So. You want to make a game using
Visual Basic. Most people think that game programming can't be done solitarily,
let alone in Visual Basic. My job is to prove those people wrong. Well, at least
on one level. Game programming can be done in VB. Anything can be done in VB,
providing you have the tools to do it. But programming a game without anybody
else on the team is a huge weight on your shoulders. Can it be done? The answer
is yes and no. Yes, it can be done, but it'll take a lot longer than it would
if there was someone else on the team. And no, it won't be as good as a game that
has a lot of people working on it, but you are allowed to decide everything in
the game. You can shape it how you want, without other people, the idea people
(hellish music playing) doing all of the thinking. You get to use your imagination
and make your dream into a game.
You, the only person on your team, will
do everything. You will make the ideas, create the graphics, record the sound,
and compose the music. You will do the research, you will create the code, you
will design the game. You will do everything without anybody to help you. This
is where I can help. There is a place on the web called The
VB-World Forums. These forums contain thousands of fellow VB programmers to
help you with any subject. This is why it is possible to program alone, together.
If you know what I mean.
So get ready, get set, and open up Visual Basic
(or C, or Java, or FoxPro, or Fortran, or Cygwin, whatever) and make a new project.
I will only cover Visual Basic in this part of the manual, as it is the Visual
Basic Manual. The problem is, where do you start? The answer is, this next page.
Proceed onto "Decisions you will make as a
Game Programmer".