Okay, so you want to right a game eh?

READ ON. First of all, MASTER whatever language you are going to be using. Personally, when it really comes to game development, I prefer C+assembly, however, you can use C++, VB or whatever you feel comfortable with.

Learn your algorithms. Pick up a book and learn about algorithms and data structures. Master them.

Now, learn about the graphics routine of the platform you are going to work with. Now, I know plenty of you will like to hack for other consoles, but start with the PC. I have hacked for gameboy and the orignal PSX. But I started on PC, and everyone who has ever worked on other consoles always start with PC. Instead of starting from scratch, find a good game library that has most of the common routines done.

Write your game using an existing game library. Make it simple, 2 levels at most. WHY? The biggest thing you will face is discipline in FINISHING a project, so start small, so you can finish. Don't have your project too complex, start simple, and always learn to finish.

Learn how to use a game library, all inclusive (graphics, sound, joystick/mouse, network).
Design a whole bunch of 2d games first, before you embark on 3d games.

After that, you may decide to start buidling your own library from scratch.

Know your maths, algebra is needed for 2d games as you are working on the 2d plane and need to understand your x/y corordinate. To do 3D you need to learn linear algebra. For action games, you need to understand some physics, how are you going to code the projectile of a missile or bullet?

Game programming is the most demanding area of programming since you will work with graphics, all sorts of custom data structure and algorithms, sounds, joystick, mouse, network(if doing a network game), data base, etc. The biggest fall you could take is trying to build everything from scratch, learn to use existing libraries. You may feel some of them are being the bottleneck in terms of performance, but if you decide to write from scratch, you could find yourself spending months replicationg what already exists only to not do any better.

what you need
starting out
- mastery of whatever langauge you are going to work with.
- game libraries (all inclusive library, graphics library, sound library, networking lib, database)
- patience/persistance to finish your games
getting better
- learn C if you haven't, most excellent libs will be in C
- learn assembly language for whatever platform you are working on (learn how C code gets converted to assembly, this will allow you to write very optimized C code)
- start building your own library

Now that was nice and easily put, and is workable as well.

O boy , lot of things to learn o from python to java to Javascript to Css to asp to php to mysql now Going to C.

O boy , lot of things to learn o from python to java to Javascript to Css to asp to php to mysql now Going to C.

@jacob, take care that you master one lang before jumping off to the next one.

To write a web-based game playable online amongst human players. Java or flash is used. I don't know much about Silverlight.
The visual part of the game is usually easy to create. So, the more difficult work is converting your understanding of the game logic to code.
CPU AI in Turn-based games can be done with brute-force. i.e. Make the CPU try(and analyze) as many plays as possible.
You'll need to write your server backend which will control player communication and information.
You can build your own server and write the code in a language like C, C#, that supports network communication. Such servers can also be written in php or asp.

I haven't written this type of game. I once considered it and read the requirements. Then decided I would not have the time to complete and maintain such a project.

jacob05:

O boy , lot of things to learn o from python to java to Javascript to Css to asp to php to mysql now Going to C.

Learn C/C++ programing. With that knowledge, you can easily understand Java, Javascript, C# or PHP.

I agree 100%, C is a very good way to start.

@Khai_Khai, since you have written an online game yourself ( hoping you are not going on about ping pong or some of those annoying ones), do you mind giving us pointers on what steps you took to create your game.

Yea pong. I wrote that in the mid-nineties in BASIC.
I said I haven't written an online game. I have written tetris in C for the PSP (Playstation Portable). I didn't implement any network play for it.

I did wrote some few games in Sinclair Basic way back - got a very nice game book on it - but ran into trouble when i could not get a compiler, but the algorithms of the book still apply - i can tell it was written by a good programmer in his own generation, maybe i will learn his concepts later and see if i can apply it to new generation game programming, you guys are encouraging though.

@dhtml
Recommended compiler for C.

khai_khai:

Yea pong. I wrote that in the mid-nineties in BASIC.
I said I haven't written an online game. I have written tetris in C for the PSP (Playstation Portable). I didn't implement any network play for it.

Ok. You have written a game in C for PSP. I want to write a Ludo Game myself. I am currently working on building my skillset in WPF, and have chosen this project as the one to help me learn and hone my skills in the area for this year. How do I approach this.

There are loads of C compiler, but since i started C around 1999 then, so i still have the microsoft visual studio 6.0 installer for "Microsoft Visual C++ 6.0" now old school, but i have it side-by-side with the .NET IDE - 'cos i still have some good C++ projects i can refer to atimes.
Though for learning then, i recollected using Turbo and Borland C, i dont know if they are still available for free download online now.
But for C#, your .NET IDE should help you with that. For a fresher in OOP, i recommend you start from c, c++ before jumping to C#

What is all these c,c++,c# can't they just combine total or form one union like C++# , {just kidding}.
@dhtml
i will try to get them.

Everything is combined is C# (i think), but for freshers, better to start with c

Why start with C when you want to learn C#? If you want to learn it, why not start with it?

It is still about the same thing - C# is strictly microsoft, what if u want to code C++ on linux (i said C because of platform independence) - u may need to code on linux someday

Hey!! What happened? No answers to my question? If you have really developed a game, why not help a fellow developer with adequate details on what to do or not do. I already explained what my goal is and what technologies I intend to use. What next?

@Kobo, i can c dt u are bent on writing Ludo game. Lets c au i can share my ludo idea wit u. I will upload the executable wen i get 2 d office 2moro so dt u can c if it meets up 2 ur standard. The features of d ludo game i wrote in VB 6.0 then are :
1. U can save a game 2 play later.
2. Can be played on the network.
3. It is a game 4 strictly 2 people (no more no less.)
4. Wen playing the network version, u can chat wit the person u are playing with.
I rely so much on control arrays in vb 6 nd i dnt know au u can implement dt in silverlight. I wrote some couple of games then, Tower of hanoi, draught, snake nd ladder, crossword puzzle nd my Adventure Island.

Well, here's to hoping you actually post it this time around.

i av been extremely busy , Not my fault oh. Too many unreasonable but achievable deployment targets to meet, ongoing supports and to worsen the case when clients explain their problem, they think u will just explain to the computer too, so they want it immediately. 

I av uploaded the executable, i hope it will works without any problem cos to even build a setup 4 the stuff is tiring.
      http://tripleosolutionsltd.net/Downloads/LudoGame.zip

Have a feel of the simple game and lets discuss the implementation in this thread. (My Board Games In VB 6.0) I have also posted the source code of my Tower Of Hanoi Game in VB 6.0 on the same thread
  https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-222999.0.html

Is it possible to see the code?

I tried to play the game but was unable to get the disks to move past the start position each time. And the Six Dice Message kept popping up even when I did roll a six. Somehow it did not work as I expected.

@Kobo
my mistake. There is no help file 4 d game.
The game works fine nd i still played with a friend this evening. All features works just fine.
1. Note d seed colours u are controlling.
2. Press CTRL+G to bring up d game settings.
3. Customize Player 1 nd player 2 names, select seed speed nd dice roll speed nd press OK.
4. Roll the dice nd note the colours of the seeds u are controlling.
5. Click on a die face nd click d seed u want 2 use dt value on (make sure it is d seed color ur roll can control).
6. To use the sum of the 2 dice, click on the Number button and the seed u want 2 use it on. (it will take the seed in d sum of the 2 dice value steps.)
i hope that helps. As 4 d source code, i am not in a haste 2 do dt. It might be after d game as been appreciated nd seen working fine. But d tower of hanoi source code has been posted sha.

Ok… Here are questions for you @DammyTosh

a) How did you store your values ?
b) How do you keep track of the position of the disks for each move?

@Kobo,
i was expecting ur comment on whether it works fine or not. ?

As for the 2 Questions, I will answer it in this thread https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-222999.0.html#msg3466239 so that i will not have to do 2 posts on it. Deal ,

@all,sori 4 d silence,have bin busy wit studies.@dammytosh,did u programme d game 4rm scratch?If ua actually d 1,i guess i nid ua suggestion my game, There is sumtin i want to add 2 it dats proving difficult. Anyway,@all do we nw agree game programming has its place in naija?

@josyisback:
I programmed everything from the scratch. I was learning au to use control arrays when i was still learning VB 6.0 and all those crazy thoughts of Board games were coming into my reasoning. If the game u are working on is a board game, we can share ideas on this thread

https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-222999.0.html#msg3466239

josyisback:
GUys i know that game developement is the bomb in foreign countries but not in Nigeria, But is see money for it in Nigeria hidding somewhere, Dont forget that its the first people that always make the money,thats what i want to be.You remember the facebook guys and myspace? they never expected to get the money they got from social networking but they did eventually made it.Thats what i have in mind, we could make it if we start it first,

Learn the basics from there. To start learning more advanced stuff, I recommend the website below. sagipl.com

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