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Need Some Direction in Game Programming
Dekabal
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
So I've been working on learning game design through Java and I've kind of hit a wall. I did all The New Boston's tutorials on YouTube along with a few others and while I understand, or at least I think I understand, most of the basic concepts, I'm having trouble making my own projects from the ground up and implementing what I learned in the tutorials. I'm just trying to learn make simple ball games, or text-games for right now but I'm finding it difficult to get started (not motivation wise, more not sure what to do).
What would you guys/girls recommend I do to get better at working on my own projects? Alternatively, what would you recommend in general to learn more about game programming in java. Should I start with working in a game engine (something like Unity) or continue working from the ground up?
What would you guys/girls recommend I do to get better at working on my own projects? Alternatively, what would you recommend in general to learn more about game programming in java. Should I start with working in a game engine (something like Unity) or continue working from the ground up?
Dekabal on
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Did the New Boston tutorials give you a core structure for a sprite+movement thing? If so, build off that.
Learning Unity is worthwhile, but don't do it assuming it will solve all your problems.
In a more general sense, you need to break down your goal into it's components and figure out how to do each one. Say, a ball game might require a main program, and objects for the ball and obstacles or player controlled elements, as well as the control interface for the player, graphics, and maybe sounds if you want to go that far. You don't so much work on 'the game' as work on each piece and put them together.
I agree with this sentiment. Most of my own programming ability came from expanding / backwards engineering tutorial code (way back with Gorillas in QBasic). Try expanding on what you already know... for example, if you know how to make a sprite move, try altering the way it moves. Instead of rolling, try bouncing. Add "terrains" that add / reduce friction or gravity.
I've had a lot of luck with asking myself "What if I wanted to do this?" then working through it. And of course, save what you did to build a library of functions that you can call upon later. It's a lot easier when you don't have to write a new function for bouncing every time and you can just pull up the one you already made. Eventually, coding will be more like piecing together legos than starting from scratch.
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Your goal is to learn, not to make a good game, so don't start with a unique game of your own design.
Honestly, for learning Java, Sun's(Now Oracle's) own tutorials are pretty kick ass and free. http://docs.oracle.com/javase/tutorial/ I'm a full time Java developer and I still find myself heading there first whenever I need to pick up something new. If you are looking for something more game focused, the book "Killer Game Programming in Java" is a decent place to start.
I will tell you however, that most games today are written in a compiled language such as C++. However, one area where Java games are VERY big right now is on Android. I would definitely recommend looking into Android development somewhere down the road if this really interests you.
This is great advice. I took two years of C++ programming in college and this was the MO for the class. I made text blackjack and then worked on incorporating graphics, etc.