Blitz3D as a module?

BlitzMax Forums/BlitzMax Module Tweaks/Blitz3D as a module?

flying willy(Posted 2005) [#1]
Is this possible?

If so, then I would like some things opened up like lights and entity structures so we can really fiddle under the hood...

Course it wouldn't be free, but it would be nice I guess.


Uber Lieutenant(Posted 2005) [#2]
Blitz3D runs on DirectX, so it can't be used as a multi-platform module (remember, DirectX is Windows-only)


N(Posted 2005) [#3]
So? Did he say he cared if it was cross-platform or not?

Anyhow, I've tried to make calls to the functions in the Blitz3D runtime.dll, but it's a no-go.


AntonyWells(Posted 2005) [#4]
Probably some hidden initilization code, or more likely initilization code embeded within the b3d produced exe.

-Unsolicited advice-
You really don't want blitz3D in this day and age anyway MM. man, even if for some bizarre reason you're under the impression only mark can write a 3d engine, now is as good a time as any to learn gl or dx9.
Not so sure about getting dx9 to run in Bmax though...that would be interesting if someone managed that.


AdrianT(Posted 2005) [#5]
I'd like to see DX9, and can see how DX7 would be cool for some people that are catering to the lower end of the market.

I prefer DX9 only because it has better games industry support, like 99% of 3rd party shader and texture tools support D3D and any GL stuff is an afterthought.

Maybe when openGL 2 comes out things will start to improve, but currently GL isn't very popular as far as commercial tools fr pixel shaders are concerned. Probably the fault of the scientific community not being interested in pretty FX features and holding the development of GL back.


JaviCervera(Posted 2005) [#6]
It would be hard to say the least. Current BMax 2D command set uses OpenGL. Blitz3D uses DX7. You wouldn't be able to mix 2D and 3D together.


Smokey(Posted 2005) [#7]
Maybe you could Make function in Blitz3D with the current Blitz3d 3d command and make an .exe then run the .exe with
the commandline$ with the command you want Blitz use.

I don't know how fast it would be but this might work.

for my point I prefer waiting for the OpenGL from Mark or other third party module


N(Posted 2005) [#8]
Smokey: That would be extremely slow and pointless, considering that you'd be better off just using Blitz3D normally in that case.


Smokey(Posted 2005) [#9]
Noel that what I tought, Better using directx and directdraw for 2D , I made a card game with VB long time ago with directx SDK and it was easy to do. For direct3D it's hard because there no build in function like blitz3d have.


fredborg(Posted 2005) [#10]
If someone is feeling adventurous this may show a way to do it: http://www.blitzbasic.com/codearcs/codearcs.php?code=1009


skidracer(Posted 2005) [#11]
Funny you should post that as I was feeling a bit adventurous last night... Will keep you posted.


fredborg(Posted 2005) [#12]
Ooooh :)


flying willy(Posted 2005) [#13]
ooooo :)


Booticus(Posted 2005) [#14]
Aahhhhh :)

Do we need a cigarette after that?


Akira(Posted 2005) [#15]
Lol... was it good for you?

Given that BlitzMax supports in-line C/C++... wouldn't it be possible to write a wrapper module for DirectX 9?


Booticus(Posted 2005) [#16]
..zzzzz...zzzzzzzzzz

;) Im a man after all!


Smurfpuss(Posted 2005) [#17]
well blitzmax is opengl nothing is going to change that fact and why not opengl you have a good deal on this one reaching out with you games to even more users than with the directx one and that is good for all companys


Kanati(Posted 2005) [#18]
heh... who got banned THIS time?


Hotcakes(Posted 2005) [#19]
Unknown.


Dreamora(Posted 2005) [#20]
why not opengl: because you can kick it on Windows thanks to DirectX focus on hardware driver support.

and tada ... 90%+ of all users are windows so why use something that at least 50-70% of all potential users will have problems with?


Uber Lieutenant(Posted 2005) [#21]
Because BlitzMax is a multi-platform language. Doing Win32-only aspects of things we all need (in this case everyone with BlitzMax wants a 3D module, not just the Windows crowd) then you're going to leave a lot of coders empty-handed. Mark is MacOS X, and so are a number of people.

3D has to be done in OpenGL so it's available to everyone. I know Win32 cromprises the majority, but the minorities deserve recognition too.


AdrianT(Posted 2005) [#22]
Yeah it's a problem. To be honest I'll be surprised if there is useable official cross platform 3D engine avaliable in the next 6 months or this year even. Particularly if it has to be compatible and stable on all 3 platforms. And then the mac version will most likely come out first.

I hope I'm wrong, but I can't help feeling that bmax isn't going to be a useable 3D game development tool for quite some time to come.


Bot Builder(Posted 2005) [#23]
uber - nothing wrong with implementing an ogl engine and then implementing a dx engine with the same commands. On windows the dx engine is used while on mac/linux ogl is used. I dont really expect mark to do this because he devs on mac now... perhaps not really right but someone will have to dev the dx engine themselves, hopefuly free. Maybe make it a community project. There wouldn't be any implementation argument either because it would be the same as the builtin engine.