[CF-Devel] sdl

[Michael Toennies]

I read about the gtk client and sdl client and that you think you can
migrate it in gtk.

You have a misunderstanding about what sdl is and how you should use it.

As a low level library, sdl is the next part over interfaces like openGL or
DirectX.
under DX and OPGL should be hardware and hardware drivers only.

Of course, it is possible to use it like you do - inserting it in a higher
level library.
But thats the really the worst of all possible solutions - where you got a
minínum of
performance for alot of overhead.

Libs like SDL are good for build things like gtk OVER it. But not in it. One
reason is, that
you than have with a high chance a mixed grafik blitting. This always
eliminate every chance to
do real fast gfx blitting.

In unix/linux system you will have normally a speed up, when you include sdl
in gtk and other higher
libs. Thats because these system are normally really bad in grafik speed
things.

Under windows, the sdl client has frames rates over 60. Even under
unix/linux you can do similar when you
setup the sdl client right.

Because there are many window widgets out for SDL, using it native and
having all the things you need,
using gtk + sdl as portable client is really a worse idea. Beside this will
not really accepted from
users other platforms (performance isssues, many libs to install, etc.).

The sdl client in CVS is full usable, you can even play mpegs and mp3 with
it. It will give CF a real
portable client, based on a low level library, independend from every higher
system and a semiprof. look.