View Full Version : Gaming in Delphi
Pietersielie
30-10-2009, 02:23 PM
Hey all,
I have been wondering is it possible to create game in Delphi like in XNA?
Sharky
30-10-2009, 03:22 PM
Yes there are ways, plenty of sites that show you how.
Some good tutorials here:Delphigamedev.com (http://delphigamedev.com/)
News about new tools here:PascalGameDev.com (http://www.pascalgamedevelopment.com/forum/)
and some examples of what you can do at Delphi Gamer (http://www.delphigamer.com/main.php)
More links on our Info+resource+downloads thread (http://forums.tidemedia.co.za/nag/showthread.php?t=3452)
I am currently also trying to learn how, for fun and also because it will probably be a Matric project.
Evil_Toaster
30-10-2009, 09:09 PM
Use the Asphyre framework, it rocks.
http://www.afterwarp.net/
Sharky
11-11-2009, 10:18 PM
Hey, any suggestions on where to start and what version of delphi or other pascal tool to use?
Evil_Toaster
12-11-2009, 02:06 AM
I would have recommended Turbo Delphi 2006, as it was free, but the company that develops Delphi has changed yet again, and they have now made it a paid for product. To my knowledge, there's no longer any free variant of it.
There however, is the free pascal compiler and Lazarus, which are two open source projects which combined, aim to create a free, cross platform version of Delphi. When I investigated it a few years back, the interface was at about Delphi 4 or 5 level, and there were a number of things that really didn't impress me. The compile times are -much- slower than Delphi, and the resultant executable files were around 10mb for a blank project! Also notable is that the free pascal compiler is unlikely to generate machine code that runs as fast as Delphi's compiler. Positives are that it's cross platform, so afaik you can do games which will run on Windows, MacOS and Linux (You may want confirm that though). I also know that certain members of the Asphyre (Imho, the best free delphi framework for building games in) community were assisting in doing ports of Asphyre which run on Lazarus.
In terms of the Asphyre framework, the last time I talked to the author of the framework, he wasn't interested in making it cross platform capable. Since I've been out of the loop, that might have changed. I do know that you can now choose between OpenGL and DirectX for rendering though.
So, considering all the above, if you want to go the legal route, pick up the latest, basic version of delphi. (Stuff like the architect edition will contain huge amounts of business crap you'll never use) If you don't want to make money out of making games, I'm sure you can pick up a student edition for very little. Or, you could buy Delphi 2010 Professional (http://http://shop.embarcadero.com/dr/sat5/ec_Main.Entry17C?SID=39696&SP=10023&CID=0&PID=989233&PN=1&V1=989233&CUR=840&DSP=&PGRP=0&ABCODE=&CACHE_ID=0). Costs about R6000. (That's a direct translation of the price on the online US store, it could cost quite a bit more locally)
If you still want to go the legal route, but don't want to spend any money, then look into Lazarus and the free pascal compiler. In my brief investigations, I read that there are a number of ways to drop the base exe file size.
Coolhand
12-11-2009, 08:19 AM
"Game Development"
Sharky
12-11-2009, 09:21 PM
Great, found Asphyre Sphinx port for Delphi 7 (got from my school). Will check it out after exams.
Evil_Toaster
13-11-2009, 12:56 AM
Groovy, just take a browse through the samples that come with it, it takes very little code to get into graphics mode and lobbing images onscreen. Shout if you get stuck.
The Dash
13-11-2009, 05:56 PM
Just found this, hope it helps
http://www.freebyte.com/programming/delphi/#freedelphiides
EDIT: Dammit, appears its no longer free
Sharky
14-11-2009, 06:42 PM
Lazarus and Turbo delphi are free still I believe, going to try Lazarus (after exams)
@The Dash, those could still be usefull
The Dash
14-11-2009, 08:57 PM
Lazarus and Turbo delphi are free still I believe, going to try Lazarus (after exams)
@The Dash, those could still be usefull
There are links to Turbo Delphi for free all over the interwebz, but they all ultimately dump you at some website that offers a free trial, then you have to buy it. I call bull****. Once free should be always free
Evil_Toaster
15-11-2009, 02:18 AM
As I mentioned, Turbo Delphi is now a paid product. I hope the copy I got when it was free is still legal...
The free stuff is Lazarus (Delphi-like IDE) and the Free Pascal Compiler (Which Lazarus then uses to compile pascal code)
Sharky
15-11-2009, 09:48 AM
Yeah, ok will download Lazarus sometime. Thanks guys!
Deathy
20-11-2009, 09:17 AM
@Sharky The best tool for game programming in Delphi is DelphiX
I use it in all my graphical programs, it solves a lot of problems and has usefull components that you can install for Delphi 4,5,6,7 probably 2006 etc. all in one package.
Anyway, get it at http://delphi.about.com/od/delphixdirectx/DelphiX_DirectX.htm
tutorials for using DelphiX is also there. Hah haha;-)
Evil_Toaster
20-11-2009, 06:43 PM
@Sharky The best tool for game programming in Delphi is DelphiX
I use it in all my graphical programs, it solves a lot of problems and has usefull components that you can install for Delphi 4,5,6,7 probably 2006 etc. all in one package.
Anyway, get it at http://delphi.about.com/od/delphixdirectx/DelphiX_DirectX.htm
tutorials for using DelphiX is also there. Hah haha;-)
Sorry to disagree, but no, it's not. I used DelphiX back in the day when it was a DX7 library. It was good for straight screen blitting, but had horrible performance when doing rotations or alpha blended drawing. The library was then ported to DX9 level by someone else, which upped performance, but at the same time, left the library fragmented. Some parts worked, and others would break if you tried to use them.
I ran a series of performance tests a while back with the DX9 DelphiX, DanJetX and Asphyre, and Asphyre's performance is -far- superior. It ran about 10x faster than the other libraries. Out of all the ones I've seen, Asphyre is by far the most mature, stable and fastest graphics framework available for Delphi.
hideinlight
20-11-2009, 11:47 PM
With the release of the unreal UDK for free I seriously can't see why anyone would want to bother with anything else?
Delphi knowledge kinda helps with using kismet, while C++ helps a lot with scripting.
Point is you can do way more cooler things a lot faster than possible with anyhting else out there.
Here's an tutorial on how to make a "basic standalone game" with the UDK
http://tutorial.toltecstudios.com/
Then again I don't know the exact reasons for wanting to create a game in delphi...
dislekcia
21-11-2009, 01:32 AM
With the release of the unreal UDK for free I seriously can't see why anyone would want to bother with anything else?
...
Then again I don't know the exact reasons for wanting to create a game in delphi...
Because people have preferences for different tools and often the best tool for the job is a cross between the one you know and the one the problem is easiest to solve in.
Just like you have an apparent focus on the UDK, others enjoy using Delphi. Forcing yourself to continually learn a new tool every time you want to start another project is nearly as self-defeating as writing a new engine every time.
That said, I've been wondering why anyone would want to use anything other than GM ;)
Evil_Toaster
21-11-2009, 02:27 AM
Hah, anyone not coding their games exclusively in SQL Server is like, a sucka foo'
Also, what speed is "faster than possible"?
dislekcia
21-11-2009, 04:32 AM
Hah, anyone not coding their games exclusively in SQL Server is like, a sucka foo'
Also, what speed is "faster than possible"?
Clearly that's the speed of the possimpable.
Sharky
21-11-2009, 11:03 AM
I don't know the exact reasons for wanting to create a game in delphi...
My reason is that I am currently familiar with Delphi and that is about it, so I will be able to start doing stuff much faster if I stick with it (rather than trying to learn C++). Also next year our major matric project should be to make a game (with Delphi of course, but frameworks are allowed). So I'm going to get ahead of the game for that, and I just want to program games because I love it.
Deathy
23-11-2009, 09:34 AM
Sorry to disagree, but no, it's not. I used DelphiX back in the day when it was a DX7 library. It was good for straight screen blitting, but had horrible performance when doing rotations or alpha blended drawing. The library was then ported to DX9 level by someone else, which upped performance, but at the same time, left the library fragmented. Some parts worked, and others would break if you tried to use them.
I ran a series of performance tests a while back with the DX9 DelphiX, DanJetX and Asphyre, and Asphyre's performance is -far- superior. It ran about 10x faster than the other libraries. Out of all the ones I've seen, Asphyre is by far the most mature, stable and fastest graphics framework available for Delphi.
Yeah sorry, actually I was thinking of libs for older versions of Delphi, like Delphi 6, which I'm running at the moment. Old school I know...:-( But I'll give Asphyre a go and see if I can get something for ye olde Delphi 6
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