Which product to buy?

Hi all!

I've been using B3D for a good couple of years now - but I really tend to focus mainly on 2D puzzle-type games (such as those found on those games machines that you see in pubs! ;0)).

I'd like to 'improve' the presentation of my games (graphically) by using real-time effects such as transparancy etc in a 2D environment. My coding skills would have to be classed as intermediate (I can get a game up and running such as pacman / platformers / board games) but I've absolutely no clue when it comes to how I'd setup 'real time shadows' or particles, for example... :0(

Which Blitz product would provide me with these options, with a relatively easy learning curve. Or, do I have it already within B3D? ;0)

BMax seems to 'offer' the most features on this front from browsing through the 'product' pages.

Thanks in anticiaption!

Windows : B3D with SpriteCandy (or NSprite 2)
X-Platform : Bmax.

Also depends whether you're happy with B3D syntax and procedural programming.
If you want OO then Bmax.

Ah, have heard about this SpriteCandy addition. Is it relatively simple to integrate?

SpriteCandy is a killer component for Blitz3D that enables 2D in 3D operation and HUD display.

http://www.x-pressive.com/
Try it if you have time.

There's quite a few set-up commands, nothing complex but a bit tedious. However, the results are very good and it also has a GUI extension.
<edit> and bitmap Font system and texture packer and Shape Editor.
Is there a Particle system?

If you're going to stay with B3D, I'd recommend the SpriteCandy add-on... Absolutely first rate!

Check out the demo from the site and I think you'll agree...

And Particle Candy

Particle Candy runs OK with Sprite Candy but I never managed to get Particle Candy's 3D coordinates to map nicely to Sprite Candy 2D games.

And, Sprite Candy will do some particle effects as well..

I would definately recommend GrahamK's ION2D/3D when it's released along with C#. IMO that is the best option unless you can wrap HGE for .net compilers.

Bmax

Bmax

Bmax

:)

Ok BMax. :)

Hmmm, any of you want to say why?

@Matt, I use Bmax and, once you get used to the OO nature, it's difficult to go back to B3D/B2D.

Wow! Thanks guys! It certainly sounds like I need to choose between BMax, or a combination of my existing B3D and the Candy suite...

Will try a demo or two tonight when I get home from the office (.exe downloads cause a 403 at work 8-( ) and will go from there!

Thanks all, and, good to see familiar faces from BC here - I miss that from a 'help me!' point of view, and was a good community!

:)

Because its OO for a start. You might think "well I can live without that", and maybe you can. But once you've used it and get used to it, you'll never ever go back.

Its also cross-platform. You might not need that feature at the moment, but if you write a game in Blitz3D, then a portal wants it but only subject to additional OSX and Linux versions, are you really going to want to rewrite it? I wouldn't.

Type structures are also much easier than Blitz3D, simply because you get to manually manage lists of types. You can also write your own functions and methods within types.

It also has Strict modes which help greatly when debugging.

You also aren't limited to DirectX - you can use openGL too. It also gives you the option of using numerous sound drivers including Directsound, FreeAudio and OpenAL.

Anybody else care to jump in here?

Make sure you check the following as you might struggle with the Bmax demo without them :
Beginner's Guide to Bmax
MaxGui Beginner's
Bmax OOP
2D Game Programming Tutorials
Bmax resources

<edit> Thanks GFK, glad you agree with the reasons I gave for using Bmax and also came up with a few goods ones I missed and agree with.

<edit2> Ooops. On the downside in Bmax you can't access the backbuffer or imagebuffers natively (or easily any more) and there's no native audio streaming either.

It works on versions of Windows that has Advanced Text Services enabled (like Tablet PC editions of XP and most versions of Vista).

Max...

Max has realtime Rotation, Alpha and colouring of images 'out of the box'.

B3D is very unlikely to get major updates (except bugfixes). Max is much more likely to.

If you didnt already have and know B3D I would say Bmax. However, because you alreay use B3D, I would stay with that and do a Look round a the two candy products stated above.

I much preffer Bmax, but as said, once you use and get used to it, you will be unable/unwilling to go back to B3D.

Yep, cos it is a finished product. This is not a bad thing.
If you are going to stick to 2d then maybe the change to Bmax is right.

i pondered for a while,then decide bmax was for me,one of the biggest reasons was that the language is well supported by the community,from tutorials to modules.

from mini3d,irrlict to mr aliens framework (i have noticed that one),jv-ode etc

bases covered (or nearly)

Well for 2D you can't beat BMax. Not convinced?

Check out the following casual games (all making a few quid too!):

Inca Quest
Sudoku Maya Gold
Holiday Bonus
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
Maggie The Gardener

You may wanna purchase Grey Alien's framework to help you get a boost in your development cycle too!

IPete2.

and Jewel Quest according to the front page as well! And of course my NEXT game ;-)

Also Temple of Tangram, Runes of Avalon, Platypus (remade in Bmax for Mac compatibility) and loads more. There's a thread about Bmax games lurking somnewhere here.

nSprite 2 XD

Hi all, just to let you know, I purchased BMax this afternoon, looking forward to having some fun with it! ;)