17 replies to this topic

[beckett911]

I am totally new with game design and programming. What all do you need to make a game?

[bladder]

A lot of reading

[ele1901]

Thx for the site it's alsome.

[ShadowedSoldier]

Nice site, doesnt say what you need like a list of programs that woudl be nice...(compilers) What goes with what and what

[Nae'blis]

I suppose that's because the answer to that question depends so much on the game you want to make and what your skills are.

In general you will need a programming platform with compiler, some form of art production software, a level editor, an audio editor, a word processor, the right hardware to play the game, and a lot of time and effort. Which ones to get, however, changes depending (again) on the game you want to make and the skills you have.

The best place to start is look at the tools which come with a game in the style you want to make - many games nowadays launch with the tools on the disc. So if you've played game X and want to make a game like that, then the best place to start would be with game X's tools. Failing that, go to game X's forums and look and see if people are making mods - then get whatever software they use.

Or, (and many people will give different advice here) get youself Visual C++ 2005 Express Edition from Microsoft's website and get a good book - I recommend C++ Primer Plus, Fifth Edition, by Stephen Prata - and start reading up on the language. Then get reading more about games programming and perhaps make text adventures and mini games for a while. After that, maybe band up with some like-minded individuals and try to work on some bigger projects together.

[Ps3m2007]

What software should i download???

[Chandler]

Scrounged some stuff up for you here.
Anyone is free to disagree or suggest some more stuff

Software-wise you'd be safe with the following (until around November)
Compilers

Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 Express(easier than most languages)
Microsoft Visual C# 2005 Express(hard)

Sound editing
Audacity

Levl Editor
Depending on the engine
Quark(works with most Quake based games)

Hammer perhaps(although that might involve some legal issues)
make your own with C#(not for people new to programming)

Word Processor

Word Perfect
Word Pad
Microsoft Word(recommended)

Art Production/3d modelling programs
Milkshape(recomended due to the chance of you using models equal to quality of HL2 is quite low...like subartic)
XSI 4.2 mod tool
3ds Max (any version usually is enough)

MSPaint for those pesky little BMP's
Photoshop 7.0 and above (CS2 recommended)
any quality image editor


Don't realy try to do any of these though unless you know what you are doing. (i.e. you've got some working code but no way to use it for anything)


For free engine's check out the devmaster main page.
Personally I'd go with irrlicht or Ogre. I found Crystal Spaces quite confusing but that is just me. I'm sure many people here would argue against me, but it's just my personal opinion.


Also there is Panda3d for Python which is quite an easy language to learn and can help you jump into C++ after learning the basics.
you can find python here:
http://www.python.org

and there's a nice little book by the programmer of Darkseed, Mike Dawson here:
http://www.programgames.com
although the book costs some dough I found it quite helpful when I got into Python. Not to mention it comes with a cute little 2d engine.
Even better, you can just use the source code from Quake 3: Arena since the engine is quite good and you can pull off some pretty schweet things with it.

[monjardin]

Since the people asking these questions are typically cost sensitive... OpenOffice, The Gimp and Blender are free/open-source alternatives to some of the applications you suggested.

[Almos]

Same with Wings3d.

[NightRage]

Research, Research, Research

and Look for free stuff, Deled 3d editor, Quake Army Knife, Milkshape3d, Newton Physics, Low cost Engines (Torque, C4 Engine, etc...)

[monjardin]

Milkshape 3D is not free, but it's only $25 US.

[Chandler]

The first 30 days are ;D

[NightRage]

I recomend Wings 3d for modeling, I have a MODO license, But I still use Wings 3d from time to time.

:surprise:

[rouncer]

get a book by andre lamothe, he makes the best books for beginners (hes real nice and real smart too) :)
just search on the internet for him.
that face nightrage did was me when i first saw zbrush. www.zbrush.com

[Grellin]

In addition to what has been said above. Be patient. You are not going to learn everything over night and quite a few concepts are tough to grasp the first time around (pointers for one). Enjoy the ride and good luck.

[Jare]

beckett911 said:

I am totally new with game design and programming. What all do you need to make a game?

Experience, which you only gain by actually sitting down and making a game.

Make a Tetris clone with the simplest tools and graphics, get comfortable with the effort, then make a Pacman clone which now needs a bit more graphics and sound, then move on to make a simple game of your own creation if you want. Tackle more complexity as you learn more and become better at it.

[WoOdSpEaK StUdIoS]

@ Almos;
Wings3d makes a good modeller but can't handle animations, so is generally useless unless you know a lot about your chosen engine.

I suggest making some Pong or Tetris clones; both need some simple physics and graphics. Then either create a Mario or Pacman clone. Both will let you begin programming AI, and Pacman in particular is actually quite complex.

You should then study DirectX, if you're interested in making 3d games, and get a friend (or someone from a forum) to help you artwise. (Most programmers are, no offense, not particulary "art oriented")

Create a few simple platform/maze games and host them on sourceforge or similar, and then you'll be able to begin with the more interesting stuff (joinimg a team, working on games and getting ca$h)

But don't aim to high. 1 in every 2 programmers never makes a decent game. They talk and talk and talk about it, but have no idea what they're saying.
The other one starts off small and works up, making first text adventures, then arcade games, and so on, and they're the one that make big buck$.

/woodspeak

[Grellin]

Here is another site you might find usefull. It is a complete set of tutorials that end up in a playable polished game.
http://sol.gfxile.net/gp/index.html
Good luck .