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Next Gen Game Development...

Started by gamemania1986 Dec 7, 2001 at 4:15 AM 3 replies 300+ views

Original Post

gamemania1986

Dec 7, 2001 at 4:15 AM

My game files consist of: MyGame.exe MyGameLibs.dll Img001.bmp Img002.bmp ... Imgxxx.bmp Wouldn''t it be cool if my game could run in Windows, Linux, and Mac without any hassle? Actually we''re almost there, with the .NET Framework. .NET is a rich and powerful platfrom which IMO will have a bright future. Here are some highlights of the platform: > The .NET Framework contains rich collection of powerful and reusable classes, such as classes for console I/O, file I/O, Windows Forms, math, etc. I find windows forms really powerful, cause we can make a windows-like application and it will run on any machine (read: OS) with the .NET framework installed! > The .NET framework is built ground up to support language interopatibility. For example if I write a library (.dll file) using C++, C# and VB.NET programmers can use it! > Platform indepence in another important key. My .exe and .dll files are in Intermediate Language format, and will be Just In Time (JIT) compiled before excecuted. That means my program will work (and optimized to work) on any processor architechture! OS is also not a problem here, cause the .NET framework is not not Microsoft exclusive. .NET framework for Linux is being developed right now. There are still barriers however... We know that most games are coded with DirectX. Currently DirectX is still Windows exclusive. So for example if I write a .NET application which calls DirectX, it will only run on machines with DirectX installed (read: windows). The .NET framework provides only GDI+ for graphics support which won''t make any killer games. Microsoft could make a decision which could change everthing. That is by making the next version of DirectX fully supports the .NET framework and available on Linux and Mac (and other OS also). When that really happens, Linux and Mac users (with .NET framework and NextGenerationDirectX installed) will also be a gaming platform. ===================================== The traditional one: Windows Application <--> Windows Mac Application <--> Mac Linux Application <--> Linux The new way: .NET Application <---> .NET Framework <---> OS (.NET Framework for Linux is on the way...) ===================================== The traditional one: DirectX Application <--> DirectX <--> OS (Windows) Currently possible: .NET DirectX Application <----> .NET Framework & DirectX <--> Windows Hope: .NET DirectX Application <--> .NET Framework and NextGen DirectX <--> OS ===================================== What do you guys (and gals) think? PS: I''m currently learning C# and it really rocks! (previously used C/C++ for 3 years) Visit A Whole New World : World of 3d Art! http://3d-gallery.cjb.net

Ziphnor

Dec 7, 2001 at 6:50 AM

We already have what we need to generate crossplatform games.
You can use SDL(with OpenGL for 3D) or you could use Java, both of which runs on many platforms.

In Java hardware accelleration is only partially present with the newest 1.4SDK, but it seems like its going in the right direction.
So SDL seems to be the best bet right now.

The whole .NET framework thing really doesnt seem like more than microsofts version of the Java concept, except of course that they support multiple programmings languages.

Necrosis

Dec 7, 2001 at 9:29 AM

One thing, the more reasons MS gives people alternatives, they''ll loose profit. Making DX work with Mac and alternate PC OS''s wouldn''t be a smart move on their part would it?

Arild Fines

Dec 7, 2001 at 9:34 AM

This page might be of interest: http://csgl.sourceforge.net/.
Its a Open GL/SDL wrapper for C#. If the Mono project gets off the ground, this might very well be a good way to write cross platform games using C#.

Psalm 137:9: "Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones."

Oluseyi

Dec 7, 2001 at 3:43 PM

quote:
Original post by SirSmoke
One thing, the more reasons MS gives people alternatives, they''ll loose profit. Making DX work with Mac and alternate PC OS''s wouldn''t be a smart move on their part would it?

Good point.

Analysts have also stated that the entire XBox thing might be a strategy to get developers using DX9 for XBox and see opportunities to easily port those titles to PC/Windows at minimal cost, thus jumpstarting the lagging PC market and helping MS move more operating systems (its core business). These days the only real reason to upgrade your PC is for the latest and greatest 3D games. Do the math...

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Thanks to Kylotan for the idea!

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