Becoming a Great Torque Developer
by Bryan Edds · 07/04/2004 (10:50 pm) · 10 comments
Here's a "curriculum" that I made up to help beginners become great game developers and programmers. Depending on what you wish to be able to do with Torque, you may follow the "curriculum" as far as you want. Each step in the "curriculum" is based on imaginary degrees I made up. To get started, start working on your Associate's "degree" and work your way up as high as you want. Don't skip ahead to advanced degrees or books unless you are pretty confident you are ready for it. Newbies especially should not skip the first book - it may be about C, but you must learn C before you learn C++. There is no other way to do it. Even all C++ beginner books begin by teaching you C, although they teach it in a more brief and far less understandable way than this book.
Ready?
Associate's "Degree" of Game Development - With this "degree", you can learn to script in Torque. Being able to script in Torque gives you the power to do most things you'll need to make almost any game you want. But, there are many limits to scripting, and not being able to modify and extend the engine itself may cause you to make some significant sacrifices or workarounds you might have not planned for. In order to do that, you'll need to get to the Bachelor's "Degree" in Computer Programming. The same goes for using my object-oriented programming methodology in Torque script. But overall, this "degree" is good to get a simple, fun game done in Torque.
1) "Absolute Beginner's Guide to C" by Greg Perry. This is an absolute necessity for beginning programmers. You should probably purchase this one simultaneously with the next book -
2) "3D Game Programming All in One" by Ken Finney. Once you learn C from the previous book, you will be ready to do most of what is in this book.
[b]Bachelor
Ready?
Associate's "Degree" of Game Development - With this "degree", you can learn to script in Torque. Being able to script in Torque gives you the power to do most things you'll need to make almost any game you want. But, there are many limits to scripting, and not being able to modify and extend the engine itself may cause you to make some significant sacrifices or workarounds you might have not planned for. In order to do that, you'll need to get to the Bachelor's "Degree" in Computer Programming. The same goes for using my object-oriented programming methodology in Torque script. But overall, this "degree" is good to get a simple, fun game done in Torque.
1) "Absolute Beginner's Guide to C" by Greg Perry. This is an absolute necessity for beginning programmers. You should probably purchase this one simultaneously with the next book -
2) "3D Game Programming All in One" by Ken Finney. Once you learn C from the previous book, you will be ready to do most of what is in this book.
[b]Bachelor
#2
Keep torquin' :)
08/14/2004 (10:08 pm)
Note: I moved C++ Primer Plus into the associate's degree. I felt that the first 2 books did not teach the absolutely necessary concept of objects anywhere near well enough.Keep torquin' :)
#3
The New Riders Games series is excellent
www.informit.com/series/series.asp?ser=335530
09/26/2004 (10:31 pm)
All C++ and no Game Design? A game developer should read some books on Game Design, IMHO...The New Riders Games series is excellent
www.informit.com/series/series.asp?ser=335530
#4
Thanks for the recommendation, though! And who knows, maybe I'll include it in a new Bachelor's in Game Development "Degree", hehe!
10/02/2004 (11:24 pm)
Perhaps that would be a great book for a Game Developer's Bachelor's Degree. Right now, I've only got the Bachelor's for Computer Programming, and I don't feel it would fit in with that curriculum. I also don't feel a game design book is enough of a necessity to put it into the Assoc. of Game Design. I want to restirct each curriculum to the absolute minimum _necessary_, and let readers decide where to go from there.Thanks for the recommendation, though! And who knows, maybe I'll include it in a new Bachelor's in Game Development "Degree", hehe!
#5
03/10/2005 (3:58 pm)
#6
The C Puzzle Book - a little gem of a book you can get used. After you've learned basic C, this will absolutely tighten up any weaknesses you have on C's nasty corners, such as pointer arithmetic, macro magic and general style. The book is very short and is basically a series of little puzzles that if you work through will make you a master of the syntax of C.
Expert C Programming - Deep C Secrets - this one is also fairly short, and funny, and written by old C compiler guys with lots of amusing anecdotes about why C is the way it is and the bug that crashed the space shuttle. However, it's the only book that i've found that presents topics such as linkers and bss segments in an accessible way that will make you an incredible low level programmer.
The C Programming Language - Stroustroup - people think this is just a dry reference, but it is extremely well-written, interesting with wonderful cross-references. Set aside a few months (probably 4 if you read it an hour a day) and work through it from cover to cover. You will NEVER have a question about core C++ again. If you plan on making programming something you'll be doing for the next 10 years, then those 4 months will save you years of questions and confusion.
Good to see the Josuttis book on there. I second that one for templates.
Lastly, the Scott Meyers books Effective C++ and more Effective C++ will round out the final gotchas in working in large code bases. This one goes alongside the Design Patterns books.
ps: As the original poster said, do NOT skip ahead. You can do it, but you will get the most benefit by moving through these books one at a time. These are the core books to be effective working in varied programming environments, large teams, etc. I know a lot of professional programmers who have not read these, and although some are great, those that have done the work all are a pleasure to work alongside.
09/20/2005 (12:28 am)
I've read most of the stuff on the list and a lot more. Nice to see someone pushing fundamentals through a rapid path. Here are a few books I would highly recommend in addition, or as alternates.The C Puzzle Book - a little gem of a book you can get used. After you've learned basic C, this will absolutely tighten up any weaknesses you have on C's nasty corners, such as pointer arithmetic, macro magic and general style. The book is very short and is basically a series of little puzzles that if you work through will make you a master of the syntax of C.
Expert C Programming - Deep C Secrets - this one is also fairly short, and funny, and written by old C compiler guys with lots of amusing anecdotes about why C is the way it is and the bug that crashed the space shuttle. However, it's the only book that i've found that presents topics such as linkers and bss segments in an accessible way that will make you an incredible low level programmer.
The C Programming Language - Stroustroup - people think this is just a dry reference, but it is extremely well-written, interesting with wonderful cross-references. Set aside a few months (probably 4 if you read it an hour a day) and work through it from cover to cover. You will NEVER have a question about core C++ again. If you plan on making programming something you'll be doing for the next 10 years, then those 4 months will save you years of questions and confusion.
Good to see the Josuttis book on there. I second that one for templates.
Lastly, the Scott Meyers books Effective C++ and more Effective C++ will round out the final gotchas in working in large code bases. This one goes alongside the Design Patterns books.
ps: As the original poster said, do NOT skip ahead. You can do it, but you will get the most benefit by moving through these books one at a time. These are the core books to be effective working in varied programming environments, large teams, etc. I know a lot of professional programmers who have not read these, and although some are great, those that have done the work all are a pleasure to work alongside.
#7
09/23/2005 (8:27 am)
I've already learned C and a bunch of C++, I was wondering if I should skip "Absolute Beginner's Guide to C" and do "C++ Primer Plus" first. Of course I'll still get "3D Game Programming All in One".
#8
I searched the site, but couldn't find any help.
Thanks.
01/22/2007 (2:43 pm)
I come from a 2-D pencil animation background. I've used Photoshop & Flash, but hope to add Torque as a new skill. Unfortunately, I don't know how to get into the program after installation of the free 30 day trial since no icon appears. I searched the site, but couldn't find any help.
Thanks.
#9
06/10/2007 (12:25 pm)
I am reading 3d game programming all in one and using torque developers network both make sense but they do not describe completely some of the simple things. Besides purchasing another book does any1 know where i can get some info on the simpler things like how the statements are put together and what info must be put with them yadda yadda yadda not the different functions and crap like that. I understand those already lol.
#10
09/09/2007 (3:54 pm)
Buying "Absolute Beginner's Guide to C" worked out better than I ever expected. It did indeed live up to its promise to make programming seem easy. I'm now tearing through a book on C++ that would be much harder to understand and absorb were it not for the solid C background I got from that book. Thank you.
Associate Paul Dana