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Game Development Langauge

For Beginners

Started by AnonymousApple November 22, 2011 07:30 PM

16 comments, last by jpetrie 12 years, 4 months ago

AnonymousApple

100

Author

November 22, 2011 07:30 PM

Hi, I am Texturer For Every single game i ever worked on.
But, Even though i Love Texturing, I Want to learn how to program a game too,
Now...This Brings me to my question. What is the best language for a beginner to learn?
I want something thats not that difficult as a first language.
Also, Im Intresting In Making 2D Platformers, So If you could recommend a language that suits that. That'd be great
And I Know that learning to program is a long road..
I Understand stand that.
Thanks In Advance,

-Apple

Poll removed, please read the forum FAQ. -- jpetrie

yewbie

677

November 22, 2011 07:48 PM

I would check out the Forum FAQ It actually answers all of your questions =)

I would stay away from C++ to start out, have fun!

edit:
Many people are voting C++, but keep in mind your going to spend a minimum a year learning to program in C++ before you can start making games.
If you want to start making games I would really recommend something else.

On the other hand if you want to learn how to program C++ is a good choice, but its going to be more difficult to learn than the other languages.
I would also suggest adding C# for your list.

NightCreature83

5,061

November 23, 2011 12:16 AM

I would check out the Forum FAQ It actually answers all of your questions =)

I would stay away from C++ to start out, have fun!

edit:
Many people are voting C++, but keep in mind your going to spend a minimum a year learning to program in C++ before you can start making games.
If you want to start making games I would really recommend something else.

On the other hand if you want to learn how to program C++ is a good choice, but its going to be more difficult to learn than the other languages.
I would also suggest adding C# for your list.

The problem is that the list isnt extensive enough, I voted C++ as it is the only language in which big projects make sense. In my home projects I stay as far away from C++ as I can, and I code daily in C++ at work, the reason behind this is that there is no real framework in C++. You have to do everything yourself and it slows you down dramatically.

If you want to have something visual running quickly I would suggest you look into C# and XNA.

But before you can actually make games you need to learn how to code and that will take time and practice, I would start with simple number guessing games in a console window. This will teach you some basics of how to accept input and generate output and general application flow. After that start making it into a GUI app or make the guessing game a bit more interesting. Then look into pong as it will need some more advanced game logic and input handling.

Worked on titles: CMR:DiRT2, DiRT 3, DiRT: Showdown, GRID 2, theHunter, theHunter: Primal, Mad Max, Watch Dogs: Legion

GhostXoP

102

November 23, 2011 04:00 AM

I find it hilarious java got nothing.

Has my point been proven yet.

latent

140

November 23, 2011 04:31 AM

You can program a game on anything with a programming language. So the list could include C#, HTML5, VB, Javascript, Lua, Ada, Pascal, your programmable calculator, yada yada yada. There's like a discussion a day on programming language or game engine choices - and as there's obviously never so definitive an answer that it doesn't get asked again tomorrow, then I just suggest that you go with whichever one you're having the most fun with when you try it out. If you learn to program competently enough in that, moving to another language later will be easy.

AnonymousApple

100

Author

November 23, 2011 01:57 PM

You can program a game on anything with a programming language. So the list could include C#, HTML5, VB, Javascript, Lua, Ada, Pascal, your programmable calculator, yada yada yada. There's like a discussion a day on programming language or game engine choices - and as there's obviously never so definitive an answer that it doesn't get asked again tomorrow, then I just suggest that you go with whichever one you're having the most fun with when you try it out. If you learn to program competently enough in that, moving to another language later will be easy.

But what would be the easiest one to learn, Or would they be all equally difficult?

sharpe

144

November 23, 2011 02:37 PM

I read the FAQ before posting and eventually picked C#. I'm glad I did.

A 30-year-old interested in learning to program by making an old-school, simple, text-only or 2D dungeon fantasy video game.

As of 9/28/2011, currently attempting to learn the basics of Python 2.7.
As of 10/14/11, Dabbling in C#.
As of 10/24/11, decisively surpassed my small knowledge of Python in C#.

DarklyDreaming

367

November 23, 2011 02:43 PM

Hi, I am Texturer For Every single game i ever worked on.
But, Even though i Love Texturing, I Want to learn how to program a game too,
Now...This Brings me to my question. What is the best language for a beginner to learn?
I want something thats not that difficult as a first language.
Also, Im Intresting In Making 2D Platformers, So If you could recommend a language that suits that. That'd be great
And I Know that learning to program is a long road..
I Understand stand that.
Thanks In Advance,

-Apple

With the criteria you listed,
1) Beginner friendly
2) Not difficult as a first language
3) Easy way to 2D

Then Python + Pygame are a prime couple. Otherwise, C# + XNA. Nothing you've listed requires C++, forget about that language for now.

"I will personally burn everything I've made to the fucking ground if I think I can catch them in the flames."
~ Gabe
"I don't mean to rush you but you are keeping two civilizations waiting!"
~ Cavil, BSG.
"If it's really important to you that other people follow your True Brace Style, it just indicates you're inexperienced. Go find something productive to do."
[size=2]~ Bregma

"Well, you're not alone.

There's a club for people like that. It's called Everybody and we meet at the bar[size=2].

[size=2]~

[size=1]Antheus

sharpe

144

November 23, 2011 02:54 PM

I agree intirely with DarklyDreaming.

But what would be the easiest one to learn, Or would they be all equally difficult?

I'm a total newbie too, but I've learned the very basics in both Python and C#. I'm going to answer this question and say Python. By far. By great and wide margin. Python, compared to C#, is so simple to learn the basics it's fun.

Also, it's an interpreted language rather than a complied language, so it's very cross-platform. What is written runs on a Windows computer, Mac, or for someone running Linux as long as they have Python installed. Like the FAQ says, it's a great language with which to start programming.

I'd suggest downloading the 32-bit version (trust me, stay away from the 64-bit one!) of Python 2.7.2 and work through this tutorial: http://www.learn-to-program.net/

By the time you're done there, you'll be in a better place to actually make decisions in an informed way.

-Sharpe

A 30-year-old interested in learning to program by making an old-school, simple, text-only or 2D dungeon fantasy video game.

As of 9/28/2011, currently attempting to learn the basics of Python 2.7.
As of 10/14/11, Dabbling in C#.
As of 10/24/11, decisively surpassed my small knowledge of Python in C#.

daftcode

102

November 23, 2011 02:58 PM

With the criteria you listed,
1) Beginner friendly
2) Not difficult as a first language
3) Easy way to 2D

Then Python + Pygame are a prime couple. Otherwise, C# + XNA. Nothing you've listed requires C++, forget about that language for now.

I actually dare say that Python is not a good advice. Only because there are far more resources and online/beginner help for C# XNA than for Python oriented libraries IMO and that Python is not a sustained game dev language. (While ignoring multi platform worries for a beginner altogether)

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