iMiniB3D

BlitzMax Forums/MiniB3D Module/iMiniB3D

simonh(Posted 2008) [#1]
MiniB3D, now on iPhone:

http://www.si-design.co.uk/iminib3d_bird.mov

http://www.si-design.co.uk/iminib3d_zombie.mov


degac(Posted 2008) [#2]
Incredible!

It is a porting of Bmax+MiniB3d on Iphone or something completely new?


Panno(Posted 2008) [#3]
thats great simonh !
great news imho


Difference(Posted 2008) [#4]
WOOT! How? What? Where? Programming language? tell me more!

Looking good...


slenkar(Posted 2008) [#5]
good port!


Beaker(Posted 2008) [#6]
Good job. I really hope this gets a release, commercial or otherwise.


xlsior(Posted 2008) [#7]
Hmmmm. Plain vanilla Max2D in the pipeline, by any chance? :-?


impixi(Posted 2008) [#8]
Interesting!


Stu_ovine(Posted 2008) [#9]
Please say Max is going iPhone .......


simonh(Posted 2008) [#10]
It's a C++ and OpenGL ES port of MiniB3D. You still need to use C++ or Objective C to be able to use it.


skn3(Posted 2008) [#11]
It would be interesting to see the source behind one of the demos you have posted a vid of :)


mongia2(Posted 2008) [#12]
wowwww

gooodddd


ima747(Posted 2008) [#13]
That is far beyond cool... I'm just stunned by the awesome involved.


degac(Posted 2008) [#14]
SuperGerball for IPhone/Ipod touch is coming :D
Do you want to sell the 3d engine or is something you made for yourself only?
Will it be an 'BRL branded' product (in case you want to sell it) or not?


simonh(Posted 2008) [#15]
Here's the code for the zombie demo - most of it relates to the 'twin stick' controls:



No idea about how it will be released yet.

And degac, yes, you're quite correct - couldn't resist giving Monkey Ball a run for it's money.


BlitzSupport(Posted 2008) [#16]
Well done, Si. Looks great in both video and code formats!


Canardian(Posted 2008) [#17]
Can I buy or download the C++ port of MiniB3D somewhere?
I really need it :)

If the license is in source code form, I would also convert it to C, so that's it easier to read and code with it, and also faster to run.


siread(Posted 2008) [#18]
Nice work Simon! I look forward to working with this. :)


Algo(Posted 2008) [#19]
Very cool!


Tri|Ga|De(Posted 2008) [#20]
YES

Please hurry up!!


matt!(Posted 2008) [#21]
Very cool, simon!


SLotman(Posted 2008) [#22]
Okaaaay... how long until release? It will be free, or it will cost something?
Would it work on Brew + OpenGL/ES? (Since Brew is very close to C...)

This is really awesome!


simonh(Posted 2008) [#23]
I'm not familiar with Brew, but yes it probably could be made to work on that.

I'm not sure about the release yet...


Beaker(Posted 2008) [#24]
Any vague (or otherwise) thoughts about porting it to google phone?


Stenley(Posted 2008) [#25]
Nice.
Could you please bring it to a platformindependent C++ code, so that is possible to compile it also on Windows, Linux and MacOSX with C++?
I know, there existing alredy the normal minib3d. But with the C++ version it is possibly easier to use it in other Basic-dialects, Pascal and other languages.


simonh(Posted 2008) [#26]
Beaker - no, I don't have a Google phone, and can't really justify buying one. Theoretically it should be very easy to port though.

Stenley - maybe so, at some stage.


Beaker(Posted 2008) [#27]
You could always use the excellent android emulator. :)
http://code.google.com/android/reference/emulator.html


simonh(Posted 2008) [#28]
I didn't know about that, thanks for pointing it out. It does indeed looks excellent.


Beaker(Posted 2009) [#29]
Any news? :)


simonh(Posted 2009) [#30]
It's mostly done now, just need to smooth out a few rough edges.


ubergeek(Posted 2009) [#31]
WOW! That's just awesome!!!

I can't wait!! :-)


Jason W.(Posted 2009) [#32]
Simon,

I have not seen your videos(since I'm at work), but I have seen what your have done with MiniB3D.

I would like to see an Android version as well. This would be a HUGE step for the android os.

Check this out: http://code.google.com/android/adc.html
If you did happen to enter, you would of won some erious cash!!
Also, the dev that entered CompareEverwhere was recently hired by google. (After the contest, of course).


Jason


ubergeek(Posted 2009) [#33]
Any more news yet?..

I really, really need the iPhone version! :-)


simonh(Posted 2009) [#34]
An early version is ready for testing - please email me at si@... if you're interested.


ubergeek(Posted 2009) [#35]
I'm very interested!! Just sent you an email with my address (it's private). Looking forward to seeing this.. :-)


simonh(Posted 2009) [#36]
Only just found out that you can only use Java for Google Android apps, so no chance of MiniB3D for Android.


slenkar(Posted 2009) [#37]
why not? you can use openGL in java


Stenley(Posted 2009) [#38]
Jeremy: Because Simon have ported it from Blitzbasic to C++ and not to Java?

But I am also interested in the sourcecode of iMiniB3D. Hopefully MiniB3D and iMiniB3D will be parallel developed, so that new features in the one packege will also exists in the other package.

And hopefully a new version of MiniB3D and the first version of iMiniB3D will be soon released.


Btw:
If there comes no port of iMiniB3D to Android, then it would be hopefully possible in the future to realease it for SymbianOS.

In the future Symbian will be OpenSource under the Eclipse Public License:
http://www.qtsoftware.com/about/licensing/frequently-asked-questions
http://www.nokia.com/A4136001?newsid=1230416



There stand: "The Symbian Foundation has chosen the Eclipse Public License for Symbian".

And it seems, that for Symbian will be in the future mostly written in Qt (C++).


Tri|Ga|De(Posted 2009) [#39]
I send you an email from my iPhone simon, did you get it?


simonh(Posted 2009) [#40]
Yes, thanks. I've got nothing to send out right now but should have shortly.


mongia2(Posted 2009) [#41]
i work for translatio to blitz3d / unity3d

it is hard
but i coverted a 2 games

your iminib3d is finish?

thanks


ubergeek(Posted 2009) [#42]
Simon, when you have a new version ready I'll happily test it. (I've written a few small test games with the current version, no new bugs to report. :-) )


Tri|Ga|De(Posted 2009) [#43]
Hello Simon

When is shortly?


simonh(Posted 2009) [#44]
Soon!


Tri|Ga|De(Posted 2009) [#45]
Any news?


simonh(Posted 2009) [#46]
I'll try and send it out by Monday.


ubergeek(Posted 2009) [#47]
*Clears schedule*


simonh(Posted 2009) [#48]
OK, I've sent out the new version to everyone who requested it.


DreamLoader(Posted 2009) [#49]
would you please give some link to download?


simonh(Posted 2009) [#50]
No, I wish to limit availability for now, as I haven't decided what I'll be doing with the release version. It more than likely won't be free.


DreamLoader(Posted 2009) [#51]
if it's for sale,you can post some demo version!


Stenley(Posted 2009) [#52]
> No, I wish to limit availability for now, as I haven't decided what I'll be doing with the release version. It more than likely won't be free.

Ummpf. :-(
Can't you say that earlier ?

You say since a long time, that you want to publish it. You have raised our expectations. Then you tells a time, when it comes. And as the time comes, you publish ... nothing.


simonh(Posted 2009) [#53]
I haven't said at any stage how iMiniB3D would be released, because I hadn't decided (and still haven't). I've sent test versions to people as I said I would.

Your complaint is what?


Tri|Ga|De(Posted 2009) [#54]
I think its nice that Simon has send test versions, and I don't mind paying for it when it comes in the full version.


Retimer(Posted 2009) [#55]
OK, I've sent out the new version to everyone who requested it.


Thanks

I think its nice that Simon has send test versions, and I don't mind paying for it when it comes in the full version


It might be an arrogant thing to say, but I think simon would be a fool not to try and market this. If you can't cough out a few bucks for iphone development, you're joking yourself anyhow.


outsider(Posted 2009) [#56]
It might be an arrogant thing to say, but I think simon would be a fool not to try and market this. If you can't cough out a few bucks for iphone development, you're joking yourself anyhow.


Yeep, i agree.


Sledge(Posted 2009) [#57]
Its performance on actual hardware is real nice -- it's shaping up to be well worth a license fee.


Tri|Ga|De(Posted 2009) [#58]
Does anyone have some 2D examples for iMiniB3D?


simonh(Posted 2009) [#59]
I doubt it, there's only a handful testers and most of them have only just started using it.

For 2D stuff you just need to restrict everything to two axis. Pure 2D, like Max2D is not supported - you'd be better off using a different lib for that.


LT(Posted 2009) [#60]
I would definitely buy it if I could use BlitzMax and write iPhone apps.


Beaker(Posted 2009) [#61]
Cocos2d:
http://code.google.com/p/cocos2d-iphone/

I wonder if Cocos2d and iMiniB3D can be integrated.


ubergeek(Posted 2009) [#62]
Haven't needed 2D for anything yet, but there's nothing in iMiniB3D for 2D stuff.

@Simon, maybe your next project should be 'iMiniB2D'. :-)

Cocos2D looks good - doubtful if it could be integrated with iMiniB3D, but if that's possible it would be great.


Sledge(Posted 2009) [#63]
I think I spotted a QuadMesh type as I was browsing through the source today, so that's a start! Cocos2D is sweet and, looking at the site, he seems to have switched to a new license that specifically allows closed source projects, making it a bit more commercially viable.

EDIT: Corrected Cocos2D iPhone license description.


ubergeek(Posted 2009) [#64]
Yes, Mesh::CreateQuad(). If I were to do it myself, I would probably use the Sprite class though.


Sledge(Posted 2009) [#65]
I wonder if there's a surface overhead for sprites, or if it's not a factor? :-/


simonh(Posted 2009) [#66]
Yes, sprites are quite slow at the moment due to the fact that 1 sprite = 1 surface. I intend to add a single surface sprite system at some stage. (Bit of a tongue twister!)


simonh(Posted 2009) [#67]
Good news - I've got a sprite 'batching' system working, that renders a bunch of sprites at once as a single surface. It happens automatically, too, so you don't have to make any changes to your code.


ubergeek(Posted 2009) [#68]
Cool. Can't wait to see that!


Robert Cummings(Posted 2009) [#69]
Hey si

[edit] oops, emailed you instead! Hope I'm not too late to join the testers. I'll be buying this regardless, even if I can test. Supporting developers is important or this wouldn't exist in the first place.

I have some questions as I am developing on iPhone using OGL at the moment:

- Can we specify how to sort textures to minimise state changes or is it a "per mesh" thing like Blitz3D?

- Do you use Vertex buffer Objects?

- Can the sprite system be set to use one texture for a lot of sprites to further cut down on state changes?

- Does stuff cull outside the current view fustrum even if its the same surface mesh?


Sorry for all the questions, just extremily interested. Have my support and so on...


Robert Cummings(Posted 2009) [#70]
Another Question! can the sprites used by iminib3d be set to whatever texture coordinates? I have a big atlas of coordinates (think animations or level graphics for 2D) and would want to use just flat quads for that...

My wallet is singing to you si, please get some form of sales going!


simonh(Posted 2009) [#71]
Can we specify how to sort textures to minimise state changes or is it a "per mesh" thing like Blitz3D?

Per mesh at the moment. I'm looking into ways of minimising state changes though.

Do you use Vertex buffer Objects?

Yes, they're optional.

Can the sprite system be set to use one texture for a lot of sprites to further cut down on state changes?

Yes, this is done by the 'sprite batching' system. It adds all sprites with the same texture to the same surface, then renders the one surface.

- Does stuff cull outside the current view fustrum even if its the same surface mesh?

Not normal meshes, no. The single surface sprite system does though - sprites are frustum-culled before being added to the single surface mesh.

can the sprites used by iminib3d be set to whatever texture coordinates? I have a big atlas of coordinates (think animations or level graphics for 2D) and would want to use just flat quads for that...

Yeah you can do this. I'll be adding a couple of commands to make this easier as well - cell=ExtractSpriteCell(tex,x,y,w,h) and TextureSprite(sprite,cell)


simonh(Posted 2009) [#72]
I like the look of iPhone's OS 3. Lots of new stuff to play with.


Robert Cummings(Posted 2009) [#73]
Yeah we've got multiplayer being possible too, as well as a host of interesting things. I got lost in my car the other day and it was tricky driving and using google maps (although it will scroll with you if you use the crosshair feature, you need to look at the screen so I only ended up looking at it at traffic lights and so on)....

What feature excites you the most?


simonh(Posted 2009) [#74]
Bluetooth multiplayer is the main one I guess. Also the push system will be perfect for turn based multiplayer games (like Naked War!).

And although I doubt many users will appreciate it, the in-game purchasable content is going to be a huge thing for developers. Your income per game sold is no longer a max of $.99 - more like $.99 minimum.


ubergeek(Posted 2009) [#75]
iPhone OS 3? What? I must be behind with my Apple news! ;-)


ubergeek(Posted 2009) [#76]
Simon, did you get my email?
I'm still having a problem with FreeEntity...


simonh(Posted 2009) [#77]
Yeah I got it, haven't checked it out yet.


ubergeek(Posted 2009) [#78]
Okay thanks - just wanted to make sure it didn't get eaten by my ISP. I've been pretty busy too lately.


ubergeek(Posted 2009) [#79]
Any news on the CopyEntity/FreeEntity bug?


jkrankie(Posted 2009) [#80]
this is really cool :)

Cheers
Charlie


simonh(Posted 2009) [#81]
ubergeek - yeah I've found it now. Will fix.


ubergeek(Posted 2009) [#82]
Great - haven't run into any other problems so far. This is so cool!


Robert Cummings(Posted 2009) [#83]
Must have missed that bug, as I haven't been doing any freeing or cleaning up!


Happy Sammy(Posted 2009) [#84]
Hi Simon,

Did you get my email asking about iminib3d?