hello,
i’m a 3d artist who has a friend who wants to learn programming for games. i don’t what to tell him to do to get started. I notice there are no stickies in this thread. Bad. maybe if people can answer this question in-depth we can start a sticky in this forum so that people who come here for the first time can quickly review what they need to do to get started in Game Programming.
thanks for your insight!
to sign up for the class at http://www.gameprogramming.org and to buy Andre Lamothe’s Trick of the Windows Game Programming and Tricks of 3d Game Programming books.
thanks mastermesh, i just signed up over there myself as well, and i see you’re a member. how does it work over there exactly because it’s not really all that clear where one should begin?..
it’s a chatboard of course… but also a classroom. Go to the forum there, then to the Introduction to C++ under the Programming Corner Title in the forum… that’s the C++ class… or if you have Max, go to the 3d Modelling with 3d Max 5.1 or 6 section under Graphics corner for that class… in the C++ one, go to Lectures 1, 2, and 3 thread… Here’s the link - but I don’t know if it’ll work for you due to the session timeout thing… Basically, they post the homework assignments in that area, under the classes, then you do the assignments, upload it in the User CP area, and they grade it, etc… Also, there’s a couple of game teams that members are starting to get involved in in another area of the forums that you may want to sign up for if you want to work on a team with some of us. 
The actual link for the C++ programming course is http://www.gameprogramming.org/cplusplus.html?session=VQXV13LXSjsMtau0NiNw8KvMYQ and they update it with new classes… lessons 1-4 should be out now.
That’s a pretty cool site. I am a Maya user developing my 3D art/animation skills, but I’m trying to encourage my friend to go the route of game programming instead of studying for a MCSE (yuck!) since he likes games so much anyway.
But he really has no clue about where to get started (even less than me if you can believe that) so I also want to get as good an overview as possible so that I can steer him effectively down the right path. I am developing game characters and animations right now myself so I’d love to have a friend/friends who are into programming so maybe we could collaborate on a game.
I get that C++ is the programming language for Windows application interfaces, but does this also cover programming for consoles such as Xbox, PS2, and Cube?
The firs thing you should know if you want to get into game programing is c then you should lern c++ then you shold lern how to use some graphic librarys like SDL or directx(2d librarys) or OpenGL(3d library)
(www.libsdl.org,
www.opengl.org )
That is for programing but before this you should have a very good knolege about mathematics and have some idea of game programing. I recomend to work on linux because I tink is easier than in windows for lerning purpuses, and try to buy a game programing book. that is all I can say. And I dont know how to program a game for GCN or PS2 but the back ground is the same SDL includes some exporting librarys for PS2 I think. And with this knolege you can make games for PC.
that is all I think and Sorry for the bad english
Okay lets see if i can help with this one.
You don’t need to learn c and then C++ to program games.
I have asked one of the Technical Director of my office what he recommends. Sorry by the way i work for a Acclaim studios in the UK, as the QA Manager.
Basically you will want to learn C++ or c or both if you want to but most companies are now using C++ as there main language. Try the course at www.gamesprogramming.org, or the free courses at www.codewarrioru.com. Get to really know the language. Then get a book such as Tricks of the windows game programming gurus and do that until you can write 2d and 3d games and then think about doing console stuff for the GBA or the other consoles, but be aware that programming a console is nothing like programming a game on a pc.
Hope this helps
Re: Quizboy.
If your friend would like some help getting started in programming - they are most welcome to e-mail me - but please tell them to give the mail heading the title “DIRECTX”.
This is because I get spammed heavily - and usually delete anything unfamilar.
I’ve been doing games-programming in C/C++/DirectX7 for almost three years as a past-time. Alot of frustration was involved and always like to help another in need - because I know just how they feel!
ok Boone, i’ve suggested to my friend that he sign up for CGTalk anyway, because i’m sure all the pretty pictures here will inspire him. i’ve got to get him away from this MCSE thing. He’s totally going for that just because it’s supposed to carry weight, but what he doesn’t realize is that was a few years back already. I’m an MCSE myself, and I got my current job during the boom period.
Games programming is just experiencing the beginning of its boom period and it has a much longer life…besides that it’s much more interesting because of its natural relationship to interactivity and art. I would do it myself right now if i weren’t so engrossed in learning the Maya backwards and forwards.
There’s just not enough time in one lifetime…i need a few clones of myself that operate on a multitasking wireless network. wait a minute, is that not already available?
Re: Quizboy.
Well, thats cool. They can PM me at time.
I personally think he would be better getting a degree in Computer Science. I think the MCSE is one of those MicroSoft awards…which I don’t really think will help him much.
I’m self-taught. Most of my inspiration has come from the arcade-games of the olde days - Golden Axe, 1941, Altered-Beast, Dragon-Spirit etc…etc. Oh, and “CastleVania: Symphoney of the Night”! Just having a bash at making a very simple game can be very rewarding…I never really needed any education. Just a hunger to get a bitmap to appear on the screen!
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