[aclug-L] FW: Gaming the System with Python

["Dale W Hodge" <dwh@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

-----Original Message-----
From: Linux_Desktop_Apps@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:Linux_Desktop_Apps@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Thursday, June 13, 2002 1:20 AM



LINUX DESKTOP APPLICATIONS --- June 13, 2002
Published by ITworld.com -- changing the way you view IT
http://www.itworld.com/newsletters
_____________________________________________________________________

HIGHLIGHTS

* With the help of SDL, Python's advancements in a non-traditional
  arena for scripting languages has generated a host of possibilities
  for the future of scripting.
_____________________________________________________________________

Gaming the System with Python
By Eric Foster-Johnson

Traditionally, scripting languages help administrators manage systems
with relatively small scripts. Python is used in this capacity as well
as for larger applications such as installation programs. The latest
effort, though, uses a library and tools from the PyGame effort to take
Python into the realm of interactive gaming.

PyGame (http://itw.itworld.com/GoNow/a14724a59924a76028222a16 offers a
Python-based game development
library built on the Simple DirectMedia Layer (SDL). SDL
(http://itw.itworld.com/GoNow/a14724a59924a76028222a15 the premier Linux
library for graphics-heavy
games, provides multimedia capabilities on a number of platforms,
including Linux. SDL is similar to DirectX, but it supports multiple
platforms. A number of commercial games, especially those ported by the
now-defunct Loki (http://itw.itworld.com/GoNow/a14724a59924a76028222a14 use
SDL. Possible Worlds, a
game covered here previously, also uses SDL.

SDL is an impressive effort. By building on top of SDL, the PyGame
effort lets Python developers take advantage of the richness in
multimedia that game users take for granted to build quite a respectable
game entirely in Python. Python developers should check out the nice
tutorial at http://itw.itworld.com/GoNow/a14724a59924a76028222a7 for an
explanation of PyGame's offering. PyGame also provides a code repository
at http://itw.itworld.com/GoNow/a14724a59924a76028222a10 which is full of
small
routines to help speed game development.

SDL and Python, both already multi-platform tools, make supporting
multiple platforms a lot easier. One of the most advanced games written
with the PyGame tools, Civil, an American Civil War strategy game,
demonstrates SDL and Python's cross-platform prowess by supporting
Linux, MacOS X, Windows, and BSD UNIX versions of the game. Civil
(http://itw.itworld.com/GoNow/a14724a59924a76028222a12 is a turn-based
strategy game that
focuses on small battles from the Civil War. An extensive manual
explaining how to play the game can be found at
http://itw.itworld.com/GoNow/a14724a59924a76028222a9

Civil's main drawback is that, so far, you need to download the code
from CVS in order to play (see
http://itw.itworld.com/GoNow/a14724a59924a76028222a8 for details). That
should
change, however, as the game nears a 1.0 release from the current 0.7
version. More importantly, the PyGame tools are slowly tearing down the
barriers preventing Linux developers from making good games, and I
expect the future will see more quality Linux efforts like Civil.

About the author(s)
-------------------
Eric Foster-Johnson has written 14 books on Linux, Unix, programming
and open source tools. Eric can be reached at erc@xxxxxxxxxxxx or at
http://itw.itworld.com/GoNow/a14724a59924a76028222a13
_______________________________________________________________________

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Py Games
http://itw.itworld.com/GoNow/a14724a59924a76028222a3

Komodo and Pygame Go 1.0
http://itw.itworld.com/GoNow/a14724a59924a76028222a1

The Simple DirectMedia Layer from a Win32 Perspective
http://itw.itworld.com/GoNow/a14724a59924a76028222a2

Game Programming w/ the Simple Directmedia Layer?
http://itw.itworld.com/GoNow/a14724a59924a76028222a4
_______________________________________________________________________

ITWORLD.COM NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE

Index of Linux Desktop Applications
http://itw.itworld.com/GoNow/a14724a59924a76028222a11

Web-based Accounting on a Linux Desktop?
http://itw.itworld.com/GoNow/a14724a59924a76028222a5

Is Now the Time To Replace Windows on the Desktop?
http://itw.itworld.com/GoNow/a14724a59924a76028222a6
________________________________________________________________________

CUSTOMER SERVICE

SUBSCRIBE/UNSUBSCRIBE:
- Go to: http://www.itworld.com/newsletters
- Click on "View my newsletters" to log in and manage your account
- To subscribe, check the box next to the newsletter
- To unsubscribe, uncheck the box next to the newsletter
- When finished, click submit

Questions? Please e-mail customer service at: mailto:support@xxxxxxxxxxx
________________________________________________________________________

CONTACTS

* Editorial: Andrew Santosusso, Newsletter Editor,
  andrew_santosusso@xxxxxxxxxxx
* Advertising: Clare O'Brien, Vice President of Sales,
  clare_obrien@xxxxxxxxxxx
* Career Corner: Janis Crowley, Vice President/General Manager, IDG
  Recruitment Solutions, janis_crowley@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
* Other inquiries: Jodie Naze, Senior Product Marketing Manager,
  jodie_naze@xxxxxxxxxxx

_______________________________________________________________________

PRIVACY POLICY

ITworld.com has been TRUSTe certified
http://www.itworld.com/Privacy/

Copyright 2002 ITworld.com, Inc., All Rights Reserved.
http://www.itworld.com


-- This is the discussion@xxxxxxxxx list.  To unsubscribe,
visit http://www.complete.org/cgi-bin/listargate-aclug.cgi