Hi Dark, Almost exactly how I feel-in my opinion Thomas, you might aought get the 1.0 out there, and if and when you port the Genesis Engine over to C++, you could use that for the 2.0 upgrade. Best Regards, Hayden
-----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of dark Sent: Sunday, December 13, 2009 7:15 AM To: Gamers Discussion list Subject: Re: [Audyssey] Important MOTA Announcement hello Tom. While this does make infinite amounts of sense, ---- my only concern is you yourself. You mentioned wanting to get Mota out of your hair and work on other projects, ---- which is quite understandable given the multiple shinanigans you've had with the game. While I certainly understand the logic of having the genesis engine in general in C++ for future work, ---- that does also mean more work and delay on Mota. if your happy with this, ---- that's fine, ---- but I don't think anyone would blame you if you wanted to get Mota itself finished quicker, then move on to the C++ coding for the genesis engine, Stfc raceway, and designer of any future projects, ---- afterall, a few extra minutes installing for the user is rather different from months more coding for the developer. Of course, it's entirely your decision, ---- I'm just conscious how much of your sweat and blood has already gone into the project thus far, ---- and I think it would be a terrible shame if you just burnt out mid way through due to complications and the game never got released. Ultimately though, it's your game of course, ---- just know that not everyone who plays it is a rabid slave driver who expects you to code all day and night without rest! Beware the grue! Dark. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Thomas Ward" <[email protected]> To: "Gamers Discussion list" <[email protected]> Sent: Sunday, December 13, 2009 1:39 AM Subject: [Audyssey] Important MOTA Announcement > Hi everyone, > Over the passed few months many of you have reported to me a problem with > Mysteries of the Ancients where it crashes suddenly and often times > without warning. Some times an error will come up stating that a certain > *.wav file could not be found, DirectX passes an illegal argument > exception, and so on all of which seam to be related to Managed DirectX. > I've confirmed this problem is related to Managed DirectX itself, not my > games, from various sources so it is quite apparent that the Managed > DirectX API for .NET programs needs to be taken out of the game and be > replaced with something else much more stable and reliable. I agree that > this should be done before Mysteries of the Ancients 1.0 is released. > Obviously this will take some time, but there are various options and > alternatives open to me at this point. > There is a somewhat short term solution I could use where I simply upgrade > the existing Genesis Engine written in C# .NET with alternative sound and > input APIs. Just off the top of my head there is FMOD,Earclang, the XNA > Framework, and SlimDX just to name a few options here. While upgrading the > engine to use one or more of these APIs wouldn't take too long I do wonder > if that is the better solution for the project long term. > A better long term solution is to simply move away from C# .NET altogether > and begin converting the code over to C++ now. Two of my projects STFC and > USA Raceway are already in the process of being written in C++, and it > would be in my long term interests to go ahead and switch the Genesis > Engine and Mysteries of the Ancients to c++ now rather than wait to do it > later on. > For one thing I've been in the process of converting the Genesis Engine > over to C++ anyway as well as some on going projects like the new STFC and > USA Raceway. Rather than go through the trouble of removing Managed > DirectX from the .NET based engine, upgrading it for this one game, it > makes more practical sense to save myself the time and work by completing > the C++ version of the Genesis Engine. Once that task is completed I could > conceivably produce a better more stable version of Mysteries of the > Ancients by using the newer and hopefully better C++ based game engine. > Another reason why I think Mysteries of the Ancients should be converted > to C++ has to do with long term technical support on my end of things. > Ever since I began releasing games based on Microsoft's .NET technology my > number one technical support issue has been related to downloading, > installing, and upgrading the various .NET components you need such as the > .NET Framework and Managed DirectX. Were i to switch to C++ I could save > both you and I a lot of work downloading, installing, and upgrading > libraries as I would primarily use standard Windows libraries that would > be found on any XP, Vista, or Windows 7 system. You should be able to just > install and go without wondering if you have the absolutely latest DirectX > or .NET Framework on your system. I think this is a much better user > friendly setup and hopefully would require a lot less tech support from > me. > Those are just some of the advantages of switching to C++ now. Others > would include better system performance, better security, a wider > availability of game related APIs, etc. Basically, C++ can't be beat when > it comes to game programming, and now is clearly the time to strongly > consider using it for this project as well as my on going and pending > projects. > The one question I know many of you are asking is, "how long will all of > this take?" > That is a difficult question to answer. Anything I would say here would be > simply a guess at best. Do to the fact C# .NET is a C-Style language it > obviously has a lot in common with C++, and much of the code could be > converted pretty easily from C# to C++. That would obviously save time. > Still there would be quite a lot of manual coding by hand to fully convert > the engine from one language to the other. How long that would actually > take is anyone's guess. However, if I had to make an educated guess say > three or four months for the conversion process if everything goes well. > Anyway, the point I want to make is that there are lots of ways of > resolving our Managed DirectX issue. In the short term I certainly could > upgrade the .NET based Genesis Engine, finish Mysteries of the Ancients, > and have 1.0 out fairly quickly. However, I believe the long term > solution, converting the game to C++, is the better solution. The > advantages of converting the game to C++ far out way those of simply > upgrading the current .NET engine and releasing it. While it takes longer > it is ultimately what i feel I should do. > So for those of you who are in a rush to get this game please be patient > and understand I'm only doing this for your best interests. I'd much > rather take a few extra months developing this game if it is going to be > easier to install, is more stable, and a better product rather than doing > the quick and easy thing. As they say good things come to those who wait. > > Sincerely, > Thomas Ward > President of USA Games Interactive > http://www.usagamesinteractive.com > > > --- > Gamers mailing list __ [email protected] > 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 __ [email protected] 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 __ [email protected] 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].
