G-Shell (Design Stage)

[HomebrewZ80]

Hello and Welcome,

First of all lets get down what G-Shell is:

G-Shell is a program that makes programming your TI Calculator exceedingly simple. A couple clicks and you can add an image, a couple more and you can add an object. Creating maps is as simple as using a built in room editor. If you want to get a better idea G-Shell was inspired by Game Maker by Mark Overmars (www.gamemaker.nl). G-Shell will be programed in Visual Basic 6.0 Professional Edition.

Advanced users (users that don't need G-Shell, but rather use it for the simplicity), can program their own Drag and Drop functions. They can also put these Drag and Drop functions up for download for less experienced people. Once you program your D&D function, all you need to do is open up the Object Editor window, and drag it into the actions list. Note that once the program is done, I will be distributing it to a select few users from the UTI forum and having them create the basic D&D functions required to make a game (They will get credit).

G-Shell will be programmed to use TI-BASIC, but it will allow you to both program in G-Shell's language, or pure TI-BASIC. If you want to program in ASM, you will have to be proficient in TI-BASIC and be able to link your program to an ASM program. I will be including the full working TASM compiler set-up with G-Shell.

Once you are done making your game or program in G-Shell, simply hit a button, set a few options, and it will compile your program into a TI-BASIC Program. Also if you just want the TI-BASIC editor with compiler that will be available as a seperate download and included in G-Shell.

I highly suggest looking at Game Maker's site, www.gamemaker.nl, to get a better look at what I am trying to explain. And also note that G-Shell is still in the planning stage.

It would be highly appreciated if you showed your opinion, constructive criticism, or ideas for this program.
Thanks,
HomebrewZ80

[Fallen Ghost]

Good luck, another good idea.

There are only 1 thing that just sound strange in my head:

-A 5$ fee for the program?? No way! People will download betas or only developpers will use it. Look at all the utilities available now for free (just all the work involved and the utility of MirageOS and it's free). Unless yours is REALLY |_|83R |*0\/\/3rf|_||_

I'll be ok to help you with your code if you like, I just don't have any ideas of what you want to start with and what others think.

[HomebrewZ80]

Thank you for your comments Fallen Ghost. I would like it if you could develop some of the standard D&D Libraries once the program is "finished". Also if I get stuck on some of the Tokens for the assembler, but I think I got it down.

I will not be able to start anything yet (I started a little) because I fried my processer and I have to get it fixed soon.

Also, you find the $5 as a no-no. But you are a different market, check out www.gamemaker.nl, they have one version for free, but if you want other functions you need to pay $18. I payed that So I might do something along the lines of that, or I might just put ads on my site.

Thanks,
HomebrewZ80

[Sage Orator]

It's a good idea. We'll see what it becomes.

Exactly it's a different market. For the most part things around here are free and open source. People are probably not going to pay the $5.

[HomebrewZ80]

I guess...I was thinking different market as opposed to what people are putting into it. The people on the GMC are all people that want to program, but don't necissarily (spl?) want to put fourth the effort required in C++. So they buy it. I dunno...I'll see when I get there. And I would probably give it free to people who test it here anyways.

Who knows, I probably just wind up doing Google or Sponsored ads on my site (no pop-ups though).

Thanks for your time,
HomebrewZ80

[Scavenger]

The GMC has 35,000 members. Easily 90% of those people have no idea how to use the program. TI-basic is simpler than GM, so why do you need to make a D&D interface for it? The advantages of ti-basic over asm are programming on-calc and simplicity. You are removing one, and hardly improving the other.

Just my opinion.

[HomebrewZ80]

I see programming on-calc as a disadvantage, and I'd rather have the GM interface than just a bunch of text. But thats my opinion.

And TI-Basic is deffinately not simpler than GM, I've been using GM for 3 years.

HomebrewZ80