3Impact vs. Dark Game SDK

Sorry for another one of these threads but I'm having a hard time deciding.

I'm looking for a nice, simple, 3D engine/sdk to play around with in C++. I've rounded my choices down to two separate engines, so if anyone has experience with both please tell me the pros and cons and which one you would recommend more.

Thanks. And before anyone says anything, I already know there's better engines out there ;)

The main problem is its not availiable for the Mac. Its a yearly cost too.

In addition, your main code is called via one function, which means it gets tricky if you want have a title screen, main game ad other bits.

3Impact runs at a fixed speed, which wasn't changeable (although it was documented).

Sprites are only in 3D, which means they can be blurry.

Aside from that its stable, the documentation is good and it is cheap-ish.

I'm a little confused. Which engine are you referring to for each reason?

3Impact...

With GSDK, code is quite a bit faster than DBPro (and probably 3Impact). Unfortunately GSDK needs a bit of an update, that is very slow in coming (aside from updates, more access to the internals hasn't arrived yet, although sObject is availiable).

GSDK can be used with VS 2003/2005 (free version of the latter too), and works with .Net/C Sharp and any .Net language.

It simple to use (all functions are prefixed with db), and fairly cheap. You do need the latest of everything though (like DBPro).

You can also use ColdSteel.

DGSDK is not a huge priority for TGC. You are gonna battle, and they arent gonna give you fixes or updates. And when/if they do, something else will be broken, and you will wait another year for an update.



Well no, you get 2 diff version of the SDK, and both of them you have to buy. One version is for C++, the other is .net

At least the guy who implemented the .net version, cares for the product.

Problem with ColdSteel is there is no Mac demo. In addition, the Mac Irrlicht engine is a couple of iterations old, with probably little chance of being properly updated.

Like I said in the beginning, I'm just trying to compare these 2 engines and nothing else. Please don't advertise.

Its not exactly 2 different versions - the .Net part is a wrapper.


Whilst it did take ages to get the latest update, I suspect there will be another one before the end of the year. However, I do also suspect that the GSDK isn't a terrible high priority.

Well what would you choose if you had to choose between the two ;)

3Impact, but they're both pretty poor in my opinion for the reasons mentioned above.

I'll probably just go for DGSDK. It's only $60 and doesn't require a yearly payment. I didn't know 3Impact did until MrTAToad told me.

I would certainly go for the GSDK too. But then, I did have it until recently :)

It's not really fair to say that 3Impact REQUIRES a yearly payment. There is a yearly payment for new updates, as with many engines. The update currently being worked on is to rewrite it with DX9, add FX shaders, etc, and the reason 3DRad died was because their upgrade policy was too generous.

It's not like your existing version of 3Impact ceases to work or becomes illegal to use if you don't pay. You just don't get upgrades beyond the first year unless you pay again.

Indeed - but you would certainly want to make sure the engine is up-to-date.

Why?

If a product does everything you need it to do and it's stable, what's the benefit of 'upgrading' to a newer version if it doesn't add anything you need and may introduce new problems and bugs?

Vista is arguably more "up to date" than XP is too, yet the industry at large is taking a very precautious stance at upgrading any time soon

Because it usually adds extra goodies, and sometimes speeds up code. In addition, it could also use new technology.


Commerical industry will, yes (but then they have a very good reason too). However, the average Joe Bloggs will be camping outside their nearest computer store a few days before its released, ready to get their grubby mitts on it.

You guys forgot to mention that getting models into 3impact is a nightmare ... you need to create something like 3 separate files (depending on what collision detection system you will use). First file is the model with no textures, then you have to create another model with spheres for collision detection and finally the same model with textures for displaying on screen. It's one of the reason I gave up updating the PowerBasic port.

And only one type of 3D format is support (.X)

Dodo: Yes, excellent point. The game I was toying with at the time didn't need any collision or physics files so I was just making .x files, and the .x format is very widely supported so it didn't stick in my mind as a bad issue. If you're using the whole collision/physics thing, then you're absolutely right.