In what can only be described as a complete disappointment, I've given up with BlitzMax.
Technically, the engine's great, the language runs fast, and things are good.
But.. It doesn't run on some systems..
And some of the features I'd really like to use run really stupidly slow on certain other systems.
It's a big downer.
And it's certainly most notable with Horizontal Shooter, and it's need to have a background that can be (shock horror) turned off!

It'd be less annoying if the Slow systems were the ones turning off the background.. Less processing power = less features.
Annoyingly, though, in most cases it's actually the BETTER systems that end up having to turn it off.
Very curious issues, and not the type of thing that I like to have to deal with.
I've always coded games fairly quickly, and like to imagine that when I'm done, they're going to work!

With BlitzMax, that's not always the case.

And it's a shame.

So, this week I've headed back to basics, and am currently playing about with my 2D-in-3D engine. For those keeping track, I created Centipong and Alien Deathmatch using this technique.. It's certainly capable, and I've not had any complaints about it not working.

Good stuff.

Unfortunately, since I've spent pretty much all week trying to get a nice Tile Engine up and running (with no working end results, might I add) I've not really got any games going.

Which is a shame.

But I'll carry on playing about, and hopefully by next Tuesday we should have a nice new game up and running.
I'm tempted to recreate an older game.. And, honestly, I feel like I might re-re-redo Horizontal Shooter, just to make a nice happy fully working version.
But we'll see what happens.
I might come up with something a little crazier by then!