Hi,
I was wondering if anyone can give me some information on how I can find information or tutorials to start learning game programming on linux? This is very interesting to me, so if you know any tutorials or information, please let me know.
Thank You
Originally Posted by scwizzo
Just very simple ones, so I can start understanding game programming for example very simple opengl games
First off you need to learn OpenGL.
or start with 2D and learn SDL.
http://lazyfoo.net/SDL_tutorials/index.php
a lot simpler, especially on the math side
I had to give up learning OpenGL because I didn't understand matrices(not my fault, I just started university this year, no linear algebra in high school). Tried Google... was a bit too difficult to self-learn.
For 2D stuff, only simple calculus is required.
Simple calculus for 2D? Simple trigonometry/geometry.
3D isn't that hard in OpenGL, once you get through the vector/matrix math, it's abstracted, and there is literally thousands of useful resources on learning 3D game programming that translates the exact same from OpenGL to Direct3D to XNA. Infact you could use 2D sprites in 3-world. Shaders, textures, custom models, that's more difficult.
Anyway, if you're going with C++ I'd recommend SDL as well, simply because it won't be easy for a beginner to wrap their mind around writing their own graphics library, and at the same time keep it organized and coded well.
If you go with OpenGL, basically you have raw control of the graphics card, nothing more. You need something to create the window ie GUI (eg. SDL, GLut, wxWidgets, Qt, win32+something, etc.). You need something to control the sound card (eg. SDL, OpenAL, etc.). You need something to monitor keyboard/mouse input (eg. SDL, Qt, win32+something, etc.). Depending which you choose you may have to develop your own file (graphics/audio) managers/loaders.
As you can see SDL is a good 2D game library. I wouldn't be afraid of 2D either. Chances are if you don't start off with an easy library you'll end up quitting, and it's not really a waste of time even if your intentions are 3D.
I ramble.
Warning: Have doubt in anything I post.
GCC 4.5, Boost 1.40, Code::Blocks 8.02, Ubuntu 9.10 010001000110000101100101
That shouldn't matter. When I learned OpenGL I don't remember having to draw on any of my linear algebra.I had to give up learning OpenGL because I didn't understand matrices
What I had in mind is just simple displacement/velocity/acceleration.Simple calculus for 2D? Simple trigonometry/geometry.
It's needed if you want the physics to be realistic (more realistic than otherwise at least).
I guess you could view finite difference approximations as "calculus" but more accurately they are approximations of calculus, and the math involved is not difficult.
Code:accel_x = force_x / mass; v_x += accel_x * delta_t; x += v_x * delta_t;
Code://try //{ if (a) do { f( b); } while(1); else do { f(!b); } while(1); //}
Actually, I tried to approach an OpenGL project using calculus, and it didn't work out very well. Rather than using calculus on continuous functions I should have used the discrete counterparts (summations and series and stuff).
Ah I see. I have never done any significant game/graphics programming myself, so I wasn't speaking from experience but from how I would've done it
A question for the OP: how much math do you know?
Oh, he meant the formulae (formulas) derived from calculus used in physics. I guess the question would be if he also has taken introductory physics, because they cover more than the basics in high school (what you learn in an intro to opengl game programming book). The actual math part doesn't extend past basic algebra/trigonometry/geometry. You would see calculus in advanced game physics programming books to explain the theories behind them (eg. quaternions).
It's true we do use many shortcuts, provided by calculus, without needing to know how they work. Same stuff exists in 2D, it's just easier to wrap your mind around - at the heart that's what programming is, extending your ability to wrap your mind around code. Directly related to the complexity of the code, and the amount of code (lines) - which is why abstraction rocks
Last edited by Dae; 10-30-2008 at 05:25 PM.
Warning: Have doubt in anything I post.
GCC 4.5, Boost 1.40, Code::Blocks 8.02, Ubuntu 9.10 010001000110000101100101
