np Gian. To continue the tangent a little further and answer your follow up question, how could the COBOL you once knew be used for a 3D game - one clue is the ability to compile COBOL apps directly to Java byte code or MSIL. Once you're here, the COBOL developer can pretty much use all the same things a Java or C# developer has access to.
Here's a snippet of COBOL code checking for a collision in the Blitz game:
class-id CobolBlitz.Bomb inherits type Sprite.
working-storage section.
01 initialVelocity type System.Drawing.PointF static.
method-id. NEW.
local-storage section.
procedure division using by value gameState as type GameState l-x as float-short l-y as float-short.
invoke super::Construct(gameState l-x l-y "graphics\bomb6x20.bmp" type GameObjectEnum::Bomb)
set initialVelocity to new type System.Drawing.PointF(0 80)
set super::Velocity to initialVelocity
end method.
method-id CheckCollisions.
local-storage section.
01 collide condition-value.
procedure division returning ret as type Sprite.
set ret to null
perform varying thing as type GameObject through super::GameState::GameObjects
if thing::ObjectType = type GameObjectEnum::BaseShip or
thing::ObjectType = type GameObjectEnum::Base
set collide to false
invoke super::Collision(self thing as type Sprite) returning collide
if collide
set ret to thing as type Sprite
exit perform
end-if
end-if
end-perform
end method.
end class.
For the adventurous, you can download a free COBOL compiler including the game code here https://www.microfocus.com/product-downloads/vcpe/vcpe23/
