What do you think about the FUTURE OF DELPHI GAME PROGRAMMIN

[briscape]

Hello.

I've used VC++ and DirectX for game programming for 10 years.

But.. I changed to Delphi and OpenGL.. 6 month ago.

Now I'm considering of my choice..

What do you think about the future of delphi game programming?

Is it bright? or dark..?

[cragwolf]

Why did you switch? 10 years is a lot of time investment.

[savage]

The reality is that C/C++ is the defacto standard within the game industry, particularly because it make porting of games from PC to console easier.

I cannot speak for everyone on these forums, but I see us as the Rebels against the Empire, to use a Star Wars metaphor.

I have an unrequainted love relationship with Pascal, even though I know that the odds are stacked against it. But I like the underdog and participate in sites like this, and work on projects like JEDI-SDL, Siege of Avalon or port DirectX examples for Delphi, main because I believe that the status quo must ALWAYS be challenged.

So to that end I use Delphi and more and more I have started using FreePascal at home ( at work I am being forced to move to C# ), who's cross-platform capabilities are beginning to rival even C/C++ and thus makes an ideal game development tool if you plan to target Linux, MacOS or even MorphOS. Also due to it's Open Source nature, it could be ported to any consoles as well, if someone had the time to investigate this possiblity.

The downside of using Delphi or any flavour of Pascal, is the fact that headers need to be converted/ported. But to me that is a small price to pay for using the language that, overall, allows me to be more productive than any C/C++ developer. There are plenty of talented Delphi/Pascal game developers in these forums and out there, though most are working on their own projects.

Since you have made the switch to OpenGL, it would seem that you are at least thinking about cross-platform possibilities. If you plan on sticking to Pascal, I would suggest looking at more cross-platform compilers than Delphi and also other windowing/input libraries.

[WiZz]

IMHO future for delphi like gamedev platform is bright, a few years ago there were only 3 or 4 Delphi game developers, now there are 10-12, in Lithuania.

[Almindor]

I agree with Savage.

Free Pascal + OpenGL/SDL/others like it is the way for cross-platformity.

DirectX might be nice but as everything from M$ it is binding.
Delphi is IMHO dead. It ate the pill and is being sucked into the .NET deathtunnel but that's another topic.

I myself use FPC + SDL on my game(http://lwars.sf.net) and most of the time FPC is BETTER than others for games, specialy because of the ease of porting.(C++ is actualy hell to get on multiple platforms/compilers)