[sloopy543]

I don't actually think it's that hard once you know how to do it. You basically make a cross-platform C library that generates the GPU commands and sounds per frame, then you just plug that into whatever platform you're running on.

My Mac Platform code is only like 1500 lines or so. Pretty small considering that it runs a 2D game full-screen on my iMac.

Not sure what is meant by 'Herculean'. Once you know how to do it, you don't lose that knowledge. You literally have the code to use on the next project. No big deal

[johnfn]

> Not sure what is meant by 'Herculean'. Once you know how to do it, you don't lose that knowledge. You literally have the code to use on the next project. No big deal

The problem with this is that even if your code is 100% bug free and works perfectly, new platforms are created all the time. The PS5 is coming out in a couple of months - does your crossplatform code target that? Unity does. How about the Switch? How about VR? How about Webassembly?

[sloopy543]

I would encourage you to check out Casey Muratori's Handmade Hero. I believe he does a nice job of separating platform-specific code from non-platform specific code.

My engine is based on his. It has a cross-platform library that only handles the game logic itself. Each platform has its own thing called a platform layer that handles the platform specific aspects of the game (things like setting up a window, setting up a sound buffer, getting a basic communication channel to the GPU on that platform, etc)

Once you've got a few basic platform layers for each platform you intend to target, you just update them every now and again as needed.

Also, you don't need to make your thing cross-platform right away. Just do a basic separation, knowing you will come back later and make it work for various other platforms.

At the current stage of my project, I'm just exploring the space and nowhere near shipping. All of the platform porting will come later, once I know I've got a unique product that will sell

[johnfn]

I have watched quite a bit of handmade hero. As a fun hobby, it looks great, but using that strategy to make an actual game... well, let's just say it doesn't surprise me he's multiple years in and hasn't even gotten to gameplay yet.

[sloopy543]

He hasn't gotten to gameplay because it is meant to be an educational series, which means skipping the parts that don't serve the educational purpose.

I've followed Casey's approach but taken a different path. Instead of focusing on covering anything an engine could do, I started making my own game.

And I discovered that once you get the basics of a platform layer and some GPU communication down, it's pretty easy to start throwing together a real game.

I'm doing it. I've got a real game with real gameplay, actual levels, real things you can do. All of this after a year or learning.