GP2X Linux Apps/games On Gp2x

[Blue Spirit]

I just wondered if an application/game was created for Linux then how much editing/re coding would the final game need to be ported to the GP2X. Blitz Max can be used to create applications or games for Windows, Mac OS, and Linux. The source code for the language is available and free to edit if you purchase the language.

This could potentially mean hundreds of homebrew games and applications, both from the current library of games for Blitz Max, and also any new ones people for this community may wish to create. It could also mean lots of new customers that want to buy the GP2X.

If the process of porting the games to the GP2X was realtively straight forward then I would love to develop for the GP2X, both making games and game making apps.

Any ideas/views on this topic would be greatly appreciated.

Mike

 

[Ninjia^]

I just wondered if an application/game was created for Linux then how much editing/re coding would the final game need to be ported to the GP2X. Blitz Max can be used to create applications or games for Windows, Mac OS, and Linux. The source code for the language is available and free to edit if you purchase the language.

This could potentially mean hundreds of homebrew games and applications, both from the current library of games for Blitz Max, and also any new ones people for this community may wish to create. It could also mean lots of new customers that want to buy the GP2X.

If the process of porting the games to the GP2X was realtively straight forward then I would love to develop for the GP2X, both making games and game making apps.

Any ideas/views on this topic would be greatly appreciated.

Mike

​

I'm not sure if this will work or not as I am not a coder myself, However a major draw back I can see straight away is the $80 price tag. I doubt any developers are going to be willing to pay this when they are many other free SDK/Development tools around. Also it mentions OpenGL/Direct X but I cant see any reference to SDL on the page?

 

[Blue Spirit]

I see what you mean about the price tag but the Language is aimed at previous Blitz users, and developers who have an interest in Windows/Mac/Linux development. For this target audience the pricing is actually reasonably good compared to other languages of similar capabilities. Blitz Max is also expected to have an official 3d Module sometime in the near future. There are already third party 3d engines and physics engines already out there. The 3d modules may not work but it would be great if we could get some of the Basic 2d stuff working on the GP2X.

The GP2X is already getting quite a good response over at the Blitz Community, where some of them seem to be quite interested in developing for it.

 

[Aaaaaaaa]

That Blitz max seems really promicing. Im sure once the gp2x is released some of the better coders will realize its potential.

 

[Digital Awakening]

I wonder if it like Dark Basic Pro uses 3D rendered sprites to get hardware acceleration from modern 3D cards. But it should have some basic 2D commands but then you can just use SDL instead because it's about as simple and probably more flexible as it's lower level then BMax. You just have to get used to C++/SDL syntax and commands instead of Blitz syntax and commands.

 

[timbobsteve]

If you mean "Will the dev software be ported to GP2X", I don't think it is possible.

If you mean "Can games made with Blitz Max run on GP2X", possibly... but most likely no.

It sounds like the compiler and source are proprietary. I didn't look at it myself, but if this is the case, I doubt you will see it have any compatability with GP2X as most programs would need to be cross-compiled using an ARM compiler (i.e. g++ for ARM) and with this being a propriatary language/tool, I don't think they will support ARM.

Anyways thats just a guess answer base on what I am reading here I don't think this will be supported as things for GP2X need to be compiled on ARM compilers.

 

[Digital Awakening]

If you can get access to the source of the compiled projects made with BMax then there's no problem porting it exept that you would probably need to know some about what you're doing. Question is how/if you can get a BMax game to run on GP2X and at what speed.

 

[skeezix]

Without looking at it.. Blitz likely emits compiled x86 code; the compiler is closed source if memory serves, so the blitz folks would have to write the backend ARM emitter for it.. or else someone would have to write a Blitz Compiler, which would be infinite work

So not likely.. but someone could contact the Blitz folks and see.

jeff