Quote:Original post by allekat11Depends. At my school "web devlopment" involves using the pre-made templates and frontpage with a bit of HTML. If that is what you mean, then not really. If you mean PHP, ASP, web-C#, or even javascript, then yes it will help you out a bit. <br><br>Just remember it gets hard, and starting off making games can be very difficult. Good luck, and don't lose hope.
Okay: Another question (Yes i know I am full of them ^_^) Okay...will any of my web development experience help me in this? Should that help me decide the kind of programming language I want to use? (I'm getting pretty good at HTML...)
A Teen Interested in GD
Quote:Original post by allekat11
An estimation: How long do you think it will take me to learn at least the basics of C++ to the point that i can make a VERY cheapy game. My basic purpose in the beginning is just to fool around with it a little bit and see if I can impress my family and friends with a little game...but also i hope it can be a basis for games people would actually want to play/download... is this too much to ask? (wow I sound really desperate...)
You can probably make text-mode "guess the number" within about a week. If you work hard, you can have something akin to Snake or Pong sometime between 2 weeks and a month. I'd give it about 6 months for a basic sidescroller or something similar - but this of course, all depends on you. You have to put the effort in, and also, keep in mind that some people just learn and work at different speeds.
As for a compiler - if you've chosen to use C++, DevC++ is perfectly acceptable, and what's more, it's free - so you can try it out, and if you discover that programming really isn't your thing (give it a fair try, sometimes you get frustrated at first but then things just 'click'), you havn't lost anything. [smile]
Quote:Original post by allekat11
I'm willing to be patient to make a game...I don't expect to make a Zelda game in 3 months.
Thats certainly a wise attitude to take! I've just started my first project and only know do I realise just how much is involved in making even a relatively simple game... It certainly isn't as easy as it seems!
Quote:Original post by allekat11
-Which programming language should i start out with?
Hmmm... I'd recommend you go with Java. Don't take my word for it though- try to find some source code for all the languages you think you might be interested in and see which makes most sense to you.
I've personally found java to be the easiest and most logical to use language yet (easier than Visual Basic in my opinion). It also will help lead into C++ as some of the core syntax (not all mind!) and principles of object orientated programming are similar to C++.
I can't speak for Python though or other languages though (since I've never used them), so your best bet would be to suss them all out and find the best language for yourself.
Good luck with whatever you try though..
I am a teen also and i started out in Blitz Basic...It pretty simple to understand and the errors are really easy to fix.But if u wanna go into C and C++ go on right ahead ..If you have no programming experience what-so-ever .Go for the books"game programming for teens"(great book)or "Beginning C++" both can be found in the books section of this website under beginners.PM me any time if you want help.
The book "Game Programming for Teens" comes with an old version of BlitzBasic (Blitz2D) and takes you from the basics of programming through a complete space invaders/galaxian looking game. My daughter is going through the book and seems to be enjoying it. There is an updated version coming soon (May, I think), but the book is only $20, so it might not hurt to get the current edition and then check out the update later, if you want.
I personally would dive straight into C. Go pick up a copy of Dev-CPP and Google search for C Programming Tutorials, or go by a book on C, Absoulute Beginners Guide to C by Greg Perry, or C for Dummies by Dan Gookin. Good Luck!
P.S. Start small, maybe an ASCII Tic-Tac-Toe game or a Guess the number game, then build upon that and add graphics and audio and AI and all the bells and whistles!
P.S. Start small, maybe an ASCII Tic-Tac-Toe game or a Guess the number game, then build upon that and add graphics and audio and AI and all the bells and whistles!
If you're interested in C++ go pick up a copy of the 2005 Express Beta.
Linky to download
I got the DVD with all the express products, and I must say I'm impressed. A bit unstable at times, but I doubt that you'd be too concerned with it. If you want a hand getting it started, just drop me a PM if you decide to go down this route. Visual C++ is pretty much the industry standard C++ compiler. You're lucky to be learning at a time when its in free beta :D
Linky to download
I got the DVD with all the express products, and I must say I'm impressed. A bit unstable at times, but I doubt that you'd be too concerned with it. If you want a hand getting it started, just drop me a PM if you decide to go down this route. Visual C++ is pretty much the industry standard C++ compiler. You're lucky to be learning at a time when its in free beta :D
Hi. I'm 15, and I've been able to write a memory usage tracker, and a complete messaging system for communication between disparate entities in the game (just finished this one and it's pretty cool!). I've also written 2 pong clones and my own overhead shooter (much like the very OLD '1942' of the NES, but without tilemaps). But I started game programming as a hobby when I was 12, so obviously I'm a little ahead. [smile]
I say this only so you know that it's definately possible to make some cool things if you're still in highschool/junior high (I'm a freshman in HS).
So, have fun! And don't give up, because I assure you programming games is a unique and very challenging endeavor, but a highly rewarding one!
Good luck, and welcome to GameDev.net!
I say this only so you know that it's definately possible to make some cool things if you're still in highschool/junior high (I'm a freshman in HS).
So, have fun! And don't give up, because I assure you programming games is a unique and very challenging endeavor, but a highly rewarding one!
Good luck, and welcome to GameDev.net!
Well, I recommend .NET because it made a lot more sense to me than C++ did. You also have Managed DirectX which takes away pointers from you and stuff, which can be a real biatch to get when you so new to programming. Tbh, I think its way to optomistic people saying "pong in a week or month." You have no prior knowledge of programming as far as it seems, so I'd say more like 2 months if you use a pre made engine like OGRE (Axiom if you choose .NET) and a far bit longer if you decide to go straight into DirectX.
I think I'm a bit of a slower learner than everyone else, I tend to learn things as implant them in the most generic way possible... For example, my current engine is having the rendering API's abstracted out so I can use OpenGL, DirectX or even a ray tracer if I wanted :P
Anyhow - they way I learnt to program was spend a long time in Blitz and then moved onto MDX (.NET). 4 years programming and I feel I'm now able to create some sweet-ish games pretty quickly (Fully working pong was done in about 3 days with my engine)
Hope that is slightly helpful at least.
I think I'm a bit of a slower learner than everyone else, I tend to learn things as implant them in the most generic way possible... For example, my current engine is having the rendering API's abstracted out so I can use OpenGL, DirectX or even a ray tracer if I wanted :P
Anyhow - they way I learnt to program was spend a long time in Blitz and then moved onto MDX (.NET). 4 years programming and I feel I'm now able to create some sweet-ish games pretty quickly (Fully working pong was done in about 3 days with my engine)
Hope that is slightly helpful at least.
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