Metroworks release Cross Platform Game Framework

Zasteva writes "MacInTouch reports that GameCode, a cross platform (Windows and MacOS) C++ class framework for game development, has just been released by Metrowerks under their MWPL." Apparently a Linux version is in progress. Documentation is online.

Comments

My only worry,

[Fizgig]

is that people will let their egos take control and won't combine efforts. It will be fine if all the different SDK's get finished, and one ends up being the true Linux game SDK and it takes all the nice features (and code?) from the other ones. But I don't think it's in our best interest to have to have five different sets of general games libraries. Sure, most of us could hanle it, but one has only to look at the mindnumbing confusion that besets Windows users when they have to figure out the difference between OpenGL, Glide, and Direct3D.

Alternatives

[MichaelKVance]

SDL is a GPLed cross platform development library, developed by Sam Lantinga @ Loki.

http://www.devolution.com/~slouken/SDL/

It runs on Linux, Windows, Solaris, and BeOS, with Mac support in the works.

m.

Game creation: the other side of the question

[atw]

I remember the day when I started programming games, back in 1993. The problem always was lack of quality code around. From my own experience I became very skeptical of suitability of any "game kits" making development easier, more portable etc.

I faced the truth that time: any universal approach, suhch as drivers, cross-platform code etc, is doomed to be too general, and as the result too slow for specific purposes. Why Quake2-3 doesn't use DirectX for anything but direct screen access???

As a game developer you will try to die, but to make your game DIFFERENT, now, tell me, how different you are doing to make game using same routines? Best of the best always had to create their own engines (DOOM,Quake,Unreal etc),
what's the use of any other cross-platform staff?

For me as a game developer only real need is for some very basic, raw operations, such as direct access to screen. Engine itself can be done very portable, so, the only good thing in portable GameSDK is that it provides access to raw things, and that's it! Nothing more is required.

Hence, while I think the guys who are doing this project deserves a cheer or two, their creation will be useful for "educational purposes only", to learn new stuff, but not to create something commercial. It's very IMHO.

You can see my games at my site (with source code).

AtW,
http://www.investigatio.com