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This is part question, part speculation, and part dream.

DBPro is so close to having all tools necessary to make industry standard games that it's exciting. If the compiler were fixed, and an algorythm were made that could covert DLL's to be compatible with DBPro, the language would then have all the requirements for it.

The reason the DLL conversion is necessary is that it would allow third party graphics engines to be used, which is key to breaking into the wider industry. This could be accomplished with a C++ program that generates a DLL that accepts input and produces output in the format DBPro can handle. From my studying Direct X, I can tell that this would required little more than a standard DX object and an interface to the main DLL's, such as D3D9.DLL, along with a formating function to convert data types and pass them along.

I'm actually pretty close to having the knowledge to produce such a program, but even with the knowledge, I'm so inexperienced in writing in C++ for Windows that it could take me forever and a day.

Well, that's the speculation part. Here's the question and dream: Why has DBPro never had a booth at E3? If you want to get the attention of gamers and developers across the industry, that's the way to do it. I'm sure that a language simple enough to be picked up effectively in a matter of days by the average gamer would draw attention.

Anyway, what do y'all think?

I think that TGC have picked the market the product serves, and have quite rightly stuck to it. Although DB Pro may be capable of many more things, TGC have a sound business head on the team, and quite often spreading your wings too far in business causes you to hit the ground!

It would be nice to see DB Pro being used for commercial projects like you say, but I don't think it would be the games market where you'll see it. Take the Driving Test products for example, a good use of game-driven technology in a different environment.

yeah no kidding...



I'm not sure what the heck you mean by Fixxed Compiler, and converting DLLs for bt DBP compatible.

DarkBASIC Professional utilises CDECL Calling Convention, any DLL you export capable of exporting functions as such it will be able to read and use. Changing the Compiler to a pure language however, would require a complete rewrite, something that there is a good chance that Lee doesn't even know how to do currently.



Again would require a complete Language overhaul.
OpenGL is already easily possible in DBP, and disabling DirectX again isn't that hard. It is even possible to easily hijack the current engine calls.. But to make it valid for anything except the x86 Windows Platform would require effectively scrapping the current compiler and starting again.



See comments above about Calling Convention.



A new engine is a huge undertaking, I don't think many people understand how much until they try.. alot of OpenGL Engines started, not one has yet to be completed, or even heard much of after the first month.



you realise that one sentance kinda makes no sense, right?



Because it costs, £3,200 to Fly Out (Return).. It would cost a further £1,200 for the 5-days (per person, they jack up the prices in LA when E3 is on).. Further more a Booth for just 1 day at E3 for a floor space of 6x10x6 Meters costs around £5,000.

So those costs aside for something no bigger than a Hot Dog cart, the market DBP caters to wouldn't really fit.. further more I believe your missing a major fact here.

Development Tools are not at the Expo.
You don't see bloody great booths for Microsoft DirectX, or Crition Renderware! The E3 is about showing of new Games and the Hardware to run it on.

Game Developers Conference on the other hand, that is something that DBP 'could' goto. Problem again is.. would anyone in DBPs nitché market be there?



Only Gamers you get there are the gawking ones with too much money. They generally don't have the first clue how thier computer has been put together let along something other than magic created thier entertainment software.

You also have to factor in, DBP can barely compete language wise with it's competition. While DBPs engine is setting the benchmark for everything that follows... the language itself is quite arcane compared to everyone else!

You can use OpenGL in DarkBASIC with DarkGL.

Part of Dark BASIC unchained IIRC.