How did you learn making games?

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15 comments, last by Buster2000 8 years ago

The other questions I'd probably answer much the same as everyone else.

How much time did it take to learn the language? (When were you able to do on your own, a game)

I don't think it's a matter of learning the language as much as it is learning pieces of the language and figuring out what it is you can do with that. Get input from a user, testing against a few conditions, and outputting something doesn't take much time to figure out. And once you find the syntax for generating random numbers, you're pretty much good to go. When you find that what you want to do requires something more advanced, then you find out what that is and go learn that.

Are you still making games? And if you, can you feel that, you make progress in game making?

As a hobbyist, sure, I still make games. Or rather I've been working on one single game for a few years now adding one thing to it and then another. Other than that, what does "making progress" mean? I'm not looking for a job "in the industry" so while you may be attempting to "progress" towards that goal, it's not where I want to go.

I haven't thought seriously about trying to make money as a lone indie developer in some time. I have very much enjoyed just working on my own stuff for the hell of it and not having to answer to anybody. I make progress in that I go from working on one thing that I want to another thing and they'll probably all come to some kind of end product eventually, maybe, If it doesn't all come together, I have whatever code I've come up with and my notes to look at if I decide to work on something new. Such is my plan and so far everything is going according to plan.

I haven't totally ruled out the possibility of releasing something to try and make some money. It pops into my head from time to time and is something I've thought about just this weekend seeing a results of a friend's cake making pursuits. But at the moment, it's not a driving force behind my game making. Having too much fun.

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There were BBS services and few other Internet-like solutions back then, but they costed lot and they weren't so common in use ( especially for non-US people ).

Eh? BBSes were very popular in Europe.

I should have say they weren't so popular where I come from :)

There were BBS services and few other Internet-like solutions back then, but they costed lot and they weren't so common in use ( especially for non-US people ).

Eh? BBSes were very popular in Europe.

I should have say they weren't so popular where I come from :)

Fair enough. Not all countries are the same. My perspective is from Northern Europe (Finland).

Onto the topic:

What was the language you used for for first?

QBasic, Turbo Pascal.

How much time did it take to learn the language? (When were you able to do on your own, a game)

Learned before high school, first "game" was a chatbot.

Are you still making games?

In my spare time I mostly make game/graphics engines. Continuosly learning new stuff by reading Siggraph and GDC papers/slides and blogs.

Have you uploaded the game to somewhere

Current programmer generation has discovery solved with services like GitHub and sites like Facebook and Twitter.

Aether3D Game Engine: https://github.com/bioglaze/aether3d

Blog: http://twiren.kapsi.fi/blog.html

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What was the language you used for for first?

ZX Spectrum BASIC, then Amiga Asm, Then C++ and Pascal

How much time did it take to learn the language? (When were you able to do on your own, a game)

Not long. Surprisingly back then in the UK programming was more readily available. There were at least two TV programs teaching BASIC coding, several magazines, every computer games magazine had type in code listings. Even a lot of the story books in the school library had type in adventure games in the back (The Ghost of Thomas Kempe is one that I remember). Some mainstream broadsheet newspapers also had code listings.
?The school book clubs regularly features the Usborne programming books too.

http://www.usborne.com/catalogue/feature-page/computer-and-coding-books.aspx
I mean nowadays if you want to code you can use the Web but, you are only going to find coding stuff if you are searching for it whilst back in the early 80s it was kind of thrust in your face.

Are you still making games?

Yes in my spare time.

Have you uploaded the game to somewhere

I have published games on the App Store and also worked on several Console games. Any of the stuff I did in the 80s and early 90s is gone due to all medicks and stuff getting stolen in a couple of burglaries at my parents house.

I mean nowadays if you want to code you can use the Web but, you are only going to find coding stuff if you are searching for it whilst back in the early 80s it was kind of thrust in your face.

A lot of that vibe seems to be present in the Rasp.pi scene, magazines there publish Python code to hack.
Robotics also seems to catch on nowadays.

I learned game-making about 8 years ago, so I hope my perspective is usefull to you.

What was the language you used first?

At first, I used both python and scratch (about the same time).

How much time did it take to learn?

I wouldn't say I ever finished learning. I might have gotten a little bit better, but I still allways start on projects that are too hard for me. But in your scale, a reasonable mastery to understand the features, maybe 3 years for python, 1/2 years for scratch.

Did other people like your first game?

My first game that I "Published" was a horrible horrible snake game clone. My dad was the only person who would come close enough to play it, and I don't believe he enjoyed it very much. I did upload it to google code, but I probably shouldn't have.

Are you still making games?

I am balancing them among my many hobbies.

My CVMy money management app: ELFSHMy game about shooting triangles: Lazer of Death

I mean nowadays if you want to code you can use the Web but, you are only going to find coding stuff if you are searching for it whilst back in the early 80s it was kind of thrust in your face.

A lot of that vibe seems to be present in the Rasp.pi scene, magazines there publish Python code to hack.
Robotics also seems to catch on nowadays.

Yeah the Raspberry Pi scene is pretty awesome also the new micro:BIT that the BBC has started rolling out in schools.

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