How to port games to AmigaOS 4.1?

I'm interested in learning to port games and some applications to AmigaOS 4.1. What do i need to know,
and what tools and programs do i have to use?

Since i am just an allround user, i just feel it would be
better for me to try develop something real for AmigaOS 4.1, when i get the new X1000 this summer...

Any suggestions? Would be happy to get any help i can get..

@Helgis

When you get a new machine you should download the sdk.
But you can always start now,by getting yourself a decent c programming book. And maybe one on opengl. Since mostly new games uses 3d gfx.

@Helgis

I think you should read Spot's porting guide. If you can't follow it, then maybe porting games is not for you.

@xeron
Very good suggestion.

@Helgis

If you want to start porting stuff then Spot's guide is a great start. Donwload from here: http://os4depot.net/index.php?functio ... ment/manual/spots-pfd.lha

@Helgis
Imho for porting game need knowledge of very basic (but still) programming, knowlege of unix (that is pretty important, because of unix paths, all these sh/flex/cat/grep/configure/makefiles stuff), basic knowledge of how compilations is done (what is objects, what is binary, how they produces) and something else. Also mostly ports it's not only "recompile and run". It also some additional code work. It's not like just donwload, unpack, run, wait, and have working aos4 port :)

SpotUP guide can help for start , but that will be no enough (imho).

@All

Thank you everybody for the great advices. Will have to look through these examples and try for myself. I guess it will not be easy, unless if experienced with different programming languages...

I feel a bit embarrashed to only be an allround-user,
but at least i am good with photographing and some
music creation..

@Helgis

There is more to it than just the spots porting guide. Its a good guide,no question about that. But you need some understanding of coding to make the compiles. If you're lucky some sw might compile without changes. But i think thats rare. And it's sometimes difficult to understand others coding.

@kas1e

i'd be really interested in contributions to make the guide better.
if you would like to contribute to make it better, please do!

@everyone else, it is actually not quite that uncommon with compile and run ports.
quite a few of my ports are done in a couple of minutes.
it takes some experience to make fast compiles perhaps, but it's not at all an impossible task. remember, i am still not a coder.

@Antique and all

I can always give the different tools a try when i first get the new system, but i'm not sure how well or bad i might manage to do the porting. It's not something i am experienced with...

But photographing, some graphic and music work are things i have good experiences with, and will learn more
about these things, too, of course..

Again, thank you for the advices and will try my best, because it's exciting.

@Helgis
Looking forward to your first uploads to OS4depot

@Troels

Thank you very much. It would have to be something useful and cool.

@Helgis

Another advice : start with small programs. When porting a program, it may compile and run magically but there are often things to fix, so be prepared !

Good luck !

@corto

Starting small and secure. Good advice, will do that.

@Helgis

so, what game are you intention to port or make?

@seiyas

Well, as a start, i should probably try some SDL games that have not yet been ported..

@Helgis

i my self is about starting to do some programming. i am reading cisco and doing som visual basic. i ask my teacher about doing som ASM but he said that i shall not waiste time on it. do some more vb and then for some C++ or embedded C. if i want to do something that requere optimizeing of the hardware.


so i have got 2 boks about c and c++/c#, and one large with two in one as an pdf aswell but ther are in danish, you can eborrow it if you want ?

@Helgis

Another thing to consider as something to start with, is to take something that's already ported and working and provides source code, and work with that to learn how to use the compiler tools.

@billt

Thank you for the tip, billt. That might come in handy, i'm sure..

@all

I'm also interesting to port some games or programs, of course not to big at the begining. But what's hard is to find a language with a complete and updated guide.

At home I have a small programm I made with AMOS Professionnal but runs only on classic Amiga and my idea is to port it on AOS4. Well, don't expect a Masterpiece because it was done in late '90 and graphics still missing and another game was made by my brother who was an Amigan.

As it was written some threads ago, a C/++ book dedicated to Amiga platform would surely help. I've seen that a site is made extra for it but haven't understood if it was only for coders who could bring ideas/tips or also for "usual" user who is interested to learn programming.

Amiblitz3 is one of this language. I mean it is based on BlitzBasic 2 and the documentation reports to its commands but some of them won't work with OS4 (thank Wanderer for the info). And I know there is a "new Amiblitz guide" but still plenty of lacks, but useful anyway (will soon give an eye on it). I already hear you... "C++ is better; Amiblitz3 only coded in 68K, not native OS4...", yes maybe, but for me is more understable than C/++ and also a challenge : Many years ago I promised myself that a day I will learn it very well.... but time's missing

Anyway thanks to all people who want to help us in developping/porting something on our machine !

Nicola