I have at the moment no idea what I should code. I am learning Win32 on and off but I also want to code some other stuff in the meanwhile so I have a purpose. I can''t get into games now because, well, my DirectX knowledge needs be increased. Anyone else has an idea what I can code in the meantime? (While learning Win32/DirectX?)
Sand Hawk
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What should I code??
Simple games.
Any game that you''re able to do helps you improve to make a better one next time. So don''t get off track learning ''useless'' stuff
Any game that you''re able to do helps you improve to make a better one next time. So don''t get off track learning ''useless'' stuff
This may not be the answer you want to hear, but personally, I''d try to learn just one thing at a time until you''re comfortable with it. As you said, you''re learning DirectX and Win32 at the moment, so I''d just focus on that right now.
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I agree with MH, but however, sometimes I get bored or crazy from reading. So I then fire up one of my other projects and code some in those projects. It helps me relax and keep focussed. I had this linked list assignment for school wich helped me staying normal for the past 2 weeks(I worked slowly, coding a few lines per day and rewrote a couple of functions to optimize them). So, maybe usefull games wich run in a console can be fun. But also other usefull stuff can be usefull.
Sand Hawk
----------------
-Earth is 98% full. Please delete anybody you can.
My Site
Sand Hawk
----------------
-Earth is 98% full. Please delete anybody you can.
My Site
While learning that new stuff, try making a simple game that takes advantage of what you''ve learned. That way you''ll remember it too. For example, make a simple platformer. I can''t get enough of those
cin >> Boost >> GOTW tips >> GOTW articles >> CUJ expert columns >> FAQ lite;
cin >> Boost >> GOTW tips >> GOTW articles >> CUJ expert columns >> FAQ lite;
To me it sounds like you enjoy sub qusts when you get bored with the main one 
I don't see anything wrong with that.
I myself prefer to focus on one task at a time, just like MH. But if you're rally bored, then a brake will do you good.
If you're interesten in 2D or 3D graphics, then a good side quest would be to create your own vector library, the mathematical vectors not the data structure ones
You can test all of your functions or methods or procedures or rutines or features in a simple console aplication.
Later on you can use your vectors to implement a lot of cool physical phenomena (ie. momentum, forces) in your future games, or use them to implement another library, your Camera library, where you define all that is neccessary for a camera in 3D space. After you're done with that, controlling your camera becomes really easy.
And of course there are plenty (too many to list) of data structures (ie. lists, trees, graphs) and algorithms (ie. tree/graph traversal) you can learn using a console app, that will make your life much easier later on
[edited by - csDraco_ on November 3, 2002 8:32:02 PM]
I don't see anything wrong with that. I myself prefer to focus on one task at a time, just like MH. But if you're rally bored, then a brake will do you good.
If you're interesten in 2D or 3D graphics, then a good side quest would be to create your own vector library, the mathematical vectors not the data structure ones
You can test all of your functions or methods or procedures or rutines or features in a simple console aplication.
Later on you can use your vectors to implement a lot of cool physical phenomena (ie. momentum, forces) in your future games, or use them to implement another library, your Camera library, where you define all that is neccessary for a camera in 3D space. After you're done with that, controlling your camera becomes really easy.
And of course there are plenty (too many to list) of data structures (ie. lists, trees, graphs) and algorithms (ie. tree/graph traversal) you can learn using a console app, that will make your life much easier later on
[edited by - csDraco_ on November 3, 2002 8:32:02 PM]
>I can''t get into games now because, well, my DirectX knowledge >needs be increased.
Try Allegro, it''s a directx wrapper and its also multiplatform.
Check out www.allegro.cc
Try Allegro, it''s a directx wrapper and its also multiplatform.
Check out www.allegro.cc
Well, if you don''t feel up to coding a game, might I suggest eye-candy?
For instance, a fractal generator, running windowed and using DirectX, would be great to familiarize yourself with both windows programming and DirectX. As an added bonus, try to include a menu item that allows the user to switch between full-screen and windowed.
I learned Windows programming by writing a random landscape generator. It was quite a learning experience and amazed me how easy handling menus was.
For instance, a fractal generator, running windowed and using DirectX, would be great to familiarize yourself with both windows programming and DirectX. As an added bonus, try to include a menu item that allows the user to switch between full-screen and windowed.
I learned Windows programming by writing a random landscape generator. It was quite a learning experience and amazed me how easy handling menus was.
I started with fractals. Boy was that painful in QBasic on 286''s. I had to use a whole lab of PC''s working together on a shared network file to render one in a reasonable amount of time. The Mandelbrot set is very impressive in 4 colors (count ''em, 4).
The 256 color (DOS) C version was "a little" better
The 256 color (DOS) C version was "a little" better
Mockup a game. Take screen shots of the main menu and various screens like the options panels. Then try to get it to work the same. Most often when people say they are learning Win32 they mean they are learning the user interface elements rather than say memory mapped files and semaphores. So start out just getting it functionally the same using standard windows controls with a standard appearance. Once you have the flow down so that things are functionally correct try changing the appearance, i.e. a push button is defined by function not appearance. The experience you gain from changing the appearance of the standard controls will actually go a long ways toward understanding what you need to do with the graphics in a simple game. An example would be drawing a sprite on a background.
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