Wondering how to get started programming games

[thatguy]

Hi I was just wondering if anyone could answer the simple question of how I should go about getting started on programming my first computer game. I have a lot of great ideas and I want to try them out. I was thinking of buying Microsoft Visual C++ 6 and downloading the half-life SDK. Then I was going to learn C++ and make my first game as a mod for half-life. Is this a good idea? If not, what should I do?

[Galen of Edgewood]

Originally posted by thatguy:
Hi I was just wondering if anyone could answer the simple question of how I should go about getting started on programming my first computer game. I have a lot of great ideas and I want to try them out. I was thinking of buying Microsoft Visual C++ 6 and downloading the half-life SDK. Then I was going to learn C++ and make my first game as a mod for half-life. Is this a good idea? If not, what should I do?

Go out and have fun. If you screw up, just learn from it, and don't do it again. http://www.sharkyforums.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

Sorry 'bout not being too helpful here, but I honestly don't have any experience in the game programming field.

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Baby of Edgewood @ birth (03/09/01, 12:34am)
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perfectly healthy

[namgor]

I am at your same position when I was in grade 6, I ended up producing more and more games with my idea, drive new algorithm to make things more efficient and it must be a good learning experience.

Yes, professional games can be done in VC++6, so that is a good software to get.

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I am crab, scoins is crap.

[Adisharr]

Originally posted by thatguy:
Hi I was just wondering if anyone could answer the simple question of how I should go about getting started on programming my first computer game. I have a lot of great ideas and I want to try them out. I was thinking of buying Microsoft Visual C++ 6 and downloading the half-life SDK. Then I was going to learn C++ and make my first game as a mod for half-life. Is this a good idea? If not, what should I do?

Not a bad idea but it may turn out to be more complex than you anticipate. I'd start with some simpler things.. Maybe some 2D games - small ones..




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- My head best viewed at 320 x 200 -

[zombor]

Originally posted by thatguy:
Hi I was just wondering if anyone could answer the simple question of how I should go about getting started on programming my first computer game. I have a lot of great ideas and I want to try them out. I was thinking of buying Microsoft Visual C++ 6 and downloading the half-life SDK. Then I was going to learn C++ and make my first game as a mod for half-life. Is this a good idea? If not, what should I do?


Go to college, heh.


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Compaq Armada E500
650MHz PIII 128MB RAM
8MB ATI rage mobility
11GB hard drive/DVD
dual booting win98/2k

who said you cant game on a notebook????

[Insane_Marc]

Originally posted by zombor:
Go to college, heh.

Actually I started in about 5th or 6th grade with Quick BASIC. Its great to know before you get into high school, when they start to teach it to you. http://www.sharkyforums.com/ubb/wink.gif

Of course all the games I made were crap and nobody plays them but me...

Now I've promised myself that I *will* learn VB someday...then C++ and I'll make good games. Well, decent games...that only I will play...

But you might want to start with something simplier the Visual C++. Unless you already have...

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<Insert Funny Quote Here>

[Boldy]

I agree that you start with a very simple program. I'd worry about learning C++ before you even think about writing games.

Visual C++ is a good package, but if you're going that route I'd suggest you write console apps at first instead of getting into the Windows interfaces.

[Chronostormer]

Maybe this will help -> http://www-cs-students.stanford.edu/~amitp/gameprog.html

It also has a bunch of links.

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I want to be a Cat Fish! :)

[dstidolph]

Knowledge of MSVC/C++ is good for far more than games. It will get you a career. If you want to program games, like Quake or Half-Life, it would take you years to write something like them, so don't. Either work on simple games that you can build yourself, or use existing games and use editors to build your own "mods" and levels.

Be aware, game programers make about 20% less money than programers outside the industry. I know this from experience.

Good Luck,

David Stidolph

[Slovin8]

Game programming, that's my thingy http://www.sharkyforums.com/ubb/wink.gif Well, I wouldn't call myself a Pro game programmer but I have a lot of experience in this field.

VC++ is certainly important, it's a pretty good IDE. Now you have to learn C++ to be able to program decent games. A knowledge of DirectX or OpenGL is very crucial. If you're programming for Windows, then a knowledge of Win32 is as important.

I suggest you start with something simple, go and buy some books on game programming. I highly recommend those by Andre Lamothe like Game Programming for Dummies. I'd recommend also buying some books on DirectX or OpenGL. To be able to program from scratch, you will have to build a solid background not only in software engineering, but also in math (if you're doing 3D) and modular design.

It took me quite sometime to write a game engine, it was very frustrating and tedious at times. Planning, I believe, is the most important aspect of developing any software, including games. I didn't want to use anyone else's code so I wrote the whole 2D Engine myself. It contains:

1) Graphics Engine.
2) Sound Engine.
3) Multiplayer Engine
4) Main Engine.

It took me over a year to get it done as I wanted, though it would probably take me less now since I am well aware of the errors I made.

Good luck, game programming is certainly fun, exciting, and educational.

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Specs:

Bipolar semantic processor @ 1.9 TeraHertz (Not OC)
Narrow-beam Holographic emitter.
128 Gigaquads of QRM (Quantum Resonance Memory)
666 Gigaquads HD.
Heuristic polarization matrix v3.0
Asymptotic Neuron transmitter.
Alpha heatsink/fan.

[MafiaBoss]

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1558605932/qid=988932189/sr=1-5/ref=sc_b_6/104-7203403-3382324

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http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1576104001/qid=988932070/sr=1-3/ref=sc_b_4/104-7203403-3382324

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Good Luck http://www.sharkyforums.com/ubb/smile.gif

[This message has been edited by MafiaBoss (edited May 03, 2001).]

[Slovin8]

Btw, Lamothe sucks sometimes. He made a couple of good books and the rest are cut and paste of his previous works plus extra wasted thikness to deceive you that it worths something.

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Specs:

Bipolar semantic processor @ 1.9 TeraHertz (Not OC)
Narrow-beam Holographic emitter.
128 Gigaquads of QRM (Quantum Resonance Memory)
666 Gigaquads HD.
Heuristic polarization matrix v3.0
Asymptotic Neuron transmitter.
Alpha heatsink/fan.

[richardginn]

go look at deitel & deitel programming books.

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[randwannabe]

I always see people recommending those Deitel & Deitel books but I can never find them in any bookstores. Not only that but the ones I do see on Amazon are hella expensive!!! Are they really that good?

[richardginn]

yeah, real good and real expensive at the same time. There is only one i've seen to get them cheap. Get them as a used book.

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[Strogian]

Sort of on this same subject, does anyone know of a good internet tutorial (perhaps a book too, though I'm kinda low on funds AND time =), to learn TCP/IP using C, so I could have an online game (RPG)?

Oh, and by the way, my game's gonna be pure text.. That would be a lot easier, I assume? (I've never seen a graphics engine) I also saves all of the time it would take to draw all of the stuff. http://www.sharkyforums.com/ubb/smile.gif

[Gepik]

i just wanna learn the basics.... i made an rpg with items and weapons onmy TI-83 plus in 6th grade called monkey wars(rip off of star wars) it was texts and i built it all by myself even the battle engines! it took about a week.... how do you make proggys on comp as basic as those on a TI-83. Notepad?

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Getting this comp in 1 week!!i cant wait!
1.7 ghz P4
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Geforce 2 GTS 32MB DDR
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32/8/10 RW cd-rom
Ethernet 10/100 PCI
NEC multisync 15+
Harmon Kardon
slow a$$ 56k

[GreenGrappler]

The lamothe "dummies" book is very handy as a starter, but you wont use it for that long.

Regarding DirectX or 3D the micrsoft book Inside Direct 3D is probably the one to go for except that it covers DirectX 7.
8 is a big improvement and structured differently (with DirectDraw and updates to D3D) so wait for an updated version.

Regarding OpenGL - there is only one book, the Red Book "OpenGL Programming Guide 3rd Edition" - there's a specific Windows OpenGL guide, but it wont tell you anything you cannot get help on in the Microsoft Developer Network or any Win32 book.

If you're looking for a simple game programming language, have a look at Blitz Basic (which was originally around for the Commodore Amiga) - it gives very easy access to DirectX 7 (direct draw only but a 3D version is planned for release) components in Basic (which is always easy). However, i would not recommend this if it means you never get started in VC++ which is undoubtedly the king of games programming.

DirectX v OpenGL is a tough one - i use OpenGL but thats only because its a bit quicker to get started with.


(That was no help at all).

[GreenGrappler]

Whoops, added 2 by mistake...

[This message has been edited by GreenGrappler (edited May 07, 2001).]

[Slovin8]

DirectX v OpenGL is a tough one - i use OpenGL but thats only because its a bit quicker to get started with.


Yup, before DX8, I prefered OpenGL. MS has finally merged DirectDraw and Direct3D under DirectGraphics, a major enhancment over the previous versions. It it now as easy as openGL to setup a world.

Also, DirectX8 has built in functions to deal with meshes and .x files, a very very handy feature IMO.



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Specs:

Bipolar semantic processor @ 1.9 TeraHertz (Not OC)
Narrow-beam Holographic emitter.
128 Gigaquads of QRM (Quantum Resonance Memory)
666 Gigaquads HD.
Heuristic polarization matrix v3.0
Asymptotic Neuron transmitter.
Alpha heatsink/fan.

[GreenGrappler]

Originally posted by Slovin8:
[BAlso, DirectX8 has built in functions to deal with meshes and .x files, a very very handy feature IMO.
[/B]

An excellent feature, agreed.

Slovin is probably right to go for DirectX, seeing as it is much more widely used in game development, especially with the advent of the X-box. And it is looking really good these days.

As regards the original question, does anyone think it is possible to program DirectX without first learning C++? Or could you learn both at the same time?

The thing with that is, in my opinion, you have to almost enjoy the programming to be able to learn it, and if you are programming games then you are more likely to be enjoying yourself than say programming a celcius to farenheit calculator.

Which is why Blitz may be a good idea.

[GreenGrappler]

I just noticed your system specs Slovin, christ man, you need to upgrade.

[Towfiq]

Hi,

I'm a techie guy (aka the guy with all the theory but can't make crap) DirectX 8 is inceredeble.I mean it offers near photorealistic grahpics and it suports N-pathes crucuial to decent grahics but need help.Game programing I have Visual C++ Visual Basic and Vicual J++.

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Did I hit you or my chance of having a normall life with my impulse hammer?

[Slovin8]

As regards the original question, does anyone think it is possible to program DirectX without first learning C++? Or could you learn both at the same time?


I think it is really hard to get going with DirectX without having some solid background in C++. Things such as LPVOID and BYTE** would make debugging and understanding the process itself cumbersome. You can probably learn how to do some triangles and lighting by reading the tutorials but beyond that, some math, C++, and imagination is required.

A support for VB has been added to DirectX since DX7 I believe. However, DirectX is imported through layers of abstractions to VB unlike C++ where you can speak to the hardware directly via the HAL (Hardware Abstraction Layer).

Now, if you really don't want to bother yourself with the engine itself but want to build a game, there exist some free 3D engines that'll do the job. One really excellent 3D engine is called Crystal Space (http://crystal.linuxgames.com/) and is still in development but you can start making simple games with it.

Game programming is really fun, but unless you are really, really dedicated to it, you will get bored, if not stuck, making the engine.

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[H.Golnabi]

But is it better to learn Directx8 AND VC++ or stay with VB? Is there a difference in fps or quality?

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[GreenGrappler]

Originally posted by Slovin8:
Game programming is really fun, but unless you are really, really dedicated to it, you will get bored, if not stuck, making the engine.


Very true, there must be thousands of unfinished engines written by people trying to recreate Quake. It is often better to start with a smaller project and build the engine that is necessary for that. Then with each game, enhance the engine. That way you're not just writing an engine but also have something to show for it.

I suppose that with the DirectX SDK they almost provide the beginnings of an engine, being their standard framework.