Gameplay, a cross-platform 3D engine, now works with Haxe!

[Mihail Ivanchev]

Hey Haxe,

3 weeks ago I set sail to provide Haxe bindings for the Gameplay cross-platform 3D engine by RIM in order to give you a nice Christmas present. Many people were wishing for such a beast recently. Today I can announce: 95% of Gameplay works with Haxe already! Gameplay also provides: audio, input, physics, Lua scripting, AI framework etc. so you'll need nothing else. And guess what? Everything is usable with Haxe, even Lua. With the power of hxcpp and it's CFFI, I've managed to provide direct bindings to Gameplay and make it available in Haxe. Oh, yes, I forgot you're not easily convinced by words, so here's Bunnymark for you, done with Gameplay in Haxe:

(Windows executable): https://dl.dropbox.com/u/13798573/Bunnymark.zip

(FD project): https://dl.dropbox.com/u/13798573/Bunnymark-project.zip

(Patched HXCPP to compile):  https://dl.dropbox.com/u/13798573/hxcpp.zip

The benchmark was coded by Erin Gunn a.k.a MaskedPixel. Gameplay requires a fairly high version of OpenGL, so it might not work for you. My build script supports only Windows for now, although Gameplay itself supports many platforms. If someone feels he could support me to add the missing platforms, please get in touch with me, here's the current script for the NDLL compilation:

http://pastebin.com/vVGzdQdA

It's not hard, I just miss the time for it :)

Anyhow, within the next days I will finish porting the rest 5% of the classes, will port the 3D samples, will open a public repository and will wrap up for haxelib. Everything should be available for Christmas or at least New Year's Eve. It's important to understand that it's working now as well. I just have to wrap it up properly for distribution via haxelib; everyone in need of the project could obtain it from me and do whatever they want. Just contact me.

WHAT WORKS ALREADY:

Everything works, you can begin immediately: load fonts, models, images, scenes, use LUA etc. 95% of the engine are functional.

PLEASE UNDERSTAND:

This is not intended to compete with NME. Gameplay is a 3D engine, so it doesn't really matter at all if the benchmark delivers less than NME, so please do not comment on this or that being better, they were designed for different purposes. When it comes to fully-featured 3D use, Gameplay delivers nicely.

FEW WORDS ABOUT GAMEPLAY: 

Gameplay is a wonderful 3D engine developed by RIM, it enjoys active support and a friendly community, it features an extremely streamlined tool-chain which allows you to develop very rapidly. With Gameplay you can change and tweak everything on every level of abstraction: use custom shaders and meshes, mess up with OpenGL or load whole COLLADA scenes, it's up to you and your needs, you have the freedom. It also provides physics through Bullet, input and audio support, an AI system etc. It supports most of the major formats and you can even load entire scenes.

I hope you'll like it and thanks Haxe for being such an awesome platform to develop with.

Regards,

Mihail

[Franco Ponticelli]

Very nice ;)

Franco

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[Tarwin Stroh-Spijer]

Very cool. And nice simple code in the example!

Tarwin Stroh-Spijer
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[Rezmason]

Pretty sweet! Is there a complete list of supported platforms somewhere?

[Mihail Ivanchev]

From: http://gameplay3d.org/index.php

Supported Platforms

BlackBerry 10 and PlayBook 2.0

Apple iOS 5.1 for iPhone and iPad

Google Android 2.3+

Microsoft Windows 7

Apple Mac OS X

Linux

On Sat, Dec 1, 2012 at 6:46 PM, Rezmason <jeremy...@gmail.com> wrote:

Pretty sweet! Is there a complete list of supported platforms somewhere?

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[Rob Fell]

Very exciting, well done sir!

[Chris D]

Congrads looks like a very appealing choice for 3d with Haxe. Thanks for all your hard work.

[tommaso1974]

Thanks so much for this christmas gift.

I tried to compile FD project but I have a number of errors, like this for example:

src/org/gameplay3d/Vector4.hx:13: characters 11-33 : Method get required by property x is missing

Thanks

[Mihail Ivanchev]

Download the latest Haxe nightlies, I am trying to be compatible to Haxe 3 so I use new style properties. If it's not added already (but I think it is), add -Dhaxe3 to the command line. For instance with the builds from Jan Flanders: http://haxer.be/builds/

Regards

[Nicolas Cannasse]

Le 02/12/2012 10:17, Mihail Ivanchev a �crit :

> Download the latest Haxe nightlies, I am trying to be compatible to Haxe
> 3 so I use new style properties. If it's not added already (but I think
> it is), add -Dhaxe3 to the command line. For instance with the builds
> from Jan Flanders: http://haxer.be/builds/

If you want to be compatible with both 2.x and 3.x you can use set_x and
get_x for a x property.

Best,
Nicolas

[Mihail Ivanchev]

Ah, yes, I was completely ignoring this fact, will change the properties today in the evening! Thanks.

On Sun, Dec 2, 2012 at 10:42 AM, Nicolas Cannasse <ncan...@gmail.com> wrote:

Le 02/12/2012 10:17, Mihail Ivanchev a écrit :

Download the latest Haxe nightlies, I am trying to be compatible to Haxe
3 so I use new style properties. If it's not added already (but I think
it is), add -Dhaxe3 to the command line. For instance with the builds
from Jan Flanders: http://haxer.be/builds/

If you want to be compatible with both 2.x and 3.x you can use set_x and get_x for a x property.

Best,
Nicolas

[Jiri Musil]

Amazing present, thank youuuuu.

[tommaso1974]

Thanks

I had downloaded the Haxe nightlies and all work fine.
Is there a way for using debug with FD?

Regards
Tommaso

[Mihail Ivanchev]

I don't know if you can integrate native debuggers with FlashDevelop. I use gdb or Microsoft's debugger. The NDLL I send you though is a release version. If you want to engage in some active development I can send you the debug version. Please keep in touch if you make some tests :)

Regards,

Mihail

[Dion Whitehead Amago]

Does it compile to lua, or direct to native?

[Mihail Ivanchev]

It compiles DIRECTLY to native, but you can use Lua for scripting if you feel like it.

On Sun, Dec 2, 2012 at 11:40 PM, Dion Whitehead Amago <dio...@gmail.com> wrote:

Does it compile to lua, or direct to native?

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[Dion Whitehead Amago]

Cool.

Not meaning AT ALL to downplay your work, which I think is awesome:

There's a huge advantage to building with non-compiled languages.  It means you can push updates during development of assets or code or both skipping the compilation step.

Ben Garney's new game engine uses this, and so does Spaceport.IO.  It enables artists and developers to iterate *extremely* quickly on development in real time, seeing the results of their changes on all devices of interest, and avoids the time consuming round loop of artist/asset processing/developer before seeing the results of changes in art assets.

Not only assets but game code (levels, tweaking game data) can be updated this way.

Anyway, this is still possible with your work, if a haxe->lua compiler is ever done.

Again, this is awesome work.  I'd just thought to put this idea here because the context is relevant.

[tommaso1974]

Hi

I haven't build an ndll but this will be a chance for understand much more about haxe.
In the next few days I will try to build the ndll for linux.
In case of problems i doing you same questions :-)

I will try, also, if there's a possibility about to integrate native debuggers in FlashDevelop.

Regards
Tommaso

[Mihail Ivanchev]

Hey Tommaso, yesterday I have succeeded building a version for Linux. I will make it public probably today, but I can send it to you right away if you want to conduct experiments :) Because of some issues with -fPIC in Gameplay this would work for 32bit Linux only currently :/ If you find a way to use a 32bit NDLL from a 64bit executable (I didn't try) it will work for you also.

Regards,

Mihail 

[tommaso1974]

Hi Mihail

Sorry if I reply so later.

I don't have a machine with Linux64 installed; I will install one this evening  via VirtualBox/VmWare or Wubi.
If you send me the zip file for Linux i can test it.
Could you send me also the file for build ndll in Linux? I want try to build it

I have a question
Is there a way for doing a standard C/C++ make file from haxe build.xml file?

Regards
Tommaso

[Mihail Ivanchev]

Give me 20 minutes to prepare it :) You'll need a 32 bit Linux to build it. Regarding the xml -> make file, I am not aware of any (painless) way of doing it :)

[tommaso1974]

In meanwhile install a virtual machine with Linux 32-bit.

[Mihail Ivanchev]

OK, sorry it took a whie, here is the project:

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/13798573/gameplay-hx.zip

It contains a 32bit Windows & Linux Gameplay static library. To compile the NDLL go to project/ and and:

haxelib run hxcpp Build.xml

Ignore the tools/ directory. It's not needed when you want to compile the NDLL. The generated NDLL is in bin/.

The compilation requires the patched version of HXCPP:

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/13798573/hxcpp.zip

It fixes issues #205 and #206. Contact me if you run into trouble.

I could prepare a talk for the next WWX explaining in detail how the bridge works, because there are quite some feats. If you don't understand something, ask me.

Regards

[chunbiao huang]

Nice Job !very useful !
 thank

2012/12/4 Mihail Ivanchev <miha...@gmail.com>

[chunbiao huang]

C:\Motion-Twin\Haxe\lib\hxcpp\2,10,2//src/hx/StdLibs.cpp(133) : error C2065: 'ATTACH_PARENT_PROCESS' : undeclared identifier

C:\Motion-Twin\Haxe\lib\hxcpp\2,10,2//src/hx/StdLibs.cpp(133) : error C3861: 'AttachConsole': identifier not found

C:\Motion-Twin\Haxe\lib\hxcpp\2,10,2//src/hx/StdLibs.cpp(134) : error C3861: 'GetConsoleWindow': identifier not found

Called from ? line 1

Called from BuildTool.hx line 1342

Called from BuildTool.hx line 591

Called from BuildTool.hx line 626

Called from BuildTool.hx line 760

Called from BuildTool.hx line 843

Uncaught exception - Error in building thread

Error : Build failed

2012/12/6 chunbiao huang <huangc...@gmail.com>

[Mihail Ivanchev]

When do you get this? Seems to come from hxcpp, get in touch with me on Skype: Mihail121 and we'll solve it. I can also send you a new and much improved version.

[tommaso1974]

Hi Mihail

I did not use Ubuntu 64 bit on my laptop because I have problems with the video card and wifi.
I spent 2 hours with VirtualBox and after all, Virtual Machine does not work fine (be careful if using VirtualBox for this platform ).
Finaly i had using vmware player.

when compiling i recived this error:

In file included from ./src/HaxeAPI.cpp:2:0:
./src/HaxeAPI.h:4:22: fatal error: gameplay.h: No such file or directory
compilation terminated.

Called from ? line 1
Called from BuildTool.hx line 1342
Called from BuildTool.hx line 591

Called from a C function

Called from BuildTool.hx line 626
Called from BuildTool.hx line 760

Called from BuildTool.hx line 804
Called from BuildTool.hx line 227
Uncaught exception - Error : 256 - build cancelled

I download gameplay but there's a specified place to unzip it on fileSystem?
Is there some enviroment configuration to do before compile?

Regards
Tommaso

[chunbiao huang]

i use http://haxer.be/builds/windows/haxe_latest.zip  

Success to  compile hxcpp  2.10.1  but no mouse Event

Failed to compile hxcpp 2,10,2
 https://dl.dropbox.com/u/13798573/hxcpp.zip

2012/12/6 Mihail Ivanchev <miha...@gmail.com>

[chunbiao huang]

haxelib run hxcpp Build.xml

Setting environment for using Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 x86 tools.

Called from ? line 1

Called from BuildTool.hx line 1342

Called from BuildTool.hx line 591

Called from BuildTool.hx line 618

Called from C:\Motion-Twin\haxe/std/neko/_std/sys/io/File.hx line 33

Uncaught exception - [file_contents,Build.xml]

2012/12/6 chunbiao huang <huangc...@gmail.com>

[Mihail Ivanchev]

OK, the top directory of gameplay must be in the SAME directory as gameplay-hx:

gameplay/

gameplay-hx/

if it's not yet called gameplay, rename it :) It was previously necessary to patch Gameplay's source, but with the latest version it's not. Get the latest version here:

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/13798573/gameplay-hx.zip

It doesn't include the gameplay.lib static, compile gameplay and put the library in:

gameplay-hx/project/lib/windows/x86 | x64

Then do:

haxelib run hxcpp Build.xml

If you dont want to compile gameplay, I can send you my static library. Sorry for the hussle, you can all contact me on Skype for more help or G+.

Regards

--

[Mihail Ivanchev]

This "latest" is not really latest, install this but also unzip http://haxer.be/builds/windows/haxe_latest.zip in the c:\motion-twin\haxe directory or whereever your haxe resides to override the previous executable and std library.

[Tommaso grenga]

No hustle

I did not think that VirtualBox had these problems for Linux 64 bit.
I installed also Fedora 64 bit and had the same problem.
I'm not a lucky man :-)

I will try asap to compile gameplay.lib and the gameplay-hx.zip.

Thanks
Tommaso

[Mihail Ivanchev]

Hey Tommaso & everyone else,

I compiled and included a Gameplay static library for x86 Windows for your convenience: https://dl.dropbox.com/u/13798573/gameplay-hx.zip

I also ported the first 3D sample in Gameplay, in case you're interested:

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/13798573/sample00-mesh.zip

I think the official GitHub repository will be set next week and the first Haxelib release in 2 weeks!

Regards,

Mihail

[Stefan]

Hi Mihail, great work, I'm really looking forward to try this out! :)
At the moment I can compile and run the mesh-sample succesfully, the duck rotates, but when I move the mouse, the app crashes. But I will wait for the github repo and try again!

Thanks,
Stefan

[Mihail Ivanchev]

Ah, cool, thanks for the input, you can contact me on Skype so I could send you latest version with some bug fixes!

Regards,

Mihail

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[Stefan]

I don't use skype, but it's no problem... I can wait for the github repo!
Regards,
Stefan