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New Game – buddboy

buddboy

Member

Posts: 2220
From: New Albany, Indiana, U.S.
Registered: 10-08-2004

Hello!! I and a friend are starting a game for a friend who has a dream to make a tv show one day, and who has a story all written up, divided into 1053 episodes. Now we're only making the first part (or saga) of the story, which is like 27 episodes. We need help though. We are coding in C++ in which both of us are novices. If you would like to help, post here and sign up at the forum, then PM inside the OTHER forum. check out the forum here. We are doing a 2-d pulled back almost top-down game, and then we will have battle sequences in either 2-d or pretty advanced 2-d. We MAY need help with gfx, no help with story, definitely with coding, help with music and sounds also. Check out the forum and see if you would like to help!!

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In the stock market, you must buy high and sell low...Wait! That's not right!
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Yes, I can be intelligent at times!!

buddboy

Member

Posts: 2220
From: New Albany, Indiana, U.S.
Registered: 10-08-2004

What?! No replies yet... Well, I guess i'm just not a very good waiter... Oh well...

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In the stock market, you must buy high and sell low...Wait! That's not right!
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Yes, I can be intelligent at times!!

crazyishone

Member

Posts: 1685
From:
Registered: 08-25-2004

i dont really have much coding experience, so i cant help u there...and I am busy iwht my own game.

but, take it from me-- it is rare to get a reply on a topic like this, ESP. when u r yuong and ESP. when you are new to the site. I learned the hard way. If u get replies, most will be "I am too busy, but good idea!"....u kinda have to have something to show for. If nobody offers help, do as much as u can between u and your friend, and post a similar topic once u have some real substance. ever notice nobodby wants to do something when theirs nothing in it for them? If they see a game thats got progress already , and potential, u can at least hope they'll help.

trust me, i am not trying to be rude or pessimistic. Just telling u wat my experience has been. But hey, maybs u will get some experienced, bored programmer who thinks your idea is good. You should prob. post some details...or at least an idea of what the game is about...

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yah. i should think of something funny, amusing, or wise....
not right now. too taxing on my feeble and exhausted mind.

Realm Master

Member

Posts: 1971
From: USA
Registered: 05-15-2005

C++? minor experience talking, but no graphical capabilities (havn't been able to work with those darn gfx libraries!)

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(yes, i know im stupid)

Blessed are those who suffer for doing what is right.
The kingdom of hevan bleongs to them.-Matthew 5:10

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Here's all the comments!

buddboy

Member

Posts: 2220
From: New Albany, Indiana, U.S.
Registered: 10-08-2004

Crazyishone, ur so right... But the problem is, we know almost zip about C++ so far... Just trying to learn as we go, and trust me that is not going so well. Well, actually, i know a bit about C++... My christmas comp prog. is in it... But i don't know how (like you said RM) to use those GFX libraries (in fact, i have no idea what he means... my book says nothing about it!!)...But we hope to figure it out somehow... Ah, well... We'll just work our way through it...

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In the stock market, you must buy high and sell low...Wait! That's not right!
--------------
Yes, I can be intelligent at times!!

buddboy

Member

Posts: 2220
From: New Albany, Indiana, U.S.
Registered: 10-08-2004

BTW crazyishone, i am NOT NEW!! I just have not been here in a really, really long time... I registered maybe 2 months after you... But i didn't post very much and I lost remembrance (wondering if that's a word!!) of the site and then I was bored and I was about to start learning C++ so i checked this place out again and stuck around... Oh who cares?

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In the stock market, you must buy high and sell low...Wait! That's not right!
--------------
Yes, I can be intelligent at times!!

crazyishone

Member

Posts: 1685
From:
Registered: 08-25-2004

most people will look at number of posts.

anyway, yeah, my C++ skills are also beginner level. Very simple command line is where im at right now. just finished learning some basics.

i can create a fairly small scope of interactivity...enough to hold attention. thats about it.

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yah. i should think of something funny, amusing, or wise....
not right now. too taxing on my feeble and exhausted mind.

buddboy

Member

Posts: 2220
From: New Albany, Indiana, U.S.
Registered: 10-08-2004

Yah... But i am trying to at least hone my skills enough before the Xmas competition ends so I can submit my (planned) program to the comp. I need to learn enough of it to do what I plan to do. I have the basic idea planned out and I have a commandline version written... But i don't know how to get gfx into the game and make it animate. My book has nothing on actual game programming just command line stuff (at least I can't find anything)... *Sigh* back to the grindstone...

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In the stock market, you must buy high and sell low...Wait! That's not right!
--------------
Yes, I can be intelligent at times!!

crazyishone

Member

Posts: 1685
From:
Registered: 08-25-2004

hehe, i know how you feel. I am having a similar struggle.

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yah. i should think of something funny, amusing, or wise....
not right now. too taxing on my feeble and exhausted mind.

Briant

Member

Posts: 742
From: Stony Plain, Alberta, Canada
Registered: 01-20-2001

Buddboy, it sounds like you're a couple of ambitious beginners. Nothing wrong with that, at all.

But designing and programming a game, even if you have a story line already done, can be a big task - thrown in having to learn C++ at the same time, and you've got yourself a LOT of work ahead of you - but it's a great way to learn, so don't get discouraged!

The KEY is to not get overwhelmed by thinking about the whole project, but break everything down into bite-sized pieces.

Like crazyishone said, most people are already involved in their own projects, and usually unlikely to help out on other projects without some indication that real potential is there and real progress is being made, and real benefit (even if just fun and learning) is to be gained.

However, there are several people here, myself included, that have experience in C++, graphics programming, game design, etc., to help give you some guidance until your project gains enough momentum to attract others to help out. We can provide high-level design advice, answer low-level coding questions, and so on for you.

http://www.gamedev.net/reference/start_here/ is a good link for beginners to get an idea of what skills they need to develop, and what resources are available to help them out.

What book are you using? From the sounds of your project, "Programming Role Playing Games with DirectX" might be a good investment for you, as well as a good beginner C++ book.

Brian

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Brian

"OOP programmers have a lot of class"

buddboy

Member

Posts: 2220
From: New Albany, Indiana, U.S.
Registered: 10-08-2004

I am using C++ for dummies... It doesn't really teach you anything but command line stuff... That Programming RPG's with DirectX sounds good... thnx for the advice guys!!

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In the stock market, you must buy high and sell low...Wait! That's not right!
--------------
Yes, I can be intelligent at times!!

Jari

Member

Posts: 1471
From: Helsinki, Finland
Registered: 03-11-2005

I quess C++ books typically only teach programming at the command line, after all it's the simplest way to display program output.

Programming RPG with direct-X is hard considering that you are just starting with the C++ and in order to use the direct-X application programming interface (API) you need to know C++ well.
So patiance my friend, it will take time to learn all the stuff for making 2D games, not to mention 3D.

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For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me. - Psa 69:9
He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. - Joh 12:25

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[This message has been edited by jari (edited December 18, 2005).]

crazyishone

Member

Posts: 1685
From:
Registered: 08-25-2004

hah, i am using C++ for dummies too, and yes, it is very command line oriented so far, but im only on chapter 7. The book will not cover programming for windows at all. everything will execute in a 32 bit dos box. :-P

anyway, its a good learning tool, tho the writer doesnt always clearly expres s things. how far into the book are you?

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yah. i should think of something funny, amusing, or wise....
not right now. too taxing on my feeble and exhausted mind.

D-SIPL

Moderator

Posts: 1345
From: Maesteg, Wales
Registered: 07-21-2001

Learning C++ is no easy task. I'm learning it at uni and definately realised very quickly that to be any good, i had to make it my hobby and not just something i did whilst in lectures.

It's a steep learning curve, but stick with it. Command line stuff will help you get the basics nailed, then progress from there.

Maybe try looking at something like Blitz or Game Maker if you want to prototype something more quickly.

--D-SIPL

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"One World. One Web. One Program." -Microsoft promotional advertisement
"Ein Volk, ein Reich, ein Fuhrer!" -Adolf Hitler

buddboy

Member

Posts: 2220
From: New Albany, Indiana, U.S.
Registered: 10-08-2004

crazyishone I am on chapter 5...

yah you are right D-SIPL what is Game Maker? And doesn't Blitz cost money? (maybe i'm thinking of something else... Checking those both out!)...Oh well...

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In the stock market, you must buy high and sell low...Wait! That's not right!
--------------
Yes, I can be intelligent at times!!

buddboy

Member

Posts: 2220
From: New Albany, Indiana, U.S.
Registered: 10-08-2004

Well, I downloaded the BlitzPlus demo so I can make the game... and if the demo doens't let you make that big of games I'll work on something else simpler that I have been wanting to start on for a while.

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In the stock market, you must buy high and sell low...Wait! That's not right!
--------------
Yes, I can be intelligent at times!!

crazyishone

Member

Posts: 1685
From:
Registered: 08-25-2004

game maker is a "game engine"...if u wanna call it that. Basically, u can do everything within the GUI(which is fairly expansive and usefull, in my opinion). FOr more advanced stuff and rare cases, u can use the GameMaker language. (GML) U can also do the whole thing in GML. It is free, but some features are held and a "made with game maker" thing is stuck to every .exe....

its like 15 bucks to reg. (not too bad for a good 2d engine. )

i used it for while but am looking to get some real lifelong skills, thus i picked up C++.

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yah. i should think of something funny, amusing, or wise....
not right now. too taxing on my feeble and exhausted mind.

buddboy

Member

Posts: 2220
From: New Albany, Indiana, U.S.
Registered: 10-08-2004

Well I got the BlitzPlus demo, as I said, and I am using it to make my Xmas comp program... But i keep getting the same stupid error!! Can I get help?


noun1$=Input ("Enter a noun:")
Adjective1$=Input ("Enter an adjective:")
noun2$=Input ("Enter another noun:")
noun3$=Input ("Enter another noun:")
Noun4$=Input ("Enter yet another noun:")
Noun5$=Input ("Enter (again!!) a noun:")Graphics 800,600
imgfrostyBground=LoadImage("C:\Documents and Settings\Mitchell\My Documents\My Pictures\xmascompbackground.bmp")
imgfrostyBground2=LoadImage("C:\Documents and Settings\Mitchell\My Documents\My Pictures\xmascompbackground2.bmp")
Global iX=801
Global iY=799
Text ix,iY"Frosty the "+noun1$" was a very "+Adjective1$" soul with a corn-cob "+noun2$" and a button "+noun3$", and two "+noun4"s made out of "+noun5$
Global iCurrentFrame=0
Global iCurrentFrame2=1
;Set up our primary drawing surface to be the BackBuffer
; this is to allow for page-flip animation
SetBuffer BackBuffer()
; loop until the player hits the ESC key
While Not KeyHit(1)
	
	; clear the BackBuffer
	Cls
	
	; draw the current Ship Frame on the center of the BackBuffer
	DrawImage(imgfrostyBground(iCurrentFrame)
	
	; Flip the BackBuffer to the Display
	Flip
	Cls
	DrawImage(imgfrosyBground2(iCurrentFrame2)
	Flip
	
Wend 
; end the program, return control to Windows
End

I keep getting the error "expecting end-of-file"... confused!

(I know this is off-topic but I need help!)

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In the stock market, you must buy high and sell low...Wait! That's not right!
--------------
Yes, I can be intelligent at times!!

Briant

Member

Posts: 742
From: Stony Plain, Alberta, Canada
Registered: 01-20-2001

C++ for Dummies is pretty good, but you have to keep in mind that it is teaching you the language of C++ and not how to use any specific APIs and libraries in C++. That's why it's command line - because the language will be the same whether you program on Windows or Mac or Linux or anything that a C++ compiler has been created for - the language does not specify anything graphics-related, because graphics are platform specific, while the language cannot be. Learning the language is the most important thing, and once you are basically comfortable with basic C++ programming, you can use it to call various API and library functions for different platforms (Win32, .Net, OpenGL, DirectX, various game engines, sound libraries, etc. (although some APIs are multi-platform, like OpenGL, etc.)).

That's why I suggested, for getting into game programming, you should get two books: one for the language itself, and one for the platform/API you want to develop your game on, that uses that language.

But as some others mentioned, Blitz or GameMaker might be worth a look at - you will certainly make progress on a specific game much faster, but you won't learn as much in the process.

Good luck!

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Brian

"OOP programmers have a lot of class"

Brandon

Member

Posts: 594
From: Kansas City, Mo, USA
Registered: 02-02-2004

Hi buddboy, in line 11 you are missing some comma's to separate the different parameters, also with the concatenation you are missing a few addition symbols as well, so basically just change line 11 to:


Text ix, iY, "Frosty the "+noun1$+" was a very " + Adjective1$ + " soul with a corn-cob " + noun2$ + " and a button " + noun3$ + ", and two " + noun4 + "s made out of  " + noun5$

also in line 24 and 29 you're missing the ending parenthesis change those to read like so:

line 24

DrawImage(imgfrostyBground(iCurrentFrame))

line 29

DrawImage(imgfrosyBground2(iCurrentFrame2))

After playing with BlitzPlus for a while it'll get a lot easier.

Not to hi-jack the thread... but Brian would you recommend the book you mentioned ("Programming Role Playing Games with DirectX"), as one to aid in the development of a DX9 game engine? Or is it more-so suited for beginners? I'm not sure if you have the book or not, but thought that I might ask.

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Your love, O Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies.
Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the great deep.
O Lord , you preserve both man and beast.
How priceless is your unfailing love!

buddboy

Member

Posts: 2220
From: New Albany, Indiana, U.S.
Registered: 10-08-2004

Yah brian, so right... that's why i'm saving up for a book to teach me how to do DirectX RPG's in C++... Meanwhile, like I said, we are working on an MUD to hone our command line skills and the like... But I have decided not to do the RPG in Blitz, just doing my Xmas program comp. submission in it... and btw brandon, you don't need the + signs i checked in the tutorial but thanks for the other help i needed that... it's not string concatenation it's printing out the strings and some text... it's a madlib... But thanks for the other help!!

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In the stock market, you must buy high and sell low...Wait! That's not right!
--------------
Yes, I can be intelligent at times!!