Programming Games

[Sim1013 1]

I'm interested in trying to make a game myself. Like programming. Nothing fancy, just some sort of basic game programming.

Does anyone know of a good program to get me started in this direction?

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

If you are thinking of using Visual Studio, I think you would be happiest in C#.  You have to learn to handle the API calls for DirectX as well.

If you want an efficient game that runs in small memory, you should use assembler, or C or both.

There are game writer's kits on the market that include compilers and libraries.  Look around.

[Lyhoko Leaci 770]

THere is also Game Maker, a program designed for programming games, located here: http://www.gamemaker.nl/ (free to get a simple version, US$20 to register and gain access to more advanced features.)

It has a simple drag and drop system for functions, as well as a more advanced programming language built in. (mainly 2D, but you can make 3D games. (you need to register to do so, though.))

[Sim1013 1]

Thanks for the link! It's an awesome program!

[Red1530 1]

Try Visual Basic, it is great for people just learning about programing (like me).

[hamsterTK 93]

i wrote a checkers game in java once. of course the human player would always win because the AI was pretty non existant. I made it the summer after i took a programming class in high school which i did terribly in

You could try out flash. a plus with that is you can put your game online, and there are sites where others will come to play and rate them.

there is another program if you interested in rpg/adventure games, called the rpg toolkit. its freeware and open source. it allows you to make a rpg type game with either top down or isometric views. Its not as drag and drop as game maker, and it takes a bit of programming, but it uses a scripting language thats really easy to know the basics of which is all your need in the time being. Im active on their forums, drop me a pm, my username over there is hamster(without the 'tk')

[moganite 4]

AS I am not a programmer but I use the site occaionally getting involved  in sourceforge.net maybe worthwhile.

 

The link is below

Sourceforge

[callagrafx 3]

As Hamster says, Flash is a great tool for game creation...The Doctor Who website has some great examples of Flash games.

[Sim1013 1]

Thanks everyone! I'll give those sites a try!

[ACEfanatic 7]

If you look on Microsoft's website, they've got a free, slightly-trimmed down version of Visual Studio available. Though it's mostly set up for .NET programing, you can wire it to write .exe's.

A good selection of tutorials in C/C++ can be found here: http://www.cprogramming.com/tutorial.html

-ACE