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rlsw – Raylib software OpenGL renderer in less than 5k LOC

(github.com)
241 points fschuett | 2 comments | 21 Oct 25 21:00 UTC | HN request time: 0s | source
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ciroduran ◴[21 Oct 25 22:55 UTC] No.45662771[source]▶
Raylib's author was very happy to announce that you can compile an entire raylib program with no dependencies other than, say, being a win32 app https://x.com/raysan5/status/1980322289527976202
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smlacy ◴[22 Oct 25 00:34 UTC] No.45663602[source]▶
but ... why?
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foota ◴[22 Oct 25 00:36 UTC] No.45663616[source]▶
As someone who was once a child trying to figure out how to compile and link things to use SDL, I think there's some educational value in letting people make games without having to dive deep into how to use C++ toolchains.
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HelloNurse ◴[22 Oct 25 09:43 UTC] No.45666773[source]▶
I'd make the opposite argument about educational value. If you learn to compile libraries and programs you have, so to speak, passed an exam: you are ready to "make games" with confidence because you know what you are doing well enough to have no fear of tool complications.

What should be minimized is the accidental complication of compiling libraries and programs, for example convoluted build systems and C++ modules.

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krapp ◴[22 Oct 25 10:53 UTC] No.45667266{3}[source]▶
If you learn to compile libraries and programs, you just learn how to compile libraries and programs. That doesn't teach you anything about how to "make games." It doesn't even make game development significantly easier.

I think the real answer to educating people about making games without the complications of low level programming would be using a framework like Godot or languages like Python or Lua.

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1. HelloNurse ◴[22 Oct 25 12:56 UTC] No.45668360{4}[source]▶
Of course technical concerns aren't directly relevant to making games, but they are still necessary. Productive development means overcoming technical hurdles, not only domain specific challenges.

What if you cannot adopt some library that would do something very useful because you lack the skill integrate or replace CMake or Bazel or Autoconf? Unnecessary technical constraints impact game quality.

What if due to insufficient automation the time between tests after making a very small change is 10 minutes rather than 10 seconds? Reduced productivity impacts game quality.

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2. sarchertech ◴[22 Oct 25 13:05 UTC] No.45668489[source]▶
Very useful skills to have. But they don’t need to be learned during the very first lesson on the very first day unless you are trying to filter people out for some reason.