BlitzMax + MingW + MiniB3D = Blitz3D ?

BlitzMax with MingW and MiniB3D seems to do same thigs as Blitz3D or even BlitzMax with Blitz3DSDK for Windows.

Is any combination better?
Where are the diferences (multiplataform, opengl, speed, more robust lenguage: blitzmax vs blitz3d)

Thank's for any help!

The main difference is that OpenGL is not usable for "casual systems" and office systems. they just will not render anything.

Thats Blitz3Ds market and will remain its market.

Thanks for your answer!

I have an old (2002) laptop: Toshiba satellite with an nVidia 420go, machine i would say very casual.
All the demos and samples for MiniB3D and MiniB3D extended run at 60 fps in windows+mingw. They run at an aceptable speed in linux (kubuntu 6.04) with the proper propietary dirver for the nvidia.
In that plataform I could´t run any demo of MiniB3DExtended. (the big trouble is me an linux).
As I'm new in BlitzMax and a halftime programmer (really not a programmer, just in my free time) in Blitz3D for a year, I didn´t see the diference. (a big one)

OpenGL not usable for casual systems?

Any moderately new computer can run a program OpenGL however cannot with DirectX (version 9) and directx is only for windows (and xbox ;))

In my opinion opengl is the best option for the casual market. It is multiplatform and it needs less hardware to work.

Example:
My macbook (not pro, with integrated graphical chip) can run Age of empires III (OpenGL MAC version) but cannot run Age of empires III (DirectX version under Windows XP)

Other example:
To in my macbook under windows, blitzmax+opengl run OK but DarkBasicPro (sorry ;P) DirectX9 don't run.

Yes and No.

Most functions are the same and are used the same way, but not all. One example is the terrain function, only Klepto's extended version has this and it's not possible to change the height in the terrain directly.

There is also some difference in the programming itself so it may also depend on which language you prefer.
I like the BlitzMax language, and I personally think this is the future way of programming, so I would rather think about buying Blitz3D SDK if I really want to create something what I cannot do in BlitzMax in combination with Klepto's extended MiniB3D.

In the end I think it's possible to get the same results on the screen and create the same game in both languages, and every language there are some sollutions you must find first before getting the same results and the only difference in endresult may be that there may be some difference in speed (framerate) depending on what you want to do.


I think he might refer to Intel graphic chipsets, or other unknown brands. There are some graphics cards which may show some problems in combination with OpenGL.

Best thing under Windows is to let the user him/herself who plays your game choose if he/she wants to use OpenGL/DirectX.

Thank`s again

I'm sure that BlitzMax is better language than Blitz3d, simply starting with the "strict clause" and of course typed objet's with methods etc.

I'm thinking in move to linux so, I first try BlitzMax in linux as is, and then try to incorporate MiniB3D.
At simple the combination of software BlitzMax+MiniB3D in linux and with MingW in windows seems to be similar.

I noted that, for example in the bird demo (in both linux and windows) with blitzmax my graphics card show light reflexes than ever seen in Blitz3D with the seamesly bird demo.

I supose that it is not the only difference, because simple demos doesn't show all the capabilities of any software.

I agree in that any software in many ways should do the same thing and with one aproach we obtain different results tha with another, so its a matter of work arround a little bit.

Because I'm new in blitzmax (and game programming..) I wanted to know if my move should be in that direction, with out moving me to other's 3D software, ones expensives that are in the market.

Thank's again to all
I think that by the moment will keep moving to BlitzMax
with MiniB3D.

By the way, Klept2 MiniB3D extenden gives me some troubles in linux (starting with capital letters in some definitions...), the thing is that the demos works ok in windows but not in linux.
The firs trouble were with the size with textures, in the forus I found some changes to the "canvas" functions and now I'm getting no errors but, the demos seem's to be hanged, the stop button in blitz ide is active, like the app were running but no window apperar.
Any idea??

I'm mulling over moving from Blitz3D to BlitzMax with MiniB3D too.

Is there anything major missing from blitzmax with minib3d that I need to know?

I want to write casual 2D games using Max 2D graphics (transparency, scaling and rotation will be very useful).

I may want to write a big 3D project at some point, and am hoping that MiniB3D can handle that.

I think since grey alien is using BlitzMax for his new games then that's good enough for me.

minib3d isnt blitz3d its slower atm than blitz3d

What about the new version of MiniB3D (0.5)
Does any one know if it reaches the speed of Blitz3D?

it hasnt got createplane

better if it does not. CreatePlane is one of the worst things ever added to it as it surely guarantees that you will create fillrate bottlenecks.

And the speed of it depends on your driver and OS actually. OpenGL is a very variable thing and it highly depends on the hardware, driver and OS used on.

thank's Dreamora

I tried the samples and don't see any differences so my questions about speed and the topic in general. I didn't check all the functions to see if are in both plataform's but I think that any problem resolved with one should be resolved in the other with more or less effort.