14 replies to this topic

[heiro]

Hi all. I want to make a simple game with 3d characters, weapons etc. NO free camera. You will always see the player from above and some good skills. I need a guide for making these kind of games PLEASE!

[Inukai]

Sorry bro.
You aim far too high, if you really need a guide for it.
Do you know any programming language? If not, you should learn one (which takes at least 1 year) before you make games.

[jbadams]

I'd have to agree with the above -- if you're looking for a guide that will show you how to do all of that, you're probably aiming to high to begin with. A game with 3d characters and different skills is probably not as simple a project as you might be thinking. Most tutorials or guides you'll find also tend to cover smaller topics rather than creation of an entire game.


That being said, if you do really want to jump straight into that sort of project, you should look at an option such as Unity3d, which will potentially allow you to tackle that sort of project in only a couple of weeks. Unity provides a capable 3d engine, an excellent editor environment, and allows you to create games by importing your assets, setting things up in the editor, and writing code for any custom functionality in a simpler scripting language called UnityScript (similar to JavaScript), C#, or Boo (similar to Python). The official documentation is excellent, there are a number of written and video tutorials to help you get started, and they have an active and helpful community to help you work through any difficulties.


If you don't want to use Unity (or a similar package) you'll need to choose a programming language and start learning how to program; most likely starting with smaller practice programs and working your way up towards a 3d game. It takes time and effort to learn how to program games, and you (usually) won't simply find a guide that walks you through the entire process.


I'd highly recommend Unity3d, UDK (uses "UnrealScript"), or a similar package.


Does that help at all?

[heiro]

thank you very much guys!! I know c++, html and php with mysql communication. Also im learning now actionscript3 and im making an simple 2d game. I just want to learn the logic of creating 3d models and using them through a programming language.

[Inukai]

You don't know OpenGl or DirectX? You should know at least 1 graphic-Api or things will be complicated.

I don't know what you mean with "the logic of creating 3d models". Just create the model with a 3d Modeling Software like Blender and import it via your Graphic-Api.
If you want to learn about the Game-Logic itself, you should just start to create small games to gain more experiences.

[heiro]

Ok lets stand to the "import via your Graphic-Api". What is this? How doest it help?

[Inukai]

Plain Explanation: You need the Api to make your 3D-graphics visible in your game.
I know, it's not entirely correct but you should be able to look it up on your own.

Use either OpenGL or Direct3D(DirectX)(or XNA if you go for C#). It doesn't matter which one.

There are dozens of tutorials and sources available on google.
For directx, you should try rasterteks tutorial or the directx SDK Samples.

[heiro]

Ok i start the research! But what do you mean "visible"? I make the 3d models and i show them in the game using api code?

[Inukai]

Yes, you need the Api to use a created model in your game. You can display it, edit it, use lighting and more stuff

[heiro]

Hmm cool. So if i have a human body and i want to make it walk, i can do this using opengl etc right?

[AdrianC]

You don't know OpenGl or DirectX? You should know at least 1 graphic-Api or things will be complicated.

I don't know what you mean with "the logic of creating 3d models". Just create the model with a 3d Modeling Software like Blender and import it via your Graphic-Api.
If you want to learn about the Game-Logic itself, you should just start to create small games to gain more experiences.

I kinda disagree with this. You can learn those if you're trying to get a more in depth understanding of how things work, but if your goal is to get up and running as fast as possible, something like Unity would be best. If you grab it before tomorrow, you can get the Android and IOS versions for free (they have a sale going on right now).

[Inukai]

Well, Unity would be the best if the OP just wants to make a game.

But he said above, he wants to learn the programming behind it.

I want to learn the logic of creating 3d models and using them through a programming language

[heiro]

so this is right?

Hmm cool. So if i have a human body and i want to make it walk, i can do this using opengl etc right?

[slicer4ever]

so this is right?

Hmm cool. So if i have a human body and i want to make it walk, i can do this using opengl etc right?

yes, and no. you use openGL or DirectX to render a scene. so, let's pretend you are only using c++, and openGL, no other engines. if you have a human body, you first select a format you want to load it in as, does this format support animation, skeletal, or geometry animation?, how is the data stored, how do you store the data once loaded. do you use the fixed pipeline, or write shader's. do you do the animation on the gpu, or on the cpu?, once you've loaded the data, now you need to draw it. so you need to understand matrix's, projection matrix's, and how to efficiently render your model.

If you want to make a game, use unity, or something similar. writing a 3D game with only openGL/DirectX require ALOT of knowledge of mathmatic's such as matrix's. possibly even quaternions, triginometry, and such. you need to understand textures, lighting, framebuffers, etc. it takes alot of time to fully understand an graphics api, to understand how to use shaders efficiently, how to animate characters, their is no magic functions to load, and animate with openGL/DirectX, they are the closest you can get to communicating with the hardware these days.

[heiro]

you blew my mind yesterday and it still emits smoke...

So i think im gonna use an engine... BUT what knowledge needs that? We must put them in a line otherwise im gonna explode again...!