Allegro 5 for C++ / Visual Studio Help

[Kold-Virus]

I'm learning game dev with C++, wanting to branch out of RPG Maker and its RGSS system. But the Allego sourceforge is down and I can't get the library. Anyone got a mirror or something to send me?

Thank you.

[puggsoy]

Just a tip, not sure how smoothly the jump from RPG Maker to C++ is going to be. I wrote a huge post about choosing your language wisely a while ago, and why C++ isn't always the best choice. I won't bother writing another one, and I mean this may well be a good choice (I'm not trying to discourage you), but I'd advise that you think a bit carefully and consider some other choices, if you haven't already done so.

As for the Allegro Sourceforge site, it isn't down, at least not anymore. Maybe there was an issue with Sourceforge or they were doing maintenance when you checked.

[Kelvin]

If you wanna get into C++, I dunno about Allegro, but I do know that www.lazyfoo.net has some of the most in-depth SDL tutorials I've ever seen. It's what I got started with, and I like it a lot. You should at least read the SDL setup tutorials there, because, as they say on the site, setting up libraries in VC++ is pretty much the same for each one, so if anything, it'll help you get started with Allegro and get it running before you try to code.

I'll warn you, I've been using C++ for a while, and while I love the sheer amount of control it offers, you'll find it's also one of the most strict languages out there, so be prepared to have a computer telling you what to do. ^^ Of course, being able to build for any platform and being one of the fastest languages out there, I'd say it's worth a shot if the above hasn't scared you off yet. Let me know if you need any help getting started. Like I said, I haven't had any experience with Allegro, but I know a fair bit about C++, and I can help you with your code.

[Kold-Virus]

Just a tip, not sure how smoothly the jump from RPG Maker to C++ is going to be. I wrote a huge post about choosing your language wisely a while ago, and why C++ isn't always the best choice. I won't bother writing another one, and I mean this may well be a good choice (I'm not trying to discourage you), but I'd advise that you think a bit carefully and consider some other choices, if you haven't already done so.

As for the Allegro Sourceforge site, it isn't down, at least not anymore. Maybe there was an issue with Sourceforge or they were doing maintenance when you checked.

Oh, I'm not expecting it to be smooth or easy. No worries there. I'll take a look at your post, then.

@Kelvin: I greatly appreciate it. Because I can't for the life of me compile Allegro now that I got it. I'll be checking out that SDL stuff pronto.

[Kelvin]

SDL comes precompiled for a number of systems. Does Allegro use Make or CMake to compile it? Cuz if it's Make, I can help with that. CMake... eh, don't get me started on that.

[Kold-Virus]

SDL comes precompiled for a number of systems. Does Allegro use Make or CMake to compile it? Cuz if it's Make, I can help with that. CMake... eh, don't get me started on that.

Okay, I won't get ya started on that asshole of a program.

And now SDL won't run. I followed Lazy Foo's tutorial to a T, and it gives me this crap:

Code:

'SuperSmashBrosFeud.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Users\Nick\Documents\Visual Studio 2013\Projects\Super Smash Bros. Feud\Debug\SuperSmashBrosFeud.exe'. Symbols loaded.
'SuperSmashBrosFeud.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Windows\SysWOW64\ntdll.dll'. Cannot find or open the PDB file.
'SuperSmashBrosFeud.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Windows\SysWOW64\kernel32.dll'. Cannot find or open the PDB file.
'SuperSmashBrosFeud.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Windows\SysWOW64\KernelBase.dll'. Cannot find or open the PDB file.
'SuperSmashBrosFeud.exe' (Win32): Loaded 'C:\Windows\SysWOW64\apphelp.dll'. Cannot find or open the PDB file.
SHIMVIEW: ShimInfo(Complete)
First-chance exception at 0x77D8E0B2 (ntdll.dll) in SuperSmashBrosFeud.exe: 0xC000007B:  %hs is either not designed to run on Windows or it contains an error. Try installing the program again using the original installation media or contact your system administrator or the software vendor for support. Error status 0x.
Unhandled exception at 0x77D8E0B2 (ntdll.dll) in SuperSmashBrosFeud.exe: 0xC000007B:  %hs is either not designed to run on Windows or it contains an error. Try installing the program again using the original installation media or contact your system administrator or the software vendor for support. Error status 0x.

The thread 0xdf5c has exited with code -1073741510 (0xc000013a).
The program '[51196] SuperSmashBrosFeud.exe' has exited with code -1073741510 (0xc000013a).

[Kelvin]

First off, are you trying to make a Smash game as your first game? No, no, no, step back and start with something small. Like a ball that moves right when you push right. Trust me, C++ is NOT easy enough to just start out making Smash clones.

Also, which version of VC are you using?

[Kold-Virus]

First off, are you trying to make a Smash game as your first game? No, no, no, step back and start with something small. Like a ball that moves right when you push right. Trust me, C++ is NOT easy enough to just start out making Smash clones.

Also, which version of VC are you using?

The Smash game is just my ultimate goal. I'm using the project to familiarize myself with SDL and CPP first.

And I'm using 2013. It seems to recognize SDL, but the code won't run.

[Kelvin]

You made sure to put sdl.lib in the linker, right? Also, post your code; VC is terrible at error messages, most of the time, so it'd be easier to just check your code.

[Kold-Virus]

You made sure to put sdl.lib in the linker, right? Also, post your code; VC is terrible at error messages, most of the time, so it'd be easier to just check your code.

I used the code for the first Lazy Foo tutorial, the one called "Hello"

Code:

/*This source code copyrighted by Lazy Foo' Productions (2004-2015)
and may not be redistributed without written permission.*/

//Using SDL and standard IO
#include <SDL.h>
#include <stdio.h>

//Screen dimension constants
const int SCREEN_WIDTH = 640;
const int SCREEN_HEIGHT = 480;

int main(int argc, char* args[])
{
    //The window we'll be rendering to
    SDL_Window* window = NULL;

    //The surface contained by the window
    SDL_Surface* screenSurface = NULL;

    //Initialize SDL
    if (SDL_Init(SDL_INIT_VIDEO) < 0)
    {
        printf("SDL could not initialize! SDL_Error: %s\n", SDL_GetError());
    }
    else
    {
        //Create window
        window = SDL_CreateWindow("SDL Tutorial", SDL_WINDOWPOS_UNDEFINED, SDL_WINDOWPOS_UNDEFINED, SCREEN_WIDTH, SCREEN_HEIGHT, SDL_WINDOW_SHOWN);
        if (window == NULL)
        {
            printf("Window could not be created! SDL_Error: %s\n", SDL_GetError());
        }
        else
        {
            //Get window surface
            screenSurface = SDL_GetWindowSurface(window);

            //Fill the surface white
            SDL_FillRect(screenSurface, NULL, SDL_MapRGB(screenSurface->format, 0xFF, 0xFF, 0xFF));

            //Update the surface
            SDL_UpdateWindowSurface(window);

            //Wait two seconds
            SDL_Delay(2000);
        }
    }

    //Destroy window
    SDL_DestroyWindow(window);

    //Quit SDL subsystems
    SDL_Quit();

    return 0;
}

[Kelvin]

Hmm, weird. And you set the directories to point to the library and include files, right?

[Kold-Virus]

Hmm, weird. And you set the directories to point to the library and include files, right?

Yes I did. I followed the installation tutorial to the letter.