Request - PC or Mac compilable build

Hi,
Since all tech is supported on PC or Mac, would it be possible to provide a PC or Mac build?
It would be very useful for rapid prototyping as well as tool development using the same codebase.

Thanks,
Kaj

Apple SDK and XCode / Simulator does not run windows - am not sure how you would prototype anything besides Blender which does run on Windows...

Maybe I have been living under a rock, who knows

Well the base of the architecture have to change... but yes its possible to do some prototyping with SIO2 using an emulator. I've thought about it but haven't had the time to code anything on it at the moment, but I know exactly how to make it work...

Don't worry its something in my TODO list that I think would add more value to SIO2. However... you have to understand that if I do this its only for prototyping and only for OpenGL ES... and you'll still need a MAC for the final compilation phase and deployment.

Yep, I did not expect a build environment on PC, just a way to make some stuff a bit easier. Buidling your world could happen on the PC without having to run a iPhone build all the time, and it would be nice to use the same codebase for possible tools.

I'll just wait :o)

Kaj

Well yes and no... you'll still need a mac in order to put tutorial13_1 on your device in order to manipulate the IO of the emulator... threads have to be rewritten has well to be cross platform... the way SIO2 handle the .sio2 internally have to be used differently as the file system, no cocoa whatsoever, no spring board... only pure OpenGL ES can work...

It seems like a Win build of SIO2 for creating iPhone games is a pretty big time waster. Perhaps if the intended target platform is Win then it would help but why on earth would you want to:

1. Spend time making a prototyping environment on a totally different platform than your deployment platform that would...
2. ...require who knows how much extra work to port from Win to Mac for final building?

I just can't come up with any reason to put yourself through such misery. If your making a Windows game you don't code and compile it on a Mac...

Well uprise78 Im backing you at 100% on this but still... it might be an opportunity to explore new horizon with SIO2 and bring quite a few more users to use the engine... even if "yes" there will be a bit trouble and will not be as straight forward as on MAC but still possible... (at least for all OpenGL ES).

I hear what you are saying about getting some new users, but they still have to get a Mac to complete transitioning their code to SIO2 proper, test in the simulator, test on the device and release. Seems like it would just be better for everyone to just start on the Mac in the first place...

Totally agree... but I do understand the need since most of the 3D artists are on windows and are using Autodesk products... at least it would avoid them to reboot in order to test their assets... that's really the only + that Im seeing...

I have two main reasons.

1) I feel much more comfortable coding on a PC than on a mac. After some 20 years of PC coding I feel kinda at home there. I know my build environment, my shortcuts, whatnot.
2) Turnaround time. I just prefer writing a quick bit of code, compile, run, see if it works. I like to have a tool to place my sprites that uses a larger screen buffer so I can use additional controls or what have you. I like being able to hook up code for my keyboard so I can use shortcuts while developing. When building a level it's easier to work on a PC instead of having to send files back and forth to my iPhone.
In my daily life I develop console games and PC builds there are common- easier to debug, easier to manipulate.

I only asked because OpenGL and OpenAL and most of the other libraries exist on the PC. 90% of the code is platform agnostic.

But if I'm the only one seeing value than I guess it's kinda pointless. Maybe I'll convert the project myself.

Kaj

Hmmm, I just realized I can't build it myself as the elusive sio2.cpp has disappeared into a library. Unless I opt to reverse the disassembly I'm out of luck for now...although I'll probably still give it shot eventually, for me it sure would speed up development.

Kaj

Version 1.3.4 still had it. You can probably start with that. It might even work out of the box.

Cool - however I am unaware of how to get older versions of SIO2?

Can't get it on google code.

Kaj

Here is the 1.3.3 version.

Thanks!
I'll have a look into it )
If I manage I'll send it to SIO2 and they can see if they want to use it.

Kaj

I you guys want me to create a windows emulator I will need to have the license for this... at the moment Im working on trial mode... and things already start to show alot of promises (using VC++, GTK and OpenGL ES v1.1)... If someone can be kind enough to provide me a license so I can fully port SIO2 SDK and create an OpenGL ES iPhone Emulator that would be really cool.

http://www.parallels.com/products/desktop/

PM me your paypal details )

Tks dude I receive it Im all set now will keep you guys posted on how it goes... I really appreciate the move and hope that more SIO2 users can be like you and help to support the project!

Once again tks a million!

:o)

The amount of work that has gone into SIO2 helps me out so much (figuring it all out on yet another device gets tiring and I don't have the time anymore that I used to have to discover a new machine) that a little support was warranted...and it happened to be the exact amount I had in my PayPal account!

Keep up the great work!

Kaj

Well after fiddling all the morning on windows with parallels (which work great by the way, and Im really impress by the GL acceleration for an emulation), we are almost there (at least the renderer works):



Now I can't guarantee anything for 1.3.6 but however its on the right track... basically SIO2socket & SIO2thread have to be ported, and the IO have to be emulated (with the accelerometer probably by socket) and a the LUA module have to be added but all the base core work. I need to do more testing and build a nice an easy framework for people to use... and actually make the simulator independent of SIO2.

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated

For those who are interested about the GLES implementation that Im using there's the console output:

[code]

SIO2_CPU: 0 Mhz
SIO2_BUS: 0 Mhz
SIO2_SYSTEM: <unknown>
SIO2_VERSION: v1.3.6
SIO2_EDITION: Free Edition
GAME_STUDIO: <unregistered>
GAME_NAME: <unknown>

GL_VENDOR: Imagination Technologies (Host GL: `Parallels and ATI Techno
logies Inc.`)
GL_RENDERER: PowerVR PVRVFrame 4.2 MBXLite (Host GL: `Parallels using ATI
Radeon X1600 OpenGL Engine`) SDK Build: 2.04.24.0809
GL_VERSION: OpenGL ES-CM 1.1
GL_EXTENSIONS: GL_OES_byte_coordinates GL_OES_fixed_point GL_OES_single_pre
cision GL_OES_read_format GL_IMG_read_format GL_OES_point_sprite GL_OES_compress
ed_paletted_texture GL_IMG_texture_compression_pvrtc GL_OES_matrix_palette GL_OE
S_point_size_array GL_OES_draw_texture GL_IMG_texture_format_BGRA8888

AL_VENDOR: Creative Labs Inc.
AL_RENDERER: Software
AL_VERSION: 1.1
AL_EXTENSIONS: EAX EAX2.0 EAX3.0 EAX4.0 EAX5.0 EAX3.0EMULATED EAX4.0EMULATED AL_EXT_OFFSET AL_EXT_LINEAR_DISTANCE AL_EXT_EXPONENT_DISTANCE

Awesome!

This will greatly speed up development for me once it's there, have such a hard time navigating a Mac. Guess you'd be experiencing the same in Windows now.

Will keep a close eye on this :o)

Kaj

Oh yeah, I do have one suggestion.....

Make it so that we can also work in a non simulator environment (or can configure the simulator window size), so we can use a larger canvas..would be great for tools.

Kaj

This simulator is a great news. This is what I'm waiting for to start iPhone development (I haven't any mac :-\).

Here is a suggestion to have acceleration input emulated : maybe you could use an interaction PC/wiimote via bluetooth. Some open libraries exists -of course non official and not supported by Nintendo- but as this result of reverse engineering, maybe there is a legacy issue....don't really know.

No need really, just simply use TCP/IP to send the IO from the device to the remote computer and voila

However Im not sure to continue the emulator on windows, I ask for input on this a while ago... not much people reply on this so my question is... is this really needed?

ok you're communicating with the iPhone... that's a good idea......if you have an iPhone (I haven't currently, and like to start development before I could buy it on december, when my *** mobile provider engagement will be finished ...this is really personal argument yes .

About the needs on a windows simulator, I think as there is currently NO way to develop iphone apps under windows, there could be a great demand on this if the news is communicated a lot.
What are the libs or module that are missing to finish it ?