





  5. #15

    Game Development Edition?

    I don't want to be spoilsport or anything, but I think it might be best to wait for lazarus to stabilize. It is still pretty problematic and alot of things are still "not working good enough" so adding a branch might be suicidal(they might change something fundamental in LCL design and such)

    I understand the idea buy frankly don't see the need for a "game edition" lazarus as it. I'd be happy to have a "distribution" of FPC and Lazarus with most libraries so I don't have to set up lots of headers for C libs.

    The only thing "integrated" into Lazarus worthy of effort IMHO is GLScene like things + perhaps a "media player" made with OpenAL or SDL or FMod backend.
    Feel the power of Open Source.
    <br />Feel the power of Free Pascal.

  6. #16

    Game Development Edition?

    Lately it was discussed adding options to the win32 installer for DB support, maybe even compile at install, this could also be use to select Graphics stuff, the GL headers are there, we only need to put AL and SDL maybe even others and GLScene, this will give the impression of a much more mature and robust project and will bust the myth that Pascal isn't good For game development, as the new doc tool gets better we could even add some integrated help and tutorials on how to use the many technologies available i don't have nothing against DX headers being included but we should try to focus on CrossPlatform development, maybe even adding a kind of gaming interface and code samples but this are for the long term.
    The future must be... Fast and OpenSource so...
    <br />Think Open and Lightning Fast!

  7. #17

    Game Development Edition?

    This project are stopped?

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