Vectrex Game Programming in C
VectreC - A platform independent Visual Studio Code Extension
Before continuing on Vexxon, I want to post another exciting piece of news here. Some of you probably have used Classics Coder for Vectrex, a self-contained macOS app that allows you to create games written in C for the original Vectrex. I also made a tutorial two years ago that shows how to create a simple game with it, which you can find here.
I was always asked when this would also be available for Linux and Windows, and for some time, I worked on porting Classics Coder to these additional platforms. Unfortunately, I was never happy with that approach because:
I can’t use the same professional editor as I do daily in my main job
I don’t have nice integrations of source control and other tools
It’s a significant effort to support three platforms, especially a professional editor is a massive effort
Last year, I made a significant decision to create all this as a Visual Studio Code Extension. This means you now have a modern code editor at your disposal, allowing you to easily extend your workflow. Plus, you can still run the code by simply pressing Ctrl-R, making your game development process smoother and more efficient.
CMOC - The C Compiler used
I still use CMOC as the underlying compiler in VectreC. While it’s not a full-fledged compiler like GCC, it contains all you need to start learning C and how to create games for the Vectrex in this high-level language.
I will also integrate GCC soon, but for now and for the upcoming C-Tutorials, I will stick with CMOC.
How do I get VectreC?
I'm currently working on some bug fixes, but I'm excited to announce that VectreC will soon be available on the VectreC page in Substack. As a special perk, paid subscribers of my newsletter will get early access to it, giving you a head start in your game development journey. Paid subscribers will also gain early access to Part 2 of the video tutorial on YouTube and some additional exclusive content. Stay tuned!
Vexxon for PiTrex
No worries, the following newsletters about Vexxon are also in the making and will soon be available, and I also hope to come back to a more regular schedule posting them. Life and job seem to get more stable than last year ;)
Thanks to everyone who registered for this newsletter and for the great feedback I've received so far. It’s the most important reason I’m doing all this!