Force software rendering?

[doimus]

Is it posible to force GLB into using software rendering instead of OpenGL?
I would like to test how my game would run without hardware acceleration, and if it runs decently in software, I would like to keep it that way.

[Moru]

You could always install windows on a VirtualBox and run from there, this has no real 3D support (if you disable the 3D support setting)

[Kitty Hello]

If you want the software rasterizer from the Wiz, there's emulators for PocketPC.

[doimus]

I guess software mode is just OpenGL implementation without hardware acceleration right?

It's just that I'm all into retro game-dev thingy these days, and the usual 2D-in-3D is kind of "limited" for that usage. 
It would be nice if we had "proper" 2D support in GLB. You know, 256 color limit, palette cycling, masking etc.... and without requiring OGL, DirectX or whatever. Pure hard-core 2D.

If older folk remember PC/Amiga game "Dune" from 1992 - it had the most amazing palette effects ever!
Polygons and textures suck so much compared to paletized sprite graphics!

Youtube linky
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BZXRcwC1UU&feature=related

[Ian Price]

It would be nice if we had "proper" 2D support in GLB. You know, 256 color limit, palette cycling, masking etc.... and without requiring OGL, DirectX or whatever. Pure hard-core 2D.

Seriously? Why?

I'm an avid fan of retro games and have recreated more than a few of them in the form of updated remakes and games in a retro style, but I wouldn't want to go back to those early days. I loved Div Games Studio (DOS coding language) and that did all of what you are suggesting, but I've moved on, as has everyone. Besides, you can limit your palette and artificially recreate colour cycling.

Look at the things you'd be missing if it was pure 2D - scaling, rotation, alpha blending egtc. etc.

GLBasic does an excellent job with 2D on 3D. Let's just leave it as it is (with extras as they come).

If you want pure 2D, there are other languages out there that cater for your needs, or you could just go back to the Amiga...

[doimus]

Oh, I wasn't all that serious about that request... more like rantings of a grumpy old gamer.... 


Div Games Studio looks interesting... is that still available?

I was thinking about developing something for DOS and then releasing it bundled with DOSBox = instant multiplatform support! I'm currently tryng to get Allegro running on DOS, but setting up DJGPP compiler is kind of out of my league...

edit: BTW, how can I fake palette shifting in GLB?

[MrTAToad]

Its most likely impossible without an 8 bit colour palette - you would have to do all the colour rotations yourself

[Kitty Hello]

You can do all the retro stuff with modern hardware as well. Color cycling e.g. can be done with a pixel shader. The masking options in GLBasic are pretty sufficient for what you mostly need. A pixel shader can extend it even more, too.

[Albert]

I've also interested. Is it possibole to write a modul for glBasic to compile with Allegro or SDL. Because on my crappy netbook programs compiled with Allegro and SDL runs really fast, compare to glBasic. If it is possible, I would like to help...

[Kuron]

Albert:  Have you downloaded and installed the latest video card drivers for your notebook?

Windows only ships with software support for OpenGL.  If you want hardware support, you need to download the video card drivers from the manufacturers site.

I have an Eee 4G Surf and GLBasic stuff runs great on it.  You can't get more of a limited spec system than that.

[Ian Price]

If you want hardware support, you need to download the video card drivers from the manufacturers site.

Do notebooks not come with the manufacturer's gfx card's drivers then? 

[Kuron]

Do notebooks not come with the manufacturer's gfx card's drivers then? 

It really depends on the manufacturer, it is not uncommon for some budget PCs (desktop and notebook) to ship with the graphics drivers that are included with Windows. 

However, I was referring to the manufacturer of the graphics card, not the PC manufacturer.  Any graphics drivers that come with your PC are usually grossly outdated by the time you get the PC.  Graphics drivers are usually updated every couple of months, if not sooner.

We also do not know the specs on Albert's notebook to help him further