Beginning C++ - Noob ISO Ideas.

[dandymcgee]

So I've made the simple stuff (command line "Enter the password" "You Win!" *Exit*; etc.), and decided to ask a friend for an idea to help me practice/learn C++. He suggested a side-scrolling shooter. I got a decent start basing it on SDL tutorials, editing them to my needs, but I think I may just be in over my head (making a person "jump" in a game is NOT FUN Omg.)

Basically I'm asking your opinion, should I get help fixing my current project, or scrap it and create a whole new one (if so, what)?

Heh, thanks for any advice ahead of time,
-Dan

[Arce]

(making a person "jump" in a game is NOT FUN Omg.)

LMFAOOO!!!! You just took me back to my good ol' days...I bet I still have about 10 different 'demos' where I attempted to get 'jumping' in. Yeah, i do remember that being a real bitch. xD

As for what project to do...That's fully up to you. You never have to 'scrap' a project--you can always come back to it later when you're more experienced. I'm not sure how much you know about C++, so I really couldn't reccomend anything to you.

However I will say this: if you don't think you're ready, then seriously, don't try to start out using a graphics API. You can learn the language just fine from the DOS console, and create games there just as well.

Or, if you insist...Don't start out with a whole, complex 'game' in mind. Perhaps try making multiple applications with single goals in mind? "This app will demonstrate jumping" "this app will demonstrate collison" "this one is joystick tests". Then, after you've made a few, you'll feel confident that you can put it all together into a larger unit: a game.

Hope I helped. All I could really think to say w/ given info. Lol

Oh, yeah..And for the side scroller thing...Gyro and JS Lemming made a side scrolling shooter Demo a while back in SDL that I think i still have the source to. It was a learner's thing, and was HEAVILY commented. It's in NO shape to be made into a game as it's written (lotsa globals, no real central structuring, not really object oriented) but the concepts are there. If you'd like to continue your project and have a look at that, i doubt they'll mind. It's a great example of making a 'level' through arrays, jumping, movement, shooting, graphics, sound, etc.

[dandymcgee]

LMFAOOO!!!! You just took me back to my good ol' days...

Glad to help bring out the worst in you

Or, if you insist...Don't start out with a whole, complex 'game' in mind. Perhaps try...

By far best advice I've ever gotten lol, thanks!

Oh, yeah..And for the side scroller thing...Gyro and JS Lemming made...

Sounds pretty awesome, I love looking at other people's work and being able to think to myself (hey, that's really awesome how they did that, I bet if i try hard enough i could remake it even better).

Thanks for the ideas/advice/help/blah and the Super fast reply, nice to have someone to answer my boring noobish requests "NEEDZ HLP WIT LEARNIN SEE ++". Hmm, ok.. maybe I'll start tonight, prolly tomorrow.

-Dan