Game Programming Question

[mrstuff68]

I would like to get into game programming, but dont know where to start. What would you guys recommend as a good starting point? Something that is easy to learn and very fast to program. Or something that i can find a few tutorials online about. Then what are some better game programming languages to learn, more advanced.

Please share your thoughts.

Pleaes Provide websites as well as books that would be of some help.

Thanks

[cyborg]

directx is good to learn if you want to make fast games in vb. (www.directx4vb.com)
also learn how to use bitblt

the best language for game programming is probably c/c++

[Machaira]

I wouldn't bother with BitBlt if you're going to learn DirectX. It's a step backwards. Read the tutorials at the link cyborg posted. You could also pick up Jonathan Harbour's book - http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...glance&s=books

[Mister_J]

The link from directx4b is very good indeed. I've got one comment though. Visual Basic is a very nice language and it is perfectly capable of creating nice games with dx8 (or dx9 from now on).

There's only one big thing... you have to be very persistent and you must be very eager to learn. I was quite an experienced vb6 developer (apps only). When I started to learn game programming using dx8 (I'm still learning, i just started to work with dx8 about 3-4 months ago) it was really difficult in the beginning (and still is). If you want to write a good game you'll need some serious knowledge of maths and programming.

It is a very nice hobby though...

Btw if you're interested in learning game programming you might want to consider to join my team (which currently consists of 2 people ) and help us to create a first person action/adventure, seems like a good way to learn what's possible and how it is done and get ideas for a game of your own. If your interested, you can contact me at this e-mail adres

Grtz

Jordi

[petrus]

You can learn OpenGL, easier than Direct Graphics..

[petrus]

Originally posted by Mister_J

Btw if you're interested in learning game programming you might want to consider to join my team (which currently consists of 2 people ) and help us to create a first person action/adventure, seems like a good way to learn what's possible and how it is done and get ideas for a game of your own. If your interested, you can contact me at this e-mail adres

Grtz

Jordi

Can I join your team? I know a bit Direc Graphics in C++ and Open GL, also in C++.
I think it could be quite fun

[dafhi]

I would start with the architecture of 'the game loop'

Here is an example:

dim bRunning as Long
dim GameState as Long

private const GS_Menu as Long = 0
private const GS_Option1 as Long = 1
private const GS_Playing as Long = 2

Private Sub Form_Load

'These 2 lines may be replaced by
'initializations of the API of choice
scalemode = vbpixels
show

GameState = GS_Menu
bRunning = True

Render

CleanUp

End Sub

Private Sub Render
Do While bRunning
Select Case GameState
Case GS_Menu
Case GS_Option1
Case GS_Playing
End Select

DoEvents

Loop
End Sub

private sub CleanUp
'This is a common game sub.
'Many APIs like directx require
'that you"free the resources",
'i.e. bitmaps, keyboard and
'mouse hooks, other things
'before the program exits
end sub

Private Sub Form_QueryUnload(Cancel As Integer, UnloadMode As Integer)
bRunning = False
End Sub

[Mister_J]

Hi petrus,

I send you an e-mail with all the details. All help is welcome!!

If anyone else is interested, please let me know...

Grtz

Jordi

[Machaira]

Originally posted by petrus
You can learn OpenGL, easier than Direct Graphics..

That's just an opinion.