News 11-8-2005

[stefanhendriks]

This is some development news only. I am (still) in the process to get up my new computer running 100% as i want it. I am getting close. I can compile D2TM again ;)

One of the new things i will/want is that the game runs in 1024x768. But at decent speed. The Allegro library uses an own (ASM) gfx routine which is slow. I also find myself too limited.

A good example is that Dune Legacy (using SDL) can run on very high resolutions perfectly.

Now, since i have seen and heared a lot about SDL, i am digging into that too. It will require some change of mind for me and to relearn a few things, but i am sure it will be a benefit to the project. I'll take that along with the changes on/in the engine. In the end it will be not that much that has to be changed i think. A few draw functions renamed etc.

Info about SDL can be found at : http://www.libsdl.org/faq.php

Any comments?

EDIT:

I have taken a look at the tutorials. It will require quite some time to get stuff wrapped up and such. Perhaps even so much that it needs to be completely rewritten. If thats the case, i will try to use Allegro but only for some extend, or try to findsollutions that are not that radical. If there is no other way, SDL is the way to go. Sheesh.

EDIT 2:

Here is the current plan:

1. Try to optimize current engine first (its not optimized anyway), try to get max potential out of this

2. If step 1 gives me unsatisfactional results go to step 3. If it all goes well, go to step 4

3. Rewrite (yep, sheesh) the entire engine with a new library (SDL/Open Layer?)...

4. Continue development

I have sort of 40 fps on 1024x768 (the new standard resolution of the game in the future). I will see if i can get more fps, there are some techniques for this as well (Dirty Rectangle etc)... we will see. When i looked through the code, i saw how much work is involved to do ANOTHER rewrite, so instead of being hasty and doing it again with an "unknown" library to me, i will try to get the engine polished some more.

[stefanhendriks]

NOTE: The Arrakis website has an official news message going out with several things that are NOT mentioned in this post. This news post was intended for the Developer Forum, but since its here, why not let you read it ;)

[Andrew]

I'm guessing you should put the year along with August 11th { News } so people know its new and not say, last year.

[ant222]

I have sort of 40 fps on 1024x768 (the new standard resolution of the game in the future).

On my Celeron 700 (11.5x60) I have about 22 fps (when in-game) at 800x600 (D2TM-Bene).

I am interested in the following. You plan to switch

[stefanhendriks]

Slow speed is due Allegro, which does not use DirectX optimizations, therefor being slow compared to other libs.

The big downside for doing SDL is i have to rewrite EVERYTHING again, and i have to relearn a lot too.

The slowdown is not that much, nothing has to be changed for the gfx when going to 1024x768...

[nemafakei]

Is it going to be a speed advantage if I start working in 16-bit again? From my point of view, 16-bit doesn't really offer much.

[Gilneas]

Why don't you write everything in DirectX?

[stefanhendriks]

@ Nema: 32 bits of 16 bits is not that much slower, and i do a conversion anyway so it does not matter

REwriting in DirectX would mean the same as SDL (which i would rather do then)... so i am not keen on that. Also, DirectX is OS dependant, which i do not like. If possible, D2TM should be available on Linux, Mac, etc too.

[DuneFan]

So the dune 2 clone project does not exist anymore ???

If so :( :( :(

Only the new D2TM...

[ant222]

...nothing has to be changed for the gfx when going to 1024x768

Hmm. In this case everything will look smaller. Too small. I'll have to by a 17'' monitor instead of my 15"... for the linear size to be the same.

So the dune 2 clone project does not exist anymore ???

AFAIK, the clone is planned to be made. But why do need a clone?

[MrFlibble]

Only the new D2TM...

"New" can never be "only", man! I must assume you're a hardcore pessimist...