Questions About Programming Strategy Games
Author
I want to program strategy games(turn-based or real time, most likely real time) hopefully program an online strategy game in the future, so I have a few questions about it, any help would be appreciated. I''m not that experienced in game programming, but I am in C++, I only programmed a few guessing and Tic Tact Toe games, it took me less than an hour to make each one and it worked fine, but it was without an API.
How hard is it to make a strategy game, compared to a side scroller or a adventure game?
Is it possible to program a good strategy game using a 2D API(I''m using SDL)?
Is it extremely hard to do network programming for games and what is a good API for network programming?
Is it good to program a strategy game as your first game using an API?
Is Strategy Game Programming with DirectX9 a good strategy game programming book and does it program an acutual game(not with every single feature) and what level of experience do you need for it?
Is it better to use DirectX9 for a strategy game compared to SDL(I can''t find OpenGL tutorials for strategy game programming)?
ok hello there. you and i are in the same boat right now ( im making an TBS( turn based strategy) that can be made RTS in options if players so desire. im using SDL for all graphics needs currently.
you''re question is this: how difficult is RTS compared to sidescroller and adventure games.
with side scrollers you generally have simplistic and addictive game play( think Mega Man or Mario or Metroid or my favorite Castlevainia) and semi generic story ideas that players dont have to get uber attached to to play the game.
adventure games ( Zelda (technically adventure RPG),Soul Reaver, Jak) typically have maps that are viewed from above ( or 3d in next gen consoles) as compared to from the side; game play that is more skilled based as compared to timing based like many side scroller; and hasa storyline that is usually meant to be more indepth than the average side scroller''s.
strategy games are based on intuitive use of the games play mechanics to best your opponents.(Starcraft, WarCraft Age of Empires).Here game play needs to be balanced so that strategy is incuraged as opposed to using overpowering skills or faster attacks. Also many things require the player to build up to them such as going from cars to airplanes to spaceships or from sticks to stones to sharpened stones to swords etc. such a game requires extenive development in game mechanics, and usually multiple storylines for differnt races/clans/states .
as for graphic''s APIs it depends on what you want this game to be, is it just a spring board to start making 3d games or is it a spring board to making games in general for you? if you plan ot make 3d games after this one id suggest using SDL and openGL if not id suggest just use SDL for now.
you''re question is this: how difficult is RTS compared to sidescroller and adventure games.
with side scrollers you generally have simplistic and addictive game play( think Mega Man or Mario or Metroid or my favorite Castlevainia) and semi generic story ideas that players dont have to get uber attached to to play the game.
adventure games ( Zelda (technically adventure RPG),Soul Reaver, Jak) typically have maps that are viewed from above ( or 3d in next gen consoles) as compared to from the side; game play that is more skilled based as compared to timing based like many side scroller; and hasa storyline that is usually meant to be more indepth than the average side scroller''s.
strategy games are based on intuitive use of the games play mechanics to best your opponents.(Starcraft, WarCraft Age of Empires).Here game play needs to be balanced so that strategy is incuraged as opposed to using overpowering skills or faster attacks. Also many things require the player to build up to them such as going from cars to airplanes to spaceships or from sticks to stones to sharpened stones to swords etc. such a game requires extenive development in game mechanics, and usually multiple storylines for differnt races/clans/states .
as for graphic''s APIs it depends on what you want this game to be, is it just a spring board to start making 3d games or is it a spring board to making games in general for you? if you plan ot make 3d games after this one id suggest using SDL and openGL if not id suggest just use SDL for now.
Author
Thanks for the reply. From your reply, I''m guessing programming strategy games is pretty hard, I heard Strategy Game Programming with DirectX 9 is good for beginners, should I start with that? Or make a side scroller which seems simplest to make, to get the hang of game programming with an API. I do plan to go into 3D game programming pretty soon and possibly make a 3D strategy game so I guess it would be good to either make it with an API that I can use with a 3D API or make it with a 3D API in 2D.
quote:Original post by Unidentified
From your reply, I''m guessing programming strategy games is pretty hard
My guess would be that the hard part is in designing the game rather than actually programming it. There is probably more programming involved in a strategy game than a sidescroller, but it is not necessarily that much more difficult. Designing a well-balanced, intuitive, full-featured and addictive game is the hard part.
Author
I won't mind if it's just hard designing one, I just don't want to program something without enough knowledge needed like some algorithms needed, and I haven't really done a lot of AI programming. So I don't want to start something and figure out that I don't know enough so I need to stop. But if it's just as hard programming wise as other genre's I would start with programming a RTS.
What's a good Strategy game programming book, tutorial, article, etc...?
[edited by - Unidentified on January 16, 2004 9:37:03 PM]
What's a good Strategy game programming book, tutorial, article, etc...?
[edited by - Unidentified on January 16, 2004 9:37:03 PM]
How hard is it to make a strategy game, compared to a side scroller or a adventure game?
It is hard to compare, if your definition of a side scroller is like the classic Mario then it is alot harder. But if you are comparing it to a platform game which has a more advanced physics model/powerups/etc..(Something like Sonic) it is debatable.
It also depends on the complexity of your RTS. Usually RTS are pretty complicated because you have to deal with pathfinding/AI/extremely efficient collission detection/etc..
Is it possible to program a good strategy game using a 2D API(I''m using SDL)?
Why not.
Is it extremely hard to do network programming for games and what is a good API for network programming?
I don''t know, never done networking before, but if you plan to do a multiplayer game, you will have to design your game with that in mind, you cant just add in multiplayer support after you have finished the game.
Is it good to program a strategy game as your first game using an API?
I don''t see why you shouldnt. You have to make a start somewhere. It might not be the easiest and even if you do give up, you would have learnt alot more than you would have from making another Pong clone. But atleast get comfortable with your API before you get into the details.
Is Strategy Game Programming with DirectX9 a good strategy game programming book and does it program an acutual game(not with every single feature)
I don''t have that book
Is it better to use DirectX9 for a strategy game compared to SDL(I can''t find OpenGL tutorials for strategy game programming)?
DX and OGL are just APIs. Tutorials for strategy games will tell you just the concept on how to do it. Besides strategy game programming is about the game logic and game code and has nothing to do with how the graphics are drawn. You should be able to apply it do any API as long as you understand the concept. If you are aiming to copy and paste, then don''t even bother doing games.
It is hard to compare, if your definition of a side scroller is like the classic Mario then it is alot harder. But if you are comparing it to a platform game which has a more advanced physics model/powerups/etc..(Something like Sonic) it is debatable.
It also depends on the complexity of your RTS. Usually RTS are pretty complicated because you have to deal with pathfinding/AI/extremely efficient collission detection/etc..
Is it possible to program a good strategy game using a 2D API(I''m using SDL)?
Why not.
Is it extremely hard to do network programming for games and what is a good API for network programming?
I don''t know, never done networking before, but if you plan to do a multiplayer game, you will have to design your game with that in mind, you cant just add in multiplayer support after you have finished the game.
Is it good to program a strategy game as your first game using an API?
I don''t see why you shouldnt. You have to make a start somewhere. It might not be the easiest and even if you do give up, you would have learnt alot more than you would have from making another Pong clone. But atleast get comfortable with your API before you get into the details.
Is Strategy Game Programming with DirectX9 a good strategy game programming book and does it program an acutual game(not with every single feature)
I don''t have that book
Is it better to use DirectX9 for a strategy game compared to SDL(I can''t find OpenGL tutorials for strategy game programming)?
DX and OGL are just APIs. Tutorials for strategy games will tell you just the concept on how to do it. Besides strategy game programming is about the game logic and game code and has nothing to do with how the graphics are drawn. You should be able to apply it do any API as long as you understand the concept. If you are aiming to copy and paste, then don''t even bother doing games.
i have yet to look for guides to strategy games ( i however did buy a copy of age of empires for personal hands on gaming experince) because im currently coding my GUI system using SDL. This will be the game''s gui as well as any tools i create for the game. this allows me to learn the SDL specifics first as right now im simply designing gameplay and story elements whilst coding something that isnt focused on the game itself.
learn an api before trying to code a game with it, im going to get my gui working then im going to code pong and tetris clones to further my skills with SDL and by then ill have some material to start working with for my actual game.
coding is not difficult really its just the knowdlege of whatever API you use for the game that needs to come first. as for your AI question dotn worry about AI until you have the API down pat and the rest of your game laid out. i''m not even going to think about AI until 85% of my game is done.
the game itself is harder to design due to the vastness of it. mine is going to beabout multiple races and religions and how such things conflict over the course of history as the player plays through 2000 years of warfare and diplomacy.
the game is two parts: code and game. they need be intrinsic at some points and at others not.
learn an api before trying to code a game with it, im going to get my gui working then im going to code pong and tetris clones to further my skills with SDL and by then ill have some material to start working with for my actual game.
coding is not difficult really its just the knowdlege of whatever API you use for the game that needs to come first. as for your AI question dotn worry about AI until you have the API down pat and the rest of your game laid out. i''m not even going to think about AI until 85% of my game is done.
the game itself is harder to design due to the vastness of it. mine is going to beabout multiple races and religions and how such things conflict over the course of history as the player plays through 2000 years of warfare and diplomacy.
the game is two parts: code and game. they need be intrinsic at some points and at others not.
Author
OK. Thanks for all the replies. I''m going to make a simple games first with SDL probably a side scroller to get some more experience with game programming. Then I might go ahead and get Strategy Game Programming with DirectX 9 the book. The book teaches the API so I can make a few things with the knowledge before moving onto further chapters to get a good understanding of the API. I might read the book first though, after I look through it.
THE BEST book out there for this, is Mickey Kawicks "Real Time Stragety Game PRogramming." Although it is dx6, (maybe 7, I don''t remember) most of the code is spent on learning the ins and outs of programming an RTS game. It is fantastic, and a must read for any game programmer.
It covers SO much, from simple window things to graphic managers to turn based, Compression, path routines, it is very good!
It is difficult without help to program an RTS game, but with this book it is a very accheivable goal.
It covers SO much, from simple window things to graphic managers to turn based, Compression, path routines, it is very good!
It is difficult without help to program an RTS game, but with this book it is a very accheivable goal.
This topic is closed to new replies.
Advertisement
Popular Topics
Advertisement
