Linux User

[johnno56]

I am interested in trying my hand at making games for my grandkids. (ages 2 to 11)  I am a Linux user and would appreciate any tips/tuts/vids/Docs etc that can help me achieve this goal. I mainly use Basic and only dabbled very little with Python and Lua. Platformers and shooters are what they like playing at the moment. But, kids being kids, that can change in a heart beat...

Any help would be appreciated. Thank you.

J

[Aurel]

Hey

[johnno56]

Thanks Aurel.

The grandkids love playing platform games. Cool.

In regards to Linux: Knowledge of Linux is not required. I use the Linux versions of QB64 and SDLBasic. So, any ideas about Platformers or Shooters in Basic, would be great. (NB. QB64 and SDLBasic do not have nor use a tile map editor... If you know of one written in Basic, and are willing to share it, that would be good as well... lol)

Again, thank you for the link. THAT one will be "book marked"!!

Cheers

J

[B+]

Hi J,

What became of platformer started in SdlBasic? You (we) had the player all the way to a door to next level as I recall.

[johnno56]

I still have that game (for want of a better word) but I didn't like the collision detection. Hence the inquiry into tile mapping. I am keen to try it using EGSL but I'm having difficulties with the installation... (posted problem earlier...)

I haven't done much with it... Attendance on SDLBasic site is well, almost like a ghost town, compared to most 'Basic' sites... lol  So basically I was working on it for a very small audience. Maybe I will have better luck on this site? (assuming I can get EGSL to run... lol)

So, long story short, the game is alive - barely breathing - but alive none the less... lol

I haven't been very active on this site. What is your impression of the level of help here? Nuts! My cup of tea has gone cold. Time to upgrade it to a 'proper' drink!!

J

[B+]

Hi J,



The collision detection for two tiles (rectangular areas) you posted at QB64 is outstanding. I modified it to a function and expect to use it next time I need it.

[johnno56]

You are too kind. It was just a translation of a simple "bounding box" algorithm. The main problem I have is jumping. Either jumping or falling, the player, seems to partially overlap with the sprite it contacts with... hmm... could be a velocity issue. Normal movement velocity works ok but when moving faster... hmm...

SDLBasic has a collision system built in... SpriteHit() and BobHit()... because of a 'screw loose' in the colorkey, I can't use 'solid' colour sprites. Therefore PasteIcon() has to be used and PasteIcon() is not used by Sprite and BobHit().... Thus having to rely on GetPixel(), point() or bounding box for collisions... My brain hurts... Nuts! It's gone 1 AM and I have to be up in 4 hours!!

Later on this morning, I may take the game 'back to formula', and try a modified RPG method of tile mapping... can't hurt... much...

Good night. (morning... what ever...)

J

[Aurel]

Joh

[johnno56]

Aurel,

Thank you for the list. Much appreciated.

Godot and GDevelop I already have installed. I have found tutorials for them some time ago. The tuts are easy enough to follow, but for me anyway, the learning curve is quite steep. I think repetition should help out there... lol

I didn't install Polycode, mainly because, the Linux version is 32 bit and I use 64 bit.

CRY and Urho I looked at, I was impressed, but 3D is not the direction I want to go. Crumbs. I find it hard enough to tackle 2D as it is... lol

I have Game Maker 6 and 8.1 installed. "6" runs almost flawlessly using Wine on Linux. Unfortunately, most of the current samples and tutorials, are geared for Game Maker Studio. "8.1" has its problems and "Studio"... well, I'm not going to list the headaches I have had with THAT one...

As much as I search and research, I still end up going back to Basic, after all it's what I know best... lol But my skills (and I use that word VERY loosely) are not as good as I would hope for... One of the reasons I visits sites like this one... lol

But thank you for the advice and the time you have taken to offer it. Much appreciated.

J

[Aurel]

No problem i will try some of them
32bit of course...i ewally dont neeed 64bit mumbo jumbo
all best

[ScriptBasic]

If you were to make that statement in the Linux world, people would think your nuts. You're safe for awhile running Windows.

[Aurel]

There

[ScriptBasic]

Most mainstream Linux distros have already discontinued 32 bit versions of the OS. I have the 32 bit libs installed on my 64 bit Ubuntu laptop which is required for 32 bit Wine programs to run.

32 bit is in emulation mode going forward and most hardware manufacturers don't make 32 bit boards or graphic cards anymore.

[Aurel]

Yes

[ScriptBasic]

Eros is correct as far as Windows interpreters go. Microsoft is distancing themselves as an OS vendor and trending toward Linux and open source in the cloud.