49 replies to this topic

[Hex Pallett]

So...I really wanna pick up a programming language, in case, you know, one day I could write an iPhone app and make a shitload of money.

So where should I start? I heard C++ is the most widely used but I've heard lots of good things about Python too....

[Alaskan Nobody]

Seconding this - I don't plan on - quote:

Helmstif, on 02 April 2014 - 09:47 AM, said:

make a shitload of money.

But I am looking at eventually making some of my own games.

[Heffay]

Python is definitely a good start, as I believe it is used a lot for scripting in games. Specifically for Unity and Blender, which if you're going solo you'll probably end up using.

Codeacademy.com. Go to their Python course.

[Alaskan Nobody]

Heffay, on 02 April 2014 - 10:40 AM, said:

Codeacademy.com. Go to their Python course.

Been working through that - got stuck with Python, so took a step to the side on some of the other courses during my "break".

[Darth Futuza]

No point in letting yourself start out easy. C++ is the way to go. Python is pretty cool though too.

[Heffay]

Darth Futuza, on 02 April 2014 - 12:51 PM, said:

No point in letting yourself start out easy. C++ is the way to go. Python is pretty cool though too.

Not sure about that. Having foundations on data structures and algorithms is more important than learning any particular code. Get the basics on how to solve problems, then you can figure out the syntax for any particular language.

Python isn't even necessarily the best for learning either, but it does have some relevance in the game world. C is a great language to learn how to shoot yourself in the face with code, and everything you learn there can translate to c++ when needed. But bang for your buck, I'd go python to learn data structures and algorithms, then focus on a game friendly language after that.

[Darth Futuza]

There's a reason the majority of game engine's on this page are written in C/C++ (really the same thing anyway like you said).

C++ can be easy enough though. Try making a simple text based battleship game using C++, really not to difficult.

[S3dition]

Helmstif, on 02 April 2014 - 09:47 AM, said:

So...I really wanna pick up a programming language, in case, you know, one day I could write an iPhone app and make a shitload of money.

So where should I start? I heard C++ is the most widely used but I've heard lots of good things about Python too....

You won't make much money. You're playing the lottery, and some developers win.

If you want to make an iphone app, why not start by making an iphone app? Learn objective-c. Though if you want to make games, then I'd download Unity and start learning C# (don't let javascript suck you in with its laziness. You'll only pay for it in the end).

Failing that, download Eclipse and start learning java. That route is free too. Expect to be miserable though. It takes a lot of failure before everything clicks and works.

[Heffay]

Darth Futuza, on 02 April 2014 - 12:57 PM, said:

There's a reason the majority of game engine's on this page are written in C/C++ (really the same thing anyway like you said).

C++ can be easy enough though. Try making a simple text based battleship game using C++, really not to difficult.

Yah, but I don't think he's looking at making game engines. Just making games, which means using game engines that already exist and scripting action for them.

C++ has it's place, but for learning... not really sure about that.

[Darth Futuza]

Heffay, on 02 April 2014 - 01:02 PM, said:

C++ has it's place, but for learning... not really sure about that.

Meh I turned out fine. I think.

[Heffay]

Darth Futuza, on 02 April 2014 - 01:05 PM, said:

Meh I turned out fine. I think.

I started off on pseudocode. They didn't even trust me enough to write hello world in anything more dangerous than that!

[Cyberiad]

C/C++ is the way to go. If you use a C++ compile you don't actually have to use C++ code. C is good enough for most things and is simpler and faster. I wrote a program to generate the images below in about 20 minutes in C. The pictures are generated in microseconds. They are generated using quadratic equations and a random search algorithm.

[Cyberiad]

Here's some more C programs I wrote. Each one only takes about 20 minutes to write.


Raymarched diamond, carved out the facets using plane different sized octahedrons. There is reflection both external and internal, chromatic dispersion (rainbow colors) and refraction. Runs in real-time at 60 FPS.

Playing around with some simple 4x antialiasing.

Ray-traced scene with multi-reflections and refraction.

Voronoi diagram based waves.

Randomly generated art piece, not really sure what it is. Just playing around with shaders.

Volumetric julia set fractal.

2d julia set with normalized iteration count.

Another 2d julia set except with normalized iteration count and an escape threshold of exactly 1.0

Random colorful pattern.

[Hex Pallett]

Some interesting arguments. Thanks everyone, I'll do a bit more research, but I'm kinda sorta leaning toward:

S3dition, on 02 April 2014 - 12:58 PM, said:

If you want to make an iphone app, why not start by making an iphone app? Learn objective-c. Though if you want to make games, then I'd download Unity and start learning C# (don't let javascript suck you in with its laziness. You'll only pay for it in the end).

Also,

S3dition, on 02 April 2014 - 12:58 PM, said:

You won't make much money. You're playing the lottery, and some developers win.

That's the point. Lottery = minimal investment. Even if I don't end up making any money, I still get to learn some programming skill. And at this day and age, programming sounds like the kind of skill one would be glad to have.

Heffay, on 02 April 2014 - 01:02 PM, said:

Yah, but I don't think he's looking at making game engines. Just making games, which means using game engines that already exist and scripting action for them.

Yup. In fact I would be glad if one day I could make a 16-bit colored 2D game....

[JC Daxion]

Well i am talking a class on visual basic right now.. and my final project i am building a video game.. the dude that sits next to me is making one as well.. It really is pretty powerfull, and pretty easy to use too.

I would defiantly recommend it as a good way to get your foot into Object based programining

[Hex Pallett]

JC Daxion, on 02 April 2014 - 07:06 PM, said:

I would defiantly recommend it as a good way to get your foot into Object based programining

Thanks for the motivation. I do have a concept for a very simple game in mind, and I've been observing and learning from some indie games for a while, the latter part I think I'm getting somewhere.

All I need is time.

[Alaskan Nobody]

Helmstif, on 02 April 2014 - 07:12 PM, said:

All I need is time.

Somewhere out there is a number floating around - the approximate time it takes to actually master something.

Starting skill is partially irrelevant to how good you can be - "partially" because those who start out skilled, tend to have a harder time learning to improve. (exceptions to every rule and all that)

TLDR: so long as you are willing to put the time and effort into it - you could learn to do anything you want.


Personally?
I am hoping to someday make something along the lines of Front Mission.

[Darth Futuza]

Helmstif, on 02 April 2014 - 06:56 PM, said:

Some interesting arguments. Thanks everyone, I'll do a bit more research

Just so you know, arguments about which programming language is better than another are more religious then anything in the programming world.

[Gromokryak]

SiliconLife, on 02 April 2014 - 04:05 PM, said:

C/C++ is the way to go. If you use a C++ compile you don't actually have to use C++ code. C is good enough for most things and is simpler and faster. I wrote a program to generate the images below in about 20 minutes in C. The pictures are generated in microseconds. They are generated using quadratic equations and a random search algorithm.

Wow. Thats beautiful.

[Hex Pallett]

SiliconLife, on 02 April 2014 - 04:05 PM, said:

C/C++ is the way to go. If you use a C++ compile you don't actually have to use C++ code. C is good enough for most things and is simpler and faster. I wrote a program to generate the images below in about 20 minutes in C. The pictures are generated in microseconds. They are generated using quadratic equations and a random search algorithm.

So does it mean that, with some refined algorithms in C, I could generate stuff like Minecraft/Terraria worlds?