How to start game programming
Well I've been programming for 6 months now and know C++ ... fairly well. I know a fair amount of everything but not specifically good at anything.
I originally thought that programming would be fun until i made my first rpg game (very unorganized, not expandable). IT WAS HARD.
SO then I started looking at the wrathlands tutorials and i'm on video 3 now but I'm wondering, how did you (assuming you did) become a good game programmer?
Which tutorials did you use, how did you do it? Did it take a lot of time and effort?
I'm talking about text based rpg games. Those are my favorite games. My ultimate goal would be to create a really good text based (or possibly graphical if I have enough time to play with that) rpg game by the end of 2010. SO far I'm still in highschool so I don't have too much time to play around with this stuff.
I would appreciate it if you would answer all of my questions and in list form :D
I originally thought that programming would be fun until i made my first rpg game (very unorganized, not expandable). IT WAS HARD.
SO then I started looking at the wrathlands tutorials and i'm on video 3 now but I'm wondering, how did you (assuming you did) become a good game programmer?
Which tutorials did you use, how did you do it? Did it take a lot of time and effort?
I'm talking about text based rpg games. Those are my favorite games. My ultimate goal would be to create a really good text based (or possibly graphical if I have enough time to play with that) rpg game by the end of 2010. SO far I'm still in highschool so I don't have too much time to play around with this stuff.
I would appreciate it if you would answer all of my questions and in list form :D
I can only speak of my presonal experience. Bear in mind I am fully self taught and did not have any formal schooling.
There's no substitute for experience. You can read design pattern books and things to get ideas, but when it gets right down to it, having experience and good habits goes a long way.
Just keep at it.
Other than tutorials which introduce APIs (like OpenGL, etc), none.
nehe.gamedev.net is the only real tutorial page I can remember using. Don't expect to learn much beyond how to use OpenGL though (ie: you won't learn anything on game design)
I ended up fumbling a lot of projects and rewriting them a few times.
I'm to the point now where I finally am able to plan ahead enough to make my code expandable. But it took quite a bit of time.
Yes. Again, there's no substitute for experience.
I'd argue that text processing makes the game much more difficult. Parsing text and strings is a lot more complicated than a more restrictive point-and-click or press-a-button-on-a-gamepad interface.
You'll have even less time when you graduate and get a job. I hardly ever have time to code anymore.
| how did you (assuming you did) become a good game programmer? |
There's no substitute for experience. You can read design pattern books and things to get ideas, but when it gets right down to it, having experience and good habits goes a long way.
Just keep at it.
| Which tutorials did you use |
Other than tutorials which introduce APIs (like OpenGL, etc), none.
nehe.gamedev.net is the only real tutorial page I can remember using. Don't expect to learn much beyond how to use OpenGL though (ie: you won't learn anything on game design)
how did you do it? |
I ended up fumbling a lot of projects and rewriting them a few times.
I'm to the point now where I finally am able to plan ahead enough to make my code expandable. But it took quite a bit of time.
| Did it take a lot of time and effort? |
Yes. Again, there's no substitute for experience.
| (or possibly graphical if I have enough time to play with that) |
I'd argue that text processing makes the game much more difficult. Parsing text and strings is a lot more complicated than a more restrictive point-and-click or press-a-button-on-a-gamepad interface.
| SO far I'm still in highschool so I don't have too much time to play around with this stuff. |
You'll have even less time when you graduate and get a job. I hardly ever have time to code anymore.
im a beginner and i think your skills are just the same level as mine (or maybe you're better)
i completely agree with this, i have programmed minesweeper before and want to convert it to textbase application(dont know why) and yeah it was like hell. the user can input anything he wants instead of just mouse clicks. i have finish it anyway
| I'd argue that text processing makes the game much more difficult. Parsing text and strings is a lot more complicated than a more restrictive point-and-click or press-a-button-on-a-gamepad interface. |
i completely agree with this, i have programmed minesweeper before and want to convert it to textbase application(dont know why) and yeah it was like hell. the user can input anything he wants instead of just mouse clicks. i have finish it anyway
OP - do you mean text based or ASCII-graphics game? If you are creating the latter you will need curses to pull off something really nice. Play Angband for example; all of the original vanilla angband is programmed in curses.
What is your skill level exactly? Have you worked with STL containers, templates, OOP etc?
Becoming a good game programmer is no easy task, I personally don't find any great interest in that so I only perform such an undertaking if I have some idea to try out. You could teach yourself and a lot of good stuff is within reach but, of course, there is only so much you can pull off on your own.
What is your skill level exactly? Have you worked with STL containers, templates, OOP etc?
Becoming a good game programmer is no easy task, I personally don't find any great interest in that so I only perform such an undertaking if I have some idea to try out. You could teach yourself and a lot of good stuff is within reach but, of course, there is only so much you can pull off on your own.
Blech @ console/ASCII-graphics games. They're harder to code and are more restrictive.
2D graphics, and simple mouse/gamepad input are not difficult. There's no need to be intimidated by them.
Although, granted, printing onscreen text is less difficult with a console style setup. But just about everything else.....
2D graphics, and simple mouse/gamepad input are not difficult. There's no need to be intimidated by them.
Although, granted, printing onscreen text is less difficult with a console style setup. But just about everything else.....
A text based RPG?
Something like Zork?
Text-based RPGs are an excellent start to programming.
If you want to start with graphics, play with SDL.
http://www.lazyfoo.net/SDL_tutorials/
Just so you know, game programming is some of the most demanding stuff you can do. (It is very difficult to program games.)
Good luck!
Something like Zork?
Text-based RPGs are an excellent start to programming.
If you want to start with graphics, play with SDL.
http://www.lazyfoo.net/SDL_tutorials/
Just so you know, game programming is some of the most demanding stuff you can do. (It is very difficult to program games.)
Good luck!
If you are talking about a text based RPG in particular I recall there being engines for that purpose. ADRIFT is an excellent example although it is not free.
Anyone HELP...
I just started game (2D) programming in C++.....using Microsoft visual C++ 6.0..
the problem is right now i am practising using free source codes available.....but <allergo.h> is generating an error every time I compile....(NO SUCH FILE IN DIRECTORY)
I just started game (2D) programming in C++.....using Microsoft visual C++ 6.0..
the problem is right now i am practising using free source codes available.....but <allergo.h> is generating an error every time I compile....(NO SUCH FILE IN DIRECTORY)
Then you're doing it wrong. Are you sure you've spelt it right? I don't like microsoft use VC++; so I don't know if it comes with this "allergo.h" (allegro.h on the other hand, rings a bell). Is it a standard library header? In which case, it should be #include <allegro>.
If no; you've got to download this header file from somewhere and also the library (probably a .lib, .a or .so file) file and put them in the appropriate directories.
If no; you've got to download this header file from somewhere and also the library (probably a .lib, .a or .so file) file and put them in the appropriate directories.
@ciit015
that's not gonna work. you have to download allegro and add its include directory to VC++.
i've use it before in VC++ 2008 express edition but not VC++ 6.0
that's not gonna work. you have to download allegro and add its include directory to VC++.
i've use it before in VC++ 2008 express edition but not VC++ 6.0
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