I want 2 start to make games. I would like a games making using sowftware like darkbasic pro, but I know this is one of many different packages what do you recommend? I would like it to have a large community be able to make quality games to be quite easy to get into to be good training for when I want to go on further to something like c++

I'd suggest the following steps:

1) Buy books on a programming language. I'd suggest C# or VB.net.

2) Download the compile for said programming language.

3) Read the books and do every single line of code until you understand what the books are trying to explain to you.

4) You'll probably forget most of 3, but that is OK you can look at books later. Life isn't a high school test. Now think about trying to make a game (you'll probably fail but that is ok, learning is all your trying to do).

thanks for the advice,I was hoping to use a 3d engine to help me on my way. What can you tell me about that?

Many thanks

sorry if I am asking dum questions but it is important I ask these things so I start learning the right things and have to back track less. :)

Quote:thanks for the advice,I was hoping to use a 3d engine to help me on my way. What can you tell me about that?

It won't help you learn programming. You already have to know how to program, and be able to make games. Then you must actually need a 3D graphics engine for a game.

I prefer C++ myself but most people will tell you not to start with that. I will however recommend a path if you choose C++:

-Learning C++ Through Game Programming
-Accelerated C++
-LazyFoo SDL Tutorials
-Data Structures for Game Programmers

There is another C++ book I want to recommend but I forget the name of it :/ Its one of my college text books and its fantastic although boring as hell to read through. If your learning it may not be for you as its 1500 pages...

Here is why I recommend what I recommend:

Learning C++ Through Game Programming: It covers a lot in a little bit of time. You can do a chapter a night no problem. You will forget things you learned but this comes with time.

Accelerated C++ - Excellent real world examples with many many complex shortcuts that you will see in real code. It also reenforces what you already learned in the other book.

-LazyFoo SDL Tutorials - These are the best SDL resource you will find and this will start you on graphics. I had a little trouble wrapping my head around the syntax at first but all I did was break his code down to the most basic elements and it worked great. I learn a new tutorial each night. I also use his site in conjunction with a book called "Focus on SDL".

-Data Structures for Game Programmers: You will hear mixed about this book but I really really like it and I have learned a lot from it just by reading through it. I read it before I go to bed each night its that interesting. (In a nerd sort of way.)

I have read several of these kinds of thread and as a developer with experience in lots of languages and engines I would like to throw in another angle that a lot of people in here forgets (or probably haven't even tried).

If you don't have much experience in coding I would actually suggest a language like Blitz3D or BlitzMAX (alternatively DarkBasic).
I know this is not especially popular to mention this but here's the reason why:

I would say that most people in here have not finished a real game. Ever. Most of them have started projects, experimented with engines, tested out small samples and techniques and also created lots of small techdemos but when it comes to finishing a whole game it suddenly gets so much harder.
One of the reasons for this is that it takes so much energy to learn the engine/language to full and in the end you loose motivation and goes on to the next project.

Raise a hand if you've been there ;)

Using a language that is more similar to basic and that can give you instant result in both 2d and 3d could be an excellent way into programming because you will start with understanding the concept of design, code structure and will reduce all kinds of problems that will pop up during development.
Later on when you actually HAVE finished a few games in such a language you can now step up to languages that gives you more flexibility in their structure.

The basic languages was my start at late 80's (mmm AMOS etc) and I think it's the perfect way to start.

Can you create a "real" game with those languages then?
Well I have created a few commercial games that has been published and helped me to quit my dayjob anyway. Not many C# or C++ programmers in here has even finished a "real" game so I'm just asking you people to also consider a middleware language like Blitz3D.

best regards and good luck

Andreas Jirenius

*edit* I realized this post sounded very con C++ C#, just wanted to explain that I am normally coding in those languages but as a starting language I just would recommend one that doesnt require as much coding to get fantastic results.