Which Blitz?

I would like to code a 2D scrolling platform game, but not sure what version of Blitz would be better and more suitable, B3D or Max?

I'm not the best of coders and don't really know if Max would be a bit difficult for me.

Thanks

BlitzPlus


More specificaly which product do you have? Cos then the anwser is "That one"

I would say Bmax, but thats only because I use Bmax, not because its inherently the correct answer

B3D + SpriteCandy, which gives you power and saves tons of time.

Max isn't much more difficult than 3d/+, there are just a couple o' new conventions you need to get used to.. takes a week. You can choose not to use any strict mode tho, and max will behave mostly like the classic blitzez.
Max-ppl talk about OO, you don't *need* to.. go procedural as you please and profit from the new friendly thingies like incbin, extra gfx tricks etc..

I would definitely use BlitzMax for a 2D game. There are numerous advantages:

1. Much faster than Blitz3D or BlitzPlus
2. Cross-platform
3. Supports OOP (if you don't understand OOP, don't worry, you can use BlitzMax fine without it)
4. Very expandible (there are lots of free add-on modules for BlitzMax)

Max + Grey Alien Framework of course ;-) (you've already got it!) I used BPlus and change to BMax cos it's loads better. B3D is just a 3D version of BPlus i.e. no OOP and OOP is worth learning for sure and Max has all the fancy 3D card effects. I'll be making a platofrm game engine soonish ... with any luck :-D

B3D + nSprite 2 :D

Yep, I'd use B3D + nSprite 2 as well. That way you achieve the same as in Blitzmax, but without the slowness.

Although for a 2D platformer I recon Blitz+ would be the best if you don't mind not having the odd special effect or two.

Slowness? Fill us in.

If I didn't have B3D I might be tempted to opt for Max... it does pixel perfect collision on roated/scaled images doesn't it? That's pretty sweet.

BMax with Assari's top tips on how to absorb the vagaries of BMax - with a slice of Grey's Framework for good measure. I played with B3D for 6 months or so, very powerful but became frustrating for me - not due to it's design - more due to the lack of time I could afford to establishing how to develop a stable app in B3D.

As for the 'Slowness' in BMax - I have yet to experience the 'slowness' - then again I leapt into BMax with Grey's framework so maybe I skipped the 'slowness' bit.....

no, he's saying Blitz3D is slow

no, hes saying Bmax is slow

yeah...your right never mind

I'm at a bit of a loss now. Some of you are saying use B3D (with sprite candy) and some are saying use Max. It's a shame you can't have poll's in this forum.

So lets make this simple, if you think B3D + SC, reply with B3D + SC or if you think Max then reply with Max :)

Thanks

Max

Dark Basic.


Wait a minute.......what?

Max

Short answer: Max
But take the demos for a test drive and see what you think. Remember though of them all, Max will be the one getting all the new features and updates.

Which one do you acctualy own? That one. (or Bmax)

I own all of them :)

Max.

2D platformer? It really depends on what market you want to aim it at - and don't say the platformer market.

If you use B3D + 3rd party stuff, you will be aiming the game at a minimum of 3D accelerated machines running DX7. The 3rd party stuff doesn't work/make any sense in B3D's 2D modes... and B+ is better at them also.

If you use B+, your lowest aim will be any system you choose, with an option of OpenGL (which is faster on most modern systems) or even software rendering (which is good for cards that can't even handle DX)... at the cost of there being no fancy 3D effects. If you want to use a straight 2D mode, this is your best option.

If you use Max, you get all the benefits of the B3D+3rd party option, plus a faster language, plus the fact that it's still being improved upon, plus OpenGL, plus near-instant cross platform compatibility, plus no internal limitations (B+/B3D has some), owing to the open sourced and modular environment.

If B+ is not in the picture at all (ie you want the fancy 3D effects), I'd say Max is the only real option.

Thanks for all your comments. It look's as though Max has the majority over the others. Anyone got a good tutorial for 2D tile map platform games?

Thanks

Max.

you're asking for quiet a bit there. I'd say check the beginner's forum or the tutorial forum there should be some stuff on tiling.

It's uncanny how many ppl are asking for 2d tile related tutorials, I mean, those requests pop-up once every week orso. Mostly they're for the tile-engine alone (and ppl, it's just browsing through a 2d-array, it's simpler than you think), the platform thing just adds a bit more techstuff.

Hey Crikey, my question... would LAYERS in a 2D game actually make that ARRAY you scroll around in a 3D array? ;)

Could be.. but I think it's more wise to have a 2d array per layer-object.

Perhaps there's use for a minor 3d-array per layer, which is just the 2d gamelayer but then with an extra layer behind it for tile-extras.. triggers, events, animationdata.. etc.

I really have to hurry up with my 2D editor and platform game engine (also can be applied to 2D scrolling shoot em ups over scenery of course)

@Grey: I think you should mate. You could have it as an add-on to your framework.

Thanks