A Simple, Gui Game Creator?


Jourdy288

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Does anybody know of a relatively simple game creator that I can use to create games for the Pandora? I'd like to run it on a Windows, yet save it in a Linux compatible (preferably Pandora compatible) format?
 
Jourdy288 said:
Does anybody know of a relatively simple game creator that I can use to create games for the Pandora? I'd like to run it on a Windows, yet save it in a Linux compatible (preferably Pandora compatible) format?
It's called Python (+ PyGame) :p

On a more serious note: There is nothing like GameMaker for all platforms, so you really need to do some kind of programming if you want to make a game. Choosing between Python, Java, or Scala would be a good idea when choosing a language, since a game written in one of those languages will run on all platforms without modification.
 
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OK, I'm thinking about Python right about now...
python.png

So I suppose there isn't a "gameMaker" that can automatically cross compile for a couple different platforms? Pity. Still, PyGame looks mighty good, I'll try it.
On a side note, I am pretty good with Google Sketchup, I can export models as 3DS files. Does anybody know of a program that can actually take advantage of 3DS files?
 
Jourdy288 said:
OK, I'm thinking about Python right about now...
python.png

So I suppose there isn't a "gameMaker" that can automatically cross compile for a couple different platforms? Pity. Still, PyGame looks mighty good, I'll try it.
On a side note, I am pretty good with Google Sketchup, I can export models as 3DS files. Does anybody know of a program that can actually take advantage of 3DS files?
For what purpose?
If you can convert your model format to COLLADA (the universal model format), you'll have much higher chances of finding something.
 
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Oh, COLLADA is better? OK, I'll try that, and see if I can use it in PyGame.
So let me get this straight:
I create the models
I import them to PyGame
I do all the coding, etc.
I compile it into an .EXE
I give away the source code and models so that it can be compiled into other formats?
 
Jourdy288 said:
Oh, COLLADA is better? OK, I'll try that, and see if I can use it in PyGame.
So let me get this straight:
I create the models
I import them to PyGame
I do all the coding, etc.
I compile it into an .EXE
I give away the source code and models so that it can be compiled into other formats?
1. You can't do 3D in PyGame if you want it to be fast. For basic games it's OK I guess, but there really isn't extensive support IMO. I don't even know which model formats can be loaded.
2. Python isn't compiled, it's a scripting language - you give your actual source code files with .py extensions to whoever should run your program, they then install Python, and start the files. That's how it can run on all platforms. No compilation, no .exes, no nothing :p
3. See above

If you want something more hardcore than that, then use some more hardcore system. If you want to stay cross-platform (Win, Lin, Mac, Sol), I can recommend using Java and Ardor3D for your games. Then you can do 3D and similar things, give away your program as a .jar file and everyone with Java installed will be able to run your program. I actually forked Ardor3D recently to make it completely cross-platform; see this post for a demonstration of how your end-product can look like. I plan on writing a tutorial for Ardor3D if enough people are interested, but I don't know when I can do this.
Note that Ardor3D does NOT currently run on the Pandora; it MIGHT in the future, though. It currently runs on Windows x86 & x86_64, Linux x86 and x86_64, Mac (all versions), and Solaris.

If you don't need to stay completely cross-platform, but still want to have the ability to compile your applications separately for each platform, then you need to go the C++ and OpenGL route, which can be very painful, or not, depending on what kind of person you are. Google for tutorials, there are MANY.

Oh and also, remember that there's a learning curve to everything. If you want to learn Python or Java or C++, you will need a lot of time to study. Be warned.
 
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OK, thanks!
But can I actually export the .py files to a format like .EXE, Disk Image Mounter (Mac) Etc.? I'm not sure what the .EXE Equivalent is on Linux...
Thank you, you've been so much help!
 
Jourdy288 said:
OK, thanks!
But can I actually export the .py files to a format like .EXE, Disk Image Mounter (Mac) Etc.? I'm not sure what the .EXE Equivalent is on Linux...
Thank you, you've been so much help!
Short answer: no.

Long answer: You can, but you don't want to. You'll need to use different tools on every platform, and you need to include different libraries and binaries when making the EXE from different places. If you want to use Python, it's much easier to just distribute your program as a Python program.

By the way, on Linux, files don't have extensions like on Windows, so consequently programs don't have an extension like on Windows. You can name a program anything on Linux and it will still be able to run. Linux doesn't even have *one* executable format like Windows, there are many different formats. You can execute a Python file as a program directly, for example; it "counts" as an executable like an "exe".
My point is: there are no names for executable files on Linux, since there are so many of them.
 
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OK, thank you! So support for .Py files is built in, right?
 
On Windows, assuming python is installed, .PY files become click to run in most cases, and behave like .EXE files. You just have to install Python first. Just like Flash, or Java.

On Linux, Python is included by default with most distros and is almost transparent alongside ELF binaries, Bash scripts, Perl scripts, etc...

Will the Pandora have basic Python support built right in, most likely. PyGame? Maybe not. If it's not someone will add it to the repo as an add-on pretty quick, I'm sure.
 
With Windows, it'd probably be easier to freeze the python files into an .exe file so people won't have to download and install Python to run them. OS X and the Pandora already have Python built in.
 
Thank you, I was wondering.
BTW, I found that universal game creator here.
 
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Anyone got a nice and clear tutorial of pygame?
I'm having trouble with understanding the gui.

I used to drag imported images into a project window as a sprite with attributes.
Then I program with like getpixel setpixel to draw a tiled level.
Do simple if then else statements or stuff like sprite(x).loc = sprite(x).loc + point(1x,1y)
Make simple linear lists with stored values and triggers.

I like the idea of modifying script with visual and dragable references.

I used Adobe Director... but I can't find an open variant.
I think this is object orientated programming?

Any tips? thnx
 
Hi. I've never down any programming before (so I'm not sure if I know what im talking about) but I remember mentioning this program called Platinum arts sandbox 3d game maker in another topic asking if it would be good for the Pandora. I was informed that it was possible to port since its open source and used the cube 2 engine but it would be quite hard. Its suppose to be so easy to program that it was developed for children. Link: http://sandboxgamemaker.com/
Anyways I was looking around and came across this other game maker called Antiryad Gx. It gives me a list of platforms but I'm not really sure what I should be looking for, so can someonne check this list out. These platforms include AmigaOs v3.0 (68020) with Ecs and Aga graphics processors.
- Dos with Vga graphics.
- Linux x86, AMD64 and PowerPC with OpenGL (PC, Mac, Playstation 3) .
- MacOSX x86 and PowerPC with OpenGL.
- Windows 32, with Direct3d5, Direct3d8, Direct3d9, OpenGl.
- Consoles inluding Playstation 2, PSP, Xbox, DS, Wii, IPhone / IPod Touch.

Link:http://www.arkham-development.com/html/wordpress/?page_id=40
 
Shaun. said:
Hi. I've never down any programming before (so I'm not sure if I know what im talking about) but I remember mentioning this program called Platinum arts sandbox 3d game maker in another topic asking if it would be good for the Pandora. I was informed that it was possible to port since its open source and used the cube 2 engine but it would be quite hard. Its suppose to be so easy to program that it was developed for children. Link: http://sandboxgamemaker.com/
Anyways I was looking around and came across this other game maker called Antiryad Gx. It gives me a list of platforms but I'm not really sure what I should be looking for, so can someonne check this list out. These platforms include AmigaOs v3.0 (68020) with Ecs and Aga graphics processors.

-snip-

Link:http://www.arkham-development.com/html/wordpress/?page_id=40

What you should be looking for is compatibility with ARM Linux with OpenGL ES 2.0 for graphics APIs. x86 Linux won't cut it with the Pandora.

If you want to learn to program, I'd suggest looking at Python and PySFML. You can find Python at http://www.python.org/ and PySFML at http://www.sfml-dev.org/ . SFML is a new alternative to PyGame and it will use OpenGL hardware acceleration. There is an OpenGL ES port of SFML in the works also.
 
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I don't even know how to get PyGame to work, I brought up the Python IDLE, but... I installed PyGame, what do I open?
 
There should be a collection of examples with PyGame. One thing confusing about the Idle GUI is that the window that opens when you first start Idle is the output/interactive mode window. You have to open a new window to start programming or load a program with the File menu for it to keep your program in memory.
 
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