Love the snail!

RetroPCCupboard wrote on 2024-10-29, 18:09:

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This is the computing area for my "Ultimate" gaming PCs. The slim black PC is running Windows XP. Out of view (below) is a Win98 PC. I switch between the two with a KVM. The screen is a 15" 1024x768 LCD. The XP PC dual boots into Linux, and I use that OS for general web browsing and watching videos on youtube. I also use it to play music on Spotify.

I realise that this screen is not considered "Ultimate" but I wanted something small that would fit in this area. These PCs are mostly for use if I want to just quickly play something when having a lunch break (I work from home).

How tight of a fit that LCD is!
But I think ergonomically it might be a little too high.
On the other hand, all those 3D and C/C++ programming books are legit! The 3D Graphics Programming book (Games and Beyond) was also one of my early readings, and its author was my boss for many years.

RetroPCCupboard wrote on 2024-10-29, 18:09:

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This is the computing area for my "Ultimate" gaming PCs. The slim black PC is running Windows XP. Out of view (below) is a Win98 PC. I switch between the two with a KVM. The screen is a 15" 1024x768 LCD. The XP PC dual boots into Linux, and I use that OS for general web browsing and watching videos on youtube. I also use it to play music on Spotify.

I realise that this screen is not considered "Ultimate" but I wanted something small that would fit in this area. These PCs are mostly for use if I want to just quickly play something when having a lunch break (I work from home).

I'm also admiring the collection of software development books 😀

wbahnassi wrote on 2024-11-24, 14:07:

How tight of a fit that LCD is!
But I think ergonomically it might be a little too high.

Yes, was more luck than anything that the fit was so perfect. Regarding ergonomics, you are correct that the screen is slightly higher than recommended for normal usage but the keyboard / mouse are fine. This area is meant to be used from standing position. I don't use this for hours on end anyway. Besides, if gaming I tend to look in the centre of the screen and for that the height is good.

wbahnassi wrote on 2024-11-24, 14:07:

On the other hand, all those 3D and C/C++ programming books are legit! The 3D Graphics Programming book (Games and Beyond) was also one of my early readings, and its author was my boss for many years.

Nice! Are you a game programmer?

gerry wrote on 2024-11-25, 14:01:

I'm also admiring the collection of software development books 😀

Yeah, I put some of my more retro software dev books there. I thought it fitted the theme. These days I mostly program in C#, Javascript, HTML, CSS. But I have an interest in game programming. Always wanted to try to make my own retro game. Maybe one day. I have a Pocket 8086 laptop as a recent purchase. Considering making a game for it.

RetroPCCupboard wrote on 2024-11-28, 17:37:

Nice! Are you a game programmer?

Yes. Have been in the professional industry since 2003, I was also Microsoft DirectX MVP for a decade or so, and contributed to several books on advanced 3D rendering (ShaderX, GPU Pro, GPU Zen, and more), so I'm familiar with a few of the books on game development and rendering.

wbahnassi wrote on 2024-11-28, 18:18:

Yes. Have been in the professional industry since 2003, I was also Microsoft DirectX MVP for a decade or so, and contributed to several books on advanced 3D rendering (ShaderX, GPU Pro, GPU Zen, and more), so I'm familiar with a few of the books on game development and rendering.

That's amazing. I envy you. Did you work on any games I would have heard of?

I have quite a few more rendering and games programming books than were on that photo. Are there any in particular that you recommend for a lone developer that just wants to write a simple game as a hobby? I am not looking to make money from it. Initally I am considering writing a DOS game and submittting to DOSHaven or similar. After that I think I will follow through my books on 3D engine development. Probably won't make a game with the 3D engine. Just want to learn how it's done. I think a 3D game is probably something that will take more time and ability than I have.

RetroPCCupboard wrote on 2024-11-28, 19:47:

That's amazing. I envy you. Did you work on any games I would have heard of?

To name a few, I'm the goalie of the EA Montreal team in NHL07 (they took the dev team's photos and put them in the game) 😅. Did several Wii titles from EA, and Army of Two 40th Day and Devil's Cartel. Also worked on a new Road Rash, but it was sadly cancelled despite it coming out to be really good. I also did Batman Arkham Knight back at WBGames.

RetroPCCupboard wrote on 2024-11-28, 19:47:

I have quite a few more rendering and games programming books than were on that photo. Are there any in particular that you recommend for a lone developer that just wants to write a simple game as a hobby?

I get asked this quite a bit... sadly, I recommend no books for D3D12/Vulkan. God help whomever poor soul wants to delve into that nowadays. It's very far now from what was typically called graphics programming, and is now merely an exercise in patience of filling data structures and moving data across a very long set of operations before you can even see a single pixel on the screen.
For a new comer, the pinnacle was D3D9.. a very friendly API.. but people would laugh at it if they heard someone is learning D3D9 to get a job at major games company today.

But for DOS, it's way simpler. There is a small barrier for getting the basic setup (setting up the screen mode, etc.).. then it's plotting pixels as fast as you can.

Btw, Sergei's book is a great one in particular because it's API-agnostic and teaches concepts applicable even for someone who wants to do 3D under DOS using a software rasterizer.. But for modern knowledge, Realtime Rendering is the go-to reference book nowadays, or Raytracing Gems if you're into that stuff 😅

wbahnassi wrote on 2024-11-28, 21:09:

To name a few, I'm the goalie of the EA Montreal team in NHL07 (they took the dev team's photos and put them in the game) 😅. Did several Wii titles from EA, and Army of Two 40th Day and Devil's Cartel. Also worked on a new Road Rash, but it was sadly cancelled despite it coming out to be really good. I also did Batman Arkham Knight back at WBGames.

Cool. Some excellent games there.

wbahnassi wrote on 2024-11-28, 21:09:

I get asked this quite a bit... sadly, I recommend no books for D3D12/Vulkan. God help whomever poor soul wants to delve into that nowadays. It's very far now from what was typically called graphics programming, and is now merely an exercise in patience of filling data structures and moving data across a very long set of operations before you can even see a single pixel on the screen.

Luckily I have no intention of learning those, as I think it is a bit late in my life to have any success getting a job in the game dev industry. I just want to do it for fun really and to learn how the hardware works. Modern games expectations really aren't suited to the hobbyist developer. So I just want to do simple 2D games for DOS and maybe make a simple 3D engine for Windows.

wbahnassi wrote on 2024-11-28, 21:09:

For a new comer, the pinnacle was D3D9.. a very friendly API.. but people would laugh at it if they heard someone is learning D3D9 to get a job at major games company today.

Haha. Most of the books I have are for DirectX 8.x. I do have some books for DX9 also though. If you consider Crysis, which could run in DX9 under XP, you can still make a game with it that would look OK today. Though, of course, nobody would.

wbahnassi wrote on 2024-11-28, 21:09:

But for DOS, it's way simpler. There is a small barrier for getting the basic setup (setting up the screen mode, etc.).. then it's plotting pixels as fast as you can.

Yes. That simplicity, and direct hardware access, is what appeals to me.

wbahnassi wrote on 2024-11-28, 21:09:

Btw, Sergei's book is a great one in particular because it's API-agnostic and teaches concepts applicable even for someone who wants to do 3D under DOS using a software rasterizer.. But for modern knowledge, Realtime Rendering is the go-to reference book nowadays, or Raytracing Gems if you're into that stuff 😅

I think RayTracing is probably beyond what I will be able to do. But I do have this book in my collection. Presumably this, or a later edition,.is what you are referring to (This one is from 2008):

RetroPCCupboard wrote on 2024-11-29, 09:47:

But I do have this book in my collection. Presumably this, or a later edition,.is what you are referring to (This one is from 2008):

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Yes. It is the one I was referring to 👍

Updated. More cleaned and less and orginized.

TheChexWarrior wrote on 2024-11-30, 13:13:

Updated. More cleaned and less and orginized.

It would seem that you need a wider desk! I know the struggle for space well. My office is tiny, and I am trying to fit 15 or so working PCs in it...

RetroPCCupboard wrote on 2024-11-30, 17:12:

TheChexWarrior wrote on 2024-11-30, 13:13:

Updated. More cleaned and less and orginized.

It would seem that you need a wider desk! I know the struggle for space well. My office is tiny, and I am trying to fit 15 or so working PCs in it...

I am also setting up 15 PCs in my small room, but using 19" racks/cabinets as an approach:
My 15 Retro PC KVM Setup aka the "RetroRacks Project"

I will post images of the surrounding computing area here once I've got time to do so (months or years...).

RetroPCCupboard wrote on 2024-11-29, 09:47:

I think RayTracing is probably beyond what I will be able to do. But I do have this book in my collection. Presumably this, or a later edition,.is what you are referring to (This one is from 2008):

The attachment 20241129_091934.jpg is no longer available

Raytracing is a relatively simple rendering technique, which is possible to program in one weekend. Granted, it's simple as long as no complex optimizations are used.

I used to program simple games and graphical effects under MS-DOS, but I usually learned from web tutorials. And there weren't many on the 1990s Internet... I can recommend my Github for learning purposes, if you want.

Walrus83 wrote on 2024-12-21, 17:03:

Raytracing is a relatively simple rendering technique, which is possible to program in one weekend. Granted, it's simple as long as no complex optimizations are used.

I used to program simple games and graphical effects under MS-DOS, but I usually learned from web tutorials. And there weren't many on the 1990s Internet... I can recommend my Github for learning purposes, if you want.

I'd certainly be interested to look at your github if you could provide the link.

RetroPCCupboard wrote on 2024-12-21, 20:15:

I'd certainly be interested to look at your github if you could provide the link.

Some old projects of mine from 20+ years ago that I managed to clean up a bit:

* https://github.com/efliks/demoscene-legacy - graphical effects in Assembly language using the classic VGA mode 13h. It's the easiest of all modes, and it was widely used in the 1990s for games and demoscene productions. The VGA frame buffer is mapped to a specific memory address of 0a000h, where you can write pixels freely as you like, because DOS has no concept of protected memory. Every pixel in this mode is represented by one byte. The barrier to enter video programming in DOS is indeed very low.
* https://github.com/efliks/megassembly - more effects, but in protected mode, only slightly more complicated to work with.
* https://github.com/efliks/doseffects - even more effects, but programmed in C, not Assembler.
* https://github.com/efliks/dark-harmony - a rudimentary DOS game about flying a space ship.
* https://github.com/efliks/mikraytrace - a raytracing example. It is currently targeting Linux, but can be cross-compiled to DOS after removing some dependencies incompatible with the DJGPP cross-compiler.
* https://github.com/efliks/naagtro-remake - an example of how to develop under Linux, but cross-compile to DOS.

You may also look at the people I follow, because they usually do similar graphical things, or things DOS-related.

Lastly, I also star/collect projects that have to do with graphics:
* https://github.com/stars/efliks/lists/graphical-effects
* https://github.com/stars/efliks/lists/3d-stuff

Hope you will find some of it useful, and good luck!

Walrus83 wrote on 2024-12-21, 21:43:

Some old projects of mine from 20+ years ago that I managed to clean up a bit

Some good stuff there for me to try to get my head around. Many thanks.

Walrus83 wrote on 2024-12-21, 17:03:

Raytracing is a relatively simple rendering technique, which is possible to program in one weekend. Granted, it's simple as long as no complex optimizations are used.

Yes. Its brute force approach is easy and straightforward. But even that is crazy difficult if you want to do it on D3D12 or (God-forbid) Vulkan. Hundreds and hundreds of lines of code to just move data around and fill data structures and ensure proper states and synchronization.
So if someone wants to have "fun" writing a ray-tracer, I highly recommend just doing it purely on the CPU offline-style (like the raytracing in one weekend tutorial).