gaurdianAQ Member Posts: 106 From: Registered: 01-15-2007 |
hey what would be better to use SDL or to just use Visual Studios Built in graphics features???? is one easier than the other if I can use SDL then what type of applicate to I put it in like a WIN32 or what???? |
HanClinto Administrator Posts: 1828 From: Indiana Registered: 10-11-2004 |
Personally I think that SDL is better than GDI (the "built in" graphics library that comes with Windows). Sounds like you might be able to use this tutorial -- that doesn't get you quite to the point of writing games, but it's a nice walkthrough for setting up SDL in Visual Studio. Cheers! --clint |
SSquared Member Posts: 654 From: Pacific Northwest Registered: 03-22-2005 |
I am assuming you are talking about C++. SDL is much, much better than using GDI, the pre-built graphic utility API with Win32/MFC. GDI does not even have transparency or alpha blending which is one of its biggest downfalls. There are ways to implement it, but it requires some work. SDL also has a much cleaner API with an interface geared specifically for game-like components. GDI was not designed as a game interface. |
evdude Member Posts: 135 From: Earth Orbit Registered: 03-14-2007 |
Here are some REALY, REALY good tutorials for SDL. these include setting up SDL for visual studio. ------------------ "trust in the lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all your way's, acknowledge him and he will direct your path" proverbs 3:5-6 [This message has been edited by evdude (edited August 06, 2007).] |
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ernestpazera Junior Member Posts: 2 From: Racine, WI, USA Registered: 08-21-2007 |
I would suggest you evaluate XNA. (Which makes me feel like a traitor to myself, as I wrote an SDL book a few years back). |
jestermax Member Posts: 1064 From: Ontario, Canada Registered: 06-21-2006 |
A published SDL book? There aren't many to my knowledge just of SDL; that probably would have helped me a year or so ago when i was using it. I like SDL's api and actually i'm debating using it for some steganography tests so i highly recommend it. (unless this thread is dead...) ------------------ |
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HanClinto Administrator Posts: 1828 From: Indiana Registered: 10-11-2004 |
Hi Ernest, welcome to CCN!  The primary reason why I haven't learned XNA at this point is because it's so blazingly single-platform. If I use something like SDL, then at least I can compile it for Linux or OSX, but with XNA, I'm limited to Windows/360. Other than that though, it sounds like it's a pretty nice toolkit. I'm interested in knowing more about the book you wrote -- that sounds neat! Again, welcome to CCN! We're glad to have you here. In Christ, |
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SSquared Member Posts: 654 From: Pacific Northwest Registered: 03-22-2005 |
Here is a link to the book. Welcome Ernest and thanks for your recommendation. I did play around with XNA for a bit and I really enoyed it. There is no comparison with SDL. I actually used XNA before I used SDL.NET and found some of my sprite manipulation code from XNA would simply not translate. Swiping an image with a color, for example. Simple in XNA. I couldn't do it in SDL.NET so I had to create two different colored PNG images. That said, I have still found SDL.NET to be nice and easy if used within proper parameters. My biggest issue with XNA is deployment. At the time (the beta), if I wanted a friend to play a game it was like, "OK. First you need to install Visual C# Express. Then install XNA on top of that." Huh? It was too much overhead. Maybe they have fixed that now. If they now have XNA run-time redistributables and if XNA will work in Visual Studio (non-Express version) then I will be VERY interested in looking at it again. I am trying to move off SDL.NET for next year's contest (there WILL be a contest next year, right?) and am trying to figure out which API set to use. |
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ernestpazera Junior Member Posts: 2 From: Racine, WI, USA Registered: 08-21-2007 |
the OP seemed to be windows-centric, so i figured xna to be a good fit for him, and *ESPECIALLY* better than straight WIN32/GDI. other windows-centric suggestions(which I have used): Popcap Game Framework(Free): http://developer.popcap.com/ DX Studio($100 for non-commercial license): http://www.dxstudio.com |
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SSquared Member Posts: 654 From: Pacific Northwest Registered: 03-22-2005 |
Just a note to be clear. My statement that there is no comparison between XNA and SDL was meant to mean XNA is much, much better. I realize, after reading what I wrote, it may not have been very clear. How is the Popcap Framework? I have thought about downloading it and trying it out. I really enjoy many of the Popcap games and was interested in seeing what their API offers. |