VBGamer (© 2002) - vb net. vs vb6 or even vb5......?

vb net. vs vb6 or even vb5......?
masterbooda	I am a sucker for the old stuff, I was using qbasic up until '97... pretty sad I know..... now I have been stuck with vb5 since..... I even have six on disc... I just won't use it..... All that asside... I need to know if the vb .net is that much better... I have seen a few games made in it and I see no difference..... I know that you can't use DirectX9 without it.... but is it that much better if all that you are doing is making 2d games..... Don't get me wrong I have wrote a few things for 3d and I can easily port a game in 3d, but like I said I'm a nostalgic old fool... who still owns a 8-bit nintendo...... and I'm just wondering If I ported games in vb .net would I be killing a large part of the people who could play it... What are the advantages of going to a higher version at this point in time...? Thank you for any input... DaBooda Out...... P.S. And Eric I know you secretly cringe when you see a post with my name on it... but I promise to remain civil...... honest.... (hmmm, maybe its all the dots................)
VBBR	Q: VB.NET: Yes or No? A: VB.NET is still a little green. Better wait for Longhorn if it's the case. Q: VB6 or VB5? A: VB6 certainly. VB6 is VB5 + some nifty things. The structure is the same. Q: Is it possible to use DirectX9 in VB6? A: Not directly. BUT you can use some wrapper, like [url="www.revolution3d.net"]THIS[/url] one. Q: So, what do I do? A: Use VB6 with the Revolution3D engine. [:D]
masterbooda	Q: Is Booda happy for the answer? A: Yes, Booda is estatic Q: Will Booda switch over to VB6? A: Probably, but let the old fool slowly adjust. Q: Will I ever quit talking in the third person. A: Booda will sooner or later. DaBooda out... P.s. Thanks vbbr.........hmmm.........what does vbbr stand for?
VBBR	Q: What does VBBR stand for? A: hehe, try to find out... I bet you can... Q: Will you stop overusing the "point" key? A: ..........
masterbooda	Q: What does VBBR stand for? A: Visual Basic Balistic Robot... Q: Will Booda ever stop overusing the "point" key? A: ................................................................Probably not.............. DaBooda out....
Eric Coleman	Since C++ can use the unmanaged version od DirectX 9, I don't see why VB5 or VB6 can't use Directx 9 as well. You'll just need to create a type library, similar to what Patrice Scribe did for Directx 3, 5, and 6. All it amounts too is downloading the SDK and converting the directx header files (*.h) into IDL (Interface Definition Language). VB 5 and 6 come with MKTYPLIB so you can create your own type libraries. Patrice Scribe is also the one that created a WIN32 type library so one could always have access to the API without having to search for and declare everything. The only problem that I see is that the new features in DirectX 9 are very specific to only the newest and most expensive hardware, so most people won't be able to use a program that uses those features. And lets face it, there are no VB programs that make extensive use of Vertex and Pixel shaders. HLSL seems nice, but who can realistically create a game that uses it?
masterbooda	That was one of my worries, compatibilty... I will just wait for a couple of years until everyone, including me is up to par with the language and hardware, and then get into it....... I mean, as long as the vb I'm using does what I need it to do... its no worrys...and the lower version I'm using means more compatibility for others... Thanks for the info.. DaBooda out....
VBBR	But VB5 to VB6 in terms of compatibility I think is the same...
Eric Coleman	When it comes to game programming, the differences are extremly small. VB6's improvments over VB5 are more in terms of website and database tools. VB6 has a few extra string functions and can easily be emulated, but for game programming, especially when using Directx or OpenGL, those missing string functions aren't that big of an issue. There is one function that might be of use to you, which is CallByName. It allows you to specify a string which is a name of a funtion in your project. Typically this would be used for a scripting language, and it is quite handy. However, I would suggest simply using Microsoft's Scripting Control for flexibility. You can accomplish the same functionality as CallByName. Unless your scripting engine is written in C or C++, then MS scripting control is probably going to be faster than anything created in VB. It's a fully a functional and extendable scripting framework already written in C++, so it's fast in terms of scripting, especially when you use it as a simple framework and provide your own compiled classes to be used within the control. I'm pretty sure you can use the Scripting control in VB5, so the CallByName difference isn't some to switch over.
EACam	No no no...VB5 is total crapatable! I used VB6 for a while, then lost it when re-installing windows so I was forced to use VB5...I HATE IT! It's almost identical except: No Round function No Replace function No VB InLine ASM Add-In Randomly crashes often No VB 6 Controls (SSTab, etc.)...I think Many more! Those few things make a big difference. VB 6 is the way to go. I, fortunately, have it now only because I actually copied it from my other computer (no installation, just copy). So I had to do all the file association myself, but it was worth it!
masterbooda	Now I used to have the crashing problem... it crashed, especially when I was using defined types, because that tool window would pop up, but it was some window's program running in the background on startup... I removed that, and I have ran it just fine, as for the other things, I have yet to need them or ran into any situation, that couldn't avoid... Mainly I was just concerned that if I didn't jump into something newer, I would be left behind in the dust... but I will always be in the dust, and prefer it... DaBooda out....
ocliff	quote: Originally posted by Eric Coleman Since C++ can use the unmanaged version od DirectX 9, I don't see why VB5 or VB6 can't use Directx 9 as well. You'll just need to create a type library, similar to what Patrice Scribe did for Directx 3, 5, and 6. All it amounts too is downloading the SDK and converting the directx header files (*.h) into IDL (Interface Definition Language). VB 5 and 6 come with MKTYPLIB so you can create your own type libraries. Patrice Scribe is also the one that created a WIN32 type library so one could always have access to the API without having to search for and declare everything. This sounds really smart, do you have any example of this converting-process, I'm not sure where I should start. Do I need to convert all the header files in the include-folder (dxsdk), what tools are required... I'm really stuck so any help is very appreciated.
VBBR	Or you could use a graphics engine that makes it possible to use DirectX9 indirectly from VB5-6... Like [url="www.revolution3d.net"]THIS[/url] one.
Sr. Guapo	ocliff, try doing a google for that... I'm sure someone has a tutorial (maybe even M$) for doing that sort of thing... Oh, and VBBR, do you work fo revolution3D?... [:p]
VBBR	lol, it really seems, don't it? No, in fact I really like this engine and would like more people here use it! The more people are using it, I guess the better it will become, right? And I will use it (of course) for the VB Adventure Maker...
masterbooda	That revolution 3d engine is pretty nice , I dabbled with it for a little bit, and if I ever toss 2d to the side, I might decide to use it to create a game or two... but that will be awhile...lol Dabooda out...
Eric Coleman	quote: Originally posted by ocliff This sounds really smart, do you have any example of this converting-process, I'm not sure where I should start. Do I need to convert all the header files in the include-folder (dxsdk), what tools are required... I'm really stuck so any help is very appreciated. I do have a program that I wrote that would convert the type library from the "OLE/COM object viewer" program into a format that is compatible with compiling with the MKTYPLIB program. Also, I need to clarify some of the stuff I said earlier. MKTYPLIB.EXE compiles .ODL files, MIDL.EXE compiles .IDL files. The OLE/COM Object Viewer exports .IDL files. The reason I created a program to convert the .IDL to .ODL was that I had problems getting MIDL to compile my type libraries. Things you need for this is the DirectX 9 C++ SDK, the unmanaged version, you'll need to convert the header files into either IDL(interface definition language) or ODL(object definition language?). Then you'll need either MKTYPLIB or MIDL to compile into a type library. You may want to download some of Patrice Scribes type libraries, and then open them with the OLE/COM viewer program to see the IDL source. You could open the Directx 7 or 8 type libraries, but that won't help you much because those type libraries are type libraries for a wrapper ActiveX dll, which do not correspond to the actuall directx objects. Another option to consider is an ActiveX dll. Click on the "Articles" link on the right of this page, and read the article "Nitro for VB" by Torsten Damberg. It's a basic ActiveX DLL in C++. You could do what Microsoft did with DirectX 7 and 8 and create an ActiveX wrapper for DirectX. This method would probably be more difficult to program though. If you have trouble finding the type libraires from Patrice Scribe, then email me and I'll send them to you. I also have some other stuff about creating type libraries that I can send to you as well if you need it. I'll be out of town till Wednesday, so don't expect a speedy reply [:)]