5 replies to this topic

[N64314]

Hello, I am just a gamer who was wanting to learning how to program my own 3D video games. I was just wondering where should I start? Here are a few questions I was looking to get anwsered.
1. What language should I start to read up on? (Right now I am reading up on basic C++. I was wondering if I should just skip the basic C++ and read up on object-orinted C++.)
2. What game engine should I work with? (I took a look at CS{Crystal Space} and it looked like a great 3D game engine. And the best part about it is it's free. Or should I start with something a little less complex and if so tell me what enigne I should be starting with.)
3. How hard is it to truly build a 3D game? (I was looking to create a free/additional pay MMORPG later down the road when I have gotten more experience programing.)

All Anwsers will be appreciated, Thank You.

[corey]

I would suggest a well-written, high level book on engine and game design. This will help you understand what you will be working with in C++ and the 3D engine you pick.

3D Game Engine Architecture by David Eberly which is a new book in a new series he is editing.

corey

[Vexorian]

you can skip to object oriented programming, but you will end using what you call the basic c++ anyways, cause a part is object oriented stuff but there are also functions and control structures, no matter how good you are at classes, if you don't know the other things you won't be able to do much

[Ed Mack]

Have a look at the good old wiki. I've just taken a machette to the overgrown newbie bits, so please give feedback :)

http://www.devmaster...ame_Programming

[geon]

N64314 said:

3. How hard is it to truly build a 3D game? (I was looking to create a free/additional pay MMORPG later down the road when I have gotten more experience programing.)

VERY hard. Don't expect to finnish your MMORPG the next 20 years...

To get used to the language and understand how to manage a bigger project, you would need at least 5 years. Then, there is the development time for a massive project like that. Comercial MMORPGs take maby 3 years to complete, but that is with a team of 50 hard working persons.

[AticAtac]

It is completly possible to make a 3D game without c++ or c.
Torque e.g. (and some other game engines) offers a high level scripiting language to "porgram" the game. Whats more important is to know the technologies and tools you use. With todays tools its even possible to put together several libs and sdks and make a complete game. On the long run of course it is a big advantage to be proficient in one of the "low-level" languages like c++, c, ...
I also see a big trend in making games in .NET (see Ogre3D, Irrlicht or CrystalSpace).