I've learned the basics of C++ and a little bit of blitz basic but I dont see how any of them relate to games.. they all seem to be how to do simple math functions and how to store things with variables and classes and such.. I was wonder what language should I choose for a simple Text based RPG game, also which language would be best for a flash game or is there a program? I want to make a text based game then move onto something you would see on www.addictinggames.com or newgrounds or something. And as far as graphics.. are there any good free programs that are easy to learn for those?

If you know basic C++ then creating a text based RPG should be obvious. Your post suggests you don't know C++ very well or at all.

Either keep learning C++ or change your strategy.

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also which language would be best for a flash game or is there a program?

Flash games are created with, as the name suggests, Flash.

If you know C++, why not use that for your RPG? If you can't see how the fundamentals you've learned relate to games, you just have to think outside the box a bit. All you'd really have to do in a text-based RPG is run a loop where you print out a message describing the current location, get input from the user, and print out a new message based on that input. If you write some code and are still having trouble figuring out what to do, you can always post your code on the forums here and we'll be glad to help.

As for Flash, you'd have to use... well, Flash. Technically, the programming language it comes with is called ActionScript, and you can't choose to use another language such as C++ (as far as I know). Also, the Flash authoring program is non-free.

As for graphics, what do you mean by programs for learning? Do you mean painting/modeling programs, or something that will help you create games with graphics?

Despite what has been said, I don't see any reason to use C++ for a text-based game. Try Ruby... and use RubyScript2Exe to compile it in to native machine code. Ruby is small but powerful; using C++ will just make things harder. Also, if you need to move on to something more graphics-oriented, try Java. It has windowing toolkits and graphics built in. Good luck!

Quote:Original post by chucky176
Despite what has been said, I don't see any reason to use C++ for a text-based game. Try Ruby... and use RubyScript2Exe to compile it in to native machine code. Ruby is small but powerful; using C++ will just make things harder. Also, if you need to move on to something more graphics-oriented, try Java. It has windowing toolkits and graphics built in. Good luck!

I hate to fuel another language war, but given his goals and the fact that he is a newbie, Ruby is an awful suggestion.

Java has its merits, but to summarize the general consensus on this forum: consider using either C# or Python.

Yeah, C# is nice... but personally, I hate Python. But it's not up to me to decide for you, so just do some research on different programming languages and just do the one that makes the most sense.

I suggest Python for a language, because it's easy to learn and use; simpler than C++; free; open-source if you care about that; and cross-platform. You'll want the (free) program Py2EXE to make actual EXEs though (there's an equivalent program for Macs). If you then want to progress from text to graphics, try adding Pygame, which is a free library of graphics/sound/event-control/etc. code for Python.

If you're confused about how the programming techniques you've learned relate to actually making a game, then start by making a stupidly simple game: the computer picks a number between 0 and 100, and you get 7 guesses to find it, being told whether you're too low or too high each time. If you can make that game, you'll know the basics of how to communicate with the player in a way that uses stored information and a calculation about whether the player's choices succeed. The thing to realize here is that with code, the act of describing something in enough detail creates it! If you can break the game's series of events down into a set of mechanical steps, you have your game.

Once you're confident enough to try an RPG, start by looking at a few small parts of a stereotypical one like an old-school Final Fantasy, one at a time. What information do you need to store, what calculations do you need to do, and what input do you need from the player, to simulate a little battle where life is measured in hit points? Try drawing a flow chart on paper for the loop of logic you'll need. Other things you might look at are a transaction in a shop, moving around on a grid-based world where any step might randomly trigger a battle, and awarding the player with experience and gold after a battle.

Let us know how you do!