hi
would you be willing to have mac and linnux testers to help you test pre-beta releases, to make sure it all works as you expect? thanks, will i of course would love raceway on the mac tombraider, etc. however, i do understand the steering wheel issue On 2 Jan 2008, at 16:22, Mike Reiser wrote: > > Thomas Ward wrote: >> Hello gamers, >> For about a month or so I have been doing research for USA Games on >> how >> to expand our future titles to target Mac, Linux, and Windows >> operating >> systems all at the same time. While my research isn't complete I do >> have >> some options on how I might actually target all three major operating >> systems at once. If research is successful I would like to convert >> all >> of the existing Raceway code over to a non-Windows specific >> language so >> I can support Mac, Linux, and Windows all at the same time. There are >> advantages and disadvantages to doing this which I would like to >> point >> out below. >> The obvious major advantage would be that no longer would a gamer >> have >> to be running Windows x to play accessible games like Raceway. >> Weather >> you use Mac, Linux, or Windows as your favorite os of choice you can >> play Raceway and future USA Games titles using the same technology. >> IN addition operating systems such as Linux with little to no high >> quality accessible games would be an equally powerful accessible >> gaming >> platform. Since Linux OS is free and my games are pretty cheap by >> most >> currancy standards it would save gamers money if they chose it as >> their >> gaming platform. >> One other advantage of going multiplatform in general that I think >> would >> be good for this comunity is platform independant networked games. >> Everyone who plays Rail Racer says that the online racing aspect is >> the >> high point of the game. Now, imagine taking that idea, build it using >> Java's excelant platform independant networking API, and play against >> blind players on any operating system out there. You might be running >> Windows Vista while the guy you are racing against is on Linux or >> Mac. >> However, there are a few pit falls and disadvantages I'd like to >> mention >> which I think should be addressed here. >> First, to insure maximum platform independence I would not likely be >> using DirectX as the multimedia API of choice. As a result some of >> the >> features of Raceway that were promised like force feedback stearing >> wheels, would have to be dropped in favor of using more generic and >> universal input devices like mice and keyboards with universal >> keyboard >> standards. This won't likely go down well with Raceway fans hoping >> for >> these features. >> Second, is the question of speech output. Every operating system >> has its >> own unique way of presenting text to speech. For Windows it is done >> through Microsoft Speech API 5 and on say Linux the Gnome-Speech API >> handles things like tts for applications. Obviously, making specific >> wrappers for each >> operating systems tts is time consuming and difficult. The more >> logical >> thing would be to use wav samples of speech like many other >> accessible >> games do That would be platform independant, but increase the size of >> the games quite a bit, and could cutdown performence. >> One option I have if I pick Java is include the Free TTS engine in >> with >> my games. The problem with that approach is that the voice is very >> robotic and sounds like Robby the Robot on crack. Though, it would >> offer the possability to create built in chat clients and other >> platform >> independant gaming tools that requires a tts engine. >> One thing about Raceway that bothers me is the custom driver feature. >> While it is no sweat to have a language like Java read a list of >> custom >> drivers from an xml file it wouldn't work if all the voice clips >> are wav >> files. To pull that off you need something like Gnome-Speech, Sapi, >> etc >> to read any updates or changes to the game made outside the factory >> defaults. Either that or Free TTS which sounds terrible. in the end I >> might have to cut out that feature which some customers might not >> like >> as well. >> As a developer I am really torn by what I want to do, and what is >> good >> for the game. I know many of you had requested features, suggestions, >> etc that if I stick with Windows is all very possible. However, I've >> been on the orca mailing list for Linux, seen recent Mac posts on >> this >> list, and I can clearly see that multiplatform games are beginning >> to be >> in demand. I think it is time that accesible game developers begin >> thinking about the possability of making games truly accessible to >> all. >> Rather than just an elite group of Windows users. >> How would you feel about games like USA Raceway, STFC, etc going >> multiplatform? Since STFC 2.0 is still in early production I should >> have >> no issues converting the existing code to Java, Python, or something >> else once I decide on what I need to do to make all this happen. >> Raceway >> is obviously further along, but the basic logic is done, and just >> needs >> converted from C-Sharp to whatever language I choose so no big deal >> there. Just will take a month or two extra to convert and test what I >> have written already. >> I am looking forward to any thoughts, comments, or suggestions you >> have >> about this possability. >> >> >> --- >> Gamers mailing list __ Gamers@audyssey.org >> If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> . >> You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at >> http://audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. >> All messages are archived and can be searched and read at >> http://www.mail-archive.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED] >> If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of >> the list, >> please send E-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> >> > I think that would be a giant step forward for us, work is underway to > make a better sound system for gnome and will probably result in the > use > of pulseaudio in the future. My suggestion though is if you do make > something for linux please make the install proceedure as painless as > possible. I can say as someone who plays with linux some that one has > to jump through allot of hoops to do the semplest of things sometimes. > > Mike > > --- > Gamers mailing list __ Gamers@audyssey.org > If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] > . > You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at > http://audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. > All messages are archived and can be searched and read at > http://www.mail-archive.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED] > If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of > the list, > please send E-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] --- Gamers mailing list __ Gamers@audyssey.org If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at http://audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. All messages are archived and can be searched and read at http://www.mail-archive.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED] If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list, please send E-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
