After reading Beginning C++ through game programming, by Michael Dawson, and then taking a summer workshop for intro into 2D game design, and jumping into, and out of SDL in a couple weeks,after a few months(i.e last week), I decided to pick up Beginning game programming by, Jonathan Harbour. Im wondering where I should take my learning next. What should I advance to after I finish this book?
Where do I go next?
Make something! A beginners' book is a good way to get you off the ground, but now you'll learn much more by doing. If you need ideas for projects, tell us what you have already made and what kinds of things you are interested in.
Listen to Alvaro, I fell into buying books thinking I would learn. I now have a four shelf bookshelf loaded with programming books. If you are not sure about libraries, I'd recommend getting SDL Game Development and/or SFML Game Development as they will teach you the libraries and have you make a few games in the process. After that just start trying to experiment with ideas and keep going.
Author
Make something! A beginners' book is a good way to get you off the ground, but now you'll learn much more by doing. If you need ideas for projects, tell us what you have already made and what kinds of things you are interested in.
well, http://www.gamedev.net/page/resources/_/technical/game-programming/your-first-step-to-game-development-starts-here-r2976, I know for a fact that I can complete this in SDL, however I am unsure about doing stuff in other languages. I mean, games have always been there for me, and they have helped me through some tuff times, so I really want to pay back to the community what I got out of it. And i have no desire for anything 3D, that's just not what Im into, other than that I havn't really expressed myself to far out off the books.
Author
Listen to Alvaro, I fell into buying books thinking I would learn. I now have a four shelf bookshelf loaded with programming books. If you are not sure about libraries, I'd recommend getting SDL Game Development and/or SFML Game Development as they will teach you the libraries and have you make a few games in the process. After that just start trying to experiment with ideas and keep going.
Maybe my veiw on SDL, and SFML (Which i've thought about learning, just never have) may be off, how common are these used in the field, Is there any specific, more known projects that have used SDL/SFML? I just feel kinda like they won't lead any where which worries me.
SDL is often used to act as a medium between the game and the actual system the user is running, so it provides a multi platform API for most low level interactions with the system: ie, input handling (keyboard, mouse, gamepads), file io, threads, audio api, window creation, opengl context creation, etc.
SDL also provides 2D capabilities so the library alone is enough for start making 2D games, but the main focus is portability, so a game can work on multiple platforms.
That said, SDL itself can only do so much for you and the game you want to make, all there is besides low level interactions with the OS, like levels, graphics, gameplay, content, etc, is up to you.
As to where it is used, all current Valve games for example.
SDL is not a language. You may not have made this mistake had you started actually coding something and gotten hands-on experience with API’s.I know for a fact that I can complete this in SDL, however I am unsure about doing stuff in other languages.
Then wouldn’t going beyond books sound like a natural next step?I havn't really expressed myself to far out off the books.
They might lead to temporary results that might satisfy you while you get actual hands-on training, which is 10× more valuable than books, which should only be a reference as you go through hands-on material in your own project.I just feel kinda like they won't lead any where which worries me.
L. Spiro
Author
SDL is not a language. You may not have made this mistake had you started actually coding something and gotten hands-on experience with API’s.
Sorry, I wasn't meaning to refer to it as a language, I was simply meaning that I could do it using the library, however I was trying to say that I was unsure about starting to learn and do those things in other languages, such as c#.
SDL is not a language. You may not have made this mistake had you started actually coding something and gotten hands-on experience with API’s.Sorry, I wasn't meaning to refer to it as a language, I was simply meaning that I could do it using the library, however I was trying to say that I was unsure about starting to learn and do those things in other languages, such as c#.
Anyone can say that they can do something.
But there is a big difference between thinking you can do it and actually doing it.
I might actually believe I can do something. But that doesn't mean anything.
It doesn't give the experience you get from actually doing it.
Maybe my veiw on SDL, and SFML (Which i've thought about learning, just never have) may be off, how common are these used in the field, Is there any specific, more known projects that have used SDL/SFML? I just feel kinda like they won't lead any where which worries me.
SDL is well documented on games made with it. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_games_using_SDL
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