Hello
I've got a couple of questions regarding the audio system being used in Scirra. Right now, am I correct to assume that Scirra currently uses DirectShow for its BGM and sound FX mixing? If so, is this the long-term solution being proposed for the system? As a musician and gamedev both by hobby, my format of choice has always been modules for games, since they provide excellent sound at a minimal space and CPU overhead cost. Unfortunately, the options available in terms of DirectShow filters for modules are inadequate to say the least. (Memory management problems, problems looping, etc.)
I was wondering what the reception would be towards using an audio system beside directshow or instead of it for the BGM, now that the project has gone open-source. When Josh Whelchel (Twilight Terror) was working on the open-source WSF format (which, unfortunately, I can't find any info online anymore!), I had recommended to him to try the Modplug replay engine, which at the time had just recently gone GPL. Later, it turns out that most of the hard work was already done for us by a nice guy called entheh who created the DUMB Sound Library, which is derived from Modplug. This formed the basis of WSF's replayer, and the replayer in the (now official) MMF extension ModFX3/ModFusion.
I fully support the DUMB replayer, since it's free and contains no nasty commercial license caveats like the other popular solutions (such as FMOD and BASS) used in game making tools like GameMaker, Blitz Basic, and MMF2. It's also based on one of the best replayer engines around, Modplug, which is used in other open-source projects such as XMMS and VideoLAN VLC. Module formats are still a quite popular solution for game developers on the PC and especially the emerging next-gen handheld market due to their small size, portability, consistent sound and low CPU useage.
Would you possibly consider supporting tracker module formats in scirra in the future?