Game Engine Design - Developers

[QUOTE=ROBO_DONUT;33171945]There isn't a simple answer here. If this were a 'real' game engine type thing, I'd go with OpenGL because it leaves the most options open. The mobile/tablet markets are growing [i]fast[/i], and that's probably an indie dev's best shot. However, as much as you insist, I don't think your first game/engine is at all serious. At least, it really shouldn't be. It's more of a learning experience, and I don't think there's anything wrong with learning either one. All of the ideas from D3D translate directly to OGL and vise-versa. There is [i]one[/i] reason I can think of where you might actually want to go with D3D is if you were aiming to release on the XBox Live Arcade. I've never used it myself and don't know a whole lot about it, but my guess is that it's probably a really strong competitor to iOS dev or the Android Marketplace in terms of viable platforms for independently-developed games.[/QUOTE] Well, I want it to be serous. I am going to have 7 other people (not programmers) on a design team with me to create this game, and it would be nice if we made some money off of it. As far as cross-platforms I would on release only be doing the program for mac. However, if it were popular enough I would strongly consider putting it on Andriod, IOS, PSN, and XBLA. One problem is I am using visual studio though. The problem being that this only compiles to a .exe rather than mac's .dmg if there is a way around this that you know off the insight would be greatly appreciated. Also I don't own a Mac. So for testing I would have to use my Moms or rely on outside sources which would be a pain.

[QUOTE=flayne;33172084]Well, I want it to be serous. I am going to have 7 other people (not programmers) on a design team with me to create this game, and it would be nice if we made some money off of it. As far as cross-platforms I would on release only be doing the program for mac. However, if it were popular enough I would strongly consider putting it on Andriod, IOS, PSN, and XBLA. One problem is I am using visual studio though. The problem being that this only compiles to a .exe rather than mac's .dmg if there is a way around this that you know off the insight would be greatly appreciated[/QUOTE] A 7 person design team with only one programmer?

[QUOTE=flayne;33172084]Well, I want it to be serous. I am going to have 7 other people (not programmers) on a design team with me to create this game, and it would be nice if we made some money off of it. As far as cross-platforms I would on release only be doing the program for mac. However, if it were popular enough I would strongly consider putting it on Andriod, IOS, PSN, and XBLA. One problem is I am using visual studio though. The problem being that this only compiles to a .exe rather than mac's .dmg if there is a way around this that you know off the insight would be greatly appreciated[/QUOTE] Different platforms have different toolchains. Visual Studio doesn't do everything.

[QUOTE=MadPro119;33172114]A 7 person design team with only one programmer?[/QUOTE] Yep, a modeler, an animator, a texture designer, a sound engineer, 2 voice actors, and a music designer [editline]7th November 2011[/editline] [QUOTE=sLysdal;33172070]If you want to learn OpenGL, i recommend [url]http://www.amazon.com/OpenGL-SuperBible-Comprehensive-Tutorial-Reference/dp/0321712617/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1320702385&sr=8-1[/url][/QUOTE] Is there any notable difference in the syntax of this book and version 4.2 of opengl

[QUOTE=flayne;33172181]Is there any notable difference in the syntax of this book and version 4.2 of opengl[/QUOTE] That book is on 3.3, I think a 6th edition is in the making for 4.x. But you should know that 4.x is only supported by a limited set of graphic cards yet, much like Dx11. IMO Dx10 or OpenGL 3.3 would get your game out to a broader audience.

[QUOTE=flayne;33172181]Is there any notable difference in the syntax of this book and version 4.2 of opengl[/QUOTE] IIRC, they're the same for the most part. OpenGL 4.x adds geometry shaders (tesselation, etc.) and makes a few tweaks for the sake of consistency with OpenGL ES (OpenGL for Embedded Systems, like phones). Also, consider finding a second programmer. A game engine is not a trivial thing to write (take it from someone who's started three or four and finished none) and code quality supposedly increases dramatically when you have a pair of programmers working on the same task (as they can cross-check each other's code).

[QUOTE=ROBO_DONUT;33172361]IIRC, they're the same for the most part. OpenGL 4.x adds geometry shaders (tesselation, etc.) and makes a few tweaks for the sake of consistency with OpenGL ES (OpenGL for Embedded Systems, like phones).[/QUOTE] Much like Dx11 builds on top of Dx10. Anyways, OpenGL 3.3 is supported all the way back to the GeForce 8xxx cards

Well considering the posts I will change over to OpenGL I will also be getting another programmer so OpenGL and OpenAL books please :)

[QUOTE=sLysdal;33172070]If you want to learn OpenGL, i recommend [url]http://www.amazon.com/OpenGL-SuperBible-Comprehensive-Tutorial-Reference/dp/0321712617/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1320702385&sr=8-1[/url][/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=flayne;33173455]Well considering the posts I will change over to OpenGL I will also be getting another programmer so OpenGL and OpenAL books please :)[/QUOTE] Wonderful wiki. [url]www.open.gl[/url]

If you would like to learn more about game engines I would recommend [url=http://www.amazon.co.uk/Game-Engine-Architecture-Jason-Gregory/dp/1568814135/]this book[/url]. It covers a lot and have really been helpful to me. But you shouldn't spend to much time on the engine if you actually want to create a game in the near future. I've been working on my engine for years and never actually created a game with it, but that's because I'm more into the tech rather than the actual game making.

[QUOTE=ROBO_DONUT;33172361]Also, consider finding a second programmer. A game engine is not a trivial thing to write (take it from someone who's started three or four and finished none) and code quality supposedly increases dramatically when you have a pair of programmers working on the same task (as they can cross-check each other's code).[/QUOTE] THIS. I have two other friends that I program with regularly. It's astonishing how many times I'll write some decent code and I'll come back to it a few days later and see that it's been written in a cleaner/more efficient way. And at the same time I'll go through and check the newer code that my friends write, and when I see a better way to do it I'll fix it up. Also it's great to have someone else to bounce design/structure ideas with.

[QUOTE=Kopimi;33172048]wow nationalism [b]and[/b] an irrational hatred of directx11, a++[/QUOTE] It's rational.