Could also ask to create some completely new SCUMM games because of ScummVM. 😉

Hm, why not, maybe? Nowadays, could create DOS games optimized for DOSBox, even.

I was planning to do something with Engoo like that, though my C-written cache-eating graphic features don't have optimal performance on the latest machines even natively in Windows, let alone through DOSBox... the water especially. blurring your eyes a little and it almost looks Source 😜

This development environment for DOS is actively used:
http://www.delorie.com/djgpp/

Farrow wrote:

At that point, I asked myself if writing new games (or, in general, new software) for DOSBox could make sense, at least as much as using it for already existing programs; my answer was: «Well, why not?».

In short, could it make sense producing, nowadays, new 16-bit applications (both games and not) since they will work quietly over DOSBox then over any modern machine? I was wondering what do you think about that.

Why not just write the application for Win32?

Jorpho wrote:

Why not just write the application for Win32?

Because DOSBox allows just 16-bit apps, I suppose.

So what is the advantage to writing a 16-bit app? I can't really think of any.

The investment in time would be worthless monetarily but if it's something you enjoy doing then why the hell not.

Jorpho wrote:

So what is the advantage to writing a 16-bit app? I can't really think of any.

Just last morning I tried to execute some games made by the indie developer known as "Locomalito" on my Linux machine through the program Wine, but I encountered some problem while running them (to be precise, weird and persistent slowdowns while playing, which make the game definitely unplayable). I know there is a paid version of Game Maker which is able to produce Linux executables, but it is a little bit expensive. From this point of view, a DOSBox could represent a cross-platform in which people could develop its own games, people being sure that games will basically run everywhere since DOSBox works potentially on all the widespread operating systems. In other words, DOSBox could become a superlayer on which (or for which) develop old-fashioned games, as an alternative to other expensive tools like the previously mentioned Game Maker. In some way, DOSBox could be a sort of "advanced" MAME32 which can also be used for development, not only for playing games.

Probably, you will think that I'm freaking out. But where you find a fool, you may likely find two or three others. So, let's look at how many fools are in there.

😐

But DOSBox is not Game Maker, and any development tools available that would create DOS executables are probably substantially more difficult to use than Game Maker.

DOSBox works in Linux and Windows because it is an SDL application, if I am not mistaken. If one is making a program from scratch, one can obtain the same degree of portability by using SDL.