Results 1 to 4 of 4

Thread: FAQ v3.1 | Small Games you can make | DirectX Starter Projects

  1. #1

    Thread Starter
    Retired G&G Mod NoteMe's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2002
    Location
    @ Opera Software
    Posts
    10,190

    Arrow FAQ v3.1 | Small Games you can make | DirectX Starter Projects

    General graphics programming FAQ:


    NB: Always add the green check mark to all the threads you are making that gets solved. Simply edit your first post, and add to the subject line [Resolved]

    If you want to write a tutorial for this FAQ please submit them to the Utility Bank - Tutorials section. Also send a moderator a PM to tell them link, and it will be added .


    Quick Q's
    How do you make a object move at an angle (2D)?


    1. What language to use for game programming:



    2. Where to start (programming games in VB):



    3. Simple picture box games (samples/tutorials):



    4. How to use BitBlt to improve speed (samples/tutorials):



    5. How to use DMA to improve speed even more (samples/tutorials):



    6. How to move objects on the screen using keys (even with more then one key at the same time):



    7. How to make a Game Loop in VB:



    8. How to rotate or flip a picture(API & DDraw):


    9. How to open up PNG files:
    • Sastraxis PNG library for VB (link no longer works )


    10. How to anti alias pixels:


    11. How to make your own resource file:


    12. Simple Animation:


    13. Side Scrolling Game:


    14. Preventing leaks in VB6 code (focussed on GDI/GDI+):


    If there are other questions, answers, links or tutorials you want to add to the FAQ, please post in the FAQ Discussion Thread. But if your answer is not here, it does not mean that it is not meant to be found. Try the button. You will probably find it there.



    Ideas for more tutorials so far:

    • How to check the size of an image without loading it (NoteMe on the job)
    • Vector algebra
    • Linear algebra
    • Complex numbers and quaternions
    • Game dynamics
    • Artificial intelligence
    • Collision detection (Keda will probably write a Math/Physics tutorial. NoteMe And Manavo are writing a VB Tutorial.
    Last edited by si_the_geek; Oct 23rd, 2008 at 11:52 AM.

  2. #2

    Thread Starter
    Retired G&G Mod NoteMe's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2002
    Location
    @ Opera Software
    Posts
    10,190
    DirectX FAQ:


    NB: Always add the green check mark to all the threads you are making that gets solved. Simply edit your first post, and add to the subject line [Resolved]

    If you want to write a tutorial for this FAQ please submit them to the Utility Bank and put "Tutorial" at the start of the thread title. Then it will be verified and added to the tutorials section. Also send either Electroman or NoteMe a PM to tell us the link to it and we will add it .


    1. OpenGL or DirectX:



    2. VB: DirectX samples/tutorials:



    3. VB: OpenGL samples/tutorials:



    4. C++: DirectX samples/tutorials:



    5. C#: Managed DirectX samples/tutorials:



    6. C++: OpenGL samples/tutorials:


    7. C++: Win32 tutorials: [New]



    8. Where to download back dated DirectX SDKs:



    9. Vertex & Pixel Shaders



    10. Free Game Engines:




    If there are other questions, answers, links or tutorials you want to add to the FAQ, please post in the FAQ Discussion Thread. But if your answer is not here, it does not mean that it is not meant to be found. Try the button. You will probably find it there.
    Last edited by Electroman; Dec 5th, 2005 at 11:00 AM.

  3. #3
    Ex-Super Mod'rater Electroman's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2000
    Location
    Newcastle, England
    Posts
    4,349

    DirectX Starter Projects

    Getting Started in DirectX

    As many members here will tell you www.DirectX4VB.com is a great site if you want to get started in using DirectX with VB. However such a resource for C++ is rather well hidden (if it exists).
    The point of this post is to give you a head start in creating DirectX games, be it C++ or VB. I have been creating a C++ project, with the help of NoteMe, to make an optimised C++ & Dx9 project. We have now got it to the stage where its in a working state and we can release it to all of you as a head start.

    This project was creating in VC++.NET 2003 however I also created a project file for VC++6 incase you don't have .NET 2003. The project runs extremely fast and doesn't have any frame limiting implemented so it has an FPS far higher than any monitor will display. All this nice stuff is left for you to do but all the tricky things like initialising the project and getting it to work smoothly has been done.
    For example we also coded the device recovery so if you run it in Fullscreen mode and Alt + Tab then it will pause your game and let other apps take control untill it is given focus back. At which point it correctly restores the device. When the application isn't active it will suspend both Threads until focus is given back.

    The more impressive part of it is that it is optimised to take advantage of Hyper-threading processors. The Game runs two threads, one handles the windows messages while the other does all the game code. The WinThread is also optimised so that it never uses up more processing cycles than it needs so that the GameThread gets the most cycles possible.

    Well your probably sick of reading by now so heres the project files:


    C++ Projects

    VC++.NET 2003 Version (508KB) Last Updated 17/6/2004
    VC++6 Version (22KB) Last Updated 17/6/2004

    Notes: The .NET one is bigger but this is mainly because of the nbc file.
    The VC++6 one doesn't have __declspec(align(4)) on the variables that span threads but I have solved this by using #pragma pack(4).

    One extra thing, if you have your own project you want to submit here just let me know.



    VB Projects

    If you want to submit your own project here then let me know.


    Discussion

    If your wanting to discuss anything about these projects then please use the Discussion Thread.
    Thank You.
    Last edited by Electroman; May 5th, 2005 at 08:22 AM.

  4. #4
    Ex-Super Mod'rater Electroman's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2000
    Location
    Newcastle, England
    Posts
    4,349

    Small Games you can make quick [ProtoType]

    This list is here for you games programmers who come across one of those rare days where there is nothing to do. Well when your in the mood to make a nice little game and you suddenly find you can't think of any titles which you think you could program with little time. Well thats what this thread is for. Here we'll make a list of those types of games which you could easily make in your spare time.

    As people make some of these games I'll add a link next to them so you can have a play of them and even give some feedback if you wish. To submit your game make a thread in the Games & Demos SubSection and send a PM to one of the Super Moderators, who can add it to the list.

    So here are the games:
    1. Pong (BodwadUK, Fox)
    2. The Worm Game
    3. Tic Tac Toe (Psychotomus)
    4. Five Stones
    5. Breakout (Arkanoid) (jcis)
    6. Lander (Lunar)
    7. Space Invaders (Electroman)
    8. Snake (NoteMe)
    9. Tetris
    10. Asteroids (Halsafar)
    11. Pacman
    12. Gorilla (Bananas)
    13. Defender (Missile Command) (NoteMe)
    14. Manic Miner
    15. Qix
    16. Qubix/QBert
    17. Chess
    18. Lemmings
    19. Gradius


    To add any new Items to this list use the Discussion Thread for this topic. I have colored and ordered them by difficulty, if you disagree with how I've rated them feel free to post in the Discussion Thread and I'll discuss changing it to what you think .
    Last edited by si_the_geek; Dec 24th, 2009 at 01:57 PM. Reason: added new link

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  



Click Here to Expand Forum to Full Width