first shot

[K3az]

For years I've been dreaming of making a game. I'm just a kid so I need something relatively simple that requires little coding. I have a bit of 2d and 3d desisn practice but I can't animate or code. I've tried before and failed but this time i'm stone set. Can anyone suggest a program?

[kshinji]

Don't do games in programs - it gives you no experience.

Try making a simpel programs in C/C++.

My proposition:

player have got the city, that is represented by 4-8 values, and they can decide on 2-3 factors that will chane these values. Add some randomness.

The game shuld be textbased. when/if you do it, pm me.

[Dave]

If you want to make a game, you really need to know some coding. Being able to do animation is somewhat optional, since you might be able to get other people to do that once they like your game, but being able to code is kinda necessary.

When I was 15, I very much wanted to make a game too, but didn't know how to code either. So I learnt C, and then C++, and that allowed me to start making games.

Fortunately things today are quite a bit easier than having to learn C or C++ (which are two of the most difficult languages around). You can start by learning an easy language, such as Python, which also happens to be freely available.

At http://www.python.org you can download Python, and then there are plenty of tutorials on how to use it. The first game I made in C was a text-based role playing game. That could be a good place for you to start, since it can be somewhat fun, but doesn't require you to learn alot about graphical programming etc.

However, after you've mastered some Python, you can move into making graphical games. There is a library for Python called PyGame which allows you to do graphics, sounds, etc.

A space shooter is a good first graphical game, since it can be done without any animation and the graphics are fairly easy to draw.

Good luck!

David

[Viliam]

Making a game without having to code is just editing a scenario. Someone else has prepared some toys, and you are arranging them in the area... and when you start the game, the toys do what the coders told them.

Editing 2D, 3D, animations... that is about design. Coding is about behaviour, about ideas. In editor you can paint a big blue rocket with flashing yellow lights. But if you have an idea "this rocket should fly in universe, collect asteroids, and avoid crashing into planets or stars", you have to code it.


Coding is a long way to go, so start with smaller goals. The key to learning is to divide big things into small parts... the smaller, the better.

First goal: make something which moves when you press the key. Second goal: make it moving while you hold the key, and stop when you release it. Third goal: make that thing interact with environment... when it picks up poison, it loses health, when it picks up gold, it gains score. Fourth goal: make also some parts of environment moving by very simple algorithms, such as always in one direction, bouncing off the walls, randomly changing directions. The game is ready, just add some details such as displaying "game over" when your health goes to zero, and then letting player restart game.

Now separate the code from data. Do not write in the program how many enemies should appear in level 1, level 2, etc... write it in the configuration file instead, and let the game read it. Things which you transfer to configuration files are much easier to modify. When done correctly, adding a new scenario to the game should mean only modifying data; the code should be changed only if something completely new is created. If you succeed doing this, you are ready to produce a good game.

[Jetrel]

Dave and Villiam gave some good advice. I'll second what they said.

[Flametrooper]

Python is pretty good. There's also a cool little tool called Processing, which is
(1) free and Open-Source, (2) Multi-platform, (3) relatively easy to learn and use, and comes with a reference, and (4) has good support for graphics, sound, animation, and all that, even without libraries. It also has importable libraries to give it even further capability. Give it a try!

[kshinji]

When/If you start making such easy game, based on Villam instructions pm me. I wanna impriove my skills as well, and working in team is thing i never tried. And i've got only basics of programming so we're probably on nearly the same skill.

[Dragon Master]

the best thing to try when your coding and making something interact with the enviroment is the "if x then y" concept. Make it so that whenver your character does something, it ends with a result.

[farfpeuf]

If you don t want to code you can try this
http://www.gamemaker.nl/
And then if you like it, maybe this will motivate you to dive into the world of programming when you will be older

[kshinji]

the best thing to try when your coding and making something interact with the enviroment is the "if x then y" concept. Make it so that whenver your character does something, it ends with a result.

That's hoiw Games Factory works, but that ain't good idea for coding. It is much different with real games.

For realtime games there is an easiest way - you make a Big Lopp, and at the beginning the lopp check for all triggers, like fe. HP < 0, and proceeds with triggerd events (add 3 bullets to ammo), then checks if player made some input, and reacts for it. (player pressed a key? Yes. Which? Up arrow. Change starship y to y-1) and at the end or beginning or wherever you want is graphic update, normally made with some ready engine, so you just give some input to it, like move starship one pixel above. Engine updates screen on its own, not neccesarilty once each turn, however some engines needs to invoke update(void); function to update their data with new input, or draw(void); because they don't update screen without being made to, and.. and that's enough or even too much, but let's not delete it, maybe someone makes use out of this tip.

[ILikeProgramming]

If you don t want to code you can try this
http://www.gamemaker.nl/
And then if you like it, maybe this will motivate you to dive into the world of programming when you will be older

Wow! Someone actually knows about gamemaker.

[Kiba]

I recommand starting programming now.(The idea is that starting right now is better then starting when you're like 20 years old with a need for a job.) If you have no motiviation, make one. Build something simple, and then go on to the next step. You will gain confidence and motivation along the way. If you're stuck, do not be despair. You will eventually succeed in conquering that area.

If you don't try, you can't fail. So don't worry about failure. In my opinion, the path to success is paved with failures. Eventually you will succeed and that will build momentum of motivation. Failure is not real if you don't give up.

Do something that you can do NOW to progress to your goal. Don't think about a year from now, or ten year from now or how tough and how painful it will be. Just do it and enjoy the moment that "I can do it!" or "I code that!" or something like that.

Beside, the only real failure is when you give up.

[Sgt. Groovy]

You can start with something very simple. The first game I made, when I was about 8 years old (Basic, VIC-20) was Russian roulette. There was only one control button, and when you pressed it, there was 5/6 chance that you'd get one point. The other option was that the screen went black, with the text: "BANG! You're dead." (not even a sound effect)

If you have no programming skills, I second suggesting trying Python, which has a simple clean syntax, and it's an interpreted language, so you don't need to compile to try out your code.

[Jetrel]

The first game I made, when I was about 8 years old (Basic, VIC-20) was Russian roulette. There was only one control button, and when you pressed it, there was 5/6 chance that you'd get one point. The other option was that the screen went black, with the text: "BANG! You're dead." (not even a sound effect)

Awesome.

[kshinji]

Wow. When i was 8 years old, i was running around waving and creaming

My first prog was a menu, where you had some options (new game, load game, option & quit). It was all made with Turbo Pascal 5 & Crt library. There was a loop which checked if you pressed 'down', 'up' or 'enter'. And that's all, i didn't do anything more, because instread of doing the simple game, i started from doing the ubermenu.

But i dont regret, because i learnt a lot this ay. It was when i was 13.