QB Express Article Requests

Pete · Post by **Pete** » Mar 09, 2008 20:49

QB Express has now had 27 issues and published HUNDREDS of tutorials and articles. Over the years, we've covered too many topics to count -- but have we covered the right ones?

What do you want to see in the next QB Express?

-Is there any programming topic that you would like a tutorial on?
-A specific game that you'd like to see reviewed?
-Would you like to hear someone's thoughts on a certain aspect of the QB/FB community?

This thread is THE PLACE to request articles and tutorials for QB Express! (And for you writers, this is your place to get inspiration for QB Express articles.) Post your requests here, and share them with the community.

Let's see those requests!

-Pete

Thanks to anonymous1337 for recommending this thread. Also, be sure to check the old QB Express requests thread here: http://www.petesqbsite.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=745 (There are several dozen posts on this topic already.)

anonymous1337 · Post by **anonymous1337** » Mar 09, 2008 23:36

I'm going to look through QBE to see if anything useful on game scripting has been written, but I'd like a scripting tutorial or article which uses either Lua, XML Scripts, or reading Plain Text Files for scripting.

I'm also going to be searching for some bullet path code. I know there's tons of this lying around, so it's just searching through QBE and the forums a bit for ideas.

I'd really like to write some stuff myself, but I haven't really seen all that many requests for articles recently :-(

Pete · Post by **Pete** » Mar 10, 2008 19:05

A Freebasic-specific version of this tutorial would be pretty cool...

The Game Loop
http://dewitters.koonsolo.com/gameloop.html

h4tt3n · Post by **h4tt3n** » Mar 10, 2008 19:34

I'd really like to see a GUI tutorial of some sort. One that shows how to make a windows-style box with buttons or a drop-down menu with all the standard load / save / whatnot functions you'd probably need in most progams. Maybe one that shows how to implement opengl?

I don't know about you people, but it's always on the gui part I get stuck with a program. I've got so many nifty little programs lying around that just needs a professional looking start / stop / reset / save / load / you name it button before it's ready to take on the world.

I think that making the path towards a really nice giu easier would also increase focus on FB as a realistic choce of programming language for lots of people.

Cheers & happy coding!
Michael

maddogg6 · Post by **maddogg6** » Mar 10, 2008 21:18

I think if FBEdit had more tutorials, would help the less experienced (like me) get more comfortable with it.

From the simple with line by line comprehensive instructions ('press this button to .....') - to explanations of medium sized projects like child forms, more complicated controls etc...

It seems like a great IDE, but I have to admit its more than a little intimidating and the help file seem a bit lacking. Its probably obvious to the more experienced, but.... theres sooo much in there I have no clue what its for or what it does.

bfuller · Post by **bfuller** » Mar 10, 2008 22:17

I would like to see a tutorial (or series of tutorials over a few issues) on conversion of C or C++ programs to FreeBasic. For instance, I got all excited about OpenGL on another thread a short while back but when I dug a little deeper, I found that the OpenGL documentation examples were all C.
A few years ago I tried to learn C but have kept coming back to Basic as it just seems more readable to me, and is easier to get short little projects up and running. So-----I don't really know enough about C to be able to easily convert the OpenGL examples easily. And OpenGL itself is not really "readable".
One of these days I could probably put the effort into making some sort of conversion attempt (probably just a paper based table with C statement on the left and equivalent FreeBasic code on the right) but if there is someone out there with good C (or C++) background that could get us started then that would be very useful for me at least.

I know there has been some articles on this in previous issues but in my opinion a refresher would not be a waste.

Just an idea!

Rgds
Brad

KristopherWindsor · Post by **KristopherWindsor** » Mar 11, 2008 0:15

Understanding the C code should be a bit easier than knowing all the tricks to port header files. ;-)

For example, in this code from the Red Book:

Code: Select all

#include <GL/gl.h>
#include <GL/glu.h>
#include <GL/glut.h>

void init(void) 
{
   GLfloat mat_specular[] = { 1.0, 1.0, 1.0, 1.0 };
   GLfloat mat_shininess[] = { 50.0 };
   GLfloat light_position[] = { 1.0, 1.0, 1.0, 0.0 };
   glClearColor (0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0);
   glShadeModel (GL_SMOOTH);

   glMaterialfv(GL_FRONT, GL_SPECULAR, mat_specular);
   glMaterialfv(GL_FRONT, GL_SHININESS, mat_shininess);
   glLightfv(GL_LIGHT0, GL_POSITION, light_position);

   glEnable(GL_LIGHTING);
   glEnable(GL_LIGHT0);
   glEnable(GL_DEPTH_TEST);
}

#include <GL/glu.h> includes a file; you just have to replace the < and > characters with quotes, and replace .h with .bi.
void init(void) is just Sub init ()
GLfloat mat_specular[] = { 1.0, 1.0, 1.0, 1.0 }; creates an array, and I think the GLfloat type is defined in the header files in both languages.

But I suppose you still want a complete explanation... :-P

bfuller · Post by **bfuller** » Mar 11, 2008 1:19

@KristopherWindsor.....See----you already just did a little tutorial that explained that C void equals FreeBasic Sub---thats what we (at least I) need.

A few more pointers like that and all will probably become clear--like so much of this sort of thing--like being in a jungle or strange city, once someone points out the obvious path, the journey is much easier

KristopherWindsor · Post by **KristopherWindsor** » Mar 11, 2008 3:25

Maybe you can post all of your questions here, so when someone does the tutorial, they will be sure to answer them. ;-)

nkk_kan · Post by **nkk_kan** » Mar 11, 2008 7:46

I need a network programming tutorial
preferably with a small game example.
along with that..how to add a network chat in your game..

phycowelder · Post by **phycowelder** » Mar 11, 2008 9:47

i agree with nkk_kan!

id love a little network tut, be it mmo or p2p, they both have great
potential in any game!

lol i miss playing 4Player Doom Death-match back in the day!
some thing like that would be great to recreate!

-my thoughts anyway!

nkk_kan · Post by **nkk_kan** » Mar 11, 2008 11:38

yeah, Both LAN gaming and Internet gaming should be covered :P

anyways, I'm writing my first tutorial XD
About this C -> Fb migrators
It's quarterly completed...I guess i'll need a week more..

One question though, Should i use GCC syntax or Turbo C syntax..i know there's not much difference but i thought i would ask..

anonymous1337 · Post by **anonymous1337** » Mar 11, 2008 20:11

Pete · Post by **Pete** » Mar 11, 2008 22:07

anonymous1337 wrote a nice "FB translation" of that Game Loop tutorial I suggested. It will be in the next issue!

On a side note, I stumbled across a critical follow-up to the game loop tutorial written by someone else:
http://nightschool.near-time.net/news/2 ... -game-loop

Just a point of interest. :)

notthecheatr · Post by **notthecheatr** » Mar 11, 2008 22:35

Cool! I'm working on something about scripting in response to anonymous1337's request on that topic. There should be at least one ready by then.