question
by s0nicfreak · in General Discussion · 11/07/2002 (7:19 pm) · 5 replies
I will be a game designer someday. However, my parents do not see anything in the game industry as a valid job (since they think anything I enjoy doing is not work). Therefore they will not pay for me to go to a good college, or sign for me to get a loan. They will let me take networking classes at a local college but that's it. So what I plan to do is make a game or two to show off to help me get a schollarship.
Here's my question. I know very little about game making. The most I've ever done is made (very crappy) games with Game Maker & RPG Maker 2000. Next month, in addition to getting Torque & MilkShape, I can spend about $150 on game making related stuff. What books/software/etc should I get (that is sold on sites that accept check or paypal)?
Here's my question. I know very little about game making. The most I've ever done is made (very crappy) games with Game Maker & RPG Maker 2000. Next month, in addition to getting Torque & MilkShape, I can spend about $150 on game making related stuff. What books/software/etc should I get (that is sold on sites that accept check or paypal)?
#2
11/08/2002 (5:31 pm)
Get books that say "Beginner".
#3
Then get some books on OpenGL or Direct X and Object Oriented Programming (OOP). Also read real code. There are plenty of open source projects out. try to understand their code. Modify it until you know why it works.
I was once in the same position as you. I didn't know where to start, but then one day all the jibberish I was reading about pointers clicked and I could understand it. Give it time is all I say, you can't become a game developer overnight, but it will happen :)
11/08/2002 (6:25 pm)
I suggest learning a programming language such as Java to start with then move on to C++. There are MANY beginner programming books and a few of them come with compilers (which you will need to 'make' the exe file). There are a few free compilers, but I suggest Visual C++. I got an academic copy for $200 (Australian) from my local uni. (I am not a student there, High School in fact).Then get some books on OpenGL or Direct X and Object Oriented Programming (OOP). Also read real code. There are plenty of open source projects out. try to understand their code. Modify it until you know why it works.
I was once in the same position as you. I didn't know where to start, but then one day all the jibberish I was reading about pointers clicked and I could understand it. Give it time is all I say, you can't become a game developer overnight, but it will happen :)
#4
Basically, you need to learn one major language as quickly as possible. Once you've learned one, it'll be a lot easier to learn others - and you will be learning lots of languages. For the most part, all computer languages share the same set of concepts.
11/09/2002 (12:15 pm)
I'd disagree, and say, learn C before Java, but that's a religious matter ;)Basically, you need to learn one major language as quickly as possible. Once you've learned one, it'll be a lot easier to learn others - and you will be learning lots of languages. For the most part, all computer languages share the same set of concepts.
s0nicfreak