Leadwerks as API

[GMS0012]

hi friends

 

can I useLeadwerks only as API?

Do everything within code?

 

load my level, create objects (boxes,..) in code.

can i create my own loop in code

 

input

update

render

 

is this possible?

.

where can I find the physic classes (here i dont see them: http://www.leadwerks.com/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page)

 

 

 

how up to date are the c# headers?

[Mumbles]

Put simply, yes you can do it all in code. creating boxes is very simple. Just use the CreateCube() command.

 

You can actually make any shape you want entirely in code, but it's not a good idea. cubes, sylinders, spheres etc can allbe created in one command. But for non-primitive shapes, you have to create all of the vertices, then connect them all up. So you can do it, but I would only create cubes, cylinders, spehere, etc, in code, anything else I would use a 3D-modeller for.

 

Input, update, render. You would be expected to put those in your own loop anyway, so that's more than possible.

 

The c# headers and managed by the community (they're not official), but they should still be fairly up-to-date. (I don't actually know, because I use the standard c headers)

[GMS0012]

thanks for the reply

 

i want to use it in c#.did i read somewhere the c# is official??

 

hm. i want official support ..

 

where can I find the physic classes (here i dont see them: )

 

http://www.leadwerks.com/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page

[L B]

They're not official, but they're awesome. Trust the C# headers

[Mumbles]

The official line is that the engine works in any language that can call functions from a DLL.

 

It's written in BlitzMax, and has been translated to other languages.

 

The most commonly used languages are:

 

BlitzMax

C/C++

C#

 

they all have their own dedicated board in the programming section, but they are locked to people who not paid for the engine. This is so members can post headers there, without being thieves being able to download them, thus giving them a full engine for free.

 

Official support is limited, and generally provided only where the there's a fault in the DLL (which will affect all languages).

 

Generally, the support is community based because Leadwerks is an extremely small team. If they spent all their time answering everyone's questions, they would never have time to improve their engine. And the community are generally quite helpful, and quick to respond anyway.

 

All I would say is, don't be turned away by community based support, here it does seem to work quite well. But it's your choice in the end.

 

 

 

Edit:

where can I find the physic classes (here i dont see them: )

 

http://www.leadwerks.com/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page

 

If you go to that page, they're on the left hand side, under the link called "Bodies"

To create a physics box, the command is CreateBodyBox() - the one I posted earlier up is for the visible mesh version, because physics bodies are invisible. usually you would 'tie' the visible mesh to the invisible body the make the visible mesh appear to be physics based.

[GMS0012]

thanks..

 

now i found them.. under bodies.

at the moment i own DBpro, with DarkAI,Darkphysics and many more addons

 

i look for a better alternative... which i could use in c#.

 

can i write c# scripts or add them in the sandbox?

 

like this: i write a c# script (in VS or within sandbox) like an event for a trigger.. add this event to a box in the sandbox and test it there... (like unity).

 

can I create a light in sandbox / editor, load this level in c# code and change the properties of the light and other objects within code?

 

 

is this possible with Leadwerks?

 

so what is on the roeadmap?

[GMS0012]

i downloaded the demo

when i start a blnak project and run it there is a gun

can i only make FPS with leadwerks?

or how can i disable the gun`?

 

by the way.. looks cool. please answer my open questions and i buy it

[Ywa]

Open the script editor, and load a script from the Games folder. Then run the script.

[Pixel Perfect]

The Editor and Engine inherently supports scripting using LUA not C#, you would need to add your own scripting capability to do that.

 

Any of the existing game play functionality that exists in the Editor is by virtue of the LUA scripts so you would need to edit those to suit your own purposes. However, if you are writing your own engine in C# it begs the question of whether you'd even need to do that. Just use the editor as a level designer, load the editor file and run all the game functionality in your engine. Those who are capable of writing their own engine don't generally need to rely on the Editor for anything other than level design and object placement

 

Leadwerks is capable of making games in practically any genre if you are prepared to do exactly as you suggested ... just use the Leadwerks API and write all your own game functionality. This route offers the most flexibility.

 

I came down the DarkBasicPro / DarkGDK route and believe me, this engine is a quantum leap from that but you still need to put the programming work in! Hope to see you on board soon!

 

[EDIT] oops ... missed this one

can I create a light in sandbox / editor, load this level in c# code and change the properties of the light and other objects within code?

Yes you can

[GMS0012]

sounds great

 

last question.. about performance..

 

how is the performance? in some forums the guys report of a lack of performance (because it is build with blitzbasic)

[Pixel Perfect]

There is really no lack of performance that I can detect. This engines hardware requirements are higher than some but that's hardly surprising when you see what it's capable of.

 

There is a lot of ignorance around regarding BlitzMax and a lot of ignorant people too for that matter .

 

I am currently getting 50+ FPS with 18 active NPCs in my scene. Example of scene below (new video coming in the next week on my development blog):

[GMS0012]

thanks guys

 

nice folks here around

 

perhaps we see us soon in the protected forum corners

 

looks like the stuff i am looking for

 

one more

 

 

can i create a level in the editor and load it in my ownc# code

this chapter is protected in the wiki

[Mumbles]

one more

 

can i create a level in the editor and load it in my ownc# code

this chapter is protected in the wiki

 

Yes you can, but it changed between version 2.2 and the newer version 2.3

 

I don't have the newer 2.3, but I know it is still easy to do.

[ZioRed]

can i create a level in the editor and load it in my own c# code

Sure, you can load the SBX scene files with code, and as already said Lazlo trust the C# headers even if they're not "official", they seems to work as well as the other standards (I use it and some others too it seems) and we keep them always updated to the latest C++ headers.

[GMS0012]

thanks guys

 

really nice community here

[Naughty Alien]

..as Pixel Perfect said..dont be put down because of Bmax..people whos ranting about it, just have no clue what is language capable of, and i assure you, if you know C#, you know Bmax already, and speed wise, only language what outrun Bmax slightly(very minor difference, with MinGW 5+, on non engine related tasks, while engine tasks has no difference at all) is C++..soon BmaxV2 is out and that beauty will run on every toaster out there exist, so ill be careful about judging , base don people who never actually tried it..only problem with Bmax is that its not promoted/advertised enough, otherwise, its one very very nice and elegant cross platform language..

[Sanctus]

Take this from a C++ elitist: BlitzMax is awsome.

I programm anything related to leadwerks in it and I never use the sandbox. It's easy to set up and start programming.

I also tried DBPro and all that ****. Glad I didn't buy anything.

You will see that Leadwerks also has small bugs (which is normal thinking it's made by just one guy) but you will get fixes for them and nothing will actually stop you from working. DBPro as I remember it had tons of bugs with some that were actually big.

[Paul]

Some things aren't accessible like vegetation layers.

[Pixel Perfect]

They used to be in earlier versions of the engine ... perhaps Josh should expose them again!

[TylerH]

Just a side note: The C# support is as official as the C and C++ support...please watch your wording, I don't like it when the C# headers and support is made out to be guerrilla, unprofessional, or not up to par with the other languages. A lot of work goes into keeping the .NET form of things as good as or better than the other APIs.

[Josh]

If the C# headers are truly ready, I will upload them in the SDK.

[TylerH]

They are pretty much fully up to specification with the current API.

[GMS0012]

this is what I wanted to know.

 

so the c# header are quite up to date...

 

good to know