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[PAID] Help with Windows port

Started by Zakwayda Mar 5, 2009 at 5:37 PM 3 replies 1.1k views

Original Post

Mar 5, 2009 at 5:37 PM

Team name: N/A Project name: N/A Brief description: The project is a 2-d top-down arcade/action game. It's been in production in its current form for about a year. Target aim: To be determined. Compensation: This is paid work. We can set an hourly rate, or we can arrange a fixed fee. Technology: Target systems: Windows XP/Vista, OS X PPC/Intel (Linux support to be determined) Language: C++ Programming Tools: VC++ Express, Xcode/GCC Content Tools: GIMP, Inkscape, Reason, Logic, Audacity Libraries: SDL, OpenGL, Ogg Vorbis, DevIL, Anti-Grain Geometry, Boost Talent needed: In short, I'm looking to hire someone to help me solve the problem described here. Unfortunately it looks as if fixing the problem will require re-writing the SDL-based parts of the application using the Windows API. I'm looking for someone who is proficient in Windows programming to provide some consultation as I go forward with this process. Familiarity with DirectX would be a plus, but isn't required. Team structure: The team currently consists of myself (programming, design, and music) and my brother (design and music). We've been working on the project as a team for the past six months or so. Website: N/A Contacts: You can contact me via PM, through the CML website, or directly at jesseanders[at]gmail[dot]com. You can also post to this thread if you prefer. Previous Work by Team: This will be my first completed game project. Previous programming work includes the CML, a C++ math library for games and graphics. Feedback: Any.

magic_man

Mar 6, 2009 at 3:10 AM

I think you are barking up the wrong tree as the post which you are referring to is a __feature__ of the Windows API.

HolyGrail

Mar 6, 2009 at 10:34 AM

If I could give you an advice : get rid of SDL and use mere Direct X ( Direct Graphics for a 2d game will be enough)
SDL is slow and it is hard to integrate with Windows API.
SDL has internal threading system ( see the sources ) maybe you don't need it

Zakwayda

Mar 6, 2009 at 11:33 AM

Quote:
I think you are barking up the wrong tree as the post which you are referring to is a __feature__ of the Windows API.

Here are a some other threads that might better explain the problem:

Thread 1
Thread 2
Thread 3

The problem is not how Windows processes events when the window is being dragged or resized, but that SDL doesn't provide an easy way to receive and respond to these events.

I tried the workaround proposed in the first thread linked above (calling the render function from an 'event filter' callback), and this seemed to work, at least in the context of a small test program. However, the developers of SDL make it pretty clear that you should never call SDL video API functions from the event filter thread, so I'm a little wary of using this workaround in production code.

If you're still not sure what behavior I'm talking about, open Windows Media Player and try dragging the window around (specifically off of and then back onto the screen). Note that the application continues to update and render while the window is being resized or dragged. It is this behavior that appears to be difficult to realize using SDL (if there is a way to do it reliably, I haven't been able to find it).

Just to be clear, it's the continuous rendering that I'm interested in (it's not important that the application continue to update while the window is being moved).

Does that clear things up at all?

Quote:
If I could give you an advice : get rid of SDL and use mere Direct X ( Direct Graphics for a 2d game will be enough)

Yes, this is what I was planning on doing. What I'm looking for is some help expediting this process (the project is on a schedule of sorts, and this is an unexpected setback).

jtagge75

Mar 6, 2009 at 2:55 PM

Sadly I don't have experience with SDL but I do have a fair amount with Win32 and DirectX. And its pretty easy to setup that trick to get the window more or less rendering when the user is moving it around. I think I could help you out if you are still looking for it.

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