So, I'm starting to attempt routines for rendering GUI elements for the Star Trek game. Right now, I have three routines: Render_BGclear, Render_Object, and Render_Update.

Render_BGclear, is the first routine which is used to fill the view screen with the basic space background (a star field, with nothing on it).

Render_Object is used to render something on top of the background, like a star or nebula or ship or something.

Render_Update is used to update the display.

Should I use a routine for this, or should I use direct I/O? Also, if Direct I/O is recommended, can someone give me an example of how to do it, like pseudo-code. Thanks.

Also, any other recommendations for GUI routines I should make for the game, or a different way to handle rendering, I'm all ears....well eyes.

bumpity bumpity bump.

Why not use...the Doors CS GUI routines? Or since you're doing Star Trek, make a pseudo-LCARS interface.

I've been told the DCS GUI routines aren't that great at rendering dynamic graphics. What is a LCARS interface?

You're making a Star Trek game

Yes, I can't implement a touch screen data retrieval interface on a texas instruments graphing calculator... yet.

I'm talking about graphics to render like the "space" in front of you. The ship's control are separate.

Actually messing with the dcd gui some more as long as you don't overwrite any of the gfs rendered by the guiroutine it's all saved to the graph buffer so you can do what ever you want. The trick is just not messing any of it up and calling rendergui as sparingly as possible it's really a hungry routine cpu time wise.