I have been where you are a couple of times, probably not quite as bad, but I've been there. I've wanted to make games as long as I can remember. Towards the end of the summer before 9th grade (1999), I decided that I was going to learn to program. So I got a book on C and started learning. I was really confused at first. Over the first year I put aside learning to program and would pick it back up when I was ready again.
One of the funniest things is that a few months after I read the book on C I bought "Windows Game Programming For Dummies" and thought I'd magically be able to make games. I did learn some things when I read that book though, I just didn't have enough experience to make a game. I also refused to use the included 2d game engine to make a game because I felt that was "cheating." By the next year I had created a simple windows program or two and started my website. I remember almost totally giving up on programming the one night when I was trying to fix a problem when I was writing my first program, but I figured it out. I continued to make small programs.
At some point after that I made a spaghetti coded pong game, but it pretty much worked. Then I continued with smaller programs.
Anyway, I will shorten things up here a bit...
From the time I started programming until now, I have probably made at least 3 unsuccessful attempts at making the game that I wanted to make when I started. Each time I tried to make the game I would get to a new milestone that I hadn't gotten to before (actually getting a bmp on the screen, collisions that sorta worked, etc.). Now here I am in the middle of my 4th or so attempt at making that same game, and I've been working on it since December. I've not worked on it for weeks at a time during this period, but I keep coming back to it. Even when I am not directly working on it I tend to think about it in the back of my mind. My goal was to have the game done by now, but it was unrealistic because it is impractical for me to expect myself to be able to work on the game non-stop, every free second I have. This time through I am confident that the game will be finished eventually though be cause I have been able to continue coming back to it.
So I think the most important thing is to be able to come back to code that you have been working on. In order to be able to do this you need to have decent code organization, and you need to not be afraid to re-write things and tackle bugs that arise.
I find it useful to always work on the project in small pieces too. Set a goal to get a small piece of the program done, and do it. If you look at the whole big picture it can be overwhelming.
A kinda interesting fact is that I am still using the same space ship graphic that I made back in 9th grade for the player's ship in my game; so not things that you create for one attempt at something can become useful again in a later attempt.
Well that was a long rambling about me, hopefully it was somewhat useful or interesting to someone.
[edited by - compumatrix on July 6, 2003 5:44:07 PM]
My ordeal...
Author
quote:Original post by Ademan
Damn dude...i only really read ur post id nut...but it sounds like ur really broken up about not bein able to make games...im goin into my sophomore year...and im in my first year of community colledge (compscience 110) and anyways...wut i think u should do is use the internet as much as u can...like i am (ive asked probably 50 completely noob questions today...and i actually got a few good answers) the rest were discouraging...just stick with it...im gonna try and do the same...use the ppl around u to help too...websites, this community as i already said...im sure u know a few ppl who program as i do...use wut u got and go with it
btw. u sound kinda artsy (thats not supposed to be an insult at all) i mean...u seem to be a good writer...expressive and all....there are otehr ways to break into this area...3d modeling??? im too lazy to get a link...but alias|wavefron has a free version of maya...i got it..made half a glock...half an mp5...lol...as u can see...im not very focused..but anyways...maybe ull like htat more...
and yes..thats my two cents
About the 3D modeling, I''ve tried Maya a few times and I even have a book on it, Maya 4. I''ve played with the PLE but never really gave it a lot of time for some reason. Hell, I was supposed to go to a preview of Maya 5 at my local theatre but couldn''t get a ride.
That''s pretty funny you made those guns though.Compumatrix, how old are you now? 18, 19?
Author
So, at this point, what the hell do I do? I am a shitty programmer so that is out, what else is there I can do? I don''t know how to model, I''m not a musician, but I am an artist but I don''t know how to put things on the computer. Basically right now I feel like shit because I can''t do anything and I feel like no one would want me for a game designer. Hell, I''ve read that there isn''t even a job called game designer. I just want to become part of a team and show people what I''ve got. I''m a fun person to work with if I''m excited about the product. I''d love to be able to do SOMETHING for a game but it seems it''s all programming.
I used to be an artist until I convinced myself that I suck. At this point I''ve found out what I truly suck at: programming. So now I''m going to give drawing another shot. What jobs are there that are good for drawing? How can I incorporate a computer in with my drawing? Is art a job that is needed in game development?Throw me a freakin'' bone here, I can''t program, model, or do music but I''m sure I can create textures, characters, and even stories if I knew how!
Please help me out here. Give me links to software that does modeling, links that show how to import drawn art from pencil and paper to computers for editing and what-not, help me out.
--------------------------
Tried to save myself but myself keeps slipping away.
Nothing''s essential.
I used to be an artist until I convinced myself that I suck. At this point I''ve found out what I truly suck at: programming. So now I''m going to give drawing another shot. What jobs are there that are good for drawing? How can I incorporate a computer in with my drawing? Is art a job that is needed in game development?Throw me a freakin'' bone here, I can''t program, model, or do music but I''m sure I can create textures, characters, and even stories if I knew how!
Please help me out here. Give me links to software that does modeling, links that show how to import drawn art from pencil and paper to computers for editing and what-not, help me out.
--------------------------
Tried to save myself but myself keeps slipping away.
Nothing''s essential.
Rule 1: don''t give up
I''ve been going at it for ~4 years now and I''m in pretty much the same place you are. Don''t let not being that great at art discourage you. I have yet to see a programmer who is also good at art. Sure most can do simple image cropping and come up with semi-decent test work, but nothing needed for the final product.
Choose one path and stick with it. I would buy a book specifically designed on making games: not to learn how to set up DirectX/OpenGL/whatever for the 80th time, but simply to learn how to structure the program.
I''ve been going at it for ~4 years now and I''m in pretty much the same place you are. Don''t let not being that great at art discourage you. I have yet to see a programmer who is also good at art. Sure most can do simple image cropping and come up with semi-decent test work, but nothing needed for the final product.
Choose one path and stick with it. I would buy a book specifically designed on making games: not to learn how to set up DirectX/OpenGL/whatever for the 80th time, but simply to learn how to structure the program.
Maybe you should try to focus on one single thing like programming, have some patience and learn how to do it...It sounds like you tried doing everything at the same time 
and if that''s what you did I doubt you''ll learn much that way. I dunno about the art cause IMO you need some skill for that stuff...I suck at it anyways 
. Something that''s not going to help you is feeling like shit and not doing shit...So try sticking with something for a change, for example programming you can always keep learning new things and learning new skills (I think this even applies for experienced programmers) it''s just a matter of time and patience...
and if that''s what you did I doubt you''ll learn much that way. I dunno about the art cause IMO you need some skill for that stuff...I suck at it anyways . Something that''s not going to help you is feeling like shit and not doing shit...So try sticking with something for a change, for example programming you can always keep learning new things and learning new skills (I think this even applies for experienced programmers) it''s just a matter of time and patience...
I''ve been there. Rock bottom and badly. I could read API docs on OGL and DX all day long and understand it all. However, the "How to put it all together" was missing. I would start up a new project, maybe wrap DX initialization in some functions and get it working good. Then sit there blankly not knowing what do with the pointers to the video buffers. I would have been completely happy if i made a app in fullscreen mode with just a bitmap i could move around with the arrow keys. But I couldnt even do that. Getting more discouraged day by day. I started thinking i was just to dumb After sitting at computer trying to make something for months I gave up. Dropped out of CSI out of depression and spite for myself for taking a dead end. I avoided my parents because I thought i was a failure and didnt want to see them, also avoided my closer friends for the same reasons.
I continued working at a shitty job. Made some friends there.
Had them over for dinner one night. One of the guys I cooked for parents are chefs in Chicago. He called his parents and told them how it was the best food he ever had in his life.
They called me up and offered me a job at there place without ever meeting me in person. And for a lot of money too, which I won''t say because you won''t believe it
That call came compelety out of the blue, I did''nt know his parents were chefs or that he called them or anything.
Taking that job was the hardest thing I''ve ever done for several reasons. Chi town was a long way away and I had no conncetions there and little money. I guess im not so independant because i was REALLY scared of moving somewhere with no insurances. What if I wasnt good enough and they have to let me go right away? How would I live before the first paycheck? And tons of other bad thoughts. But the most painful irk would to say yes to the job, which I thought would finally nail the coffin closed of what I really wanted to do since i can remember, a game programmer.
Seeing little future in other directions, I forced my self to cram all self doubts and fears away and I took the job. Said things like "oh well, cooking is my other love" to myself. I think shrinks call that displacement or sour grapes (its true cooking is another love mine as deep as making computer games is, but i never wanted it to be my career).
Anyway, i took the job and everything went smooth as ice. The job, the moving, my lodgings. I couldnt even imagine it going any smoother looking back. I kept programming as hobby. In the recent year i started making games (crappy ones, but they were playable games). After FINALLY cracking the "How to put it all together problem" in a lightbulb momment. I''ve made some really simple games in fullscreen mode. And them some fairly simple puzzle games. I started a new project of the game i envisioned a long time ago recently, maybe it will lead to a demo someday and lead to a job, but im not worried about that. Just as long as finally get "my game". I just turned 24 a few months ago, its not to late. Anything can happen as i found out.
P.s superpig your engunity series is really nice. Im going to be rewritting my code now. I hope you do a series of building a simple game on top of it when your done. Seeing how to put it all together would be nice. I wish I would have found such a tutotrial a long time ago. I could then add to it, improve it, change it slightly, add new sounds, graphics, make it cooler etc until i worked with it enough to understand it as a whole entity. Then i could have made a completly different game on top of the eningine im sure.
Coding wrappers for BMPs, smart pointers, etc didnt lead to a executable and somewhere between coding thoose I got lost on how to put it together =\
After sitting at computer trying to make something for months I gave up. Dropped out of CSI out of depression and spite for myself for taking a dead end. I avoided my parents because I thought i was a failure and didnt want to see them, also avoided my closer friends for the same reasons. I continued working at a shitty job. Made some friends there.
Had them over for dinner one night. One of the guys I cooked for parents are chefs in Chicago. He called his parents and told them how it was the best food he ever had in his life.
They called me up and offered me a job at there place without ever meeting me in person. And for a lot of money too, which I won''t say because you won''t believe it
That call came compelety out of the blue, I did''nt know his parents were chefs or that he called them or anything.
Taking that job was the hardest thing I''ve ever done for several reasons. Chi town was a long way away and I had no conncetions there and little money. I guess im not so independant because i was REALLY scared of moving somewhere with no insurances. What if I wasnt good enough and they have to let me go right away? How would I live before the first paycheck? And tons of other bad thoughts. But the most painful irk would to say yes to the job, which I thought would finally nail the coffin closed of what I really wanted to do since i can remember, a game programmer.
Seeing little future in other directions, I forced my self to cram all self doubts and fears away and I took the job. Said things like "oh well, cooking is my other love" to myself. I think shrinks call that displacement or sour grapes (its true cooking is another love mine as deep as making computer games is, but i never wanted it to be my career).
Anyway, i took the job and everything went smooth as ice. The job, the moving, my lodgings. I couldnt even imagine it going any smoother looking back. I kept programming as hobby. In the recent year i started making games (crappy ones, but they were playable games). After FINALLY cracking the "How to put it all together problem" in a lightbulb momment. I''ve made some really simple games in fullscreen mode. And them some fairly simple puzzle games. I started a new project of the game i envisioned a long time ago recently, maybe it will lead to a demo someday and lead to a job, but im not worried about that. Just as long as finally get "my game". I just turned 24 a few months ago, its not to late. Anything can happen as i found out.
P.s superpig your engunity series is really nice. Im going to be rewritting my code now. I hope you do a series of building a simple game on top of it when your done. Seeing how to put it all together would be nice. I wish I would have found such a tutotrial a long time ago. I could then add to it, improve it, change it slightly, add new sounds, graphics, make it cooler etc until i worked with it enough to understand it as a whole entity. Then i could have made a completly different game on top of the eningine im sure.
Coding wrappers for BMPs, smart pointers, etc didnt lead to a executable and somewhere between coding thoose I got lost on how to put it together =\
Last summer i got an Associates degree in IT/Computer Programming and have yet to find a job. But I program everyday because it''s my passion. I guess my point is it would be nice to have that great job but I''m happy to be able to do what I love even if I''m not getting paid for it(I''m still actively looking for a programming job) . Appreciate it and enjoy it, do it for the love of it and you will excel. I know that sounds cheesy but that''s the way I approach it. If you want to learn a lot try joining a project over at sourceforge www.sf.net. I learned quite a bit from some of those projects. Just my opinion.
paully
paully
Try joining a team, it''s worked for me. It keeps you motivated and makes development much more interesting.
If you want I can send you the code for my abandoned game. It didn''t get unmanagable or anything, I just got bored of doing it (coding all of the levels by hand didn''t look too appealing either). I doubt it''s a good example of programming, and there are hardly any comments anywhere, but it might help you get started.
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