[Gambas-user] gb3 (rev. 3641) and SDL surfaces

[Kevin Fishburne]

On 03/16/2011 09:32 AM, Laurent Carlier wrote:
> SDL 1.2.x library itself isn't hardware accelerated under linux. The SDL
> component use only the SDL library to keep window/images  in RAM, but all
> drawing in the window is done with OpenGL (using texturing), so image are
> cached (send only one time in the VRAM). If you modify the Image continuously,
> the Image will need to be load in VRAM before displaying continously also.

I understand. SDL is basically an OpenGL wrapper to make it a little 
easier to use. So it's something like GAMBAS -> SDL -> OpenGL -> Drivers 
-> Hardware -> Your Eyes.

> Currently blitting image to image is slow because done in software, but i've
> plans to do this with OpenGL (so in VRAM directly) through the Framebuffer
> Object extension.
>
> Perhaps an accelerated DrawAlpha() method should be possible, i'm currently
> digging the net about such a possibility.

That is exciting to hear. If the Draw and DrawAlpha methods were done in 
SDL/OpenGL that would make a world of difference for game programming in 
gb. Considering that gb is a BASIC dialect, most gb game programmers 
might not be too excited to learn the complexities of OpenGL, but gb's 
drawing logic is pretty easy once you know it. In my case it would push 
the frame rate from 3-4 FPS to well over 20 (at least), which would be 
amazing.

-- 
Kevin Fishburne
Eight Virtues
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