4 replies to this topic

[Hadzz]

Well I'm new here and I thought I would share my ideas and ask for yours. I got a group of 4 friends from my c++ class and we are going to make a game in XNA for our high school senior project. We plan to make the engine ourselves over the summer and design the game next year. I do understand it will be quite some work, but we are fairly experienced programmers. Our idea is to make a 1st person platformer (a to b type game) and have it be on windows and xbox... just wondering what you guys think about making a game engine, sharing the work evenly, past experiences, help with game ideas or anything else you might think will help, thanks!

[BCullis]

I got a group of 4 friends from my c++ class and we are going to make a game in XNA

You are aware you'll be writing in C#, correct?

Have you worked on a joint project before?

Our idea is to make a 1st person platformer

Like Mirror's Edge?

just wondering what you guys think about making a game engine

Don't make an engine, just make a game. It's a sentiment repeated a lot around here. Unless you mean "engine" in the sense that you'll spend the summer learning how to get basic elements to work and writing some of the framework code. Otherwise, an engine is an abstracted set of tools that can be reused for multiple games. That's just adding way too much to the workload for what you want to do. Make the game do what you want it to, and then maybe you'll have some elements you can pull out at the end that would be a good seed for a future engine.

sharing the work evenly

Use a code repository and versioning tool like SVN or Git, it'll save you a LOT of headache. Trust me.

[winsrp]

well, I would advice to first take some C# classes, or tutorials, since moving from C++ to C# is not exactly a smooth walk in the park. And having high school programing experience is not equal to having game programing experience... belive me, I have just started game programing a couple months ago, and I have 10+ years of programing experience in mayor US companies, its not the same thing, I can make multiclient-server enterprise applications with my eyes closed, but game programing is a whole lot different, even in a simple enviroment such as XNA.

Also you need to learn HLSL, which is fundamental, otherwise your game won't even show on screen, (and if you use the built in shaders your game will look like crap) the good thing is that it looks like C# in the code, but the math related to it its kind of crazy.

I'm not saying don't do it, but it is a pain, so be prepared for it, there also that great fealing of making a game with your own rules that makes it all worth it.

Edited by winsrp, 07 June 2012 - 02:36 PM.

[M6dEEp]

well, I would advice to first take some C# classes, or tutorials, since moving from C++ to C# is not exactly a smooth walk in the park.

Totally agree with winsrp. Maybe you guys should try your hand at some simpler projects in C++ to learn the ropes a bit before making the leap to 3D game programming in an unfamiliar language? The beginning experience you gain is the most valuable, and when you go for long periods of coding without seeing any results it tends to do a number on your morale (and being in a team you want to keep that as high as you can).

[Marvel Magnum]

There are some good books for C# with XNA. I would personally recommend the Packt one (http://www.packtpub.com/xna-4-0-game-development-by-example-beginners-guide/book) but there are other great ones as well. If you absolutely MUST start making a game right NOW with C#, then try using Unity3D. Its forums have lot of examples on the scripting required.

Good luck!