Hi all, Travis is correct. I mean if it is a matter of comparing core native Windows development APIs to core native Mac development APIs it is quite possible to create some fairly advanced accessible Mac games. However, it can be a programming nightmare because Windows native APIs and Mac native game APIs are completely different from a programming standpoint. That's why it is helpful to find some intermediate cross-platform API like SFML to create some common programming interface between Mac and Windows. Problem is that SFML and SDL aren't really as good as the native Mac or Windows development APIs which was my original point in all this. If you want to write Mac games, specifically for a Mac, then you could do it using native Mac APIs which are generally pretty good. if you want Windows based games you can create them using native Windows APIs. However, you can't create a game for both without either rewriting a good portion of your program to support those native APIs, or you settle for an open source cross-platform solution that doesn't necessarily deliver the same features or quality. I could easily create a game like STFC using SDL that would be perfectly fine since it doesn't really need anything more than basic keyboard and audio support. However, for a realistic first person game such as Shades of Doom I'd want something with better input and audio support that SDL just doesn't have. So as a result you might want to use one of the native APIs that would offer better features and better performance. Sometimes there isn't any other way but to support two completely different APIs to perform the same task such as rendering text to speech. On Windows there is Sapi, and Mac has the Apple Speech Framework. Both are good APIs, basically do the same thing, but are supported in completely different ways from a programming standpoint. I've heard there are some open source libraries that act as a common wrapper for Sapi and Mac's Speech Framework, but without it you have completely two different APIs to support. A developer can end up investing a lot of time and energy trying to program, debug, and support what are two completely different versions of the same software. Which i for one don't really want to deal with at this time.
Cheers! On 3/23/10, Travis Siegel <[email protected]> wrote: > I'd like to urge folks to keep in mind while discussing cross platform > development tools that they're just that cross platform. > Windows has it's native apis which are loads better than sdl, sfml, or any > of the others mentioned here. > I'd also like to point out that mac has core audio, and other apis that are > the same way. > Anyone using the native mac apis would get just as fully exposed to the > features windows apis provide, > but those programs would be mac only, just as direct x is windows only. > But, the point is that mac does have it's own set of apis for doing things. > The problem is that mac still has a long way to go on it's integrated > development (called collectively the x tools) before they will be > 100 percent accessible to those of us who use screen readers for our > computer usage. > That's not to say it can't be done, only that's considerably more difficult > to use native mac apis with the apple provided development tools to make an > equivalent game. > However, it *can* be done, if you have some sighted assistance (which most > of us do not) > and a great deal of knowledge of how cocoa and objective C++ works. > On the other hand, all the comments about cross platform game developing is > quite correct. > Give me some c++ code for a game like troopanum, and using sfml > I could have a cross platform version available in a week or less. > Give me a month or so, and some sighte help from someone who knows the apple > developer tools, > and I can provide you something like shades of doom, sara, or even toc, and > you'd be blown away by it's richness of environment. > Unfortunately, what's lacking here is the sighted help, and the knowledge of > the cocoa environment, so I at least can't do this out of the box. > (well, I could do the troopanum game, but not the other) > If you want a sample of what apple can do with their apis, check out the > dinosaur game that comes with any mac purchase. > My kids love it, and it's definitely full of stereo sound effects, great > video animations, and all sorts of eye candy for keeping the little ones > entertained. > However, this was produced by folks who knew the apple environment inside > and out, so it's not really a fair comparison of what *we* can do, only what > *can* be done. > Hope this helps clarify a little bit. > > --- > 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].
