Nothing works

#1 First off you have the wrong idea, game development is not easy nor fast. Ultra Edit is just another tool to look at text files, there are pleanty of options out there I use Tribal IDE, but using notepad well that would be dreadfull, it will not identify the language keywords making it all that much harder to read.

I presume are learning programing with the book, which is good because Ken is a good writer. However I see a whole lot of people jumping into the deep end of programming w/o acknoledging the fundamentals.

For instance you said you missed a % a symbol used to delcare a variable. The lack of this symbol would cause a syntax error when you compiled the file. If you do not use Ultra Edit to compile and test the file you will need to be sure to check the console, by pressing ~, after the file has been executed and compiled. It would have told you, to the line where you were having the syntax errors.

My recommendations play with programming, learn the basics, translate some math formulas into code (the distance formula for instance) . Build confidence in your skillz before declaring nothing works. Practice Practice Practice

#2 I do understand that it is not easy and I do know lots of the basics. I have studied some C++ and have been working with Dark Basic Pro and have played around with VB. I can do the formulas you talked about and I still can't program!!!

My problem is I want to learn it all 3D modeling, graphics, textures, programming and what ever else I need to learn to make a game. I know that is probably not the best way to learn because I get hung up on Torque so I go to C++ for 3 days or a week then I get hung up there and go to lightwave or some other modeling program for a while then play around with Dark Basic for a while so I do learn a lot, but slowly I do have fun learning this way but I'm getting impatiant I want to get something done and get it out there and if I have to spend 3 or 4 hours a night trying to find out why something I typed directly out of a book does not work I just get fustrated.

Tha reason I got the book is it teaches the way I like to learn which seems to be learning the whole ball of wax at once. If I can get the engine down I will license it and get going.

I'm going to look around the web for the IDE you talked about and try it. I just did not really like ultra edit

#3 Tribal IDE is great.

#4 "...and I still can't program!!!"

Dude, that's because VB and DarkBasic don't teach programming. Try learning some C first, and then C++ because that's how it's done. One step at a time... or write your game in DB, it's capable and a lot simpler to learn and put to practice.

My problem is I want to learn it all 3D modeling, graphics, textures, programming and what ever else I need to learn to make a game. I know that is probably not the best way to learn...

You're right, it's not. Get a focus and work on it.

"...but I'm getting impatiant I want to get something done and get it out there..."

Well, that's simply a recipe for frustration. Sounds to me like you're infatuated with the "game developer image" and you want to make your mark on the gaming world. NOW. Ain't gonna happen bro. You need to step back, take a realistic look at what it takes to do game programming and then decide what you want to do. Otherwise, you're going to stay unproductive and frustrated...
Getting the TribalIDE isn't going to make you a better programmer, like a hammer doesn't make someone a good carpenter. It's just a tool.

#5 Don't try to do it all at once, if you like are do the art, learn photoshop and some modeling program. If you like programming become proficient at it. I once had the same attitude " I can do it all" but it really is not feasible and sets yourself up for defeat. The phrase "Jack of All Trade, Master of None" best describes it.

#6 I hear that but the thing is I really enjoy the art and I enjoy learning the programming. I'm not really wanting to make my mark on the gaming world I just want to make some good games then sell them along with other products on a website.

C++ is probably the best language to learn then you have to learn direct x and I'm nowhere near that yet so a question,

I have heard that with c++ and direct x it takes hundreds of lines of code to get a light working is this true?

#7

Quote: have been typing my code in notepad because I don't really like ultra edit. I have some programs that have html help files and if I try to open them it opens up ultra edit and opens up the help file in html code and I could not find a way to stop that exept to get ultra edit off my system.

When you installed UltraEdit, it asks you if you want to open all HTML files with UE instead of Internet Explorer/Netscape/whatever browser you use, you must have clicked yes. If you unistalled UE, just re-install it and when it asks you if you want to make UE the default application for opening .html files, answer no. ;-)

If you still have problems after re-installing it, try this:

Open up Windows Explorer and select Tools -> Folder Options... from the menu. You'll get a popup window, click on the File Types tab, then once the options have loaded scroll down to HTML Document. Select HTML Document and hit the Edit button. You'll get another popup that tells you all about how your computer treats HTML docs. The Actions window is of special importance here. If you've still got UE installed, "Edit with UltraEdit" is most likely in bold, b/c its set as the default action. To open your HTML files w/IE again, simply select "Open" and hit the Set Default button. Open will now be bold and you're all set to go.

#8 Scott wrote:
C++ is probably the best language to learn then you have to learn direct x and I'm nowhere near that yet so a question,
I have heard that with c++ and direct x it takes hundreds of lines of code to get a light working is this true?

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I think it does take a number of lines of C++ to get a directX light working - but that's just trivia to you. Difficulties of programming to the OpenGL or DirectX APIs don't much matter.

If you want to actually make 3d games, then just continue like you are in using game engines that wrap most of that work up for you. Rendering, sound, collisions, triggers, UI, are all categories of game development where you could putz around for the rest of your life producing better and better libraries. But if you want to produce an actual game, then you need to leverage the thousands of hours of work put into these products - like Torque for example. :-)

Jeff suggested going with DarkBasic for awhile and I think that's a great idea to learn the basics. I myself learned a lot by starting with Blitz3D and liked the simple structure of the code you could use. But I've been coding for awhile.

Whatever engine you choose, you need to get a good editor that works with it. This will at least get you past the syntax problems more quickly, and just help you be more efficient.

#9 I too am having problems with the "moveshape" and "rotateshape" scripts in the book. I'm getting no errors. The scripts are as they apear in the book; however, the "moveshape" script only drops the object and the "rotateshape" script moves the object! :(

Also, the "rotateshape" script is using the "setTransform" function, but nothing I change makes the object rotate (the heart included on the cd).

Any ideas?

#10 Quoting Jeff:
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Dude, that's because VB and DarkBasic don't teach programming. Try learning some C first, and then C++ because that's how it's done. One step at a time... or write your game in DB, it's capable and a lot simpler to learn and put to practice.
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My brother is a software developer. He told me like 4 years ago not to bother to learn C before C++ and said that the best thing to do if I wanted to learn C++ is take some books on beginning C++ and skip the C stuff. After startind with C++, I noticed that the first thing my book discussed were the differences.

NE way, just my 2 cents worth....
Peace.

#11 Anyone know where I could get a free C++ compiler? I got a book for beginners C++ coding but it says I need Code Warrior, an 800 dollar program!

#12 @john: read this.