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I have restarted work on a game development studio I started some time ago. I have decided to make it completely WinForms based, (as WPF is very confusing and has a very steep learning curve, and I don't have the time to really learn it right now) and it will use MonoGame as the backend engine.
Here are some of the features I have in mind:
* MonoGame backend engine
* WiX, NSIS, and InnoSetup bindings
* WYSIWYG Designers (2D/Tile Based designer will be based on code from tIDE[^], 3D designer will (hopefully) be in a release after v1.0)
* Code autocompletion (obviously)
* Integration with Git, Subversion, and Mercurial
* Extensible (ICSharpCode.Core)
* MSBuild based project file format.
* Possible integration with PyGame
* Macro IDE
* NuGet integration
* Run on a USB Flash Drive (like SharpDevelop)
* Debugger
I am open to any other ideas for AddIns, backend engines, designers, etc. I may eventually port this to WPF if I get enough time, but that will likely be in the future.
I will post a link here when I get a repository created, unless you guys don't want me to.
UPDATE: Due to popular demand, I have decided to bite the bullet and learn WPF. Wish me luck in getting VS to cooperate.
Bob Dole The internet is a great way to get on the net.
 2.0.82.7292 SP6a
modified 29-Jan-13 7:17am.
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Brisingr Aerowing wrote: as WPF is very confusing and has a very steep learning curve
Yes there is a learning curve. But the benefit's in styling layout and the ability to create templates make for a nicer user interface. The binding in wpf is IMHO it's best feature.
WPF is worth the effort.
Frazzle the name say's it all
Always code as if the guy who ends up maintaining your code will be a violent psychopath who knows where you live.
John F. Woods
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WPF is easy!!
I just gave a tutorial to colleague! :P
What you should try to learn (in this order)
1. Basic controls:
- ContentControl (ex: Button, RadioButton, CheckBox, ...), ItemsControl (ex: ComboBox, TabControl, ListBox)
2. Basic UI Brushes, margin, Padding,
3. panels (Grid, StackPanel, DockPanel (klike WinForm anchro) Canvas (like WinForm XY position)
so far just like winform, but cuter (and easier!! :P)
Why WPF Rocks:
4. Basic Data binding: make a business object, bind it to a view, behold, learn minimal styling and templatingg, behold!
5. Bind a list of business data to a business view, behold!
Validation
6. Advanced data template
you could almost do that of your own, I'm sure you could find 5' video on each topic.
When you mast all those 6 point (each easy on its own) you are good enough with WPF!!!
My programming get away... The Blog...
Taking over the world since 1371!
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there's nothign that WPF can do that Winform can't. So can't really justify "learning curve" (Very steep)
This said, I code WPF everyday now and like it's syntax - Microsoft however did not make much advancement other than everything that's syntactic nicety (like WPF ability to define UI in Xaml or XML tags like you do in ASP.NET)
same can be said for WCF, with socket, you can code up everything in a few days from encryption/compression to serialization of object graphs to load balancing - and you can debug all on debugger. With WCF, you need Memorize config settings and COMPLY to "Best Practice" set forth by M$
M$ didn't really have us developers in mind last couple years.
However, I do WPF and WCF everyday now
dev
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The most important things plug-ins for game development are:
- BumOnSeatTime
- FlashyCutSceneMinimiser
- AGoodStory-NotAnyOldDerivativeDrivel.mind
- WellWrittenDialogue
- NoSh*tThrowing
If you make good use of those, it doesn't matter what other frameworks, engines, graphics layers/levels/resolutions etc, you use; people will enjoy it and want to play.
Oh, and aiming and shooting a gun should be easier than it is in real life, not ten times harder, requiring thirteen buttons to be pressed in the right order.
I wanna be a eunuchs developer! Pass me a bread knife!
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Yes, in general. But if I got him right, OP is about to make a game creation framework, not a game.
Ciao,
luker
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Not a framework (there are enough of those already), but an actual IDE.
Bob Dole The internet is a great way to get on the net.
2.0.82.7292 SP6a
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My mistake.
Cool, though. I'll probably enjoy playing with an IDE more than playing a game made with it.
I wanna be a eunuchs developer! Pass me a bread knife!
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Brisingr Aerowing wrote: as WPF is very confusing and has a very steep learning curve
I had the same feeling before I learned WPF, but if you wrestle through a book, you'll be up and running in less then a week. (Ok, if you can afford the time, if you only work on it after office hours it's of course longer) .
My advise is not be afraid of WPF, I found it confusing at first too, but then I figured it was not that different from designing a webpage and of I went.
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I'm looking forward to seeing it. Good luck.
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Thanks. I will need it.
Bob Dole The internet is a great way to get on the net.
2.0.82.7292 SP6a
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Don't forget to ask if you're having problems with WPF - I know one or two things about it.
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I likely will. Thanks for the offer for help. Right now I am just getting the layout of the project set up (e.g. creating the projects/creating the files/stubbing out the methods/etc.) I will actually start writing the code when all of that is finished. Makes it easier to write the code without having to switch between three or four files while coding.
Bob Dole The internet is a great way to get on the net.
 2.0.82.7292 SP6a
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I must admit, my thought was actually that if you aren't comfortable writing in WPF, then there's no reason you shouldn't use Windows Forms. There are a lot of theme engines for WinForms that would allow you to redesign how your application looks, and it removes one of the barriers to entry for you.
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