13 replies to this topic

[Destructo]

Well, I am new here, so I figured I'd introduce myself.
I go by the screen name of "Destructo".
Stats wise... I know Visual Basic 2008 (VB9), I'm learning C++ and Java.
I plan on making some sort of game, so I need to finish learning Java.
If anyone wants to be my friend, feel free to add me on MSN: thunderstruck914@hotmail.com, or just talk to me on here xD

Peace

-Destructo

[onyxthedog]

Nice, I hear a lot of people start with VB and can actually make games using that. You can ask startstrutter about that, I believe that he started in VB. I kind of just jumped straight in to C/C++, I haven't regretted it. Good luck, I recommend just using VB while learning Java OR C++, because it is hard learning two languages at once and it is better to know one very well than 12 kind of. (That seems to go with everything). Game programming and design experience are things that transfer pretty well, so the more experience the better. But others have a better opinion than I.

[Destructo]

Heh, cool. Well, I plan on getting somewhere with my experience, and yeah, I am still not sure whether to learn C++ or Java. I know a bit of both, but I have plenty of years(I'm only 15, as of July 14th xD). I never actually tried making a game in Visual Basic but anything's possible.

[onyxthedog]

I am only 13 and will be 14 in October, but yeah, sounds like you are at a nice start. If you choose C++ then SDL is a nice choice with a lot of tutorials, as is OpenGl for C++ and VB (as well as a variety of other languages). I believe Java supports graphics natively, but am unsure about that. Just follow what you feel is best after some research.

[starstutter]

Destructo said:

I never actually tried making a game in Visual Basic but anything's possible.

Very possible in fact.

That's all I programmed games in for several years. VB is however hindered by the fact that it's very very slow and not all that portable. 2 things you need to understand about it:

1. pretty much anytihng graphics based you create in VB will be CPU bound. The speed of VB does not effect how fast your video card processes the graphics being sent to it. It does matter however the number of draw calls you make and how much cpu processing you do. Any moderate physics systems and large numbers of particles (about 120 or so) are almost out of the question.

2. VB works *only* on microsoft computers and there is a rediculous amount of computer and DLL customization that needs to be done to get it to work properly on newer hardware, especially if you have vista. It's perfectly possible to make DX 8 (and maybe 9) work in VB, but understand that it is not distributable.

So overall I would recommend getting somewhat familiar with DX in VB before moving on to C++ and DX. It will make the transition less painless and if you stick with it long enough you can teach yourself some serious SERIOUS discipline in the art of optimization (belive me, you'll learn it best in a scripting language). Then after you get familiar with the whole DX setup and concept, move to C++ and make a game that others can actually play :)

[Mattias Gustavsson]

Destructo said:

I never actually tried making a game in Visual Basic but anything's possible.

Yes, VB can be quite capable. I made this using VB many years ago: http://welcome.to/frooonk and it seems to run pretty much everywhere I've tried it (from Windows95, and NT and all the way to XP. I bet Vista will break it though :D)

but make sure to use VB6 rather than .NET (the runtime dependencies are just a killer).

[Destructo]

Hmm, cool. I don't know how to make a game in Visual Basic though *sadface*.

Somebody want to teach me? xD

[onyxthedog]

I take it you mean that sarcastically? You just need to go look up on Google, Yahoo, or MSN "How to use OpenGl with Basic." But I am pretty sure you are just joking.

[Destructo]

Nah, wasn't joking xD

[Reedbeta]

In that case, you just need to go look up on Google, Yahoo, or MSN "How to use OpenGl with Basic."

[Destructo]

Okay, cool.

[onyxthedog]

Reedbeta said:

In that case, you just need to go look up on Google, Yahoo, or MSN "How to use OpenGl with Basic."

:excl: Copyright infringement I am suing!:excl::sneaky: :lol: LOL

[Reedbeta]

[Destructo]

Heh, his lawyers are better then your lawyers :D