Is using a Game SDK considered "cheating" or Noob?

[davidthefat]

Well I just downloaded Dark GDK, its supported by microsoft and it uses direct x... Is that considered cheating or noob and not hardcore? it seems just hard core to use direct x straight up without those sdks... But the pros actually use game engines though, but most of the time its the ones they made... so IDK

[kadajett]

Personally a game is a game whatever you make it with in my opinion. I say if you want to use an sdk more power to you. some people just like the ability to get more in depth control of what they code themselves.

just like me lol a few years back I was into rpg maker :P and then I saw the power of programming and realized I could do so much more

good luck!

[programmerinprogress]

I hardly consider it cheating.

So, you're not using a high level language and separate library , but rather a combined programming library and language with its own syntax, but you're still using your own content, you might find you wont be able to take advantages that other methods of software development offer, but as long as you use the SDK to create something that is original and of a certain standard (your own standards if its a hobby project, industry standard if you are going to take that route) then I would hardly warrant this as cheating.

good luck with your project

[MakazeGamer]

Well the way I look at using SDKs is, why reinvent the same wheel when somebody has already done it for you. So I would not consider it cheating or noobish at all.

[Trask]

Exactly, there's nothing wrong with using a SDK of any sorts. It really depends on what you want to accomplish with your time. Gyro and Co. are going a long and hard route based on what they love and have learned/(are learning) to do, but if you just want to create some content and aren't wanting to deal with the ins and outs of a particular subject, then don't. No harm no foul. I'm following through a good book that builds a a good "Advanced" 2D engine, it allows me to see what goes into the engine, what components and what not, but I don't/won't learn the raw basis of it all from it, but it's one way to do it and that's how I'm doing it. On top of that, I'm using RakNet for a future project I'm working on that will give me a nice networking engine, why? Because I don't want to concentrate on how to for this project, it's just a component that I need.

Now, using something like what I'm using or a SDK is also a way to learn, just not the best, but it does give you exposure. So I recommend flipping through what you have and if you don't understand something as you're using it, then look it up. I'm googling what I don't know out of the engine book I'm using, that way I at least know what's going into it, even though I didn't come up with it on my own, but if I want to add to the engine or tweak it, I won't be lost without a starting place either.

Knowledge is power, and power is half the battle. GI-JOE!!!

[dandymcgee]

Well I just downloaded Dark GDK, its supported by microsoft and it uses direct x... Is that considered cheating or noob and not hardcore?

Game Development usually isn't quite as competitive in that way. Sure there are contests and challenges all the time but they're more friendly and everyone wants to learn from everyone else as opposed to just being the winner.

[BOMBERMAN]

Well I just downloaded Dark GDK, its supported by microsoft and it uses direct x... Is that considered cheating or noob and not hardcore? it seems just hard core to use direct x straight up without those sdks... But the pros actually use game engines though, but most of the time its the ones they made... so IDK

I don't think it's cheating or something noob. If you want to use it, just use it! Don't worry about those that think that Dark GDK is "cheating". Game Maker is cheating. Good luck with your project

[LeonBlade]

Not at all, you still need to learn how to use the SDK, so no it's not cheating at all!
The only way you can cheat is if you use something like Game Maker or RPG Maker or something like that, but even they have scripting in them...

[eatcomics]

I personally have nothing against game maker, it's a very powerful piece of software... It only has a bad reputation because all the noobs think they can make the most l337 rpg ever with it on their first try, but you have to get good at it to make anything decent. So essentially you have all these noobs going out and making crappy rpgs, that flood out all the good games that can be made with it....

[programmerinprogress]

Exactly, one could argue that someone who doesn't have a clue about programming and tries to make "the best RPG ever!", it's all relative to someone's knowledge of the tools they us really.

I would never consider it "cheating", but you just have to be aware of the benefits each method provides (SDK will probably speed up development time, C++ and SDL might allow higher performance, and more control of the hardware, but that's only useful if you need that control)