Game Programmers NEEDED!

[MysticEarth]

Hi game programmers.
Me and another VB programmer just started a new game project, and now we're looking for some more programmers.
We've got about 1 year experience with VB, and we'd wanted to make a game (our first game will be a 2d RPG or Strategie).
We didn't start yet, because we have to make some appointments, etc..
So, if you're interrested, please send a mail to:

mysticearth@teamcast.com OR cybrg@cybrg.com

Please send some of your information with it (email, experience, vb version, wich country you live; because of the different timezones)

[Fox]

Do you guys have graphics?

I made some RPG / RTS engines, but I always stopped coz there were no good resources I could use (especially players/units!).
Look at my Mario engine, I had the graphics from the original Marioi and I made a playable game with ;). (Maybe that's coz I spend much time designing levels while coding :D)

However, think that's a very important part...

Oh and one of the most important parts is the story... Never try to make an RPG without a good story! Maybe an RTS, but I wouldn't recommend...

[/\/\isanThr0p]

I agree with everything Fox said! When you haven't thought about this stuff, ask for programmers again in 6 month!

If not I'm always interested in programming game, but another point for me is you experience.

One year says not very much! Give some examples of what you did allready and what you know.

Thanks

[MysticEarth]

Thanks for giving some information.
The dissicion (sorry, i'm from Netherlands ;-) is made!
It will be a RTS game, and thanks for the replies. The game will be based on a story (i think!).
Thanx for your replies guys!

MysticEarth
mysticearth@teamcast.com

[MysticEarth]

Hi, we don't have someone for the graphics yet....

The game:
The Team leader (Cyborg) is working on a story, when we both like it, or i hate it, he will try to think another story. We didn't start programming yet.

The Programmers we asked for, we don't want them to do the things like you "hated". We want some help in programming the game, like the AI routines (that stuff). So we won't asking for Map Editors or something.

We also will be working at our website, but that will be in the (near?) future.....

Ewout Winkelman

[/\/\isanThr0p]

Okay!

I'd like to help you! IF (some technical things):
You use DirectX for graphics!
You'll find someone to make Graphics
You'll find someone to make Sounds (you already have someone?)
The story is ok (It has to be a interesting world!)


Some questions:
Will the game be realtime or tunrbased
Will there be fights (realtime/ tunrbased)
Will the fights be in the normal game-engine or something else.


Thanks


Where are you from? Your first name sounds like from north europe! The last name could be german!

[MysticEarth]

Hi, you're quite right that I'm from north Europe.
I'm from The Netherlands.

About the project now, since the team leader quited (because of school and job, etc) I'm the new team leader, but leader of what team? Now I don't have a team anymore, so I'll keep looking for programmers who want to help.

I'll ask some more programmer for:
- DirectX
- Maybe Engine stuff (or could I use an Engine like True Vision?)
- And someone who can "deliver" sounds, music, etc.
- Someone to do the graphics

Could you help me setting up a new team?? Since I think that you're a nice person, and you do have more experience with game programming than I have....

Ewout Winkelman
Assen, The Netherlands, :-)

[PaulLewis]

At least I think I can. Perhaps the jury is out on that one ;) /\/\isanThr0p will have to comment on whether my little sample code I sent him was helpful or not.

I can vouch for /\/\isanThr0p's DirectX ability at least to say that his Wurm game is simple and yet playable enough for my wife to enjoy :)

I can also help with design, data structures, optimising code etc. I have no graphics or sound experience.


So let me know if you need a help with anything in my area :)

Regards

[Fox]

stuff (or could I use an Engine like True Vision?)


Isn't TrueVision a 3D engine? Thought so... Well, is it 2 or 3D now? If 3D, isn't VB too slow?

Just my thoughts...

[MysticEarth]

Hi, first I wanna say that you (PaulLewis AND /\/\isanThr0p)
are both welcome if you want to help. Paul, you must know that I have about 1/1.5 years experience with VB, so I'm not a professional programmer. If you both want to help, cool!. We can divide the programming stuff, when you don't like it.

And Fox: I know it's a 3d engine, was just thinking for use in a game (not especcialy rts, or something)
But how do you meen VB too slow? With game performance?

Greetings,
Ewout Winkelman

[Fox]

Well, VB in fact is slower than C++.. I don't want to start a fight here, this topic has been discussed for years, but the point is that you probably need maximum performance for a game. Take Black & White for example, without ASM I'm sure it wouldn't be that fast...

However, you can make games in VB, I just wanted to mention that it's probably too slow for your engine. But especially in 2D you won't have that much problems with performance...

Oh btw: if you need help just ask me, I can give you some tips and hints :)

[MysticEarth]

It's getting more clear for me now, thanx Fox!
I think you're right about the performance you get with Vb or with another language. I don't think it would be a big problem for me, since I don't (and CAN'T :-) want to make a game like Black&White, you get me? I want to make a simple game (just to learn how game programming is/goes)

Thanks for your offer for help, I'll keep in mind! You can count on that :-)

Friendly Greetings,
Ewout Winkelman

[kb244]

IF you had to pick a game from the past, which one would msot closely resemble was you are wanting to create?

[MysticEarth]

Euuhhhh, what game would best resemble it?
I really don't know, I'd just wanted to make a cool RTS, but since the team leader is gone (and I'm on my own now) I can't even start making the game. I'm not THAT experienced...
That was a real pitty, and I asked for some programmers who wanted to help me (by joining the team, and help makin the game) but i didn't get any reply to that....

So I think i should quit with it, and maybe JOIN a programming team or something. :-(

[Fox]

Hm, so you don't have a story anymore? Well, on the other hand you don't need a very good story for an RTS ;) Let's see... yeah, have one: The big imperator Darth Vadeee wants to kill all humans and you, general Luke Skeywalker, has to destroy his armi! *lol* It's not that hard you see ;)

Well, ask for a story if you need one.. there are more people with stories (and graphics) out there than good programmers!

[kb244]

Here what I think it is (no offense to programmers, but I happen to be a programmer too you know) most programmer's gifts are to write code, not think of what the entire project supposed to be(hence the project leader) I think some people would be less relucent to help, if there were more reasources availible, if a plan had already been drawn out, you can design, and create your game and everything without writing a single line of code, only then would it be appropiate to jump right in and start setting up the design for the way the code should be put together, then you can work on each sub-peice of code, keeping them true to their purpose, and keeping in mind of the way they will need to interact with the rest of the program, also as far as VB not being able to do much, if you do just as good on designing and getting your project ready, I'm sure when VB7 rolls around, you can certainly take advantage of it's new object oriented features (especially multithreading in a game) without the pain relearning a language that would had to have been moved to work with those new features.

Dont give up, keep the ideas fresh in your mind, build up on a design, then you can go for it.

[MysticEarth]

Thanks for the story Fox, lol but I'm a Star Trek fan and not a Star Wars (just a little detail :-) so it would be Star Trek....
And kb244, also thanks for refreshing my ideas/thoughts, but like i said before... i'm a programmer with 1/1.5 year experience and i don't think i could handle it on my own.. but i'll keep looking for some help (from more professional :-)

[kb244]

I'm only a programmer with 6 months professional experience (my current job) with knowledge of VC++/C++, VB6, ASP, Interdev, HTML, Javascript/Vbscript, etc.

[MysticEarth]

Yeah, at wich company do you work? And wich education do you have? I'm very interested in that, because i want to have a job in the programming region later (very later, need to finish my secondary school first :-)

[kb244]

It's a small company called Web Island, we write web applications for business, I'm 19 years old, only have a high school diploma, the rest I taught myself, I make about 30K a year, and the company pays for my appartment and utilities. I assume you might be older?

[MysticEarth]

Hi, I thought you were older than 19 years, I thought you were 25+ or something :-)
Why do you assume that I'm older than you? I'm (only) 15 years old! And I want to be a good programmer (I started programming in VB5 Enterprise at my 13th, and I'm using VB6 Enterprise now).
By the way (just curious): Where do you live?

[kb244]

North Carolina, USA, well since yer 15, you got some time, in high school, I took certain classes I felt would help in computers, for example Senior year I took Data Instrucitions in C++ (Which is basically AP Computer Science at the time) , and Discrete Math (which is basically said to be college algebra)

Math helps especially in more complex programming, but it can be typical for a programmer to be poor at english or spelling like I am, but still be good at remebing code hehe. look at it this way, yer starting out alot earlier than I had with VB, I didnt touch VB until I was 17 or 18, least not to the degree of what I am doing now, mostly did Qbasic since I Was 13 (since I didnt have the internet until I was 16) then caught on with C++, Delphi, Borland C++ Builder, Visual Basic, then got into VC++ shortly into my job.

The goal for me, is just to have fun with it, I wouldnt take a job, that didnt have a continuous learning path to it. Because of this job, I now also know how to work with ActiveX(Both VB and VC++ creations) , ASP, Interdev, IIS,etc. (basicaly anything Web-based)

Of course once I Can get finacially secure (At the least) I'll try for a BA in Computer Science possibly from NC State (I taught programming at NC State when they had the ACE Computer camp there)

[MysticEarth]

I see that you can program in different languages, but don't you get confused? When for e.g are programming in VB that you use some syntaxis from Delphi? I think I would be confused. I also have a question: What do you think that's best for me; continue programming in VB or stop in VB and start with learning a more advanced language? Could you give your advice?

[/\/\isanThr0p]

Hm So I was at least right with the german last name!

I'm german. I guess you can read german. Would be easier for me!
So I can tell you Paul lewis would be a great help in AI and I think I'm pretty advanced in DX. I can do DInput, DDraw, D3D.
I also have some 2D tilegame engine Experiences (iso game)

write me per mail

(FGutjahr@gmx.de)

[kb244]

um my last name is German, it's Blessing but it comes from Blassen.
hehe anyways no I dont get confused between syntaxes of different languages, I'm just as surprised as you, because I would normally expect to get confused between all the languages I work with in a day.

[MysticEarth]

/\/\isanThr0p, i've send the mail to you...

So kb244, I was surprised yes when I read that you don't get confused.. Maybe that's the same thing as learning a programming language. When I first wanted to start learning VB I thought that I would be very hard to learn all the stuff and I thought I would be confused all the time. Since that didn't happen, I think that is the same as your great knowledge about all different types of languages.

[kb244]

I used to tutor/teach bunch of guys over internet/IRC typically they could be as young as 12, most of them showed this ability, I guess the key is , that they enjoyed it, only one kid did I ever see that he was just "lazy" he said he didnt like VB because he didnt like math(yea I'm just as confused by that comment) , also in my opninion knowing many programming languages, is like the same as(cept easier than) being fluent in many foriegn languages, I dont think it's often you get your german or french mixed up with your english.

[PaulLewis]

My 5 cents worth:

Programming and Coding are two different skills. Many
people are proficient in one or the other. Those that
become excellent at both tend to make the rest of us look
like cavemen painting on the walls...

But note that the caveman was never discouraged from
painting on those walls, and even to this day, people still
like to write their thoughts onto walls (a.k.a Forums)

A Programmer can adapt to any "language" once he learns the
basics of the language. Normally though, these people are
more interested in figuring out how to achieve a goal or
solve a problem rather than how sophisticated their code
is.

A Coder will usually find the most efficient way to write a
program but sometimes will not be able to put all the
pieces into place for the whole project.


Most of us are a bit of both, and these labels are just my
interpretation of what I have seen and experienced in the
working world.

Either way, the key ingredient is to enjoy what you are doing - no matter what field. If you enjoy it and get a
little help when you need it, there is no limit to what can
be achieved.


LIke I said..my 5 cents worth :)

[kb244]

I think I'm a little bit of both, tho I may lean more towards coding, as I usally might end up with writer's block when trying to figure out something new to right.

[MysticEarth]

I totally agree with Paul that you must enjoy it! I'm not a programmer to be famous (in the future ;-) but because i LIKE it, in better words: I LOVE it!