Wondering How to get Started
by Mark Endsley · in General Discussion · 01/15/2008 (10:15 am) · 8 replies
Hi, I am an 18 year old High school student with a good idea for a game and the desire to get into making it. Let me tell you my story.
3 Years ago I was an advanced user of the Warcraft III Editor that allowed you to create custom games using the Warcraft III engine and host it online. It was wildly popular then and is still played today years after I have discontinued editing and keeping it up to date. The problem with the Warcraft III engine is that I cannot go much further than I have. I cannot run it on my own server or extend it to being much more advanced than it is. It also limits my methods of distribution by only allowing people that buy the original Warcraft III game to use it, much like many Half-Life 2 Modifications today.
Even though the Warcraft III engine was technically 3D the game does not require 3D, it would do just fine if not better in a 2D environment. I would like to begin by getting the game to work on its own without any network capability as I'd imagine most people would. The game is fairly fast paced although nothing a normal dial up connection couldn't handle. The controls would have to be fairly responsive.
I have been studying Microsoft Visual Basic. I have the 2008 edition running on Windows Vista but other than that I don't have much programing experience aside from a few web design classes. What I would like to know is your recommended course from here. I am willing to spend a decent amount of money on programs to design it but of course would like to minimize expenses.
Thank you for your help, it is greatly appreciated.
3 Years ago I was an advanced user of the Warcraft III Editor that allowed you to create custom games using the Warcraft III engine and host it online. It was wildly popular then and is still played today years after I have discontinued editing and keeping it up to date. The problem with the Warcraft III engine is that I cannot go much further than I have. I cannot run it on my own server or extend it to being much more advanced than it is. It also limits my methods of distribution by only allowing people that buy the original Warcraft III game to use it, much like many Half-Life 2 Modifications today.
Even though the Warcraft III engine was technically 3D the game does not require 3D, it would do just fine if not better in a 2D environment. I would like to begin by getting the game to work on its own without any network capability as I'd imagine most people would. The game is fairly fast paced although nothing a normal dial up connection couldn't handle. The controls would have to be fairly responsive.
I have been studying Microsoft Visual Basic. I have the 2008 edition running on Windows Vista but other than that I don't have much programing experience aside from a few web design classes. What I would like to know is your recommended course from here. I am willing to spend a decent amount of money on programs to design it but of course would like to minimize expenses.
Thank you for your help, it is greatly appreciated.
#2
* Before spending any money download the TGE demo (free) and play around with it.
* Download Constructor (free) and play around in it.
* Download Blender (free) and learn it.
* Torque for teens might be a good place to start: Torque for Teens
Torque engines may or may not suit your needs, you need to try them out for yourself to be sure. You will need some scripting and C++ programming experience no matter what game engine you try. If you need graphics (and I'm sure you will) you'll want to learn some 3D programs, which is why I suggest Constructor & Blender. Both are free and can export to torque engines.
Start small and learn the basics.
01/15/2008 (10:40 am)
* Learn C++ - Do tutorials and use Microsoft C++ 2005 (the free edition). * Before spending any money download the TGE demo (free) and play around with it.
* Download Constructor (free) and play around in it.
* Download Blender (free) and learn it.
* Torque for teens might be a good place to start: Torque for Teens
Torque engines may or may not suit your needs, you need to try them out for yourself to be sure. You will need some scripting and C++ programming experience no matter what game engine you try. If you need graphics (and I'm sure you will) you'll want to learn some 3D programs, which is why I suggest Constructor & Blender. Both are free and can export to torque engines.
Start small and learn the basics.
#3
The game will have no single player, however I may start out making some small single player games, as I know the best way to learn is from experience.
As far as 3D goes I would like to make atleast the first version of this game 2D, it is simpler to do and the game does not require 3d. I would consider taking it to 3d in order to improve the graphics, perhaps as a sequel if it does well in 2d.
I have already downloaded the TGE (The Basic 2D one) Demo and am going to install it soon, I will go ahead and get C++ and learn it, thank you for that, I have been trying to figure out what programing language would be most useful to know when it comes to creating this game.
And Yes a decent amount is very relative, this is because I am not sure how much money I am willing to spend yet. But $100 for the game engine sounds like a good start, but of course I will use the trial before I consider buying anything.
Thank you
01/15/2008 (10:56 am)
Thank you for your help. As far as fast paced goes, it previously has run very well on an RTS engine, I have read some about networking with Torque and heard that 2d gaming works well with the whole "Point and Click to Move your Guy" which the game used in the past and will no doubt work well again. The game will have no single player, however I may start out making some small single player games, as I know the best way to learn is from experience.
As far as 3D goes I would like to make atleast the first version of this game 2D, it is simpler to do and the game does not require 3d. I would consider taking it to 3d in order to improve the graphics, perhaps as a sequel if it does well in 2d.
I have already downloaded the TGE (The Basic 2D one) Demo and am going to install it soon, I will go ahead and get C++ and learn it, thank you for that, I have been trying to figure out what programing language would be most useful to know when it comes to creating this game.
And Yes a decent amount is very relative, this is because I am not sure how much money I am willing to spend yet. But $100 for the game engine sounds like a good start, but of course I will use the trial before I consider buying anything.
Thank you
#4
The game will have no single player, however I may start out making some small single player games, as I know the best way to learn is from experience.
As far as 3D goes I would like to make atleast the first version of this game 2D, it is simpler to do and the game does not require 3d. I would consider taking it to 3d in order to improve the graphics, perhaps as a sequel if it does well in 2d.
I have already downloaded the TGE (The Basic 2D one) Demo and am going to install it soon, I will go ahead and get C++ and learn it, thank you for that, I have been trying to figure out what programing language would be most useful to know when it comes to creating this game.
And Yes a decent amount is very relative, this is because I am not sure how much money I am willing to spend yet. But $100 for the game engine sounds like a good start, but of course I will use the trial before I consider buying anything.
Thank you
01/15/2008 (11:03 am)
Thank you for your help. As far as fast paced goes, it previously has run very well on an RTS engine, I have read some about networking with Torque and heard that 2d gaming works well with the whole "Point and Click to Move your Guy" which the game used in the past and will no doubt work well again. The game will have no single player, however I may start out making some small single player games, as I know the best way to learn is from experience.
As far as 3D goes I would like to make atleast the first version of this game 2D, it is simpler to do and the game does not require 3d. I would consider taking it to 3d in order to improve the graphics, perhaps as a sequel if it does well in 2d.
I have already downloaded the TGE (The Basic 2D one) Demo and am going to install it soon, I will go ahead and get C++ and learn it, thank you for that, I have been trying to figure out what programing language would be most useful to know when it comes to creating this game.
And Yes a decent amount is very relative, this is because I am not sure how much money I am willing to spend yet. But $100 for the game engine sounds like a good start, but of course I will use the trial before I consider buying anything.
Thank you
#5
Oh, TGB (the 2D one) does have limited support for 3D shapes.
01/15/2008 (11:04 am)
I was concerned that in your case, "fast-pace" would mean frantic. If you used the WC3 engine for it, you can keep up easily with just even-driven networking native to TGB.Oh, TGB (the 2D one) does have limited support for 3D shapes.
#6
01/15/2008 (11:16 am)
You read my mind, I wanted to ask that but thought it would be dumb to ask if a 2D engine supported 3d. I will download the tools listed above right away thank you!
#7
01/15/2008 (11:19 am)
You read my mind, I wanted to ask that but thought it would be dumb to ask if a 2D engine supported 3d. I will download the tools listed above right away thank you!
#8
01/15/2008 (11:28 am)
They say the only dumb question is the one you don't ask. They were wrong, but your question still would have been a good one. What you want to research are objects that fall under the t2dShape3D class. 
Torque 3D Owner Jason Ravencroft
Minimizing expenses is good, but try to make a careful study of how much something is worth. The term "a decent amount" is highly relative as well, so you could get recommendations that are free to thousands. If you're looking to just get started, I personally feel that TGB is a great starting point. If you hope to make it networked, start with it networked after you learn the basics of your tools. Refitting a single-player game to be networked is a very error-prone, difficult, and time-consuming.