Er... You realize that using one .exe per system is going to make it harder on developers, right? If a new version comes out and breaks older code, then everyone has to go update their game. If you just distribute an executable with your game, it will always work; you don't have to keep "up to date" if the copy you include does everything it needs to.

I'm also against the one-executable-per-system because I know that I personally find it aggravating when I find a game that looks neat but then I discover I have to download and install a bunch of random libraries to make it work (especially when that library updates all the time and the game/whatever doesn't support the newest version :P). It just makes it more difficult for your average user to get your game running, and that will scare some people away. Games are supposed to be fun, not irritating.

And no, we don't expect everyone to distribute their source changes. They don't have to. If there's something useful done, then we can get it merged into the main source tree, if the author offers it. If they want to update their copy of verge, they can merge in their own source edits themselves; I would hope anyone making custom verge builds would be able to do that.

I was having a hard time following what you were trying to say until I figured out "per system" meant "per actual physical system".

I still don't understand why you think this is necessary. Does linux disallow multiple programs named the same thing in multiple directories?

Quote:Originally posted by mcgrue

I was having a hard time following what you were trying to say until I figured out "per system" meant "per actual physical system".

I still don't understand why you think this is necessary. Does linux disallow multiple programs named the same thing in multiple directories?

My main point revolves around this:

When people make custom verge versions they are standing in the way of cross-platform acceptance UNLESS they actually do a compile for each platform or they release the source code to there verge mods. I'm not really very hot on that idea. Nothing has pissed me off more than having 80% of the games available for verge 3 not run in linux because someone just HAD to customize verge. Honestly, if verge is that lacking in features and speed that it should be necessary to modify it for pretty much any game then I don't know what use it is. I'm sorry if that sounds harsh but honestly... I still think that being OK with people customizing verge and distributing their custom copies (and calling it verge) is not a good thing. The Unreal series of game engines is always modified for each game. Thats OK because no one expects to be able to play Quake4 with the engine from Unreal Tournament 2005 or something. However, I'd expect to be able to play *verge* games with the VERGE interpreter whether it's windows, linux, mac, or GP2X. Instead I can't because too many games tend to customize the engine.

I suppose that no one would ever need to update the verge that comes with their game (so I was wrong for suggesting that.)

Still, cross platform means not having to distribute the executable with the game. It really isn't that hard to download two things instead of one to be able to play the first game (then its one download per game after that). The installer for the per-system verge exe could update old versions automatically and handle everything in a user friendly manner.

I'm really starting to see that my goals for verge aren't the same as everyone elses... That's unfortunate... I guess my choices are to forget about cross platform support or just go my own way and do it anyway and just start a fork. Grr.....

Adderd, I have sent you some email.