Game programming on the Amiga

[Neo]

C++ is a great language to program with if you now how to do. Otherwise it gives you to many choices and it's likely you never get of the ground. Then better use C.

Now, C++ is backwards compatible with C and most programmers are actually only wrapping C into C++ containers to make it look like C++, which you could do ofcourse.

As for compilers for the Amiga there are a few I now of.

  SAS C 6.5 - Dead, some C++ support with patches. But linking C++ object files appears not to work properly.

  StormC 3.0 - Available on Amiga Developer CD 2.1. C++ supported, but lacks basic features like namespace. There is StormC 4.0 with PPC support that may be better, but I wouldn't count on it.

  VBCC - *FREE* Don't support C++.

  GCC - *FREE* Most advanced C/C++ compiler available. But, if your not a UNIX geek you will get gray hairs long before you compiled your first hello world example.

The best part with StormC is that it has an IDE which is good if you are a beginner.

[Karlos]

bloodline wrote:
SDL is vital for any Game development.

I don't like SDL much personally. An alternative would be a good thing...

...;-)

[bloodline]

Karlos wrote:

bloodline wrote:
SDL is vital for any Game development.

I don't like SDL much personally. An alternative would be a good thing...

...;-)

I've found it invaluble, speeding up the time taken to get ideas from paper to live working err... puppies... :-?

[Karlos]

bloodline wrote:
I've found it invaluble, speeding up the time taken to get ideas from paper to live working err... puppies... :-?

Whatever gets you off the ground. I do like the concept of SDL, just not the overall implementation.

[Glaucus]

By the sounds of it, SDL is not that useful if you're interested in 3D, correct?

  - Mike

[Karlos]

Glaucus wrote:
By the sounds of it, SDL is not that useful if you're interested in 3D, correct?

I couldnt really say. AFAIK, SDL is usually used in conjunction with OpenGL for 3D.

I just wanted something similar for C++, using OOP paragdims in the design, so I've been working that way instead.

[Crumb]

"You do not have Direct Access to the Video RAM"

I think that for 2D games that's a big limitation. You can double the speed writting directly to the gfx ram...

[Karlos]

Crumb wrote:
"You do not have Direct Access to the Video RAM"

I think that for 2D games that's a big limitation. You can double the speed writting directly to the gfx ram...

Very true.

[mackster]

Thanks to everyone, You guys know your ####!
So just to clarify the stuff that has been posted.
SDL can be used in conjunction with OpenGL, but there is only the cut down miniGL version available for the Amiga? The GCC compiler is a tried and proven compiler for the Amiga? The SDL is good because it provides an API that interacts with all aspects of hardware: I/O, sound, and graphics, where as OpenGL provides the API for graphics programming?
Thanks again fellas, by the way is any of you guys currently developing a game/games for the Amiga at the mo?