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AppGameKit/AppGameKit Studio Showcase / Pax Particle Editor / Particle System [AGK V2 Tier 1]

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baxslash
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Posted: 21st Apr 2015 12:53 Edited at: 23rd Apr 2015 11:54
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This is a particle system I'm working on for AppGameKit that includes a Windows Forms editor.

Last update: 23rd April 2015
Download Version 0.0.3




Features:
-Multiple emitters possible for each particle system
-Additive blending for alpha based images
-'Standard' movement options such as Linear / Jitter
-Change Color, Scale, Movement, Rotation settings using 'Standard' settings (all adjustable)
-Easy depth setting
-Emission shape / direction / frequency
-Fire & forget mode for explosions etc.
-Save & Load the export files for easy loading into AppGameKit V2 with full example code and runtime folder for easy addition to any project
-Runtime speed data including the option to test the uncapped framerate (Click on UNCAP in the view screen)

Upcoming features:
-Physics
-Gravity
-Wind
-Additional Depth options
-Just ask...!

FAQ:
Q: Is it free?
A: Yes, completely. Enjoy!

Q: Is it fast?
A: That depends on how you use it. If you use hundreds of large particles per second then perhaps not but I have included some AppGameKit runtime data in the output window so you can optimise your systems in realtime.

As soon as the download is ready (very soon) please try it out and let me know what you think of it. In the meantime, suggestions?

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BatVink
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Posted: 21st Apr 2015 14:04
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Fantastic, another item off my to-do list!

My smartParticles designer has been waiting for an upgrade since 2005 This beats it hands down.

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SpecTre
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Posted: 21st Apr 2015 15:47
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Looks impressive, should be a really usefull tool this

The Amiga and Amos were great!
Download my game - Paint Pot from Amazon and Google here - http://leap.my-free.website/
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baxslash
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Posted: 21st Apr 2015 17:39
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Thanks guys! Didn't see that one of yours BatVink, I guess it was over a year before I showed my face here though

I finally fixed the file->new/load/save code and improved handling incorrect image formats for additive blending. I only have to create an example project now and I'll post an alpha version...

There's still a little optimisation to be done too but I'm pretty happy that it works as an additional particle system and useful tool. You can decide for yourselves soon.

I do get one bug that I just haven't been able to get rid of. Sometimes whole areas of the AppGameKit screen become dead-zones. I have tried all sorts of C# and AppGameKit commands to fix it but I can't figure out what sets it off or why. It happened a lot if I resized the AppGameKit window so I've disabled resizing of the editor for now to reduce this.

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baxslash
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Posted: 22nd Apr 2015 00:17 Edited at: 23rd Apr 2015 11:54
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Attaching installer for V0.0.1!

Example project is in the install folder so note this when you install it.

EDIT: Now V0.0.2
EDIT: Now V0.0.3

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SpecTre
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Posted: 22nd Apr 2015 00:50
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Well baxslash that is DAMN good!!!

You deserve a with all that hard work



I had a go and made a nice plasma effect and saved it but couldn't get it to load as it said Input string was not in a correct format but really enjoyed messing with this

One minor thing, can the control panel on the left be made slightly wider so can see all the controls as they are a bit cut off to the right and have to scroll the panel to see them all?

Attached the file plasma, I just changed the name of the untitled bit, not sure what I did wrong?

The Amiga and Amos were great!
Download my game - Paint Pot from Amazon and Google here - http://leap.my-free.website/

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baxslash
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Posted: 22nd Apr 2015 09:29 Edited at: 22nd Apr 2015 09:38
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Quote: "Well baxslash that is DAMN good!!! "

Thanks!

Quote: "Input string was not in a correct format"

I'll take a look at that now. Thanks for testing
EDIT: Fixed. I wasn't converting the x,y offset into a double for the load method. It loaded fine into the example project just not back into the editor if the x/y offset was a none integer.

Quote: "One minor thing, can the control panel on the left be made slightly wider so can see all the controls as they are a bit cut off to the right and have to scroll the panel to see them all?"

Sure, you must have slightly different settings or something. I'll widen it but a screenshot would help?

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baxslash
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Posted: 22nd Apr 2015 09:49 Edited at: 22nd Apr 2015 10:45
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I\'ve been looking at the way your plasma effect works and it seems that it works well because of another bug. I\'m not sure if it\'s a bug in my code or the tweening commands at the moment though so I\'ll have to get back to you on that. It looks like sprites that are being scaled are offset incorrectly... very interesting bug. I\'m afraid that once it\'s fixed your plasma effect will be broken though

EDIT: Ok I have fixed the scaling bug which was caused by me trying to mix tween movement and manual scaling. I will upload a new version (0.0.2) shortly which includes your fixed(ish) plasma shader in the demo project:


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BatVink
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Posted: 22nd Apr 2015 10:43
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I have a game idea that was going to use animated sprites, but I think this will allow me to use particles for a much better result

You have successfully solved a problem that I set out to solve back in 2005 for DBP users. There is a really good set of particle commands to make great things, but it is too damned hard to code the image you have in your mind. This is possibly one of the top contributions so far, eye candy should grow exponentially as a result

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baxslash
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Posted: 22nd Apr 2015 10:48
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Quote: "I have a game idea that was going to use animated sprites, but I think this will allow me to use particles for a much better result

You have successfully solved a problem that I set out to solve back in 2005 for DBP users. There is a really good set of particle commands to make great things, but it is too damned hard to code the image you have in your mind. This is possibly one of the top contributions so far, eye candy should grow exponentially as a result "

Thanks BatVink

This is just the start though the level editor is next... once this has all the basics (which now is just adding gravity and wind (physics particles later).

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baxslash
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Posted: 22nd Apr 2015 10:55 Edited at: 22nd Apr 2015 11:00
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Updated the download at the top with a few fixes!

EDIT: I really have to stop having ideas... what about letting the user apply a sound file to the particle system so that when an explosion goes off it uses a sound or a random sound from a set? Sound volume could be relative to screen position or at a set volume... damn my mind!!! Ok it's on the list after physics

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SpecTre
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Posted: 22nd Apr 2015 14:26
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Quote: "what about letting the user apply a sound file to the particle system so that when an explosion goes off it uses a sound or a random sound from a set?"


Another damn good idea

I will test this again later and will up a screenshot if needed to show you. Wondering what the plasma now looks like

I quite liked it though because it reminded me of some oldschool Amiga demos

I might have a go at some Amiga style demos soon and this would help a lot. Used to love doing demos on the Amiga back in the day
Thinking out loud and a bit off topic but maybe we should have a demo thread going recreating Amiga demo effects... hmmmm......

Your particle tool is opening up a lot of possiblities and ideas already lol

The Amiga and Amos were great!
Download my game - Paint Pot from Amazon and Google here - http://leap.my-free.website/
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baxslash
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Posted: 22nd Apr 2015 18:38
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Gravity added and Wind started. Then I'm starting the level editor.

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SpecTre
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Posted: 22nd Apr 2015 19:24 Edited at: 22nd Apr 2015 19:25
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Great work, tested again and it now loads and saves

I have altered the plasma example I did and it works great again! Well done!!!

Here is a screen show of the left panel size:



The Amiga and Amos were great!
Download my game - Paint Pot from Amazon and Google here - http://leap.my-free.website/

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SpecTre
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Posted: 22nd Apr 2015 19:27
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Here is the new saved plasma folder

I am using windows 8 by the way, I don't know if that is messing with the screen size?

The Amiga and Amos were great!
Download my game - Paint Pot from Amazon and Google here - http://leap.my-free.website/

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BatVink
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Posted: 22nd Apr 2015 19:30
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Quote: "I really have to stop having ideas"


This is what stops me from finishing anything. Starting new ideas before the last one is complete.

Sound is a good idea. I create what I call Sound Banks. You can load up a set of sounds and then use them individually, consecutively, simultaneously or randomly. I load them up like the Tween system in AGK. It could be a good approach for your particles.

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baxslash
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Posted: 22nd Apr 2015 20:47
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Quote: "I am using windows 8 by the way, I don't know if that is messing with the screen size?"

I'll test it on my W8 machine later. Thanks!

Quote: "This is what stops me from finishing anything. Starting new ideas before the last one is complete."

Me too, that's why I have to work fast when I have a good idea

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baxslash
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Posted: 23rd Apr 2015 00:31
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By the way spectrepaul, change the middle colour of your plasma effect to orange. You'll be surprised how cool it looks!

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SpecTre
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Posted: 23rd Apr 2015 03:00
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Quote: "By the way spectrepaul, change the middle colour of your plasma effect to orange. You'll be surprised how cool it looks!"


Super cool!!!
All these Amiga demo effects are going through my head right now, think I am going to have a look at doing a mega demo!
Not done one of those since the 90's lol

SpecTre is back


Amazed at this program, great work!

The Amiga and Amos were great!
Download my game - Paint Pot from Amazon and Google here - http://leap.my-free.website/
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baxslash
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Posted: 23rd Apr 2015 09:28 Edited at: 23rd Apr 2015 10:21
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Quote: "Amazed at this program, great work!"

Glad you like it

EDIT: You can change the name of the set or any emitter by double clicking the name in the treeview.

EDIT2: I've fixed the width if the side panel to resize automatically until the horizontal scrollbar is no longer visible. Should fix the issue you were having SpecTre

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baxslash
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Posted: 23rd Apr 2015 11:56
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Version 0.0.3 is in the first post. Added Gravity and Wind. Old exports won't work in this version without some manual editing...

That's it for now. Next I'll be working on the level editor.

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BatVink
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Posted: 23rd Apr 2015 12:09 Edited at: 23rd Apr 2015 12:14
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Are you doing this with Tier 2, or a clever link between Winforms and AppGameKit?
I have 80% of a framework that uses networking to put AppGameKit inside a form. (Then I had another good idea and left it!)

[EDIT] I installed and see you have AppGameKit inside Winforms. I'd be really interested to know your method for doing this. I have a reasonable communication connection via networking, but can't get the AppGameKit window top connect to my Picture box.

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baxslash
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Posted: 23rd Apr 2015 13:35
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Quote: "Are you doing this with Tier 2, or a clever link between Winforms and AppGameKit?"

It's a 'clever' link

I'm putting a tier 1 AppGameKit app into a winforms panel. All communication is done via text files. It's pretty quick and robust as far as I can tell...

I shared the basics in another thread but I'd be willing to upload a basic example for the community some time soon. I already shared some of the basic code HERE

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BatVink
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Posted: 23rd Apr 2015 13:55
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Thanks for sharing The AGK-panel code is what I needed. I had been using a Windows-based trick with an ini file, but AppGameKit doesn't conform. (It always worked perfectly with DBP).

Now I can get back to my screen UI editor

By the way, it's a nice idea to be able to detach the AppGameKit window too. If you have multiple screens, allow the user to have the controls on the side-screen and AppGameKit full-screen.

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baxslash
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Posted: 23rd Apr 2015 13:59
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Quote: "By the way, it's a nice idea to be able to detach the AppGameKit window too. If you have multiple screens, allow the user to have the controls on the side-screen and AppGameKit full-screen."

That was how I originally planned to do it but I prefer to have a docked window personally so when I worked out this method I was very happy. It just feels more like a normal CAD application having the AppGameKit screen embedded. You can have as many additional forms as you like after that...

Anyway, I'm looking forward to playing with the level editor at lunchtime

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SpecTre
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Posted: 23rd Apr 2015 16:16 Edited at: 23rd Apr 2015 16:16
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Version 3 works great now with the controls, see below for screen shot.

Really love this, can't stop just messing with this program just for the effects results

Quote: "Should fix the issue you were having SpecTre "


SpecTre

Very very very and more very's cool!


Can't wait for the level editor now if it is going to be anything as good as this Well done!



The Amiga and Amos were great!
Download my game - Paint Pot from Amazon and Google here - http://leap.my-free.website/

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baxslash
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Posted: 23rd Apr 2015 16:37 Edited at: 23rd Apr 2015 16:37
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Quote: "Can't wait for the level editor now if it is going to be anything as good as this Well done!"

Thanks made my day

I got a little done at lunchtime, I have a simple sprite asset loader which can load images into a flow layout on the right. Images can then be drag / dropped into a garbage can to remove them from the project. It looks pretty cool if I say so myself. When I next get a chance I want to try to get images drag / dropping into the AppGameKit window from the assets panel.

Here's a quick screen:


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BatVink
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Posted: 23rd Apr 2015 17:34
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I managed to beat your text file data transfer, but only because my hard drive sucks. I got a file lock error when furiously clicking one of the values to increase the value. Easily solved by adding a file-lock check before trying to read it.

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Posted: 23rd Apr 2015 18:01 Edited at: 24th Apr 2015 10:14
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Damn, I thought I was already doing a file lock check... did the error come from AppGameKit or the App do you know? Can you show me a screenshot of it?

EDIT: I think the C# code is Ok but I wasn't checking if the file had opened correctly in AGK. Hopefully V0.0.4 should be fine, I'll post it when this version has had a little more testing.

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BatVink
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Posted: 24th Apr 2015 11:22 Edited at: 24th Apr 2015 11:23
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Here you go.
I used Mutexes in DBP, but they aren't available in AppGameKit



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baxslash
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Posted: 24th Apr 2015 12:48
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Looks like I missed a check when writing to the app output file. If it's only just finished writing to the file it can get this error trying to write to it again too soon afterwards. Fixed for the next version

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Posted: 24th Apr 2015 17:13 Edited at: 24th Apr 2015 17:15
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Looks great bax!

At some point, maybe you should look at importing these effects files?
http://www.rigzsoft.co.uk/timelinefx-particle-effects-editor/

Would probably be a challenge to support every feature, but it's a pretty neat particle editor w/ no AppGameKit import...

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baxslash
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Posted: 24th Apr 2015 17:34
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I've played with TimelineFx before. I don't fancy trying to keep up with the number of features at all to be honest.

I think my system covers a pretty good range so far and I will be adding some cool stuff like more auto-options and physics later (I have an interesting idea for doing water particles). For now I'm working on the level editor this will support which will also include some cool lighting effects for 2D among other things

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SpecTre
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Posted: 24th Apr 2015 17:44
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Quote: "also include some cool lighting effects for 2D among other things "


just gets better and better this project all the time

The Amiga and Amos were great!
Download my game - Paint Pot from Amazon and Google here - http://leap.my-free.website/
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baxslash
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Posted: 24th Apr 2015 18:09
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Quote: "just gets better and better this project all the time"

Thanks SpecTre, but this is the MAIN PROJECT

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Posted: 25th Apr 2015 00:35
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Cool baxslash. Love all the tools you've done and you're doing now.

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Posted: 29th Apr 2015 09:42
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This is really great, thanks!

Shame it's on the PC, was hoping to ditch the PC and go full mac.
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baxslash
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Posted: 30th Apr 2015 00:41
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Quote: "Shame it's on the PC, was hoping to ditch the PC and go full mac."

Sorry but I'm a Windows developer in the day and there just aren't any multi-platform UI kits I know enough about to be useful. You could always run a virtual machine on your Mac

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