"Where to Begin?"

[clsDevAaron]

Elysium Diamond is a terrible multiplayer engine, the way it handles sending data is atrocious, not to mention unprotected. You have to be pretty damn good to do that engine any justice. The hardest part to get over is the fact that it was done in Visual Basic.

<span class="rant">

Very much agreed, Elysium Diamond is a horrible multiplayer engine, but without the shitty visual basic programmers that made it, and using "Konfuze Engine" originally made by Liam as their backbone, that engine would not exist.

To be quite honest, all Elysium engines are crap, and Konfuze was definitely something big for its time, but even its maker knows that its crap. The only true source to go back to if you are looking to use anything remotely close to that engine, is "Mirage Source", made by Shannara. Which is still the most basic of all the engines, but its a fresh start. Plus, with all the recent development on "Mirage Source 4" due to a very capable VB6 programmers known as Dugor and DFA, it handles data much more efficiently and the protected then any of the derivatives ever could.

Not to mention the seckz that a little ZLib compression and data byte array transfers is to speed up that sourced engine.

</span>

[Moosader]

The thing about MMF2 is that a lot of Indies do use it (lots of people at tigsource I know use it). They're not coders, for sure, but if someone wants to design and not code... well then they can come out with stuff like Knytt Stories!

I'm pretty much going to have options for "I don't want to code!", "I haven't code so not sure if I want to", "I want to code, but I don't want to write an entire dang engine!", and "I love programming! And I may want to pursue as a career! Code code code!" :P

But thanks for the suggestions, everybody!

[Moosader]

Here's the beginning of the written version. I'm asking peoples what they think of any engines or languages if they use it, and researching other tools and tutorials. It might be a bit too wordy...

http://www.moosader.com/tutfiles/Moosad ... _Begin.odt

I might move the whole list of tools, tutorials, etc, to a page on my site or something, or maybe to a forum post so I don't have to keep updating the dern guide. o.o;

I need some help with the Programming Expectations and Misconceptions section. I'm not sure what exactly I'm trying to say here.


Video version coming laters.

[Moosader]

Just wondering how I can make this video and future videos look the best.

With the Beginner's Guide to Game Programming tutorial, I just had that drawing to me next to the little "whiteboard" thing that had my notes. I thought this was best because having a little sprite of me really didn't detract from it at all.

I was thinking for this one-video (or maybe two if it doesn't fit) Where to Begin video, I might just record my sister and I talking about it, but I don't know if that would (a) seem lower quality, (b) be distracting from the actual message.

Was thinking I'd get Rosie to play the part of a newbie wanting to learn, then I introduce the "mini-topic" (ie, roles in game development, engines and languages), then cut to the flash animation/presentation with the notes, while I talk over it.

Any suggestions on what would make video tutorials more accessible?

[ajtgarber]

With java there are a few libraries: JOGL, JME (JMonkeyEngine), there might be more but I'm not quite sure

sorry that probably didn't help

[dandymcgee]

Don't worry so much about making them look perfect for now, just worry about the content. Add some humor. That's one of the main reasons I started watching AiGD. You don't have to jump off your roof (although if you did I would certainly laugh my ass off), but a little laughter is always good.

[captjack]

My $0.02 on the subject of C++ learning references...

The Deitel book "C++ for Programmers" from their Developer Series gives a pretty extensive overview of all the C++ topics. They cover everything from basic flow control, introduction to classes, pointers, the STL, advanced OOP topics such as polymorphism and templates. Because of its depth (nearly 1000 pages) it does run brief on some topics, but I've nearly ruined my copy using it as a reference.

ISBN-13: 9780137001309
~ $60 US

One would do well to have the "official" C++ manual from Bjarne himself. It's available in several versions, mine is an old one.

ISBN-13: 9780201889543
~ $50 US

As far as software engineering, the classic title "The Art of Computer Programming" by Donald Knuth (9780201485417) can't be beat - although the collected works are pricey. "The Mytical Man-month" by Frederick Brooks (9780201835953) is a must-read for any programmer (or team) who makes grand claims of greatness of their project with nothing to show for it. I'd suggest a book on design patterns, but I don't have any recommended titles yet.

-Capt Jack

[Moosader]

You don't have to jump off your roof (although if you did I would certainly laugh my ass off)

Ohgee, that wouldn't be good to do, since I live in an apartment complex. D:

[dandymcgee]

You don't have to jump off your roof (although if you did I would certainly laugh my ass off)

Ohgee, that wouldn't be good to do, since I live in an apartment complex. D:

Just bend your knees and roll a few times afterwards, you'll make it!
(Seriously though, please don't)

I jumped of the roof of the college dorm a few times the other day, but it was only 9-10 feet high.