Click here if you are stuck in someone else's frames.
Useful
Software Tools
When developing programs that use graphics you need a lot of
things besides just a PC. This page highlights a few software
tools that will simplify your programming tasks, or at the very
least, make writing game programs possible.
- Programming languages
The examples displayed on these web pages are written in
either the C or the BASIC language, unless otherwise
stated in the example presented. So a good C compiler or
a good Basic compiler (or interpreter) is required if you
want to try the examples yourself. Particular brand of
compiler is for the most part a personal preference. I
use Turbo C++ 3.0 to compile all of the examples that I
use in the book, but I certainly do not expect people to
own a copy of this so I try to make the source code as
portable as possible. I've even recompiled a lot of the
examples using Microsoft Visual C++ 1.0 compiler in order
to make them available to a wider range of compilers.
I do not recommend trying to code up the examples on
these pages using the free compiler that Borland is
offering in their museum (Turbo C version 2). It cannot
do C++ at all and the C compiler itself has a more
limited library than what is available in TC++ 3.
Obviously Borland gave it away because it is practically
useless in my opinion and you will certainly get better
mileage on this page by using Pacific C. I think Borland
should do the programming community a favor and offer
TC++ 3.0 for free rather than continue to try to push in
in their Turbo C Development Suite package, but this is
just my opinion.
The BASIC examples are done using Microsoft's QuickBASIC
and some of them may work in QBasic that comes with
MS-DOS 5.0 and later. As far as using other BASIC
compilers, you're pretty much on your own there. My
apologies for this but I do not find the BASIC language
on a whole to be that useful for doing low level
programming tasks. Some people are able to use Power
Basic as a better QBasic replacement that supports low
level tasks much better.
BASIC
Programming Tools
C
Programming Tools
- Drawing programs
A paintbrush type program is a must for working with
graphics. I use them myself both for graphics / game
programs as well as for creating and editing some of the
graphics files found on my web pages. PaintShop Pro seems
to be a favorite on everyone's list as far as Windows
programs are concerned and I certainly would not argue on
the fact that it is certainly a very capable editor.
However, I've also found that Neopaint from a company
called Neosoft does a good job for most of your graphics
editing needs as well.
Neosoft Corporation
- NeoPaint Program.
Jasc Software -
PaintShop Pro Program.
- Creating and editing sound
A sound editing program is a definate must if you want to
add sound effects to your games. Here you are pretty much
free to use whatever you can lay your hands on, but one
thing I should point out is that a good sound capture and
editing file should allow for a wide variaty of formats.
Mainly formats like WAV (Windows), and VOC (Creative
Labs). I personally use Goldwave's Digital Audio Editor
for my sound editing needs. Not only am I able to create
and edit sound files in any of the sound formats that I
choose, but I also use it to occassionally rip MP3's from
my CD's.
GoldWave Digital Audio
Editor
