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Started by Muzlack Jan 21, 2003 at 9:26 PM 6 replies 450+ views

Original Post

Jan 21, 2003 at 9:26 PM

Hello everyone. I''m working on a project that has total control of the entire game without any hard coding. However, this was poorly designed, I hadn''t thought it completely through. I created many programs to edit the files, and they were completely different from one another. Well, it''ll take quite a lot of learning to learn how to USE my engine, but it is fully functional. Now, my next engine will be an adventure game engine, similiar to Adventure Game Studio, or Sierra Creative Interpreter. Anyways, I would like the interface to actually making these games a lot better. There are several questions I have to address: -Should it be done in fullscreen DirectX or Windows API? There are plus sides to each of these. I have a very good knowledge base when it comes to making any kind of program in DirectDraw, and I could easily make a program to handle everything. But this would probably be in exclusive mode, so it would be hard to function with multiply files, etc. With Windows, I have nearly no experience. I know only enough to create a window (for directx) if between now and the time I start making the engine, I could LEARN how to use Windows, I could make a much more, user friendly, interface. I''d also be able to use standard popups like Open... dialogs. -If Windows API is used, where can I learn to use it? I would need to know: How to make "tabs" (like if you go to desktop properties) How to make buttons, and position them on the screen How to make common dialog boxes How to make a nice wrapper around this (I hardly understand Windows API enough to make one. I''d need to UNDERSTAND it, so I could.) -Direct3D or DirectDraw? The game I will be making with this is going to be an old-style adventure game. But I need to be able to do effects like Alpha blending and lighting effects easily. Thanks for the help.1

RajanSky

Jan 22, 2003 at 12:17 AM

Heya Muzlack,

I''m not sure if you are talking about what to use for the game itself, or what to use for the game editor.

For a game, if you wanna focus on the gameplay, do DirectDraw. If you want to learn a lot, do Direct3D since it''s something game programmers should know

For an editor, I''d say either use Win32 API or MFC. I guess MFC is more powerful but if you are not comfortable with windows programming yet, I''d say stick with win32 api and learn it by reading stuff on the web and looking it up in MSDN. I think it should be pretty easy to do all the basic windows tasks with win32 api. The only thing I''m not really sure about is making tabs or other advanced GUI elements, that might be more easily done with MFC...

Raj

Infin

Jan 22, 2003 at 12:30 AM

I''d go for MFC. Granted, you may be able to MAKE the interface in direct-draw, but that doesn''t mean that people will USE it. MFC provides a powerfull and framiliar interface for the user, while providing a rapid development enviroment.

In my opinion, you''d spend 10 times longer making your own interface then learning MFC. I learned the basics in a week. They''re really not that hard to use if you can find a descent set of tutorials or a book on sale. Sorry, no links.

As for the engine itself: I''d say D3D, because you said yourself that you already know Ddraw extensively. Expand your toolkit!

Muzlack

Author

Muzlack

Jan 22, 2003 at 7:41 AM

I should clarify.

I''m talking about the game editor. I know basically all I''d ever need to know about directdraw, and I have a very good idea of how I''m going to code an any-size-sprite-engine in Direct3D using quads. I was originally planning on making the editor fullscreen directdraw as well, but that doesn''t sound right, thinking about it. I would like to learn how to code a windows program for doing this.

Sailorstick

Jan 22, 2003 at 7:56 PM

I''m probably gunna get laughed at here but my advise is to use VB. Even an idiot can create windows, buttons, tabs etc. in VB.
You can the wrap your C++/C code in a DLL and call your functions from within VB, so in effect all your VB code is doing is displaying windows and taking events.
That''s how I do it anyway.

''Your theory of a donut shaped universe is intriguing Homer'' - Stephen Hawking

Luctus

Jan 23, 2003 at 5:45 AM

Mwuhahahah!! Nah, really vb isn''t a that foolish in this case (and although I don''t like the language, I know it can be usefull for quick windows gui apps). Another option is to use Borland C++ Builder which supplies you with a vb-like interface but in c++ code..yet another otion is to use Delphi (same thing, but with pascal)

I would however use MFC (or rather, I''m learning it because I''m about to write an editor)

-Luctus
Codito, Ergo Sum (Courtesy of ThinkGeek)

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