Just started 3D game programming...what is good for a first project?
Author
So, I just started 3d programming... I know most of the basics, drawing textures, z-values, camera positioning, etc. I can easily make a 3D environmet, such as a room, implement basic collision detection, and make a player walk around in it.
I want to work on a full game. I would prefer something that is easy enough for someone starting in 3D, but still teaches me new skills. Some of my ideas were:
-a sprite-based FPS (think Doom and Wolfenstein)
-top down game (think GTA)
-platformer (with jumping and different level platforms, it might not be good for a beginner, but, I may be willing to give may a shot)
-other (any ideas?)
Worth mentioning, I use Game Maker 7. It is simpler than other languages, but anyone from any programming language can help. I have different code, but I still have to handle the same challenges, camera, z-values, collision detection, etc, so it's not like something relatively easy in C++ would be relatively hard in GM7, or vice-versa, so anyone can submit ideas.
Ideally, you want something with a variety of rendering scenarios you need to solve, but with a minimum of asset creation and framework.
So, maybe try a 2D side-scroller in a 3D world; drop basic primitives like cylinders, cubes, etc into the world. The player exists only in a single 2D slice of the world, and interacts with geometry only where it intersects that plane. Maybe have areas where the geometry moves towards and away from the camera to create or change platforms available to the player. To make the access plane visible, colour things behind and afore of the playing plane differently, or maybe just dimmer on one side than the other.
Those should give you some starting points; clipping planes or shaders (your pick), collision detection in 3D, collision response in 2D, and interactive scenery.
So, maybe try a 2D side-scroller in a 3D world; drop basic primitives like cylinders, cubes, etc into the world. The player exists only in a single 2D slice of the world, and interacts with geometry only where it intersects that plane. Maybe have areas where the geometry moves towards and away from the camera to create or change platforms available to the player. To make the access plane visible, colour things behind and afore of the playing plane differently, or maybe just dimmer on one side than the other.
Those should give you some starting points; clipping planes or shaders (your pick), collision detection in 3D, collision response in 2D, and interactive scenery.
Author
I was thinking something like that may be good...like Super Smash Bros, 2D gameplay with 3D graphics. That is also why I threw in GTA (all gameplay in one plane) and an FPS (in older FPS games, you can only aim left and right, not up and down...all one plane)
I might try that suggestion....definatly better than a platformer, where I have to take all 3 planes into serious cosideration.
I might try that suggestion....definatly better than a platformer, where I have to take all 3 planes into serious cosideration.
Why not try out doing something like a 3D puzzle game? Something like Tetris, or even normal checkers or chess rendered in 3D? It should let you tackle the little problems first, and then let you move on to something more ambitious. If it turns out to be easier than you thought it would be, then it should be easy to finish up and move on to the next project. Otherwise, it will be a good learning experience to build on.
Author
I'll be honest, checkers and chess would kill me. I'm kinda absolutely horrible at programming AI for that kinda stuff.....
Quote:Original post by Jason Z
Why not try out doing something like a 3D puzzle game? Something like Tetris, or even normal checkers or chess rendered in 3D? It should let you tackle the little problems first, and then let you move on to something more ambitious. If it turns out to be easier than you thought it would be, then it should be easy to finish up and move on to the next project. Otherwise, it will be a good learning experience to build on.
I agree with Jason. If you suck at AI then get the rest of it working for 2 players, and leave something in for AI later. Honestly, any ole AI is easy, its the AIs that actually do something that is difficult. For your first game project i think any ole AI would do in the beginning =).
I did connect 4 for my very first project, and all my AI did was check the board for if it could win, and if not place a random piece.
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