I think BRL has a great opportunity to really create a `pure` cross-platform system. It's almost there but not quite. Ideally it shouldn't be necessary for us game designers to have to do anything `differently` to make something work on a given platform. If the cross-platform element of Max was `pure`, we could just literally write one piece of code and immediately compile it on another platform with *exactly* the same results in every area. No need to think about whether windows does something differently or whether there are quirks to work around. No need to have `know how` about these platforms that you're creating for. Imagine if you didn't have to have any prior knowledge about Windows in order to make a perfectly running exe and package for it, or to create a Mac game for people with Windows PC's and no Mac experience.
I think what BRL should aim for, and achieve, and it should be possible, is:
a) Create binaries for all platforms/CPU's that BlitzMax can be targetted to, from each individual platform/CPU, so developers only need to own one platform and can safely TRUST that their distributed product for the other platforms works perfectly without having to own one.
b) Have a system that creates `packages` or `distributables` or `archives` in an easy WYSIWYG kind of way, to allow you to pull together all your documentation, icons, data files, exe's, etc and create a distributable package/archive/disk image/whatever that can then be easily installed on any of the platforms it's made for, without having to own those platforms. This should also include automatical generation (or via a wizard) of proper `installers` for the software being distributed.
c) Ensure that you ONLY ever have to write your code ONCE, and then it will run anywhere (Amiga Anywhere, Anyone?) without needing to modify anything, nor to have to write a single line of platform-specific code - get rid of those ?Windows ?Mac ?Linux things, too, they are anti-cross-platform. It's really kind of sad that Max is SO close to being truly and purely cross-platform, but to fall short.
d) Build all these extra features into the IDE.
e) Add at least a half decent graphics editor to the standard Max distribution, which should include sourcecode, plus a decent-sized game with source.
f) Give us all a slice of cake for free with each purchase.
;-)
I think what BRL should aim for, and achieve, and it should be possible, is:
a) Create binaries for all platforms/CPU's that BlitzMax can be targetted to, from each individual platform/CPU, so developers only need to own one platform and can safely TRUST that their distributed product for the other platforms works perfectly without having to own one.
b) Have a system that creates `packages` or `distributables` or `archives` in an easy WYSIWYG kind of way, to allow you to pull together all your documentation, icons, data files, exe's, etc and create a distributable package/archive/disk image/whatever that can then be easily installed on any of the platforms it's made for, without having to own those platforms. This should also include automatical generation (or via a wizard) of proper `installers` for the software being distributed.
c) Ensure that you ONLY ever have to write your code ONCE, and then it will run anywhere (Amiga Anywhere, Anyone?) without needing to modify anything, nor to have to write a single line of platform-specific code - get rid of those ?Windows ?Mac ?Linux things, too, they are anti-cross-platform. It's really kind of sad that Max is SO close to being truly and purely cross-platform, but to fall short.
d) Build all these extra features into the IDE.
e) Add at least a half decent graphics editor to the standard Max distribution, which should include sourcecode, plus a decent-sized game with source.
f) Give us all a slice of cake for free with each purchase.
;-)