12 replies to this topic

[Canvas]

Hey guys,

I'm going to be creating a final year project for this year at university, now I was going to create a game but they said that's quite simple, well a 2D game, so I was thinking of doing something with Android or maybe IOS, but I'm looking for something to do that would be cool, I was thinking maybe a real time online game where players could connect to a server, but someone told me networking with Android was very simple...so I'm really not sure what I should make or research.

If anyone feels like just throwing random ideas here it would be awesome

Canvas

[M3Gamer]

ermmm, depends which programming language you are familiar with, if you are good at c#, unity3d is the best option for you(i mean the best option!) it has an excellent scripting reference , video tutorials you name it- visit the web for more intel.

If you have learned java and think you can make the most of it, android maybe be the best preference for you and i would advice you to go for it, but there is still something that bothers me in learning android, which is that you have to learn Xml/Xaml for layout purposes, and on top of that you will have to have understanding of HTML which is, as you can see, alot of bother(or in some cases: fun). You will also have to go through tutorials on learning how to use the android SDK and browse through their API(basically special functions) EVEN if you know Java- like myself.

Also, i have not much knowledge on the topic of IOS but i have learned that you need a Mac Laptop/Pc to make games for IOS which cost around 1000 pounds.

[Canvas]

Yea thats cool, im just in my final year at university doing a BSc Computer Science Games course, I said about making a game using C++ and SFML, with internet play and a basic AI system using a final state machine type class but they said that would only get me a D or a C which is quite low to be honested , so im looking for something more interesting and new to do, but still relevant to game programming, I was thinking of a real time RPG where players can connect to a server, and they party up, but when they get into battles it kinda goes like FF (final fantasy) style and to cast spells or attack you have to move your finger across the screen, like to do fire you have to draw a rune or something, still thinking of ideas but any ideas please do throw some at me

[1337coda]

Who told you that making a online rpg would be easy?

[kd7tck]

What is the time frame given to complete this project of yours.

[slicer4ever]

Yea thats cool, im just in my final year at university doing a BSc Computer Science Games course, I said about making a game using C++ and SFML, with internet play and a basic AI system using a final state machine type class but they said that would only get me a D or a C which is quite low to be honested , so im looking for something more interesting and new to do, but still relevant to game programming, I was thinking of a real time RPG where players can connect to a server, and they party up, but when they get into battles it kinda goes like FF (final fantasy) style and to cast spells or attack you have to move your finger across the screen, like to do fire you have to draw a rune or something, still thinking of ideas but any ideas please do throw some at me

I don't think it'd be easy, but you could probably pull it off within a year, it really depends on if you feel you are skilled enough, since this is a final year project, i'll assume you've got a few years of programming experience, and this might be achievable with your current timeframe(assuming 6-9 months?). Also who is telling you what grades you'll get(if it's your professor for the class, than ask him what would get you an A, if it's other people than that's completely speculative for the grade you get).

Who told you that making a online rpg would be easy?

In college I wrote a MUD which only took a few weeks to get the core components up, and user interactions. wasn't anything to write home about, but a MUD can be pretty decently extrapolated to any client side representation, the same can be done with the OP.

your combat system is turn based(well, i'm assuming you mean older FF titles anyway), which makes the online component leagues easier in terms of synchronization, and it doesn't sound like your trying to create an huge MMO, so you probably don't have to go all out on performance network wise(not saying it wouldn't help, but you probably can get by with most simple networking protocols.)

Edited by slicer4ever, 26 September 2012 - 12:33 AM.

[slayemin]

What do you want your final project to say about you?
"Hey, I can use the things I've been taught to create software!"
or
"Hey, I can teach myself new things or invent stuff nobody has done before and create software out of it!"

In my opinion, the size/scope of a project doesn't matter.
Student: "But, I wrote 10,000 lines of code and have X number of features! I deserve an A+!"
Prof: "...who cares?"

Learning things which are easy doesn't matter (example: Unity3d, HTML, javascript, etc).
Student: "I know we were only taught C/C++ and C#, but I went out and learned Java! Isn't that wonderful?!"
Prof: "By now, that's expected of you...so, who cares?"

The amount of work required doesn't matter.
Student: "I ported this C# project over to Java! It took hundreds of hours!"
Prof: "time spent is irrelevant...who cares?"

Breaking new ground is excellent.
Student: "I've invented this new technique to solve problem XYZ with an ABC boost in performance. Here, look at my scientifically collected metrics which prove it!"
Prof: "Wow, this is good stuff! We should share this! A+++ for you!"

Doing things which others thought was impossible is excellent:
Student: "These qualified experts have said that it is impossible to do XYZ! However, I disagreed and created a project which does exactly that! This is how I did it!"
Prof: "Whoa! that's incredibly impressive! A+++ for you!"

[slicer4ever]

What do you want your final project to say about you?
"Hey, I can use the things I've been taught to create software!"
or
"Hey, I can teach myself new things or invent stuff nobody has done before and create software out of it!"

In my opinion, the size/scope of a project doesn't matter.
Student: "But, I wrote 10,000 lines of code and have X number of features! I deserve an A+!"
Prof: "...who cares?"

Learning things which are easy doesn't matter (example: Unity3d, HTML, javascript, etc).
Student: "I know we were only taught C/C++ and C#, but I went out and learned Java! Isn't that wonderful?!"
Prof: "By now, that's expected of you...so, who cares?"

The amount of work required doesn't matter.
Student: "I ported this C# project over to Java! It took hundreds of hours!"
Prof: "time spent is irrelevant...who cares?"

Breaking new ground is excellent.
Student: "I've invented this new technique to solve problem XYZ with an ABC boost in performance. Here, look at my scientifically collected metrics which prove it!"
Prof: "Wow, this is good stuff! We should share this! A+++ for you!"

Doing things which others thought was impossible is excellent:
Student: "These qualified experts have said that it is impossible to do XYZ! However, I disagreed and created a project which does exactly that! This is how I did it!"
Prof: "Whoa! that's incredibly impressive! A+++ for you!"

I have to disagree with you, you make it sound like showing that you've acquired real working skills that well benefit you in the working world are completely worthless, and the only thing which is of relevance is to somehow accomplish the impossible.

[kd7tck]

What do you want your final project to say about you?
"Hey, I can use the things I've been taught to create software!"
or
"Hey, I can teach myself new things or invent stuff nobody has done before and create software out of it!"

In my opinion, the size/scope of a project doesn't matter.
Student: "But, I wrote 10,000 lines of code and have X number of features! I deserve an A+!"
Prof: "...who cares?"

Learning things which are easy doesn't matter (example: Unity3d, HTML, javascript, etc).
Student: "I know we were only taught C/C++ and C#, but I went out and learned Java! Isn't that wonderful?!"
Prof: "By now, that's expected of you...so, who cares?"

The amount of work required doesn't matter.
Student: "I ported this C# project over to Java! It took hundreds of hours!"
Prof: "time spent is irrelevant...who cares?"

Breaking new ground is excellent.
Student: "I've invented this new technique to solve problem XYZ with an ABC boost in performance. Here, look at my scientifically collected metrics which prove it!"
Prof: "Wow, this is good stuff! We should share this! A+++ for you!"

Doing things which others thought was impossible is excellent:
Student: "These qualified experts have said that it is impossible to do XYZ! However, I disagreed and created a project which does exactly that! This is how I did it!"
Prof: "Whoa! that's incredibly impressive! A+++ for you!"

This mainly applies to graduate research. For undergrads it is acceptable to do things that have already been done before.

[slayemin]

I have to disagree with you, you make it sound like showing that you've acquired real working skills that well benefit you in the working world are completely worthless, and the only thing which is of relevance is to somehow accomplish the impossible.

What I'm trying to show is that regurgitating information isn't very valuable. It trains people to become mediocre employees. From an employers perspective, it's a good way to train a subservient workforce which does what they're told and when they're told. In other words, be a good code monkey and run in this hamster wheel we've built for you for the next 30 years of your life. It's fine if all you want is a 9 to 5 job writing code, to go home to your family at the end of the day, and have BBQ on Sundays ... but I've never been satisfied with that kind of life...

What is valuable is to be a hard working visionary. These are the people who create a vision and get a group together to make it happen. These people are the innovators, entreprenuers, leaders, world reknown scientists, builders, etc. who eventually change the world with their vision, people like Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Issac Newton, Albert Einstein, Gordon Freeman, Sergey Brin and Larry Page, etc. Being a hard working visionary is a habit which gets developed by pushing the envelope on what's been done. It's not an innate quality bestowed on birth or granted by pure luck. So, what better time and place to start forming that habit than at a university? Bill Gates once told a guy I know "If I lost all my billions today and started from scratch, I'd still end up a billionare." So, I say "Push yourself! Learn new things you haven't been taught in a classroom! Go above and beyond! Strive to change the world! Build something new!"

Not everyone who tries, succeeds, but everyone who succeeds has tried.

[slicer4ever]

What I'm trying to show is that regurgitating information isn't very valuable. It trains people to become mediocre employees. From an employers perspective, it's a good way to train a subservient workforce which does what they're told and when they're told. In other words, be a good code monkey and run in this hamster wheel we've built for you for the next 30 years of your life. It's fine if all you want is a 9 to 5 job writing code, to go home to your family at the end of the day, and have BBQ on Sundays ... but I've never been satisfied with that kind of life...

Noone claimed that he was regurgitating information, the fact that the OP wants to create something unique which builds upon the information he has gained in college, as well as in his own time, should be clear enough that he's understanding the material in a way that he is capable of connecting the dots to solve a problem given to him. your original post made the bold claim that achieving the stated impossible is the only thing that matters, and in some ways i agree with you on that point, but for the context of his situation, i completely disagree, it's not mediocre to be creative and try to build something fun and enjoyable, it's not mediocre to create a project with thousands of features and capability's, you blanketed everything that is with reason of achieving as completely worthless for him, and i don't agree one bit with that.

What is valuable is to be a hard working visionary. These are the people who create a vision and get a group together to make it happen. These people are the innovators, entreprenuers, leaders, world reknown scientists, builders, etc. who eventually change the world with their vision, people like Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Issac Newton, Albert Einstein, Gordon Freeman, Sergey Brin and Larry Page, etc. Being a hard working visionary is a habit which gets developed by pushing the envelope on what's been done. It's not an innate quality bestowed on birth or granted by pure luck. So, what better time and place to start forming that habit than at a university? Bill Gates once told a guy I know "If I lost all my billions today and started from scratch, I'd still end up a billionare." So, I say "Push yourself! Learn new things you haven't been taught in a classroom! Go above and beyond! Strive to change the world! Build something new!"

Not everyone who tries, succeeds, but everyone who succeeds has tried.

I can't say i disagree entirely, but you do have to remember that in many cases it's more about who you know, then what you know.

[Shaquil]

Try out a technology that few people have probably ever touched at your school. Maybe kinect? Maybe do some AI research and build a robot whose AI you can code? Maybe something related to graphics programming if you want something everyone considers "hard". Something with computer vision? Maybe these are all beyond the realistic scope of your project, but hopefully they're a starting point.

[zeidrich]

I agree with slayemin,

Either do one of two things.

1: Design around concepts that you have been taught to demonstrate understanding of those concepts. Consider your data structures and why you might use one over the other, explain the reasoning.

2: Design around a concept that you've been taught, but improve or customize it to your use case to demonstrate mastery of the concept, or extension of the concept.

In my own university experience I was asked to write an AI bot that mapped a maze given only local cues to its surroundings (IE: you couldn't look at the whole map). My implementation did better than pretty much anyone else in the class, however, I only got a marginal score because many of the heuristics I used, when asked "why" I couldn't give a great answer. Often it was just "I tried doing it these 3 ways, and of them, the third worked better". And while I did well on any maze generated, I couldn't explain exactly why. Later I realized that I was using certain concepts, some properly, some less effectively than I could have been. I am certain that if I had been able to demonstrate my understanding of those concepts I would have received a better grade.

University isn't about making it work, it's about understanding concepts.