How to get into game development

[tinman]

How to get into game development

You can make games too!

 

[InnerException]

Eh, I'm not fond of those games maker things. I prefer to build stuff myself using C# and the ogre3d engine. Much better quality and control.
If I had c++ skills, I'd offer to help with the Natural Born Keeper (Dungeon Keeper remake) project, in which Keeper does his brilliant 3d work. But since I do not, I'm glad to just look through the 3d model thread

 

[Kaufies]

Eh, I'm not fond of those games maker things. I prefer to build stuff myself using C# and the ogre3d engine. Much better quality and control.

I agree. It's more fun to do the programming as well. I haven't checked out the links but it sounds like there's little/no code involved.

If I had c++ skills, I'd offer to help with the Natural Born Keeper (Dungeon Keeper remake) project, in which Keeper does his brilliant 3d work. But since I do not, I'm glad to just look through the 3d model thread

Why don't you learn C++. It's not that hard if you know Sharp already

 

[InnerException]

I haven't checked out the links but it sounds like there's little/no code involved.

You would be correct. I remember first seeing the Game Maker stuff probably 8 years ago, and its basically a case of choosing some presets (eg. fps, rpg, etc) for a basic game, then you can do scripting stuff to modify it to what you want. I have no idea how far they have progressed since 2001 in terms of the graphics engine, but from what I remember it sucked big time.

Why don't you learn C++. It's not that hard if you know Sharp already

I've thought of that, but don't usually have a lot of time available, especially not enough to get the same level of skill that I have in c#. I will likely do it sometime, but currently I'm spending my free time (apart from playing games and stuff) reading up on game AI.

 

[Keeper]

If I had c++ skills, I'd offer to help with the Natural Born Keeper (Dungeon Keeper remake) project, in which Keeper does his brilliant 3d work. But since I do not, I'm glad to just look through the 3d model thread

Why Thank you

We've now got a Guy that Replicates the "Mentor Voice" Almost perfectly!
Coding development is moving swiftly, and the 3D models are coming along nicely too

 

[InnerException]

We've now got a Guy that Replicates the "Mentor Voice" Almost perfectly!

I remember reading that thread (I tend to lurk there every few days).

Coding development is moving swiftly, and the 3D models are coming along nicely too

Good to hear. Have they gotten the 0.2 release out yet? (I remember last seeing the teaser for it, with the imp capturing land)

EDIT: I just decided I should go do a quick shufti around the KeeperKlan forum (been 3 weeks since I last visited), and got surprised by this thread. This looks way better than the current NBKE engine (and also seems to run fast too). I hope this speeds up development 10x

 

[dislekcia]

I agree. It's more fun to do the programming as well. I haven't checked out the links but it sounds like there's little/no code involved.

You would be correct. I remember first seeing the Game Maker stuff probably 8 years ago, and its basically a case of choosing some presets (eg. fps, rpg, etc) for a basic game, then you can do scripting stuff to modify it to what you want. I have no idea how far they have progressed since 2001 in terms of the graphics engine, but from what I remember it sucked big time.

It might just be a good idea to actually go and see what a program actually does before you decide to deride it on a purely fictional basis Game Maker NEVER worked off genre presets, that sounds more like Click-N-Play.

So, made any games yet?

 

[InnerException]

It might just be a good idea to actually go and see what a program actually does before you decide to deride it on a purely fictional basis Game Maker NEVER worked off genre presets, that sounds more like Click-N-Play.

Taking a quick gander at their site, while I might be misremembering the genre preset thing (could not see anything on the site that stated otherwise), most of my statements still seem to hold.

So, made any games yet?

I once made a clone of the Spore cellular stage using XNA while waiting for the full game to come out. I lost it in a hard drive crash though a few months back.
I've recently been making a dungeon keeper clone (with some changes) myself, mostly to get a grip on the Ogre3d graphics engine (I use MOgre for C#) and teaching myself better game design. I've been a bit busy lately on other projects, so that's been put on hold for now.

 

[Kaufies]

It might just be a good idea to actually go and see what a program actually does before you decide to deride it on a purely fictional basis .

Fictional basis? I based my opinion on the article. Particularly this:

That means that any layman armed with time and an idea can make that shooter/slasher/shredder/schemer he envisioned. You don’t need to be a programmer or that nerdy guy with glasses who aced every Computer Studies exam in high-school – all you need is a bit of dedication and a willingness to learn. And a place to go for help when you get stuck.

I am a programmer who aced his computer science exams. Unfortunately I don't have glasses but I'm not going to let that stop me.

So, made any games yet?

Nothing substantial. I've made a bunch of side scrollers and a 2d rts. Right now I'm focusing on OpenGL so hopefully soon I'll be able to make something meaningful. Unfortunately time is a problem- I'm not a fulltime, hobbyist game developer.

 

[InnerException]

Unfortunately time is a problem- I'm not a fulltime, hobbyist game developer.

Same with me. Which is why I'd would not mind contributing towards another community project such as New Born Keeper, rather than spend time on my own stuff which I will never have time to complete to my satisfaction. Doing my own stuff is still useful for learning though as preparation.

 

[dislekcia]

Taking a quick gander at their site, while I might be misremembering the genre preset thing (could not see anything on the site that stated otherwise), most of my statements still seem to hold.

Fictional basis? I based my opinion on the article. Particularly this:

I'm glad to say that your statements and judgement of GM is false. Like I (and the article) said, give the program a go, take a look at what people have made in it and then feel free to judge it.

I once made a clone of the Spore cellular stage using XNA while waiting for the full game to come out. I lost it in a hard drive crash though a few months back.
I've recently been making a dungeon keeper clone (with some changes) myself, mostly to get a grip on the Ogre3d graphics engine (I use MOgre for C#) and teaching myself better game design. I've been a bit busy lately on other projects, so that's been put on hold for now.

Nothing substantial. I've made a bunch of side scrollers and a 2d rts. Right now I'm focusing on OpenGL so hopefully soon I'll be able to make something meaningful. Unfortunately time is a problem- I'm not a fulltime, hobbyist game developer.

So those are both "no" then? The article is about making games. The best way we've found to get people actually producing games over the last 5 years is to throw GM at them and see what sticks. Even the "hardcore" programmers (in actual fact, especially those) have enjoyed using it to make something that's playable instead of yet another tech demo or semi-useless collection of engine plumbing.

Same with me. Which is why I'd would not mind contributing towards another community project such as New Born Keeper, rather than spend time on my own stuff which I will never have time to complete to my satisfaction. Doing my own stuff is still useful for learning though as preparation.

I know I must sound like I'm harping on about this, but the whole point here is that there's a lot of learning that goes into making games beyond the coding. GM not only gives you a great platform to code from (I still use it for commercial projects and prototyping) but it also gives you a great understanding of game architecture and standard solutions to typical game problems.

The point is that you could be doing your own stuff, even with extremely limited time, if only you stopped trying to make it harder for yourself

 

[Kilgore_Trout_Redux]

Eh, I'm not fond of those games maker things. I prefer to build stuff myself using C# and the ogre3d engine. Much better quality and control.
If I had c++ skills, I'd offer to help with the Natural Born Keeper (Dungeon Keeper remake) project, in which Keeper does his brilliant 3d work. But since I do not, I'm glad to just look through the 3d model thread

Is the project opensource amd if so where can I find the code?

I know c++ and want to see how they are going about it.

Back on topic though. Game Maker is a great little tool for a single person to knock out quick and easy prototypes and ideas. The sad fact is that 90% of these open source game projects go on for years and never get finished. A quick and easy complete game made in game maker beats any unfinished community game written in c++.

 

[InnerException]

Is the project opensource amd if so where can I find the code?

I know c++ and want to see how they are going about it.

It is open source, though to make any changes you have to be a project developer (easy to get that status though). The current engine they use is NBKE, but its looks like there might be a new good looking engine incoming from a guy who has just joined (apparently does 3d engines a lot, and won an award for one, iirc).

Link to the forum. If nothing else, look through Keeper's model thread.

 

[Kilgore_Trout_Redux]

It is open source, though to make any changes you have to be a project developer (easy to get that status though). The current engine they use is NBKE, but its looks like there might be a new good looking engine incoming from a guy who has just joined (apparently does 3d engines a lot, and won an award for one, iirc).

Link to the forum. If nothing else, look through Keeper's model thread.

Am I correct in saying that they have changed engines from Ogre to NBKE to this new untried engine?

Who is the idiot who has decided to change engines three times?

This project sounds like it is going to fail.

 

[InnerException]

Am I correct in saying that they have changed engines from Ogre to NBKE to this new untried engine?

Who is the idiot who has decided to change engines three times?

This project sounds like it is going to fail.

Sorry for confusing you. They have been using the NBKE (Natural Born Keeper Engine), and might switch to this new engine. It is I who have been experimenting with the Ogre3d engine for my own project.

 

[Kilgore_Trout_Redux]

No need to apologise. I misread your posts.

Failed opensource gaming projects are a particular bugbear of mine and changing engines in the middle of development is enough to kill even commercial projects with huge budgets.