Elysian Shadows

Posted: **Wed Oct 07, 2009 3:58 pm**

Hi.
I want to learn to make games, and was wondering what I must already know until I get into game development.
I mean what things in subjects at school like maths, what should I learn in maths, or science.
Do game developers need to know Calculus?

I wanna be ready before I get into game making.
Thanks

Posted: **Wed Oct 07, 2009 4:25 pm**

You can get by in games just using addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. The rest is just logic and how you go about the steps of updating the game. If you want rotation or minor physics, you'll nee to know trigonometry for sine, cosine, tangent, etc. Only if you want a major physics implementation, then calculus will become necessary. (i.e. writing your own physics engine from scratch)

Posted: **Wed Oct 07, 2009 6:36 pm**

Bakkon wrote:You can get by in games just using addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. The rest is just logic and how you go about the steps of updating the game. If you want rotation or minor physics, you'll nee to know trigonometry for sine, cosine, tangent, etc. Only if you want a major physics implementation, then calculus will become necessary. (i.e. writing your own physics engine from scratch)

Exactly.

You need to know 1st grade arithmetic to start making games.

You need to know trig/calculus/linear algebra to make advanced games.

Posted: **Sat Oct 10, 2009 8:42 am**

OK
I already know the basics in Maths so I think I'm good for now

Thanks and sorry for the late reply.

Posted: **Sun Oct 11, 2009 3:41 pm**

One more thing:
I'm following Lazy Foo's tutorials and I think I installed SDL correctly and I keep getting these errors.

In function `console_main':
[Linker error] undefined reference to `SDL_main'
ld returned 1 exit status
[SDL_Program.exe] Error 1

Here is my code:

Code: Select all

// Inlcude SDL functions and datatypes
#include "SDL/SDL.h"

int main()
{
    // The images
    SDL_Surface* hello = NULL;
    SDL_Surface* screen = NULL;
    
    // Start SDL
    SDL_Init(SDL_INIT_EVERYTHING);
    
    // Set up screen
    screen = SDL_SetVideoMode(640, 480, 32, SDL_SWSURFACE);
    
    // Load image
    hello = SDL_LoadBMP("hello.bmp");
    
    // Apply image to screen
    SDL_BlitSurface(hello, NULL, screen, NULL);
    
    // Update screen
    SDL_Flip(screen);
    
    // Pause
    SDL_Delay(2000);
    
    // Free the loaded image
    SDL_FreeSurface(hello);
    
    // Quit SDL
    SDL_Quit();
    
    return 0;
}

Also I'm using the Dev C++ compiler.

I thought I might ask now then clog up forums with another question :S

Thanks for replies

Posted: **Sun Oct 11, 2009 3:57 pm**

SDL requires that you do this:

Code: Select all

int main(int argc, char *argv[])

Next time you should search for the answer first.

Posted: **Sun Oct 11, 2009 4:02 pm**

LOL
I just figured that out when I done a bit more research.

Thanks anyway.

Elysian Shadows

What must I already know :S

What must I already know :S

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