Well it sounds nice, but there will be a lot of features lost. I'm not against cross platform games, but there sure are a lot of drawbacks. I think you should only do it if cross platform technology, like speach is better developed. I'm also not sure about this, but isn't all linex software supposed to be freeware? ----- Original Message ----- From: "Thomas Ward" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <gamers@audyssey.org> Sent: Wednesday, January 02, 2008 8:15 AM Subject: [Audyssey] Raceway for Mac or Linux?
> Hello gamers, > For about a month or so I have been doing research for USA Games on how > to expand our future titles to target Mac, Linux, and Windows operating > systems all at the same time. While my research isn't complete I do have > some options on how I might actually target all three major operating > systems at once. If research is successful I would like to convert all > of the existing Raceway code over to a non-Windows specific language so > I can support Mac, Linux, and Windows all at the same time. There are > advantages and disadvantages to doing this which I would like to point > out below. > The obvious major advantage would be that no longer would a gamer have > to be running Windows x to play accessible games like Raceway. Weather > you use Mac, Linux, or Windows as your favorite os of choice you can > play Raceway and future USA Games titles using the same technology. > IN addition operating systems such as Linux with little to no high > quality accessible games would be an equally powerful accessible gaming > platform. Since Linux OS is free and my games are pretty cheap by most > currancy standards it would save gamers money if they chose it as their > gaming platform. > One other advantage of going multiplatform in general that I think would > be good for this comunity is platform independant networked games. > Everyone who plays Rail Racer says that the online racing aspect is the > high point of the game. Now, imagine taking that idea, build it using > Java's excelant platform independant networking API, and play against > blind players on any operating system out there. You might be running > Windows Vista while the guy you are racing against is on Linux or Mac. > However, there are a few pit falls and disadvantages I'd like to mention > which I think should be addressed here. > First, to insure maximum platform independence I would not likely be > using DirectX as the multimedia API of choice. As a result some of the > features of Raceway that were promised like force feedback stearing > wheels, would have to be dropped in favor of using more generic and > universal input devices like mice and keyboards with universal keyboard > standards. This won't likely go down well with Raceway fans hoping for > these features. > Second, is the question of speech output. Every operating system has its > own unique way of presenting text to speech. For Windows it is done > through Microsoft Speech API 5 and on say Linux the Gnome-Speech API > handles things like tts for applications. Obviously, making specific > wrappers for each > operating systems tts is time consuming and difficult. The more logical > thing would be to use wav samples of speech like many other accessible > games do That would be platform independant, but increase the size of > the games quite a bit, and could cutdown performence. > One option I have if I pick Java is include the Free TTS engine in with > my games. The problem with that approach is that the voice is very > robotic and sounds like Robby the Robot on crack. Though, it would > offer the possability to create built in chat clients and other platform > independant gaming tools that requires a tts engine. > One thing about Raceway that bothers me is the custom driver feature. > While it is no sweat to have a language like Java read a list of custom > drivers from an xml file it wouldn't work if all the voice clips are wav > files. To pull that off you need something like Gnome-Speech, Sapi, etc > to read any updates or changes to the game made outside the factory > defaults. Either that or Free TTS which sounds terrible. in the end I > might have to cut out that feature which some customers might not like > as well. > As a developer I am really torn by what I want to do, and what is good > for the game. I know many of you had requested features, suggestions, > etc that if I stick with Windows is all very possible. However, I've > been on the orca mailing list for Linux, seen recent Mac posts on this > list, and I can clearly see that multiplatform games are beginning to be > in demand. I think it is time that accesible game developers begin > thinking about the possability of making games truly accessible to all. > Rather than just an elite group of Windows users. > How would you feel about games like USA Raceway, STFC, etc going > multiplatform? Since STFC 2.0 is still in early production I should have > no issues converting the existing code to Java, Python, or something > else once I decide on what I need to do to make all this happen. Raceway > is obviously further along, but the basic logic is done, and just needs > converted from C-Sharp to whatever language I choose so no big deal > there. Just will take a month or two extra to convert and test what I > have written already. > I am looking forward to any thoughts, comments, or suggestions you have > about this possability. > > > --- > Gamers mailing list __ Gamers@audyssey.org > If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at > http://audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. > All messages are archived and can be searched and read at > http://www.mail-archive.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED] > If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the > list, > please send E-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] --- Gamers mailing list __ Gamers@audyssey.org If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at http://audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. 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