Thread: Which compiler

  1. #1
    pwns nooblars
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    Which compiler

    Hey, I am new to the gaming programming area, mostly I just make tools at work to make my work go faster and assist my co-workers, but I have, as many before me, developed the want to attempt to develop a video game. I am currently learning SDL, and found a nice tutorial (I posted it in the game programming tutorials thread). Currently I use Dev-C++ 4.9.9.2 but I am not afraid or unwilling to attempt new compilers and would like to know if there are any free alternatives that are better suited to the task of game development. I tried searching the forums and found one post that said use what you are familar with, and another one that was like 5 years old that a bunch of people argued in.

    So, is there a compiler better suited to game development, or should I just stick with what I have learned so far.

    ~Wraith

    PS: Thank you guys for all the help I have gleamed from the posts to others threads, there is a wealth of information in this forum.

  2. #2
    Registered User Kurisu's Avatar
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    Dev-C++ runs the Mingw (the more-or-less standard Linux compiler) compiler system right?

    I'm not a compiler guru, but I do know of another free compiler that I briefly messed with:

    Microsoft Visual C++ Toolkit 2003: Microsoft C/C++ Optimizing Compiler and Linker. These are the same compiler and linker that ship with Visual Studio .NET 2003 Professional!

    Link: http://msdn.microsoft.com/visualc/vctoolkit2003/

    As for one with the best efficiency, hopefully someone else can answer your question. I just figured I'd throw this one out there to be praised or used as cannon fodder by the anti-paranoid-Bill Gates crowd.
    Last edited by Kurisu; 02-06-2006 at 02:22 AM.

  3. #3
    60% Braindead
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    I'm sure their are some made for games, but at the moment I'd say stick with dev. I've heard of MINGw but I dont know anything about it.

    Right now I'm using borland bcc32 and I'm very happy with it :P. Though, I havent gotten into anything graphical.
    Code:
    Error W8057 C:\\Life.cpp: Invalid number of arguments in function run(Brain *)

  4. #4
    pwns nooblars
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    Yeah, MinGW is the Windows port of gcc. It seems to work well for the task, just thought I would ask. I may look into VC++, I hear about it all the time, then I also hear many things that are not so nice about it (maybe because most of the places I frequent are anti-M$.

    Another quick question, while I am thinking about it though, does one typically make a level designer to design the layout and everything, so not everything has to be coded and can be made with click and drag and the like?

  5. #5
    Call me AirBronto
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    If you are using OpenGL, most will work, if you are using DirectX, use a MSVC compiler

  6. #6
    chococoder
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    and devshed is another gcc port to Windows
    They're the same compiler but compiled using different libraries.

    MSVC is most used commercially now, with Intel probably a good second.
    Borland is more used in business environments (client/server stuff).

    devshed and mingw are almost exclusively used in hobby projects.

  7. #7
    Registered User Kurisu's Avatar
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    On another similar question to the original.

    Is anyone in here using Microsoft's Free C++ 2005 Express IDE?

    Just wondering if I should DL it or just stick with MV C++ 6.0, which I've had for sometime now and I remember having trouble compiling certain more advanced features of DirectX. I used the Free 2003 Compiler + CodeBlocks IDE before to fix these issues, but always preferred Microsoft's IDE packages with the nice built in debugger.

    (For coding/compiling DirectX games & WINAPI stuff)
    Last edited by Kurisu; 02-06-2006 at 01:54 PM.

  8. #8
    Yah. Morgul's Avatar
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    I am using MSVC++ 2005 Express Edition, and I'd say it is definitely worth getting. The debugger is a big help most of the time. Poor documentation on some aspects can be a drawback, but that's Microsoft for you. The help links right into their forums so that can be very useful and supplements their poor built in help files, if you can call them that.

    At least worth a try.
    Sic vis pacum para bellum. If you want peace, prepare for war.

  9. #9
    S Sang-drax's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Kurisu
    Is anyone in here using Microsoft's Free C++ 2005 Express IDE?
    Yes, it is wonderful! Best IDE I've seen and it's free!
    Last edited by Sang-drax : Tomorrow at 02:21 AM. Reason: Time travelling

  10. #10
    Registered User Kurisu's Avatar
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    Thnx guys I think I'll giver a go. The features & screenshots for 2005 Express looked cool, but without reviews of users on their site to supplement I wasn't sure. I'm definitely gonna grab 'er now..

  11. #11
    chococoder
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    Quote Originally Posted by Morgul
    Poor documentation on some aspects can be a drawback, but that's Microsoft for you.
    No, that's called getting what you pay for.
    Microsoft has excellent documentation, but it will cost you.

  12. #12
    Yah. Morgul's Avatar
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    Not from my experience. But then again I don't pay Microsoft very often.


    Microsoft: You've got questions, we've got dancing paperclips.
    Sic vis pacum para bellum. If you want peace, prepare for war.

  13. #13
    chococoder
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    Their documentation at any stage is no worse than that from their competitors and often better (Borland excluded maybe, they were in the past known for their stellar documentation but have gone down a bit).

  14. #14
    Yah. Morgul's Avatar
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    You are aweful defensive of Microsoft against people's opinions, aren't you? I don't want to start arguing about it, and your comments will probably not change my opinion.
    Sic vis pacum para bellum. If you want peace, prepare for war.

  15. #15
    pwns nooblars
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    Nah, he just stated some facts, you bashed microsoft, he just counter bashed. You could have left it at it has poor documentation, and not have to bash all of microsoft (which in my opinion has had decent documentation when ever I needed anything).

    So lets leave the company behind the product behind and look at the product itself (Xbox is a good system that I had many good times with friends at parties on)

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