Windows - Universal App?

[Darmakwolf]

Just a thought.

I have a Microsoft Xbox Series X console. I realized it has a Windows subsystem, and literally runs "Universal" Windows apps - and can be submitted to the store for sale. Retroarch was ported to Windows Universal app, and is available (can compile in Visual Studio / drop the package onto the xbox and run it the same as in Windows,)

Could GLBasic easily support the universal Windows platform? It does allow OpenGL, and presumably SDL because Retroarch is able to use both of those things. Or is this less trivial than I'm thinking?

Gernot?

[Youkaisan]

I found this tool on MS website.
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/msix-packaging-tool/9n5lw3jbcxkf?activetab=pivot:overviewtab

Basically it's a tool to package your Win32 games to UWP container, that you can use it on Windows Store.

Exporting to pure UWP need some recompile for better effeiciency, but I've learned you can also package a exported HTML5 project to UWP via Visual Studio, however as I know the speed is not very ideal, but for 2D game it should somehow sufficient.

[dreamerman]

@Youkaisan was faster than me.
Previously that tool was known as 'Desktop App Converter' and was capable of for example converting win32 VLC player app to UWP platform some random video
From what I've read somewhere years ago it can also wrap OpenGL calls to DirectX and so on, so should be able to convert GLB app into UWP, if You have a lot of willpower I hope that You can test it and see if it would work.

Other way would be directly importing GLB project temporary C++ sources to VisualStudio and trying to build app as UWP, there was even some OpenGL to DX wrapper that would alow to direct use of OpenGL commands in source so they wouldn't be altered.

[Kitty Hello]

I found a way to make appx packages for the Windows App Store. Are you interested?

[dreamerman]

If that would be a proper UWP app that will be great, as Xbox console's have 'dev mode' that allows for much simpler testing such games as developer and there would be some chance to publish them on Microsoft Store for consoles as indie dev, of course if game would be compliant with the guidelines. That would be in form of ready to use appx package or VisualStudio project file (I don't know if consoles have proper debug mode that would send some debug info to connected pc like it's working in smartphones)? Anyway all additional platforms are welcome.

[Darmakwolf]

Gernot - any progress on this? A UWP option would be amazing!

[Kitty Hello]

Attached is a batch script, that tells you wat to do and how to wrap an exe file.
I wanted to make an easier to use program for this, but, hey, it's a start.

[erico]

If it could give access to the xbox store it sure will be a nice add. I will look the batch up. Thanks!