2009 PlayBASIC (game programming) Competition Starting Soon !

Surprise! - Yes, we've lined up another wacky competition for all the code crushing indie game programmers/designers out there.

What is it / When does it start ?

Visit Forums

http://www.Playbasic.com

Work is progressing fairly well on the next major PlayBasic update. So far i'm focusing upon adding some features that are from the PlayBasic V2.00 (PBFX) design doc..

Latest additions are a bunch of new C styled math short cuts to the parser.

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PlayBasic V1.64j2 _Retail Upgrade_ is Now Available (14th, Sep, 2009)

This release updates the PlayBasic V1.63w2 -> V1.64j retail editions to the current retail release version of PlayBasic V1.64j2. However, if your edition of the PB is older than PB1.63w2, then you'll need to install that patch prior to updating the latest.

The PB1.64j package includes updates of PB Compiler, Release / Debug Runtimes, SLIBS, DOCS & IDE V1.17. The main changes for various SLIB updates and a healthy 180K reduction in the runtime sizes.

See Announcement

This little example load a MD2 model (ID softwares Quake2 model format) and renders the model on screen (using TextureTri) with animation. The demo has various key controls to set the rendering mode and you can rotate the models using the arrow keys.

Demo Controls:

Arrows = Control object rotation

F1 = Toggle Filtering (Bilinear filtering)

F2 = Set texture drawing to "solid"
F3 = Set texture drawing to "Alpha50"
F4 = Set texture drawing to "Alpha add"
F5 = Set texture drawing to "Alpha Subtract"

ESC = EXIT DEMO

Download:

Quake MD2 Loader Test V0.02

Pics:

-

This update corrects a few bugs in the original library and expands the frame sheet command set. There's also a new example included (beat'em up) to help demonstrate how to manage multiple character animations.

Have fun !

See Announcement

This initial version of PlayFont is purely for the quick conversion of windows bitmap (2bit) and windows true type fonts (8bit) into PlayBasic V1.64's CRF format.

The tool simply lets the user select a windows font, then it converts it into CRF for you. You can view it in the main display window. Moreover, you can change the display message by entering your own message in the input box at the bottom. Just so you can check particular characters. At the moment the tool has no low level editing (ie. individual chr widths ) so there's not too much to it.

Download

Download PlayFont (Basic Edition) V0.01

PlayBasic FX (PBFX) V1.75 editions are a continuation of the migration away from the Vm1 environment to a pure VM2 environment.

The new betas corrects a few more bugs and update the parser .

www.underwaredesign.com

PlayBasic V1.64j _Retail Upgrade_ is Now Available (1st, June, 2009)

This release updates the existing [b]PB1.63w2[/b] retail release to the current retail release version of PlayBasic V1.64j. Therefore you'll need to install patch PB1.63w2 (at least) prior to this one ! (if you haven't already)

The PB1.64j package includes updates of PB Compiler, Release / Debug Runtimes, SLIBS, DOCS & IDE V1.17. The main new additions in this editions are lots of new optimizations. Faster bilinear filtering, polygons , binding etc etc

For more information about PlayBasic, please visit the Play Basic home page and download the FREE learning edition and dive in.

Url: www.PlayBasic.UnderwareDesign.com

Download Upgrade

See announcement to Download Upgrade

While PlayBasic V1.64J is currently in beta testing, here's some pic's of new effects and speed ups available in the J revision.

PlayBasic V1.64 j Gallery

Here at Underware Design.coml we're in need of a talented, enthusiast and highly motivated Web Designer / Artist to build a new PlayBasic.com home page. This task will involve designing and ultimately creating the art (logos/banners/clip art) / page templates. Beyond this, there will be future freelance opportunities. But first things first :)

If you're interested or just have a some design ideas, free feel to contact me (Email Kevin).

We're looking for user feedback on the future of running PlayBasic game programming competitions.. so fire away!

Visit Poll

This release updates the retail release to the current retail release version of PlayBasic V1.64i.

The PB1.64i package includes updates of PB Compiler, Release / Debug Runtimes, SLIBS, DOCS & IDE V1.17. The main new additions in this editions would the introduction of PlayBasic's new Compressed Raster Font engine (CRF for short), which includes not only faster rendering, but Alpha Channel and Tint support, but Compressed Raster font's can be drawn to any PB surface. Speaking of Alpha Channel support, you can now use AFX images with Maps also. Beyond that, speed wise 1.64I has a number of MMX machine code optimizations in the rendering engine and almost completely new revision of the scene buffer capturing code.

Note: Compressed Raster Fonts can't currently be created within a PB program (at least not easily), so in order to convert a Windows TrueType or a custom bitmap font, you'll have to do this manually. At least for the time being.

For more information about PlayBasic, please visit the Play Basic home page and download the [b]FREE learning edition[/b] and dive in.

Url: www.PlayBasic.UnderwareDesign.com

Download Upgrade

Official Announcement

Multisync is a multiplayer plugin originally designed for use with DBpro/C++, utilizing the TCP protocol and the client/server networking model. Multisync is developed by Benjamin Wharton.

This package includes a wrapper for using MultiSync with PlayBasic. The wrapper was developed by Kevin Picone.

Download

Download MultiSync For PlayBasic

What's the Free PlayBasic Initiative all about ? - Well, It's simply a way for us reward those who are willing to participate and share their PlayBasic knowledge / skills with the community, to enrich the community in some way. As a programmer for the better part of 27 years, I've been active contributor on various platforms and languages throughout that time. What I've found is that such contributions don't go unnoticed and have led to various incentives from software & hardware freebies through job offers. In the case of PlayBasic, we'll be giving out free copies of the retail version to people who show they're committed to PlayBasic community and PlayBasic development.

So primarily the initiative is to encourage users of the PlayBasic Learning Edition to make a bigger contribution to the PlayBasic community. This contribution could be a write a Game, submit Source Codes / Tutorial Set / Media Packs or other. To see how you can help out, make sure you check out the FAQ

See FAQ

See Results

See Entries

Read Submission Guidelines

http://HeroesQuestCompetition.UnderwareDesign.com

The PB1.64 package includes updates of PB Compiler, Release / Debug Runtimes & IDE V1.17. This update brings a world of new functionality to the graphics engine. While most of the changes are to give the classic edition of PlayBasic the same basic controls as it's replacement (PBFX), there are some unique features also. So without further adue, lets pick through the main ones.

See Full Release Announcement

For round up of what's in beta 5-10 see Here

Latest Beta12 round up is Here

• (Rotated Filter/tint/Alpha Sprite)

• (Texture Mapped Tint/Filter)

1st of October 2008

http://www.HeroesQuestCompetition.underwaredesign.com

http://www.underwaredesign.com/nl/

Competition Title: Heroes Quest - 2008 PlayBASIC Game Making Competition

Ever wanted to create your very own action hero like Indiana Jones or Lara croft ? Well if that's you, then you're going to love our 2008 PlayBASIC Game Making competition. In this year's theme, contestants are challenged to design a character-based platformer, where the player guides their hero in search of sacred treasures to save the world - as always. Designers are free to choose any type of platformer representation that see fit, be it side on, top down, isometric or even 3D if they're up to the challenge.

So if this sounds like fun to you, and you have enough grit and determination for yet another game making competition, then head over to the competition site to get started.

http://HeroesQuestCompetition.UnderwareDesign.com

Competition Sponsors:

While we have a growing list of sponsors for the Heroes Quest competition , we would love to expand it further. So if there are any vendors out there who want get involved, then contact http://UnderwareDesign.com as soon as possible.