Question: making a adventure game?

Started by
2 comments, last by jbadams 17 years, 6 months ago
First of all, GameDev is a Great site I have a question about programming. I want to develop adventure games for fun but I don`t know what kind of programming language is being used? I have the story, characters and the design but the only problem is making this data into a game ;-) This game is in the style of the Lucasfilm games such as monkey Island 3 and a Vampyre story… 2 questions 1) Can someone help me to choose the correct programming language? 2) What must I do more to make such an adventure game. If I must I will follow an evening School.
Advertisement
Quote:Original post by koemar
First of all, GameDev is a Great site

I have a question about programming.
I want to develop adventure games for fun but I don`t know what kind of programming language is being used?

I have the story, characters and the design but the only problem is making this data into a game ;-)

This game is in the style of the Lucasfilm games such as monkey Island 3 and a Vampyre story…


My favorite kind of games. [smile]


Quote:
2 questions

1) Can someone help me to choose the correct programming language?


Most of the LucasArt games were made with the SCUMM language. I guess it was compiled to some kind of object code that was executed by a virtual machine. ScummVM is a FOSS VM for SCUMM games.

If you are solely interested in Windows, and don't mind proprietary software, WME is one of the easiest authoring tools out there. I think that Runaway: a Road Adventure was made with it. You'll have to buy a commercial license if you want to sell your game though. mad is a FOSS adventure game engine, but I don't know if it's still alive.

Quote:2) What must I do more to make such an adventure game.

If I must I will follow an evening School.


Even systems like WME will require a minimal amount of programming knowledge. WME in particular uses a scripting language based on ECMAScript. Therefore, learning ECMAScript is more or less a requirement, unless your game is extremely simple.

Another option is to use a programming language without any kind of authoring software, and create a game from scratch or with an engine. This will likely require a lot more work, and will probably yield inferior results. If you've never programmed before though, I'd suggest either sticking to an authoring system, or learning actual programming and delaying your game until you feel that you can make it. Learning while attempting to make a game would probably be frustrating (but feel free to prove me wrong).
I would suggest that you learn C++, mainly because it uses classes, and classes are a simple way of creating objects (because adventures are far more easy to program in an Object-Oriented way). If you're new to programming, it may be best to start with Basic or Pascal, because they "supposedly" are simpler than C or C++, but if you put time in it, you can learn C++ without any other experience. Also, if you just want to program adventure games, you could try Game Maker (http://www.gamemaker.nl), it's a great program with a really simple code, specially created for games. I myself learned the programming basics with that program, it's a good start for begginers. (I was known as Gabry Hyrule at the Game Maker forum, so if someone knows me)

To make an adventure game, you need TIME, mostly. And you need determination, because you will have newer ideas and will get bored with the game you're making (trust me, I've already tried :) ). And another thing, you should head for smaller projects before and adventure game, you will need a lot of experience to program one (again, if you're a begginer).

good luck!

Gabry Hyrule
I'm 15, and I know C++, OpenGL and a little Windows programming.
Adventure Game Studio is also an excellent authorware package for creating adventure games. If you just want to make the game then using a package such as AGS, Game Maker or the ones linked above by let_bound.

If you want to actually program a game just about any language would do; there's typically nothing particularly intensive going on with the style of game you're interested in, so whatever language you were comfortable with would be fine. We often suggest Python as a programming language that's relatively easy to learn (although programming is never a particularly simple task in any language).

- Jason Astle-Adams

This topic is closed to new replies.

Advertisement