Reviving the Javascript Gamelib!
It is with great pleasure that I write this blog post. I've been working on the web for quite some time - more than a decade in fact. (Man, I'm getting old!) One of the most interesting and potentially underused DHTML libraries is the one created by Scott Porter called GameLib. This is a small, fast set of functions that make creating a simple arcade style web game pretty easy to do. Around 2004 Scott's excellent javascript-games.org site closed down and along with it the GameLib. However Brent Silby continued to use and expand on the library since the code was released under the LGPL. I ran across a copy of this great library over on Sean McManus' site. Amazingly enough, even after all this time the library still works fine although support for newer browsers is not there, and it still warns you that "Mozilla may not run this fast enough".
Given that this library might simply fall away into the history of the web as something that was cool for a time but became more and more out of date I decided to take it upon myself to work with Sean and Brent and get the latest version of the library and place it up on Google Code Hosting. The idea is this - given that this excellent library is LGPL'd it allows folks to build on the code of the past and make it better - I'm going to take on the task of updating this library to modern browser standards, increase the support for browsers like Opera and Safari, and make this a great tool for folks to create web games.
If you visit the link above you'll see that there's also a link to a discussion group where you can send feedback and you can file bugs if you like from the Hosting site. I'm excited to be able to build on the great work of Scott, Brent, and Sean and hopefully see tons of folks making web games! (Brent is also going to continue to contribute to the codebase!) If you feel like you want to also contribute code or bugfixes to this great library please let me know via the forums and we'll look at taking additional contributions / fixes.
posted by Andrew @ 2:27 PM
10 comments
10 Comments:
A few friends and I are actually working on an ajax powered mmorpg. It's still in very early testing/development, but I am using the silby game lib as a base for the sprite control and tile management. I'd love to be a member of your project.
Great! Please send me your contact info, as this comment only has your name - not email or url...
Updating Gamelib to support newer browsers like Firefox would be very usefull, it doesn't look like this project ever got off the ground. Any plans to really do it?
Steve F
The latest version does support Firefox. Games I've developed over the last 5 years with Gamelib all run in Firefox (see www.def-logic.com for examples).
I'm in the middle of refactoring the code - which will add support for all major browsers (Firefox already works) - such as Opera and Safari.
Brent, your games include the gamelib code in the html, I used the seperate .js files from this site (http://www.sean.co.uk/a/webdesign/javascript_gamelib/javascript_gamelib.shtm), which I think are very old. Do you have a newer delivery that I could use? My copy does not work in firefox which is quite frustrating, I am using core, sprites, mouse, sound and interface elements in my games.
thanks!
Stephen Fordenbacher
sfordenbacher@yahoo.com
Hi there! Do you still pursue this project? (The yahoogroups-mailinglist seems to be deserted.)
If yes, how is that rewrite going?
(Unfortunetely the comments don't sport a date.)
I'd be really interested in the result of the rewrite!
Kind regards, Corinna
The rewrite is happening now. I've learned quite a few things to make the code easier to maintain and be more friendly to other js libraries.
if you would like to help out with debugging and testing email me.
Rewrite going smoothly. You are going to love the new and improved gamelib!
Hi there!
I've been using the game lib for
a while now but lately I've found
finding any new updates for download a challenge. Do you know where I can get the latest version?
Also, as for the module dealing with the creation of DHTML "windows" I was wondering if any developments on that was happening. Its quite a cool little feature.
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