Thread: When You're ready to tackle games

  1. #1
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Posts
    100

    When You're ready to tackle games

    Okay can you guys make a list of what a programmer should know before tackling games?

    Functions, pointers, polymorphism, inheritance...you get the idea.

    What libraries too?

  2. #2
    Nonconformist Narf's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Posts
    174
    What kind of games? You can write a game after about 30 minutes of practice with C++. But if you're talking about what most people think of as games, you need to know more than just language features and libraries.
    Just because I don't care doesn't mean I don't understand.

  3. #3
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Sep 2001
    Posts
    4,912
    If you're at the stage where you understand the concepts you mentioned, I think you're ready to start looking at games. If there are any other tools you need, you'll learn them on the way. As far as libraries go, again, you need to think more about the kind of game you want to make. You'll most likely want to be aware of some choices you have for graphics libraries.

    I use SDL (www.libsdl.org) which works in C++, but is geared more towards C programmers. It's useable on a variety of platforms, and also has support for sound, controllers, threads, etc... Very useful. Other popular choices include OpenGL, Allegro, and DirectX. Do a board search, and you'll be sure to find more recommendations and information on each library.

  4. #4
    Registered User Queatrix's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Posts
    1,342
    The tenth windows program I built was a graphical game.
    I would say that you won't know until you try!

  5. #5
    C++ Enthusiast jmd15's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    MI
    Posts
    532
    Cool-August but did you use a library or just bitmaps, and other basic graphics? I have attempted a semi-simple game with just bitmaps but the TransparentBitBlt() function won't work for me,even though I linked the library. There's another way for doing that isn't there, as in masks?
    Trinity: "Neo... nobody has ever done this before."
    Neo: "That's why it's going to work."
    c9915ec6c1f3b876ddf38514adbb94f0

  6. #6
    Registered User Queatrix's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Posts
    1,342
    I use masks. I have never used TransparentBitBlt() before.

  7. #7
    C++ Enthusiast jmd15's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    MI
    Posts
    532
    Do you know of somewhere I could read about masks? Or some source that uses them?
    Trinity: "Neo... nobody has ever done this before."
    Neo: "That's why it's going to work."
    c9915ec6c1f3b876ddf38514adbb94f0

  8. #8
    Registered User Queatrix's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Posts
    1,342
    And I use this to draw my images:

    Code:
    SelectObject(hdcMemory, hbmMan);
    BitBlt(hdc, manX, manY, mw, mh, hdcMemory, 0, 0, SRCAND);
    SelectObject(hdcMemory, hbmManMask);
    BitBlt(hdc, manX, manY, mw, mh, hdcMemory, 0, 0, SRCPAINT);
    Make your mask image a black and white image, make the stuff you want transparent white, and the rest black.

    And in you main image of your man, make the stuff you want transparent black.


    These are some example images.
    Last edited by Queatrix; 09-11-2005 at 11:56 AM.

  9. #9
    C++ Enthusiast jmd15's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    MI
    Posts
    532
    Ok, I'll give it a shot. Thanks.
    Trinity: "Neo... nobody has ever done this before."
    Neo: "That's why it's going to work."
    c9915ec6c1f3b876ddf38514adbb94f0

  10. #10
    Registered User Queatrix's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Posts
    1,342
    Somthing I forgot to add is that unless you make that main image a 16 Color Bitmap, it might not work.

Popular pages Recent additions subscribe to a feed

Similar Threads

  1. When done right, PC games are amazing
    By VirtualAce in forum A Brief History of Cprogramming.com
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: 08-13-2008, 05:32 PM
  2. Violent video games?
    By VirtualAce in forum A Brief History of Cprogramming.com
    Replies: 58
    Last Post: 04-26-2006, 01:43 PM
  3. When am I ready to make games?
    By blankstare77 in forum Game Programming
    Replies: 7
    Last Post: 08-25-2005, 07:23 PM
  4. Video Games Industry. 5 years left.
    By Cheeze-It in forum A Brief History of Cprogramming.com
    Replies: 26
    Last Post: 12-10-2002, 10:52 PM