Re: Question about game-prog libraries

[Ingo Ruhnke <grumbel@gmx.de>]

Philipp Gühring <p.guehring@enemy.org> writes:

>> What library do you think I should use for game-programming under linux?
>> (now I'm only interested in 2D programming).
> 
> I suggest GGI for the graphics.
> 

> I would suggest using ggi, because it automatically gives you
> svgalib, X and other targets, and you don´t have to worry about it
> much.

ClanLib gives you GGI, Windows, BeOS and some more. :-)

> I ported two games from Dos to Linux with ggi, and I am happy
> with ggi. I looked at Clanlib and SDL, but both didn´t seem to give
> me the things I need. But it might be different for you.

I think GGI is handy when it comes to direct framebuffer manipulation,
ClanLib uses a more abstract Layer, you have surfaces, alpha blending,
etc.
When writing a game from scratch I would use SDL or ClanLib (or PLib
when it comes to 3D), since they provide much more than just gfx.

> Which colormode do you need? Are all your graphics in 8 Bit, but you
> want to play it in a higher color resolution?

Just one note, if somebody is writing a new game, I strongly suggest
using 16bit modes (or more), since 8Bit is just to limited and
outdated. Also the hardware can handle 16bit and more without problem,
so why don't use them? HiColor modes can be used for a lot of cool
effects, which are very difficult or impossible with 256 colors, for
example alpha blending. 256 color modes are totally ok if somebody is
porting a DOS VGA game, but for a new games 16bit gives you much
more. 

> I for example read that SDL
> can´t handle 8 Bit graphics. Perhaps it changed, but back then that
> meant for me: No, thanks.

Clanlib can't handle 8Bit too, but that is afaik a work in progress in
in the 0.3.0 branch.

BTW. I ported an old 256 colors game from DOS which was using Allegro
to Clanlib without much problems, just changing the gfx mode to 16bit,
in a few hours.

-- 
                                  http://dark.x.dtu.dk/~grumbel/pingus/ | 
Ingo Ruhnke <grumbel@gmx.de>             http://home.pages.de/~grumbel/ |
------------------------------------------------------------------------+