how to code a flight simulator...

[rednova]

Dear Amigans:

What is the best language to code a flight simulator (like falcon) for amiga. I use amospro..but I don't think it is able to handle this project. What is the best language for this?

thank you!!!
rednova
-mobilis in mobile-

[vic20owner]

I would suggest C and assembly. Good luck.

[benJamin]

Ouch!  Flight sim', eh?

You could do worse than C or C++.  If you're serious, probably skip C as it makes C++ a little harder to 'relearn' (IMHO).

As I have occasioned AmosPro myself, and done other, more serious work, in C, C++, Java, etc., for work, I suggest that you get your mathematics right in Amos, then 'port' it to C++.  The other way around is to learn all the display functions in C++ (it's taking me a long time... ;-) ) before you even go near the mathematics.

The long and short of it is, if you want to see results fast, even though they will be slower, use Amos; you already know it.  If you want fast results and are willing to spend a long time getting to them, use C++.  If you want to know that your time in C++ won't be wasted, prototype in Amos (that which you know best) and covert to C++ (that which you can learn along the way).

As a hobby project, you will probably jump between the two sub-projects when the mood takes you, and don't forget the work others have done to make the OS libraries more accessible!

Someone may point me to the truth, but JetPilot always felt to me as though it were running in Amos...  :-)


benJamin
"Don't listen to me, I know not what I do!"

[vic20owner]

Agreed.. start with what you know best.  There is always a way to speed it up... if you start with a new language you may get frustrated before you make and real progress.

[Skeeter]

    If you're thinking Big   you might try considering Flight Gear .  It's available for most platforms including PPC Mac.  There are many planes already available.  

[skurk]

A flight simulator is a LO-HO-HOT of work.  Especially if you want to use vector graphics, like F-18 Interceptor.  Even trivial stuff like polygon clipping and z-buffering is a {bleep} on Amiga.

It's not impossible, far from it.  It has been done before, so it can be done again.  

It's just that it's a ridicilously big task.

[bloodline]

If you want to stick with Amos... then just get a copy of AMOS 3D... then all you really have to worry about is the physics :-)

With AMOS 3D you could easily get a "space flight sim" up and running in an hour or less...

If you go with C/C++, then you can use one of the many SDL openGL 3d engines available on GameDev.net to do the graphics... the game engine/physics will be the same as with your AMOS program...

[ddniUK]

The problem with Amiga is it cant do planar graphics properly. The CD32 used the AKIKO chip to help with Chunky to Planar conversions. In truth most Amiga 3D games use one of the very many routines to do Chunky to planar conversion in software.

The Amigas' limits here are purely down to the fact that its hardware predates the demands of "true" 3D

For an example, If I run TFX/Falcon/Jetpilot etc (AGA) on my 060 voodoo3 powered Amiga, I get an enjoyable if slightly jerky and muddy looking sim.

If I run Fusion, a Mac emulator on the same Amiga, and play a game such as Apache A10 (P96) I get a spectacular sim with super smooth graphics and crisp clear visuals.

Whilst the Amiga needs new games,we should be careful to ensure that they play to the strengths of the machine.