[Mono-list] C#/Mono For Game Development

[Jon Harrop]

On Tuesday 13 January 2009 15:43:16 Eridius wrote:
> For the runtime requirements:
> Now from what I understand, Window updater included updates to the .NET
> Framework and basically Microsoft is integrating the .NET framework into
> all of their applications so if the requirement on the .NET Framework
> really that big of a deal anymore?

Indeed.

> For the speed degrade:
> How big is this really?

I ran an F# version of the SciMark2 benchmark and found that Mono is 3x slower 
than .NET.

> I am not looking to build the next Unreal Engine 
> or a game engine that will power the next PC version of GTA, I would be
> happy with a game engine that would be able to produce graphics like we
> would have seen in the Mythos game if it was ever finished(for screen
> shots, take a look here:
> http://media.pc.ign.com/media/869/869458/imgs_1.html).  Now I know I am
> going to have to battle my technical skills to get something like that and
> I improve my skill but I don't want to have to battle the language(that is
> something I cannot improve).  So are those quality of graphics possible
> with a complete C# Game Engine(and possible use of C++/ASM .dll files for
> stuff like math and physics and what not) while still getting a good frame
> rate?

I expect you can achieve those graphics from C#/Mono alone at an acceptable 
frame rate. Don't forget that dropping to C++ can slow code down because the 
FFI has a cost.

> Also from what I hear (correct me if I am wrong) more and more code 
> for graphics are being pushed to the graphics card itself so that seems
> like it would also help with the speed issue.

Yes. You can probably push most of the computation onto the GPU today.

-- 
Dr Jon Harrop, Flying Frog Consultancy Ltd.
http://www.ffconsultancy.com/?e