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Started by JonnyQuest Jan 5, 2001 at 4:08 PM 10 replies 1.2k views

Original Post

Jan 5, 2001 at 4:08 PM

Hi I''m currently learning C++ (yeah a late start) and my ultimate goal is to develop for both Linux and Windows. I''m no Beginner to programming and game development. (I know VB, Pascal, QB, VBScript (+ASP), java-script, and I''m currently using DirectX [D3D, DI] for my game) I''m having no trouble at all with C++ so far (basically VB with java-script syntax... j/k

) Anyway, I deliberately got a non-compiler specific C++ book so I can go multiplatform. For Windows, I''m currently using VC++ 6.0 pro (I got myself the student''s license of the full Studio) and for Linux I assume I''ll use gpp. (yeah, I sort of know my way around in Linux...) Unfortunately, that doesn''t have a nice IDE as far as I know, and I really have no idea where to start with it. Where could I find tutorials for using GPP and all those hundreds of libraries there are? I assume finding MESA tutes is no problem (which is what I''ll probably be using in the end... but I''m not that far yet) but I need something more low-down. Any URLs and tips/hints/flames handy? Thanks - JQ "And I thought I was insane..." -friend of mine after I said something

Staffan

Jan 5, 2001 at 4:30 PM

IDE: KDevelop (linked from the mainpage of www.kde.org), Code Crusader (search of freshmeat) and last but not least...EMACS!

Then again, just look for something on freshmeat..they have every bloody program listed there.

Also, Mesa is just the Linux implementation of OpenGL, so you''d be looking for OpenGL tutorials, NeHe''s would do fine.

A little hint of making portable multimedia applications: SDL (www.libsdl.org). Great multi-platform support for graphics (2D and 3D with OpenGL), audio and input. It doesn''t come with any native networking code, however. Use TCP/UDP with SDL_net and you''ll be fine, though

"This album was written, recorded and edited at Gröndal, Stockholm in the year of 2000. At this point in time money still ruled the world. Capitalistic thoughts were wide spread. From the sky filled with the fumes of a billionarie''s cigar to the deepest abyss drenched in nuclear waste. A rich kid was a happy kid, oh..dirty, filthy times. Let this be a reminder."
- Fireside, taken from back of the Elite album

pwd

Jan 5, 2001 at 4:34 PM

I would suggest picking up a copy of "The OpenGL Super Bible".

It's targetted at Windows programmers, but it uses OpenGL/Mesa and GLUT (a cross-platform helper library). Most of the examples will work on both systems with very little tweaking (I think all that you really had to do in most cases was remove the #include windows.h from the source and create a makefile for them to work under Linux). The book comes with a CD containing the necessary libraries and some examples for both platforms.

GLUT is very nice when you're starting out - it will handle the low-level stuff for you (setting up the screen/window, keyboard/mouse input, rendering loops, etc).

I don't know of any good IDE's (I'm sure there are some out there). I use multiple xterms (several with Vim for editing source, one for man pages, and one for shell/make/gcc), which works well for me.

Good Luck

-penguin world domination

Edited by - pwd on January 5, 2001 5:36:12 PM

JonnyQuest

Jan 6, 2001 at 5:21 AM

Thanks for the responses.

Hmm, I *think* I spotted KDevelop on one of my SuSE CDs once... hmmm...

Oh and I don''t think I''ll be using GLUT... I''m used to doing lowlevel stuff with DirectDraw/D3D. From what I''ve seen, OpenGL is pretty abstract anyway. I do know that Mesa is just the Linux OpenGL implementation, but I guess initialisation is somewhat different, I mean, creating the window and stuff like that? Or is that more likely to be found in X development tutorials/howtos?

- JQ
"And I thought I was insane..." -friend of mine after I said something

Kyle Radue

Jan 6, 2001 at 9:44 AM

I believe everything you need to handle OpenGL windows in X can be found in . The red book has a brief description of some of the functions found in there and the blue book discusses the functions in more detail.

Good luck.

grasshopa55

Jan 6, 2001 at 9:45 AM

There is one particular IDE that I like for Linux. It is called CodeForge. It supports a ton of languages, and there is a freeware version that supports C, and C++.

Kevin =)

-----------------------------
kevin@mayday-anime.com
http://www.dainteractiveonline.com

Nurgle

Jan 6, 2001 at 2:26 PM

I''d suggest getting a book called Linux Game Programming, by Mark Collins. You can preorder now on Amazon...

After careful deliberation, I have come to the conclusion that Nazrix is not cool. I am sorry for any inconvienience my previous mistake may have caused. We now return you to the original programming

JonnyQuest

Jan 6, 2001 at 4:20 PM

OK, thanks a lot for all the useful information... I won''t be able to buy another book too soon, pocket money isn''t really much.

I doubt I''ll be coding for OpenGL soon, I just started with C++, still writing useless console apps

. I''ll definitely try out those IDEs and collect some X programming information. Then I gotta learn Windows programming, too, so I guess I''ll be busy for the next couple of months.
Ah, feels good being a newbie again after all these years

- JQ
PWC Software
"And I thought I was insane..." -friend of mine after I said something

Nurgle

Jan 7, 2001 at 4:41 AM

Check out glut (there''s a link somewhere at www.opengl.org). It''s an easy to use cross-platform API (so it''d compile under both Windows and Linux) that can handle stuff like windows, input etc etc.

If you want to get started coding games asap, that''s your best route...

WHen it comes to sound use OpenAL (http://www.openal.org), but don''t try that until you understand OpemGL lighting (the APIs are almost identical, except OpenAL lacks documentation). OpenAL is an easy to use 3D sound API for several platforms.

After careful deliberation, I have come to the conclusion that Nazrix is not cool. I am sorry for any inconvienience my previous mistake may have caused. We now return you to the original programming

JonnyQuest

Jan 7, 2001 at 9:39 AM

Well, I don''t think I''ll use GLUT, not for cross-platform support, anyway. I''ve created my own (compressed) texture format, which I intend to continue using (I''ve already made editors and all that for it, in VB but who cares), and for the Windows port I''ll be using D3D, anyway. So I doubt GLUT will help very much, my first goal is to port my graphics/input engine from VB to C++, first for Windows, then for Linux. Everything to do with the hardware will obviously not be compilable in the other OS, but the way the engine is designed out (uhh... newbie question... I can write COM under Linux, right?) the rest of the code should be directly recompilable. should.

I''m not worrying about sound for the next months, yet, all I need to get working are graphics and input (mouse, keyboard).

- JQ
PWC Software
"And I thought I was insane..." -friend of mine after I said something

Jan 11, 2001 at 5:00 PM

I used code crusader for linux and it''s good. It might be too much for a single person to handle maybe opengl on linux and windows then d3d? I''m doing opengl and d3d on windows only and it can be little difficult to orchestrate.

JonnyQuest

Jan 12, 2001 at 2:52 PM

I''m using the 3D features for isometric pseudo-3D (3D models in iso view) so writing the engine isn''t that much work. Well, it wasn''t in VB, and I''m still working on my C++ skills, but it''ll work out

- JQ
PWC Software
"And I thought I was insane..." -friend of mine after I said something

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