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Howdy.
Just had a thought.
A lot of people are asking a lof the same sort of questions for games programming.
And its all the same sort of people that do the answering. So, my idea was, what if we all made a kind of manual for game programming ?
Eg.
How to make a Direct3D game.
How to handle more than 1 winsock connection.
That sort of thing ?
- jamie
Yeah it's a pretty good idea, but the people who ask all the questions are generally the people that don't want to look up the answers. I say that because there are all kinds of articles on GameDev.net that cover most of the topics we discuss here, but evidently they don't get used as much as they could be.
Well, say someone post a question :
How do I use bitblt ?
One would reply :
Read this page :
http://OurManualsHost/UsingBitBlt/index.htm
If people were told specifically, go here, go there they wouldnt mind.
- jamie
Great idea!
If you ever decide to do such thing, I would gladly help.
We could have some kind of DB-driven thing...I can help with programming for that.
Ah, but what of the fun of spending 5 days on a problem? Then all you would have to do is look up the answer. People would get used to it... Them the day comes when the web site doesnt have the answer. People will be at a loss... Riots will ensue, Looting, and other Rampant Destruction! ...errr... got a bit carried away =). Wonderful idea though =)
oh, and i'd help =P
[email protected]
From my POV it makes no difference whether it's useful or not...it's all good experience :D
I kind of agree with parksie...
unfortunately, at the moment, I am one of the people who are asking the "same sorts of questions".
I much prefer a personal answer rather than searching a web page.
Thanks to everyone who helps me!!!!!
Nick
Although, web pages are likely to have been written properly as information, a reply will usually be a lot shorter with less explanation or in depth detail.
Personally, i HATE short "Do this: " replies that have no
explanation of the "Why?". You cant really learn or
expand on a thing, unless you know why it works. Im
sure most every programmer out there has had a
project or two that just died, becuase they were using
some idea that someone had just given them and
said "Do This: ", and they couldnt expand on the idea
because they had no idea why it actually worked. My
example was the MS Winsock Tutorial. I got the single
client/ server thing working, but i couldnt expand it,
because i didnt know about control arrays, or dynamic
control creation at that point. Thats just my two cents,
but im sure that a WHOLE lot of people can relate.
Good point, but that's how most of the posters around here do, just put in short "do this", yes it helps for the current issue but usually doesn't give you explanations, and the qwestion asker soon has to return and post something similar. The problem is either that the repliers don't want to waste too much time on a single post or that they don't know how to explain it themselves, they just know how to solve a common problem. Even shorter posting a link to a site that explains is a lot better approach, so the idea with having a vb related programming site is good. There are though many sites out there but people here just don't know where to find them. I've been thinking about making a game programming site for some time now but i have had problems with it so i could as well help writing articles if someone else (like parksie) programs the web stuff ;)
Hey, I have another idea: what about a web site with all those articles, but also some CGI-thingy to allow people to post messages in the same page?
So, this way, other people that had read it could ask some questions about it or optimize the code a bit... that way it would be a lot more flexible, have better explanations and better code.
Also, the author of the article would be e-mailed when a new message is posted so he could help the person quickly... what do you think?
Someone should take a look at http://blackhole.thenexus.bc.ca/
The setup for that site is nice, users post news, articles,
etc, and it allows for people to have a small site for any
projects they may have.
Another idea would be to have a program people could
download, that would hook up to a Database. it could
also check the net for updates, and download a new
database, etc.
just some suggestions =)
Also, When somone posted code, or an article, code could be designated with [ code ] and [ /code ] tags, then, when it was posted, the document could be searched for keywords that arent in the code, such as DC, hWnd, PictureBox, etc, and have those words link to explaination pages, similar to Help files.
Okay People.
I have a domain name : coolground.com
At the moment, I have put the first part of the manual in http://www.coolground.com/manual/
If and when the manual becomes more complete I will move it down into www.coolground.com
So, If you guys just wanna send me ideas, code samples etc. I'll stick it all together.
- jamie
... you can post code in this thread, or mail to me.
preferably post the code in this thread.
- jamie
Personally, I dont think it is necessary to have sections
for If statements or Functions / Subs. If people are
even thinking of creating games, they should know how
to do the basics. You could have a link to VBWorld, for
example, so they can learn the basics.
Also, no game programming web site is complete
without a "Making QUAKE Is Hard" article. =)
Z.
I have one, it's called "Making a Basic Adventure Game" and should help people developing non-hardcoded levels for their games.
It has a module to access INI files and uses them as the level information they need (they only have 1 limitation: a maximum of 255 characters per "key", but that's hard-coded in the APIs I used).
The article has lots of comments, and 90% of it is either comments or explanations... It was written to help out someone who asked "I wanna make an adventure game! How?" here a while ago.
If you want it, just tell me ;)
I can write a quick intro to scripting using the MS Script Control later today. I can also do some D3D8 Tutorials, if you want, and, as a special bonus, if you want to expand the site ever, I can translate the D3D code to C++. Let me know =)
Z.
I can write about the GDI and it's functions... like rotating text, filling a region with a texture, pattern, gradient, how to outline the text, how to use the font wich is not installed, blitting and things like that.
I can optimize (make it faster/cleaner) any code you have too and comment it. Anyone interested? ;)
Hey, Istill haven't seen a reply from the website's author!
I wonder what a code optimization constest would look like. >=}
Z.
In the manual, don't forget a FAQ and Common Mistakes page for each topic.
EG -
1. Gdi32 Api
1.1 What is the Gdi32 Api?
1.2 What can I use it for?
1.3 FAQ
1.4 Common Mistakes
1.5 Contact the Contributors
1.6 Blitting Functions
1.6.1 What is a blitting function?
1.6.2 What blitting functions are there?
1.6.3 How do they work?
1.6.4 How can I use them?
1.7 Drawing Functions
1.7.1 When would I use drawing functions?
1.7.2 How do I use these functions?
1.7.3 How do these compare with the non-api equivalents?
Hehe... kinda got carried away there. But that's what the manual should look like, I think we should all contribute our pages, and have them ALL recognised, like the Visual Basic Manual... all 5,621,782,221 pages. :D
See ya all on the forums, hope ya dont get lost!
Hrm, I'll make a whole section:
When you're a solitary man.
It'll be about doing things OTHER than VB related to game programming, eg, making sprites, making sounds, music, scripts, believable plots, characters, and NPCs. Just for when you're a one-man programming team.
Shall I post my first article(s) soon?
intro.htm - what you need to be prepared for
decide.htm - what decisions to make before you get started.
makgfx.htm - how to make graphics for your game
belchara.htm - how to make believable plots, characters, and NPCs.
I'll make the intro.htm first *DUH*and then move down the list. Shall I send the files to you, PlenderJ?
Here's the table of contents for it, ill upload the introduction soon. Please take good care of it plenderj!
Okily I have updated the manual.
And will keep working on it.
Only the first 2 or 3 pages are done.
http://www.coolground.com/manual/
Ill start uploading the code etc. that you guys post here.
*hint* *hint* :)
- jamie
All it gives are 404 errors, mebbe frames arent the best way to go?
I have almost finished #2, I'll get back to you with 3 and 4 soon.
1 Game Programming
1.1 Game Programming, Solitary-Style Y
1.2 Decisions you make as a Programmer 1/2
1.3 .........
Cool. If you want the article I told you about, tell me.
Also, Sastraxi, how did you make that signature? ;)
If you want something to appear on the site, just post it here and I'll find somewhere (if applicable) to put it.
I have been sick the past few days ; thus the reason for my not posting ...
- jamie
I should be able to post an article when i get home. The idea is forming in my head as i type, so ill post it up here later today (I Hope). Also, i probably wont write any articles unless someone tells me to, and what to write about =). Im too lazy for my own good. Or maybe its that my mind is taken up with nothing but code =).
Z.
Some one made a tool that adds on to the IE context menu when the textbox is at a vb-world post page. Quite ingenious, actually! Search around, it's either in ChitChat or Forum Feedback. Actually, I think it was MOVED from FoFe to ChCh. Check at FoFe first.
Hrm... maybe you could let me get on to the site, and edit it, for I know a ton of HTML bells and whistles... Such as CSS, have TONS of Java Applets, have access to flash, JScript, and VBScript.
Not trying to brag or anything... aw heck, who cares, I AM bragging :) :D
I'll post my content here. I added a file called temp.htm, its a template for all of my files there, you can use it if you wish. Good luck all!
I'm only an email away - Sastraxi
Okay I've updated the page with sastraxi's files.
Come on ppl, keep the stuff coming !
Anyway, I'm off for the weekend, and will take a look at the stuff you've posted on tuesday. *hint*hint*
Also, I usually need prodding to get work done - so if I dont upload your stuff, just post an order on the forum here or summin'.
Happy Paddy's Day One And All !
- jamie
Just a couple of comments on the Site:
- Its very, very White.
- Please, no Applets! PLEASE! =)
- I'll do an article. Really! I swear!
Other than that, lookin' great!
Z.
WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY COLOUR SCHEME?????
J/K, I like the new look, kinda...
Heres just a quick formatting of the site. I think it looks nice, please comment/ flame/ toss it into your recycle bin =).
Z.
[edit]
Forgot. frmLeft.htm is the new index.
Zip File is cast into the flaming pit, chopped up into cubic 0.001 millimetre pieces, thrown in the garbage, frozen, reheated, flash frozen, microwaved, put in a bag and shot at by 15 policemen armed with confiscated AK47s unloading 30 rounds each on the zip. Then it was thrown in the garbage once again. :D
Actually, I quite like new design.
Thanks =). If you keep refreshing the main page, you
might notice something funky about the title *wink*.
Z.
Heloo.
Okay I like the way things are going.
Sastraxi - I think that you should continue taking an essay approach to the topics ; for people who have the time. I quite like that approach.
Then I'll just provide quick tutorials and code ( for the stuff I know anyway :) ).
Anyway, anyone who can write anything join in.
The idea is that someone can download the entire site as a zip file, and then read it later at home or whatever.
The idea came from this file :
http://math.hws.edu/eck/cs124/downloads/javanotes3.zip
Its a big manual that tries to teach you java.
Anyway, good work so far :)
- jamie
Also I like the way I had my site (black and orange colour scheme) if you want i can make a smooth gradient picture from white to black to go on the left side to make it fit in with your site...
Just to let you know, I havent forgotten about the site.
Im just doing some code samples right now.
I myself am coding some winsock examples.
- jamie