Hi I am a new student and im studying coding. Was just curious as to whether i should stick to one language or not. I am interested in making games for multiple platforms so should i stick with one language? Is that possible for making multi device games? I know html5 and a little java. My goal is to learn to program my own engine even if i use programs like unty later it would help me undertand the concept behind game code. please any helpful advice for a first timer is appreciated. thanks
1 language to rule them all?
I suggest learning Unity first, this way you see what a real engine looks like, how it behaves, and what it's capable of. Also it gives you a platform to learn within.
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I understand the basic concept, used to mod quake 3 half life unreal back in the day. Just never worked with the code always had buddies to do that for me. What do u think of programs like unity? Are they that good of a dev tool? Im still learning dont want programs like that to hinder myself learning a language. I want to get really good at coding am practicing everyday just dont want dev tools making it easy on me. I tend to learn better with a greater challenge. Trying to learn one language at a time, dont want to get confused studying more than one at a time. But my original question was should i stick with one language for all games, or is it better to learn others for different platforms. Was hoping I could port to different devices using one language.
If you encountered a tradesman that would only use a red robbie screw driver, would you fire his ass on the spot?
I would.
A programmer that learns only one language is like a carpenter that only uses screws.
That said, at first, you should really focus on learning your shit in one language before trying to learn dozens of other ones, so its a double edged sword. Simply put though, the [experienced] programmer that only works in C++, or C#, or Java or HTML/JavaScript, well, that programmer is generally pretty awful.
s just curious as to whether i should stick to one language or not.
There's a mantra I like to suggest people to stick to: a programmer should learn at least one new language every year. You don't need to master it or use it in your day-to-day work, but at least being familiar with other languages, their core concepts, and how to do things in them is super useful. Even if you never, ever use pure functional programming in your job (as a game programmer you almost certainly won't) understanding elements of functional programming and their uses and how to apply those to solve real-world problems will make you a significantly stronger engineer in the language you do use every day, for example.
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Thank you, your insight has been most helpful. I now have a focus for my goals, on to the practice.
I believe a language is not a tool itself, but a tool kit. Paradigms, algorithms, patterns, these are the tools within the tool kit that is the language.
Because of this, the statement above about the red screw driver, is not really valid in my opinion. Someone who uses only one language can definitely be more than adequate for the majority of teams. What matters are the tools available in his tool kit with that language.
Finally :). ++2(2)I believe a language is not a tool itself, but a tool kit. Paradigms, algorithms, patterns, these are the tools within the tool kit that is the language.
Because of this, the statement above about the red screw driver, is not really valid in my opinion. Someone who uses only one language can definitely be more than adequate for the majority of teams. What matters are the tools available in his tool kit with that language.
I believe a language is not a tool itself, but a tool kit. Paradigms, algorithms, patterns, these are the tools within the tool kit that is the language.
Because of this, the statement above about the red screw driver, is not really valid in my opinion. Someone who uses only one language can definitely be more than adequate for the majority of teams. What matters are the tools available in his tool kit with that language.
Yes, but for a student with possibly little to no job security or software work experience, it usually matters more to open (or at least not close) as many doors as you can, so that you don't starve to death waiting for that one perfect job that uses the few skills you have honed to perfection. So that's not really applicable in this case. Plus learning new languages lets you explore other paradigms, something that isn't often possible if you stick to a single language because you tend to stagnate on what you already know (or simply what the language offers, in some cases), or maybe that's just me.
Either way I would definitely not consider this an excuse for not learning more languages in the OP's case, and would advise treating this as very circumstantial advice.
I believe a language is not a tool itself, but a tool kit. Paradigms, algorithms, patterns, these are the tools within the tool kit that is the language.
Because of this, the statement above about the red screw driver, is not really valid in my opinion. Someone who uses only one language can definitely be more than adequate for the majority of teams. What matters are the tools available in his tool kit with that language.
But paradigms, algorithms and patterns are language agnostic. So I would say that languages are not the tool kit but the tool and that patterns, algorithms etc.. are just the carpenters blueprints and that the red screwdriver theory still holds up.
Also someone wo uses only one language may be adequate but somebody who can use many languages can be indispensable.
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