Porting a Blitz Programmed Game to Pocket PC

Blitz3D Forums/Blitz3D Programming/Porting a Blitz Programmed Game to Pocket PC

WedgeBob(Posted 2006) [#1]
Hi, I was wondering if it was possible to port a Blitz 3D Programmed Game into a Pocket PC (a Dell Axim X30 w/ Win Mobile 2003 to be more precise). I know that the resolution would have to be watered down to 320x200 first off, and you would need a special programming technique to change the format to be synched in, but outside of that, what would have to be done to make a Pocket PC game using Blitz 3D? Sort of like turning my PPC into a "Game Boy" of sorts.


Amanda Dearheart(Posted 2006) [#2]
I also have the same question.


big10p(Posted 2006) [#3]
Do pocketPCs run DX7?

Can they even do 3D?


WedgeBob(Posted 2006) [#4]
Well, I have the higher-end Axim X30 with the 624 MHz processor. However, I don't think that PPCs have a separate graphics card, tho. That would be cool if ATI or nVidia would've made microcards for Pocket PCs, but I don't think that's gonna happen. If not the X30, the X51v (which may be my next move one day or another) may be my next move.

Another thing, just like programming a joystick for a desktop or a notebook, to program the game to use the four buttons, and the Pocket PC's "D-Pad" would be something to think about. The middle D-Pad would move you around, and the other buttons would be used for other functions in the game. Beats turning the screen into Swiss Cheese with the stylus.


WedgeBob(Posted 2006) [#5]
I'm still thinking this over, regarding not just readjusting the screen resolution to 320x200, but also mapping the game around a stylus, as well as the buttons on the bottom of the Pocket PC. There's no easy answer. The only thing I can think of doing is "trying" to convert Blitz code to VC++ 2005, then using MS's tool for porting Pocket PC applications (assuming that games can be ported). Of course, there's probably other special programs that can use BlitzPlus, Blitz3D, and/or BlitzMax code, and port that into PPC code. Someone should come up with that. If I have to dumb the program down to 2D to make it do something, then so be it. I thought that a Pocket PC would have about the same technology that a PSP or a DS (well, closer to the DS, even tho a PPC uses a single screen). I'm guessing that the code would be somewhat similar.


WedgeBob(Posted 2006) [#6]
I guess while you're at it, why don't you teach me how to hack into a Creative Zen PMC to turn it into a PSP-type console? Naw, j/k. However, a Pocket PC should probably do what a Game Boy Advance can do, or a DS, if programmed correctly.


Dreamora(Posted 2006) [#7]
No it can not be done.
Thought this devices nowadays have seperate graphic chips by ATI and NVIDIA, they are not powerfull enough.
As well, the executables created by Blitz can't be used for that.

If you want to do this kind of stuff you better use Java (still think java is simpler than using mobile .NET version) with the J2ME. This features 2D as well.


Nigel Taylor(Posted 2006) [#8]
Can't vouch for what you can do with it, but...

http://game-editor.com

...looks pretty cool.

Note - you can *easily* produce a GBA quality game on a decent PocketPC.


WedgeBob(Posted 2006) [#9]
Yeah. Also, VS 2005 Standard and Professional have tools for Pocket PC, from how I understand. Of course, VS 2005 can slow down a game's programming significantly from Blitz 3D's code. My guess is, VC++ would be the fastest, but the most difficult language to convert a Blitz game to.


WedgeBob(Posted 2006) [#10]
I think I may have that program somewhere, but I never thought about it up until now. Thanks a lot for pointing out Game Editor. I mean, with Visual C++ 2005, especially the Standard Edition, you can use some built-in technology to port a game into a Pocket PC that Microsoft provides to you. Of course, converting Blitz 3D code to VC++ is half the battle, which will be a headache...


Dreamora(Posted 2006) [#11]
not even half ... first you need to write the engine to do port your code in at all ... and doing such a thing for a slow end device is not a simple task.

I would go for omegabasic or a similar language If I were going to program for a handheld device like this (or using J2ME)


WedgeBob(Posted 2006) [#12]
Okay, I'll look for that Omega Basic through Google. Thanks...

Ahh, from the creators of DB Pro, too. Well, I guess that the code structure is similar to that, if I'm not mistaken?


WedgeBob(Posted 2006) [#13]
Lo and behold, there's a nice book here on Amazon already. Whether or not this book supports any of the new Pocket PC OSes, like Windows Mobile 2003, that's another thing. Windows Mobile is based off of Windows CE, if I'm not mistaken, so it probably is backwards compatible.


Sir Gak(Posted 2006) [#14]
Have you looked into Amiga.com, where they have a SDK for writing progs for handheld devices? Maybe Mark Sibly can do a handheld Blitz version?


WedgeBob(Posted 2006) [#15]
Sounds great. Maybe he can help with programming the buttons on the bottom of the Pocket PC to be used like gamepad buttons, and the middle being the D-Pad, obviously. That would be cool.


Robin Hossain(Posted 2006) [#16]
As far as I know pocket PC devices do now have in built 3D accelerated graphics. However, Blitz3D is based on DX7 and pocket PCs use GAPI and other 3D engine systems. Porting to VC++ would require a rebuild of the Blitz3D engine syntax on the pocket PC GAPI (Graphics API). If somebody did that, there would be a huge new market for Blitz3D applications and games...


Dreamora(Posted 2006) [#17]
yeah 10 users ...
The handhelds featuring usefull chips are bought by professionals needing them not buy gamers that would see your page or your game ;-)


WedgeBob(Posted 2006) [#18]
Yeah, just like someone trying to port something into a Nintendo DS or a PSP or something would take some thinking. That's different yet again, obviously. So many portable devices, yet, to program a Blitz game that will fit on something smaller than a laptop, so you can stick your game in a pocket would probably be out of the question unless you knew how to program around something like Visual Studio .NET 2005's Pocket PC features.