So I'm pretty new to programming (I only know some HTML and basic PHP that lets me do what I want with Magento) and want to try making some games to sell; probably for Android or PC though I'm thinking mobile is more likely for simple games. I'm looking at basic 2D things, Snake, Asteroids, Frogger, 1942, Origional GTA maybe, things like that and sell it for 99 cents. If it works out, sure I'd like to hire a team and make something 3D like Gunz, Drift City, APB: Reloaded, etc.
So I'm looking at various ways to start but can't really figure out which route to take... I can learn C# which seems like the hardest but best long term approach, Java seems to be in the middle as people say it's easy but from what I understand isn't too hot with graphics, and things like Stencyl/Game Maker bring up the rear at being easy (toyed around with Stencyl last night and made a simple game in a couple hours) but probably won't prepare me for anything long term. Sure it makes a game quick but I'm not much better off than I was a few days ago.
I think it might help to point out that I do have a lot of time to spend in a day, probably about 8 hours after I finish my regular work because all I do currently is buy/sell computer hardware (buy at local auction, sell online). It provides an income but it's not something I really want to do for the rest of my life. I'd rather make things and software seems like a good way to do that. Ideally I'd like to have something sellable in 3 to 6 months.
So what should I do? Dive in with C#? Start with Game Maker? something entirely different like Visual Basic or Python? or (if it's really your opinion I want hear it, good or bad) keep working on the day job and expand that?
Thanks for any advice.
How to start, which route to take?
I'd suggest starting with C# (to get the basic programming skills, HTML and PHP won't help you much in game development) - I really don't think that it is more complex than Java or C++ - in fact it has a lot of predefined tools that Java doesn't, and these tools will make your life much easier. Spend some time learning C# - I think that programming Windows forms are the best way to go because you can almost immediately see the effects of the code you write and is closest to actual games. When you get some practice, you will have to switch to a more game oriented framework - I'd suggest XNA, it was built on C# so the syntax is practically identical, and the transfer will be much easier. Games made in XNA can be distributed to PC, XBox and Winphones (and I think to Nokias, but don't take my word for it), but not to Android or iOs. As for GameMaker and similar tools, I think that they are way to limited - programming with XNA (or DirectX or OpenGL) will take much more of your time, but it will give you incomparably more options. Hope this helps, good luck
C# is probably the easiest language with the amount of flexibility in it. C++ is the hard one and should not be learned prior to some experience with another language.
Java is very suitable to create webapps/games and or deploy them on android. I dabbled a bit in java but when i came in contact with C# and XNA i fell in love. It's amazing how fast you can get things done. However if you have no experience with object oriented languages you really should do some basic tutorials for C# befor you jump into XNA. Get familiar with classes, inheritence, etc.
Java is very suitable to create webapps/games and or deploy them on android. I dabbled a bit in java but when i came in contact with C# and XNA i fell in love. It's amazing how fast you can get things done. However if you have no experience with object oriented languages you really should do some basic tutorials for C# befor you jump into XNA. Get familiar with classes, inheritence, etc.
As to the technical part of your question, my suggestions about programming languages, libraries, books, tools, etc... for a new game developer are available here.
That said, It's not really the technical aspect that are going to give you fits. I honestly think your timeline is impossible, unless of course you are some kind of savant... or you consider 10-50 units as "sales".
To be frank, I have been programming professionally for well over a decade, two of which were creating games for a living, and I think the idea of creating a GTA (1 or 2) clone for iOS in 3-6 months as an extremely daunting task. To add learning to program, creating all the art assets, going through the submital process, debugging, etc... in that window, thats pretty much a pipe dream at best. If you are seriously going to try and work in that time window, you are going to need a tool much higher up than C#, something like GameMaker or Unity ( which would still be a giant stretch ).
Could someone completely new to game programming create a GTA clone in 6 months? Sure.
Could someone completely new to game programming create a *commercial* GTA clone is 6 months? I seriously doubt it.
I really wish I could come up with the link, but ages ago one of the moderators on Flipcode, did a post mortem of his bullet hell game, where he had 2 or 3 people helping him, where he expected to complete it in about 3 months ( and he was a professional gamedev I believe ), and he missed that target by a factor of 3 or 4. Google it and im pretty sure you will find it.
Timelines apart, I think C# is a very good choice.
That said, It's not really the technical aspect that are going to give you fits. I honestly think your timeline is impossible, unless of course you are some kind of savant... or you consider 10-50 units as "sales".
To be frank, I have been programming professionally for well over a decade, two of which were creating games for a living, and I think the idea of creating a GTA (1 or 2) clone for iOS in 3-6 months as an extremely daunting task. To add learning to program, creating all the art assets, going through the submital process, debugging, etc... in that window, thats pretty much a pipe dream at best. If you are seriously going to try and work in that time window, you are going to need a tool much higher up than C#, something like GameMaker or Unity ( which would still be a giant stretch ).
Could someone completely new to game programming create a GTA clone in 6 months? Sure.
Could someone completely new to game programming create a *commercial* GTA clone is 6 months? I seriously doubt it.
I really wish I could come up with the link, but ages ago one of the moderators on Flipcode, did a post mortem of his bullet hell game, where he had 2 or 3 people helping him, where he expected to complete it in about 3 months ( and he was a professional gamedev I believe ), and he missed that target by a factor of 3 or 4. Google it and im pretty sure you will find it.
Timelines apart, I think C# is a very good choice.
Alright c# does seem like a good option, was going through some tutorials and it seems easy enough (not that it's super easy but it's not impossible).
The timeline? Yeah that's starting to worry me more than the programming as I would be doing this to build a business eventually so getting like 50 sales just wouldn't work. I don't need to make hundreds of thousands either but enough so the next project can be bigger. I don't have a problem starting small but there has to be some chance of success.
And while I have time I also have to debate if it's best spent learning how to make games because ultimately what I currently do does work. I can't say it's a dream job but it's a decent income for the amount of time I'm putting into it right now.
Edit: I was thinking, my favorite games as a kid: Hugo's house of horror, Roger Rabbit, Vette. Probably do-able but I'm not sure anyone even plays things like text based adventure (hugo added some basic images, there was like ten for the whole game) or race around San Francisco in a pixelated mess.
The timeline? Yeah that's starting to worry me more than the programming as I would be doing this to build a business eventually so getting like 50 sales just wouldn't work. I don't need to make hundreds of thousands either but enough so the next project can be bigger. I don't have a problem starting small but there has to be some chance of success.
And while I have time I also have to debate if it's best spent learning how to make games because ultimately what I currently do does work. I can't say it's a dream job but it's a decent income for the amount of time I'm putting into it right now.
Edit: I was thinking, my favorite games as a kid: Hugo's house of horror, Roger Rabbit, Vette. Probably do-able but I'm not sure anyone even plays things like text based adventure (hugo added some basic images, there was like ten for the whole game) or race around San Francisco in a pixelated mess.
Could someone completely new to game programming create a GTA clone in 6 months? Sure.
Could someone completely new to game programming create a *commercial* GTA clone is 6 months? I seriously doubt it.
Thats true but not because he is just starting to make games, I just think it is because of the fact that you don't have enough people to make it ex: That perfect art, perfect programming for less glitches, sound ....
Although he should attempt to do it in my opinion because he will fail. But when he fails he is going to learn so much and he doesn't even need to spend money with all these free development engines these days such as Unity. Other than a book but still you would buy one anyways.
Well if I do simple games I can always market it as: "We make games with **ity graphics so you can use your imagination!"
I like the Commodore days, simple games. You could type a few hundred lines of basic and you'd essentially have the worlds worst game by todays standards but it worked. Now you got things like StarCraft II costing an estimated 100 million to make. Blows my mind.
I like the Commodore days, simple games. You could type a few hundred lines of basic and you'd essentially have the worlds worst game by todays standards but it worked. Now you got things like StarCraft II costing an estimated 100 million to make. Blows my mind.
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