Game Programming

utilitarian

Hello there,

I have of late found myself drawn more and more to how games work! So much so that i made the desicion about half a year ago that i would seriously persue the road of the Indie Game Programmer. Now, here is the problem, and most of you out there that have ever tried it will know what i am saying, it is a lonely road. I'm talking blowing tumble weed, big open sky with mountains in the very distance, and you, in the middle of no where....

So, basically that is why i am here. Is there anyone out there that ever tried to program a game, is there anyone out there who would like mroe information on where to start? I have begun, i cover The Complete Idiots Guide to C++ and now i am starting a book called Game Programming All In One by Jonathan Harbour. That book uses C and a games library called Allegro.

I am also farmiliar with games packages like FPS Creator and Dask Basic. I started making a game in Visual Basic but i got side tracked by my new C and Allegro game project.

So, if anyone has any questions, please, please ask me, and even better if anyone would like to start anything them selves, please tell me and i will help any way i can.

I am writing here cause i would like to work with someone from Ireland, if possible. I am from Galway. my website is below,

http://www.geocities.com/donalodomhnaill/

Look on that main page for 2 links (they are easy to find) about me and game programming.

I look forward to hearing from anyone,

my email address is donalod@gmail.com

Donal (Utilitarian)

Seanmcn

Im trying to get into it now, im finding it quite hard, i live in Ireland and im 16, I added you to google talk, mabye you could email me some good places to start?

OMcGovern

Game programming is one of the most challenging areas of programming, because the performance Vs realism balance has to be just right.

These days, companies will build up their own graphics libraries, or license other dedicated graphics libraries. Eg. the Half Life 2 graphics engine, or the Havok physics engine. Top 3D games programmers would have to really know their 3D geometry, physics ( gravity, collision effects, etc ) and a knowledge of optics for special effects. ( lense flare, reflections, warping images etc.. )

I'd recommend developing a few 2D games first, before jumping into 3D.
Also, you would have to make a choice between mobile phone games, console games or PC games. Writing a few 2D mobile phone games would have the benefit that you could bring them into an interview at some stage.

regards,
Owen

Seanmcn

Yes, but where to start?

aidan_walsh

Seanmcn wrote:

Yes, but where to start?

http://www.gamedev.net/reference/start_here/

PhantomBeaker

I also have to say, the articles on the gibbage site (gibbage.blogspot.com) about writing your own game speak a lot of sense - I saw the link from the OP's blog, and it presents a very sane way of doing such things.

utilitarian

I think that the article by Dan Marshall on his game Gibbage is really good, i started reading the first articles that he wrote on making your own game from PC Zone magazine. I learned alot from this article, and then when he finished his game he wrote more articles about the process of learning how to program and what books to use etc in http://www.gibbage.co.uk ... Basically i have followed exactly in his footsteps and now i am learning how to program games! It is kinda that simple, maybe his advice is not for everyone, but I found it to be exactly what i was looking for. Sites like GameDev are really really good sites, but for me, when i was starting off, i found it best to hold a physical book in my hands that i could page through, under line and book marc...

And it is working, if anyone wants to learn how to make games i would love to help them in any way i can... Read the gibbage site, really good....

All The Best...
Keep Coding!

Sabre0001

You could also try modding for games that you like...There are always groups out there who need Coders. You could look at the good, the bad and the ugly ideas that are out there and play around with stuff...

Zombrex

Seanmcn wrote:

Yes, but where to start?

Step 1 - Get yourself a good book on C++, one that takes you from the basics up to more complex subjects like objects, inherentence, polymorphism etc. Download a free C++ IDE (integrated development environment), such as Microsofts Visual Studio Express Edition or Bloodsheds DevC++

Step 2- Spend a good amount of time learning C++ properly. Follow the examples in the book you have, read up on subjects online etc. No point attempting games programming until you game program properly in general

Step 3- Write a text adventure. You are probably laughing right now, but I'm seroius A text adventure will get you used to the basic game concepts, such as the main loop, user input, user output, user state, enemies, enviornment properties, non-playable characters etc, without having to worry about the much more time consuming issue of graphics. Everyone starts off worry about graphics programming, but that is only one area of games programming. Learning the over all basics of game design is a much better way to go.

Step 4 - Once you have finished off your tenth or so text adventure and are happy you have mastered it, now its time to think about graphics. Download the DirectX development libraries from microsoft and install (should be simple if you are using Visual Studio, DevC++ has its own way of installing, consult the website). Get a good book on DirectX that starts off with 2D in DirectX 7. DirectX 8 and 9 commands have no proper 2D, everything is just flat 3D, which isn't the best for learning 2D programming. Don't worry about what you download, the latest DirectX is compatable with previous ones, you just change a setting.

Step 5 - Once you have followed the tutorials in the book you have you should be ready to design a simple 2D game, applying what you learnt from your text adventures. Start off simple, maybe with a Pong clone, or Pacman clone. Slowly work yourway up to more complex games like shoot-em ups. Don't worry about graphics, you should be able to find graphics on the web (these games are only for yourself so it doesn't matter if you steal graphics from Super Mario Bros or something).

Step 6 - 3D graphics is an entire field of study all on its own, so make sure you are an expert in 2D game programming before you even go near 3D. Get very advanced in 2D programming, try something really complex like a RTS.

Don't jump straight into learning 3D graphics, or DirectX 3D or anything like that. Graphics programming is not games programming. You could spend a year trying to learn 3D graphics and learn nothing about game programming. Start off with game programming and work your way up the ladder of graphics, just like games history did. The principles you learn with your first text adventure or Pong clone will still be with you when you are programming your 3D first person shooter.

aidan_walsh

http://www.gamedev.net/community/forums/mod/journal/journal.asp?jn=254657&#2667673

The most obvious first step is to look at what tools you're using. I think in terms of tools, your choice of programming language is the most important tool choice you'll make. For whatever reason, game development is pretty homogenous in that regard -- almost everyone is using C++; which is actually rather unfortunate since C++ is really a pretty awful language when it comes down to it. It's a standard, of course, which is advantageous, but it's also error prone and buggy, and practically nobody fully understands it. (If you think you fully understand C++, here's are a fun excersize: See if you know what happens when you call an overrided virtual method in a base class's constructor. C++ is full of all sorts of fun surprises like that.)

In fact, really, unless you're making AAA titles for a large company, I think using C++ is a huge mistake. It'd be like an indy film studio trying to compete by making a gaudy summer action flick that relies on special effects rather than story. It'd be a bad move -- there's no way an indy film studio with no money can beat hollywood in the gaudy-special-effects department. If they want to win, they have to do compete in areas where they have an advantage -- perhaps in character development and story writing. Or maybe just by taking risks that the hollywood types wouldn't be willing to take. It's the same with games -- just because all the big developers are using C++, that doesn't mean it's neccesarily a good idea for you to use it.

Zombrex

aidan_walsh wrote:

http://www.gamedev.net/community/forums/mod/journal/journal.asp?jn=254657&#2667673

C++ is only a "huge mistake" if you don't bother to learn it properly, or go running off the deep end before you understand the basics.

Besides what else is there? Java is suppose, but how many games are developed in Java? If you want to get into games you will eventually have to learn C++, so why not just learn C++, take the time to learn it properly and correctly. I always think working backwards, learning Java of Python or C# and then trying to learn C++ is a mistake, because you miss all the newer features of Java or C# and you end up with hacks and quick workarounds in C++ rather than learning the language on its own terms. It is not that hard if you follow good programming practice from the start.

Mutant_Fruit

but it's also error prone and buggy, and practically nobody fully understands it.

I think he meant to say "my code is error prone and buggy because i don't understand C++ fully". Cmon, EVERY language is error prone and buggy, i believe the main cause is programmer error :rolleyes: C++ Is a popular language as it's object orientated and fast. Ok, it leaves more decisions to the developer (such as freeing memory) but that results in faster code. No nasty GC to worry about.

stevenmu

http://www.gamedevelopers.ie/home/

is another site worth a look.

Java and .Net are both quite popular for game development these days. At least for the small low end kind of games people do as a learning experience. At this level performance isn't much of an issue so the language you use isn't all that critical.

Hobbes

If your into the old reading books I recommend..

Ultimate Game Design: building game worlds (0-07-222899-7)

It covers a whole range of type of games and whats required in planning/designing them. What is nice about the book is that it teaches you more about the industry and what to expect as well as expectations you need when designing particular games.

projectmayhem

where to start:

1) know what you want to do: programming, modelling etc. etc.

2) know your trade (programmers should know c++, modellers should be familiar with maya or 3dsmax etc. etc.)

3) mod. get half life 2 or battlefield2 or whatever, and make a mod.

4) in november (i think) DIT are hosting an international games panel in kevin and aungier street. go attend that

Hobbes

Well there is more to it then you described depending on what game you are attempting to make.

Most games these days are interactive stories. So you would need someone to build the storyline.

grahamor

www.dperry.com is a great resource.

He is the founder of shiny entertainment (earthworm jim and the matrix)

He is originally from the North aswell. There are forums, tips and lots of other things on that site. He also has a list of books to recommend , like game programming gems.

hope it helps

edit: here is the link of the books he recommends, they are very high end though

http://www.dperry.com/articles/2004/11/programming-and-technical-books/

utilitarian

i think that the really important thing here is to give really clear guideline to people that are starting out, i would say the following...

1 - Get "Complete Idiots Guide To C++"

2 - Get a good book on C, i am getting O Reillys one, the one with the cow on the front,

3 - Get a game programming book. In my case i am getting "All In One Game Programming", it uses Allegro (witch it not Direct X!!!!! shock horror!), but it uses direct x in it... it is an old but up to date gaming library, but simply easier to use, when you are able to fire out a game in Allegro i would advise to move onto Direct X, because that is more complicated... just a little, but all the same, when starting of, it is best i think to give the simplest route possible....

zoro

I made a Tetris (multiplayer - Bluetooth) for the Nokia 6230 last year for my final year project.
It was a very good programming experience - I learnt some things about programming, such as the importance of optimisation (it's a phone, not a supercomputer after all...) and plenty more too, that I simply wouldn't have known about had I not chosen to make a game.

I used J2ME, so it's probably not quite the same direction that you're heading in - but best of luck with it anyway ... it's painfully difficult to get into the games design sector

tba

If I may be so bold, to not mention programming, but remember that you are making a game. Try and read game developers blogs, project elolution stories and the HL2 commentaries, etc.. in short anything which will give you an insight into the game making process in terms of design instead of technicalities.