RPGDX > Forums > Design and programming > SDL vs Allegro

omega_alpha · Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2003 4:02 pm Post subject: SDL vs Allegro

I use SDL, but I don't see anything that it doesn't do that Allegro does, is there anything?

Happy · JonA's American snack pack Joined: 03 Aug 2002 Posts: 200

Not really, no.

Bjorn · Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2003 8:57 pm Post subject:

Right, so SDL also has datafiles, a GUI, unicode, fixed and floating point math routines and vectorial drawing? I didn't think so. I'd say SDL is more geared towards general multimedia applications and Allegro is more geared towards games.

I haven't used SDL though, and have started to dislike them both when I found ClanLib, which is basically much more to my taste because of it's C++ implementation and seperated modules. It can use SDL for fast software 2D rendering or OpenGL for much-faster hardware 2D/3D rendering, but that's just one part of this game programming library. Only drawback is it's currently rapidly changing API, you basically either want to stick to 0.6-stoneage or keep your game up to date with 0.7-CVS.

ishpeck · Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2003 9:03 pm Post subject:

You've pretty much covered it. SDL is the absolute best there is (to date).
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BigManJones · Scholar Joined: 22 Mar 2003 Posts: 196

Hmm, to new people with low post counts....

Somebody is trying to start something..... and not being very sneaky about it.

Bjorn · Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2003 11:25 pm Post subject:

This community doesn't seem very prone to the thing you are talking about. :-)

Happy · JonA's American snack pack Joined: 03 Aug 2002 Posts: 200

white_door · Posted: Wed Sep 17, 2003 1:25 am Post subject:

if you want to read about this topic in more detail I believe www.allegro.cc has this arguement once every 2-3 weeks. :p

In all honesty I've use allegro, becuase I learned allegro first, and it does what I need.. and I'm far too lazy to be bothered switching to something else I have briefly looked at some of the features of SDL, and I can't say I see a big difference... except for a few extras here and there.

BigManJones · Scholar Joined: 22 Mar 2003 Posts: 196

Rainer Deyke · Demon Hunter Joined: 05 Jun 2002 Posts: 672

I've found that SDL does everything I need it to, if I include secondary libraries like SDL_mixer, SDL_image, SDL_TTF, and such. Allegro, on the other hand, looks distinctly unpleasant. That's an aesthetic judgement, not a technical one.

Guest · Posted: Wed Sep 17, 2003 10:32 pm Post subject:

Just to say to the person who claims I'm trying to start something. I was merely interested in seeing the merits of both libraries. I though SDL looked fairly simple and Allegro has never really been to my taste, but I was thinking if Allegro was an all around better library than I might switch. This quote explains exactly why I don't really like allegro from the get go:

Bjorn · Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2003 8:01 pm Post subject:

ishpeck replied with the following, accidentally putting it in a new thread, so I have moved it here:

I count myself amongst the few who has used both Allegro and SDL. I learned Allegro first. Allegro's "data files" were quite charming.

However, the largest reason for my recently swearing fealty to SDL is portability.

SDL works on every last platform I care to develop on -- even BeOS and the Sega Dreamcast [which I consider to be a thriving game console].

When it comes right down to it, there is no difference. When developing in the DOS/Win32 environment, whether your use SDL, Allegro or straight-up DirectX is a matter of personal taste. Debating the matter is like arguing over which kind of food, music, or movies people should like.

Adam · Mage Joined: 30 Dec 2002 Posts: 416 Location: Australia

I picked SDL cause the instalation manual had less steps than for allegero. Then again dx9 has only 1 step but it seems to lock my computer up whenever the sdk is installed.

Brian Hook uses SDL, he worked on quake 2 and 3... but now he makes 2d puzzles. Not that this had anything to do with my decision, i just find it interesting that one can move from megahit 3d games to the stuff that no name people use.

Now ive got to work out why nothing is happening in my app. Mebe i should have picked the libary with that whole community thing. :P
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janus · Mage Joined: 29 Jun 2002 Posts: 464 Location: Issaquah, WA

SDL and Allegro both suck. Everyone should be using assembly. >:(

More seriously, I haven't used Allegro, but I despise SDL. It doesn't even have a function to draw lines! (At least not that I could find in the api...) And writing custom blit functions with it is even more difficult than using DirectDraw.

The built in support for 2D alpha and source alpha is nice, however.

DrunkenCoder · Demon Hunter Joined: 29 May 2002 Posts: 559

Now that actually gave me a reason to have a look at it, why should the base library worry about stuff that most applications really doesn't need and where well known and fast methods are easy to find and implement.
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