Deeper into the Game engine

[ShowerThoughts]

Hello, my friends!

I am going to annoy you again with my questions :p

Now look i've and my friends have searched around for game engine.
I've learned stuff.

I want you to criticize a few of my ideas.

First we want to make simple : moving objects playing sounds thing.
Than equally we want to build up to a game engine.
I have read wiki about "the game engine" very interesting,
but how do I know where to start.
I know in Global lines what is needed.
But what do I actually need?
I need a push in the right direction.
Should we first start with 2d game engine?

We are with 3 or 4 men right now. And if you want to join this project.
2d or 3d game. Not like this summer we will make Cod 6 or something :p.
Just simply go up and up.
If you have previous knowledge please help us out.
Share it with us. Join us?

Greetings.

Edit:
Please read all posts before you react!

You can join our team :
Main coder(s) :
- fatheadz
- .......

Beginning coders(not very experienced or just started coding, we DO respect you ;)) :
- Jasper
- Nameless(I forgot the name :p)
-......

Web coding :
-........
-........

Graphicsman/woman :
-........
-........
Beta testers :
- My friends.

[Grippy]

Walk before you run. Crawl before you walk.

Decide on a language and a development environment. Don't pick one you think is cool or that you think will impress someone. Pick one that is appropriate to your skills. For example, don't choose C++ because you've heard it's powerful, for a beginner it's also hard to learn and easy to make mistakes with.

I'd recommend starting with a very popular language that isn't difficult to use. I'm partial to C# (its free, and extremely popular). This gives you access to lots of people to help when you have questions and to large amounts of free code.

Once you've got a development environment up and running, write Pong (if you are on Windows, use GDI+ for the graphics, no fancy game graphics engines yet). Seriously. If you can't write a nice-looking, bug-free game of Pong you aren't going to get far with something fancy.

Don't focus on 'just making it work', focus on writing code that is easy to understand and easy to update. Your code should be at least as beautiful as the compiled game. If it isn't you'll probably find that you have a large collection of interacting bugs rather than a game.

Once you finish that, pick up a design patterns (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Design_Patterns) book and see why what you did was all wrong. Then read a book on UML modeling (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unified_Modeling_Language) to learn how to describe code structure. If you haven't already, learn to use SVN.

Scrap your orginal code, redesign the project using your new UML and design patterns knowledge and then write it again.

When that is done, try moving up to a 3D engine.

[ShowerThoughts]

God, Thank you for feedback :)

Listen I code C# for like 6 months to a year. (I am exactly pretty good at it)
I made serveral programs. Some you can find here : Fatheadz Home (www.home.impsoft.info)
If you can count that are 3 and it aren't my best at all.
I got like 5 more not to big. I got 1 awesome finished, 2 awesome not finished because of usb crash :( (It was so l33t but I don't want to recode.).
Even my teacher said it was good. :(
Also I can code more without getting errors.
My code looks neater in C#.

Back on topic.
I have read a C++ tutorial from C++ dot com.
Then I started on C# (I know weird)
Now I am reading those 140 pages again.
+ My general knowledge of programming.

With that I want to start to make Pong :)(Good Idea).
Then will Build it up and up.(with my friends developers OFC)

I like people like you can you add me?
Hermen Otter [At] Live [dot] NL

Edit : After reading I still get like nothing of the UML (because I'm Dutch; Lots of hard words.)

[Dan Cardin]

who is we? and 2d games are cooler. Unless you are a professional 3d games end up looking horrible, and its generally easier to make a nice looking, fun game that hasnt taken hundreds of hours of your time.

[Grippy]

Listen I code C# for like 6 months to a year. (I am exactly pretty good at it)
I made serveral programs. Some you can find here :


Jeez, what's the high score on that thing? I got to level 43 on Hard before I gave up. What I need is a good script to move the mouse automatically....

Excellent, you have a very good start on the skillset you'll need!

You might be interested in giving Silverlight a try. Using it you can very easily run your games either the desktop or the browser.

For an interesting demonstration of this, check out the Farseer 2D physics engine demo (http://www.bluerosegames.com/farseersilverlightdemos/). Perhaps it can give you some ideas.

Are you familiar with XNA?



With that I want to start to make Pong :)(Good Idea).
Then will Build it up and up.


Don't be afraid to throw your early stuff out and start over. You'll usually end up with a better project if you just bring your experience to the new project instead of a bunch of code (until you start getting into big projects and you have well-engineered code to bring with you).



I like people like you can you add me?


I'll see what I can do.



Edit : After reading I still get like nothing of the UML (because I'm Dutch; Lots of hard words.)

It can take a while to get your head around some of the important UML concepts. Pay more attention to the relationships than to the words.

[Camaro']

Jeez, what's the high score on that thing? I got to level 43 on Hard before I gave up. What I need is a good script to move the mouse automatically....

Excellent, you have a very good start on the skillset you'll need!

You might be interested in giving Silverlight a try. Using it you can very easily run your games either the desktop or the browser.

For an interesting demonstration of this, check out the Farseer 2D physics engine demo (http://www.bluerosegames.com/farseersilverlightdemos/). Perhaps it can give you some ideas.

Are you familiar with XNA?

XNA is a nice little thing to use, i used it on a game i tryed to code. Failed, but XNA helped me a lot.



Don't be afraid to throw your early stuff out and start over. You'll usually end up with a better project if you just bring your experience to the new project instead of a bunch of code (until you start getting into big projects and you have well-engineered code to bring with you).



I'll see what I can do.



It can take a while to get your head around some of the important UML concepts. Pay more attention to the relationships than to the words.


XNA is a nice little thing to use, i used it on a game i tryed to code. Failed, but XNA helped me a lot.

I fail at coding so i wouldnt be able to help, but i did use XNA and i thought i would share that, hey, grippy have you heard/ used darkbasic? Its like XNA.

[ShowerThoughts]

XNA is a .net(Not sure that it's C# specified) 2D Engine right?
I really want to get ideas and make our own 2D engine.

We have chosen for 2D game.

~Fatheadz

[Grippy]

XNA is a .net(Not sure that it's C# specified) 2D Engine right?

XNA is a collection of tools that take away a lot of the pain of writing games. It can be used for 2d or 3d games. It is much more than just a graphics engine.



I really want to get ideas and make our own 2D engine.


Writing an engine is a good way to learn, but you can also learn a lot while writing a game instead of an engine, and then you'll have a lot more to show for your effort. You'll also have a better idea of what exactly the engine is supposed to do for you and so would be in a better position to write your own.

DarkBasic looks very interesting. I like the idea of simplifying access to 3D programming, I was quite partial to GLScene when I was doing 3D work in Delphi, but I think I'd be frustrated by the language features. I do know so people who'd be interested in using this though. Thanks for the reference.

[ShowerThoughts]

Okay, I will see thank you!

[NiCbaZ]

when i designed my first AI program, i wrote the gfx engine and then wrote the AI for the CPU players, then added in Guns etc ( its a birds eye veiw very sime game ! )

[ShowerThoughts]

when I designed my first AI program, I wrote the gfx engine and then wrote the AI for the CPU players, then added in Guns etc ( its a birds eye view very simple game ! )

English please :D.

Hello boys and girls and friends...

Listen, since srl-forums had been down, I thought allot about the game.

This is the plan :
- We are going to use C++ with OpenGL for 2D game engine.
- My friends and I are going to refresh our C++ experiences or improve them by reading the C++ tutorial from www.cplusplus.com
- Then we are going to read an OpenGL book we have 2 so we have to vote and pick one out of them.

Currently :
We are thinking about 2 layers/
The static stuff layer 1, and the destruct able objects and stuff on second layer included the players.

Now we want to know are we going to use big blocks like 10*10 where you can or can't walk through etc? Is it smart to set it for each pixel in the game?
Or would that make it slow??

How are we going to show the players through a server?
We were thinking about this:
We have a character animation so you will put your head down.
So if we send the middle of the player x = 2545 y =2575 and another variable HeadDown = true/false + towards which direction = "right" / "left"

Is that a good idea?

Also updated my Website : www.home.impsoft.info
I added stuff bout this.


Greetings Fatheadz

[Dan Cardin]

open gl afaik, is more of a 3d deal. If you want a 2d game, then there are a bunch of better suited ones, i think

[ShowerThoughts]

open gl afaik, is more of a 3d deal. If you want a 2d game, then there are a bunch of better suited ones, i think

But then when we made it we can continue to 3D.

[Hugolord]

*facepalm*

[ShowerThoughts]

But then when we made it we can continue to 3D.


*facepalm*

Haha, I think I know what you are thinking we don't first make it in 2D and then in 3D

We make a 2D game and then we can continue making games with 3D (A NEW Project)

And I received like 1 answer at all my questions asked here:


Hello boys and girls and friends...

Listen, since srl-forums had been down, I thought allot about the game.

This is the plan :
- We are going to use C++ with OpenGL for 2D game engine.
- My friends and I are going to refresh our C++ experiences or improve them by reading the C++ tutorial from www.cplusplus.com
- Then we are going to read an OpenGL book we have 2 so we have to vote and pick one out of them.

Currently :
We are thinking about 2 layers/
The static stuff layer 1, and the destruct able objects and stuff on second layer included the players.

Now we want to know are we going to use big blocks like 10*10 where you can or can't walk through etc? Is it smart to set it for each pixel in the game?
Or would that make it slow??

How are we going to show the players through a server?
We were thinking about this:
We have a character animation so you will put your head down.
So if we send the middle of the player x = 2545 y =2575 and another variable HeadDown = true/false + towards which direction = "right" / "left"

Is that a good idea?

Also updated my Website : www.home.impsoft.info
I added stuff bout this.




~Fatheadz

[Dan Cardin]

Now we want to know are we going to use big blocks like 10*10 where you can or can't walk through etc? Is it smart to set it for each pixel in the game? i dont know what you mean, but if you're talking about setting collision for every pixel? then thats a horrible idea. Use box collision

Im not sure about your second question either. It would help if you told us what type of game you're making.

But really, your going about this all the wrong way. You really shouldnt go directly into making a specific game and winging it, asking questions about specific errors as you go. You should learn the language and the library you're using first, looking at tutorials that are maybe specific to game making. They'll teach you what you need to know to be able to use the library and language, but they wont necessarily be teaching you how to make the game you want to make. Then after you are comfortable with it and making simple, random games (think of a simple concept and see if you can make a short example of working code for it) then you might be able to get away with trying to make a specific game with all he features you want (this not including getting into trying to do online yet)

[Torrent of Flame]

I can recode your website so it looks more tasty if you want :p

[ShowerThoughts]

God, that would be nice :D

We also make the game multplayer so, we need a server/web coder.
Want to join? mail me.

[Hugolord]

i dont know what you mean, but if you're talking about setting collision for every pixel? then thats a horrible idea. Use box collision

Im not sure about your second question either. It would help if you told us what type of game you're making.

But really, your going about this all the wrong way. You really shouldnt go directly into making a specific game and winging it, asking questions about specific errors as you go. You should learn the language and the library you're using first, looking at tutorials that are maybe specific to game making. They'll teach you what you need to know to be able to use the library and language, but they wont necessarily be teaching you how to make the game you want to make. Then after you are comfortable with it and making simple, random games (think of a simple concept and see if you can make a short example of working code for it) then you might be able to get away with trying to make a specific game with all he features you want (this not including getting into trying to do online yet)
+1!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ShowerThoughts]

Maybe then we're not making a game engine but we are going to start from the beginning also, I might STOP the project because I got to less spare time.
Check the website : http://www.home.impsoft.info/
Thank you ToF!

[TViYH]

I can do gfx ;)

[ShowerThoughts]

You can code gfx for in game? static or animations(will be coded) to?)
Talk to me on msn.

[Hugolord]

This project is not happening.

[ShowerThoughts]

This project is not happening.

It will not happen if I don't got enough time but we got resources enough.

[Hugolord]

No, you will just not do it.
Learn to walk before you run.

[marpis]

I can make forms with Delphi :O
Also can do pixelart. I'd like to take part to this!

EDIT: And for websites, i can do HTML and CSS