GDIdea or bad
Author
I understand the flow of a game and I can use GDI to say, move a bitmap around the screen etc, I want to make a game but dont feel as though I am ready for DirectX yet. I know GDI is not fast, but this is not the issue in my situation. Is it a good idea to make a few simple games using it just to get some experience. I will be able to focus mainly on the gameplay, ai etc becasue I dont have to worry about the syntax of windows GDI.
Two choices...
1)I can guarantee you wont be writing games for a month if you know nothing about dx..then once you get into the swing you should be fine..
2) GDI is easy if you want to learn about logic and forget about DX for a while thats fine..you will know alot more about programming games in dx when you get there bceause you dont have to worry about logic.
1)I can guarantee you wont be writing games for a month if you know nothing about dx..then once you get into the swing you should be fine..
2) GDI is easy if you want to learn about logic and forget about DX for a while thats fine..you will know alot more about programming games in dx when you get there bceause you dont have to worry about logic.
Author
Sorry, I didn''t say that I do know basic DirectX as in how to set up a window, set up devices etc, but the book I bought was not very good IMO, (Game Programming All In One).
You don''t have to learn about DX right away, infact I think it might even be better no to. Many people learn DX right away in order to get "cool" 3d graphics, and that''s pretty much it, some never learn how to design an actual game properly (to make it easy to modify and build on). Most people have this "game engine" which is pretty much a tutorial on D3D on how to set up a FPS-like world.. 
If you want to be able to use decent graphics and not worry about windows code, do what I did, use SDL or Allegro! You can write everything in pure C if you wish and they are ridiculously easy to set up, and then you can concentrate yourself on the GAME, not windows API nor graphics, and that''s what -I- think game programming is about. People think about graphics way too much nowadays, I think one needs to learn how to program fun and entertaining games first, THEN you make it look good.. not the other way around..
Take a peek at allegro:
http://www.allegro.cc
/Cam
If you want to be able to use decent graphics and not worry about windows code, do what I did, use SDL or Allegro! You can write everything in pure C if you wish and they are ridiculously easy to set up, and then you can concentrate yourself on the GAME, not windows API nor graphics, and that''s what -I- think game programming is about. People think about graphics way too much nowadays, I think one needs to learn how to program fun and entertaining games first, THEN you make it look good.. not the other way around..
Take a peek at allegro:
http://www.allegro.cc
/Cam
GDI+ is also pretty nice/simple api, but there is some extra feature that basic GDI does not.
Alpha blending, gradient brushes, matrix transformations.
I would use GDI+ if DirectX do not fit in my purposes.
And yes, I don''t like either Game Programming All In One.
Alpha blending, gradient brushes, matrix transformations.
I would use GDI+ if DirectX do not fit in my purposes.
And yes, I don''t like either Game Programming All In One.
I second Caminman (though I hold up SDL more than Allegro). It''s a question of having pre-made software do as much for you as possible.
To that end, you might find that a modification (for a game such as Half-Life) is the best way to let you practice logic and AI without worrying about the ''low-level'' stuff. Plus, you potentially develop something spectacular (as opposed to GDI projects which usually lack the technology to do anything with oomph).
Just google for ''The Specialists'' or ''Natural Selection'' and see what can be done with mods.
Superpig
- saving pigs from untimely fates, and when he''s not doing that, runs The Binary Refinery.
Enginuity1 | Enginuity2 | Enginuity3 | Enginuity4
To that end, you might find that a modification (for a game such as Half-Life) is the best way to let you practice logic and AI without worrying about the ''low-level'' stuff. Plus, you potentially develop something spectacular (as opposed to GDI projects which usually lack the technology to do anything with oomph).
Just google for ''The Specialists'' or ''Natural Selection'' and see what can be done with mods.
Superpig
- saving pigs from untimely fates, and when he''s not doing that, runs The Binary Refinery.
Enginuity1 | Enginuity2 | Enginuity3 | Enginuity4
<< I know GDI is not fast, but this is not the issue in my situation. Is it a good idea to make a few simple games using it just to get some experience. >>
Yeah, the initial goal is to make a couple complete games, the API is not that important. I use Win GDI since its easier to set up and I''m not at the stage where I wanna learn 3D yet. Eventually you''ll use Direct3D since its what the pros use. But there''s no need if you are a beginner to learn the API immediately. And what is this about Win GDI not being fast, on today''s fast computers it doesn''t matter. Its plenty fast for 2D games, right?
Phil P
Yeah, the initial goal is to make a couple complete games, the API is not that important. I use Win GDI since its easier to set up and I''m not at the stage where I wanna learn 3D yet. Eventually you''ll use Direct3D since its what the pros use. But there''s no need if you are a beginner to learn the API immediately. And what is this about Win GDI not being fast, on today''s fast computers it doesn''t matter. Its plenty fast for 2D games, right?
Phil P
quote:Eventually you''ll use Direct3D since its what the pros use.
The "pros" use both OpenGL and Direct3D. There are plenty of commercially available games on the shelves right now that use one or the other, or both.
Generally, I think the difficulty of using DirectX is exaggerated. If you can understand GDI alright, you probably already have the neccessary knowledge and skills to become proficient at using DirectDraw pretty quickly. Granted D3D is a lot more difficult, but unless you''re using a lot of special effects, you don''t really need it for 2D games.
That said, there''s nothing wrong with using GDI for a game. As long as it works there''s no reason to switch to something else
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"Before criticizing someone, walk a mile in their shoes.
Then, when you do criticize them, you will be a mile away and have their shoes." -- Deep Thoughts
"If you have any trouble sounding condescending, find a Unix user to show you how it''s done." - Scott Adams
FaceHat Software -- Wear the hat.
That said, there''s nothing wrong with using GDI for a game. As long as it works there''s no reason to switch to something else
----------------------------------------
"Before criticizing someone, walk a mile in their shoes.
Then, when you do criticize them, you will be a mile away and have their shoes." -- Deep Thoughts
"If you have any trouble sounding condescending, find a Unix user to show you how it''s done." - Scott Adams
FaceHat Software -- Wear the hat.
Author
Thanks for all your advice people, I guess you jsut have to wait for my game now, which I can guarantee will be a pac man clone..... Just to say also that living in the UK sucks!!!! I''m moving to Milan in 8 weeks.
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