Game dev with Pascal

[cairnswm]

Hi All

I have been given the go ahead to do a series of articles about how to develop games using Delphi/FreePascal. For the first series I was thinking of doing something like my Wumpus Hunt game over 4 articles.

I think it should be FreePascal (Can be included on magazine DVD), Lazarus using Jedi-SDL.

Article 1 - setting up the Screen, Loading an Image, Display an Image
Article 2 - Making the game work, Image Management, Input handling
Article 3 - Game States, Intro Screen, Game Over Screen
Article 4 - Converting to use OpenGL, Packaging the functionality into classes.

I think it best to stick to the standard SDL calls so that its easy to read and quicker to follow for starting programmers.

My idea is to have the articles written and complete by the end of July and then send them to the Magazine.

I'd love any feedback you have on my proposed articles.

Cheers

[Traveler]

Sounds good!
But what about your entry for the GDnet compo? Surely you're not going to abandon it, are you? :shock:

[cairnswm]

No I wont be giving up on that idea. At the moment I am finishing up an entry for the onGameDev contest.

I have actually got in contact with a modeller here in South Africa thats working with me on the RTS idea

[cairnswm]

I dont think I made it clear enough in my original post that these articles are for a Local Gaming Magazine (www.nag.co.za).

I think Article 4 should be
Artcle 4 - Animating the Wumpus, Adding Sound

I'd also like some people that would be willing to proof read for me. Someone that would be brutally honest - and not willing to hold back on any positive or negative comments.

[WILL]

This is excellent news William!

Anyway I can get a copy of the magazines?

[cairnswm]

You could subscribe

Otherwise I'll buy copies and send to you. Any specific reason you want the magazines as opposed tot he articles.

Its a very gamer specific magazine - very little technical aspect of gaming covered. I got the go ahead as they 'are always looking for more content'

[WILL]

Mostly the articles. :lol: What can I say... I'm a fan.

[cairnswm]

I'll find out if I can post them here a month after they have been published or something.

My current planning:

Article 1

How to set the screen mode.
How to exit the program on a ESC key
How to load an image
How to set up a game loop
How to display the image inside the game loop.


Article 2

How to load multiple Images (Will use an array for easy understanding)
How to display these images on the screen
How to detect a mouse click
How to respond to the mouse click
How to respond to make the game end when the Wumpus is found

Article 3

How to use game states to show an intro screen, game screen and a game over screen
How to use a procedure to display different screens
Font management (Using SDL?¢_Ts Sfont classes)

Article 4

How to add animations to the Wumpus
How to make the Wumpus respond to the player
How to add sound to the game (using SDL_Mixer).

All using SDL