Which would be my best FB compiler version for these type of

[Nemesis]

games... VGA 320X200X256 or better graphics, midi or better sound & sound FX. Generes like RPG, SPACE SHOOTERS,PLATFORMS,FPS 3-D, but nothing real fancy, etc.. (I could basically make these games in QB,
but need the more modern OS support like FB has.)
Which version would suit me best to accomplish these tasks, with tight and small, (quick too), compiled standalone .exe's?
But I don't want one that has strayed to far from QB.
I heard v0.15 was pretty stable, and didn't contain many bugs.
Any other suggestions or feedback?...

P.s.. also where can the public d/l earlier versions of FB?

Thanx,

Nemesis

[relsoft]

The latest 18b version supports just about anything. From QB compatible code, FB 17b and below, to lang deprecated so you should download the latest version if I were you.

Then you also want to DL FBedit as it has defaults for almost all the command line arguments. Like QB, FBedit gives you the ability to "code, click, and run"

[Nodtveidt]

As rel says, the latest beta is fine. The only thing you have to remember is that you are going to have to declare all variables before using them, which coders should be doing anyways.

If you're going to code in QB-like code, either -lang qb or -lang deprecated will work for you. If you want to take full advantage of FB's features, you'd need to get used to all of its newer features. Personally, I use -lang deprecated for my big FB project at the moment.

You're also not going to want to limit yourself to the piddly old 320x200x256 color mode. Game development is confined to the dark ages of computing when using such obsolete modes. If anything, go for 640x480x16bpp. Or, if you insist on using old low-res modes, go for 320x240x32bpp, as it's FAR more widely supported on modern hardware than 320x200x256 (which some newer cards are mysteriously unable to do, despite being a BIOS native mode). As for sound...ditch the MIDI junk and go for modules or ogg, both are far superior and easily supported on all modern operating systems by a large number of single- and cross-platform libraries. Also, avoid mp3.

And above all else...avoid anti-FB zealots, as they're rather ignorant.

[Nemesis]

K, I'll try out the newest version. Thanx Rel.

Or, if you insist on using old low-res modes, go for 320x240x32bpp, as it's FAR more widely supported on modern hardware than 320x200x256 (which some newer cards are mysteriously unable to do, despite being a BIOS native mode).

Cool, this is the kind of sh!7 I wanted to know.
Thanx Nodtveidt!

As for sound...ditch the MIDI junk and go for modules or ogg, both are far superior and easily supported on all modern operating systems by a large number of single- and cross-platform libraries. Also, avoid mp3.

K... this is some valuable info too, as I was thinking of using mp3, but now
Im leaning towards mod's. (Never heard of ogg?)

And above all else...avoid anti-FB zealots, as they're rather ignorant.

Heh... I program in QB+ASM mostly. I used FB once, a couple years ago
for a lottery planner + database program for my dads new laptop, which wouldn't run 16 bit programs at all, but it worked perfect with FB.
Now I'm gonna make a few games with FB, and have a few projects/games I'll be working with in QB too, so these anti-FBers
wont bother me a bit

Cya,

Thanx again.

[Lachie Dazdarian]

Cool. Looking forward to your games.

I would appreciate if you would advertise them in the FBGD forum too (http://games.freebasic.ent/forum).

If you insisit on using 320*240 resolution, you can always use Scale2X or Resize2X function to double your screen for people who can't run such low-res programs in full screen. Always make both screen modes available in such cases.

Check FBGD forum for Scale2X (programming section). You can find a cool pixel perfect collision routine there and, well...all kinds of stuff.

BTW, made any QB games? I'm curious.

[BadMrBox]

Yeah, most cards doesnt support 320x240 fullscreen... or windows vista. Scale2x functions are essential I would say.

[Nodtveidt]

Nemesis, Ogg is a container type for media files. Most commonly, it's used for streaming audio using the Vorbis codec (hence Ogg Vorbis). It's patent-free and of much better quality than mp3. Files tend to be smaller and sound better too as long as they're encoded from their original uncompressed source (NOT converted from mp3).

[Nemesis]

Cool. Looking forward to your games.

I would appreciate if you would advertise them in the FBGD forum too (http://games.freebasic.ent/forum).

If you insisit on using 320*240 resolution, you can always use Scale2X or Resize2X function to double your screen for people who can't run such low-res programs in full screen. Always make both screen modes available in such cases.

Check FBGD forum for Scale2X (programming section). You can find a cool pixel perfect collision routine there and, well...all kinds of stuff.

BTW, made any QB games? I'm curious.

Great I'll check out the URL,and post my project(s) for FB there.

And the QB stuff I have going on now is just my Stratego clone.
An old version can be d/l in Pete's download section under strategy games, calles Strategq. The AI sucks in that version but the more recent
build is a little better. (AI for a game like this is unorthodox.)
Any ways my first FB game will be a martial arts real time RPG.
(Should be real fun to make.)

Thanx again.

Nemesis

[BadMrBox]

Any ways my first FB game will be a martial arts real time RPG.

Yay! I'm looking forward to see something about the game

[Nodtveidt]

Any ways my first FB game will be a martial arts real time RPG.
(Should be real fun to make.)

Hey, that sounds awesome. I have a game design here for a similar game I was planning a few years ago called Keikaina, which was an RPG mixed with real-time fighting a la SF2. Good to know I'm not the only one interested in such hybrid genre games.

[TmEE]

I once thought of starting using FB , but I never took off.... then I discovered Sega Mega Drive and don't feel like making games for PC anymore. I write all my utils in QB45, and the most powerful sound tools for the mentioned game console are written in QB45 by me