Thread: Starting out Game Programming!

If you are asking this here it shows me several things:

1. You don't know how to use Google.
2. You don't want to research on your own and would rather have answers spoon-fed to you.
3. You are starting off on the wrong foot for game programming.

So your answers are:
1. Google them. Get the SDK, get OpenGL - code and decide for yourself.
2. Google for them. www.gamedev.net, www.gamasutra.com, www.flipcode.com, ....
3. Perhaps a walk over to www.amazon.com or www.ebay.com or any other site that um...well....sells books would be my guess.
4. Do all of that and you will know.

We cannot answer all of that in one post. Number 4 would take a book.

1. http://www.google.com/search?sourcei...als+on+directx
2. http://www.google.com/search?sourcei...ials+on+opengl
3.http://www.google.com/search?sourcei...amming+directx
4.http://www.google.com/search?sourcei...ramming+opengl
5.http://www.google.com/search?sourcei...me+programming


WOW. Took me like 2 minutes. Over 6 million hits. Should be enough for you.

Knowing the basics is fine for console programming. Going from basics to DirectX is just nuts. Yes, we all would like to start out making Ub3rGame20102 but its not going to happen.

Start out small, if you try to start making comercial type applications when you first start, you'll end up in a desert of barren death.

I suggest you poke around some open source files, pick up a C++ book and go from there. Heres an extremely helpful tutorial for basic console programming: http://www.adrianxw.dk/SoftwareSite/...Consoles2.html

Though, you can always not take my advice and go on a hopeless road twords nowhere :P. Start out small or you'll be driven nuts trying to understand what a character pointer is .

Of course, I'll answer what I can:

Is it better to learn openGL or DX?

Its a matter of opinion. Some say go openGL some say DX. If you're looking comercial, shoot for directX. OpenGL is much easier though (So I've heard atleast).

As for simple game programming tutorials for either on this site, I dont think their are. Game programming tutorials are usualy several pages just for the basics.

That said, good luck in your endeavors.

Really? I dont think I've ever noticed an OpenGL game. Probably because I dont really look what language they are in. Where would I look to check?

I guess most games do support "opengl mode" know that I think about it. Though, usualy the default is directx, and from that, I'd have to assume something about DirectX is attractive to comercial game creators. All that is assumption though.

You might want to take a look at this tutorial if you want 2d games, windows programming is the first step. I'm saying that because the console doesnt support bitmap drawing.

http://winprog.org/tutorial/

Originally Posted by Blackroot

Really? I dont think I've ever noticed an OpenGL game. Probably because I dont really look what language they are in. Where would I look to check?

I guess most games do support "opengl mode" know that I think about it. Though, usualy the default is directx, and from that, I'd have to assume something about DirectX is attractive to comercial game creators. All that is assumption though.

Soldier of Fortune was exclusively OpenGL IIRC. Loads of (commercial) games now use OpenGL, even if it's optional (i.e. You could use D3D Instead).

I find I get higher frame rates with OpenGL on my FX5200 (soon to be replaced WOOTAGE!). DoD, Hitman: C47, CS (the list goes on) all play @ ~25 FPS in Direct3D, but I get 50-60 FPS using OpenGL. Tis the main reason I root for OpenGL, the other would be DirectX itself - the way it's structured and poorly documented, but let's not go there...

Besides, my above comments about OGL / D3D are backed up by little real experience... Bubba?

Originally Posted by Shiv4life

which one is easier to start off with as a beginner...DirectX or OpenGL?

I vouch for OpenGL. I sort of started to learn both at the same time to see which one I preferred and that turned out to be OGL. I suggest digging up information / tutorials on both and see which one you find easier.

I'd recommend OGL. Its somewhat easier to learn. You'll probably have to learn both in the industry anyway.

There are about 18 million flame wars on the internet on DirectX vs OpenGL.

18 million!!! That's like, a big number and stuff LOLOMFGROFLCOPTERWTF


Yeah, uhh, all that stuff bubba said earlier. Do that.

Just for example, ID Software has always used OpenGL in their engines. Quake 2, 3, and probably 4 all use OpenGL.

If you want your apps to run on Linux, OpenGL is the only real way to go. (WineX attempts to support DirectX, but I have no idea how stable it is - and how up to date.)