Kevin (Me) & Game Development

Newbie & Debugging Questions
#1

Greetings,

I’m a student who has many interests, and have some idea of what he would like to do for a career, and attend college for. I’m currently interested in programming due to the fact that I have very nice grades in my languages arts class, and in computer programming, I can correct myself and others mistakes as well they will correct me, and so we all happy especially (I hope) in the programming business world instead having a complete, final product all the time. Knowing this, I’m further interested in programming a game from my past, present, and future experiences.

I was introduced to Java when I was about nine years old by a Java Applet MMOG called RuneScape. It was nice, and it was my most paid, and played game I’ve had so far of my current life, and so further down my path, I’m now trying to learn Java since it’s not C++ as C++ is the dominate, and popular programming language for the gaming industry, and so I wanted to be different. That’s why I’m now trying to understand Java with the help of Java community, it’s provided Java sources, NetBeans IDE 6.0, and Head First Java.

Now, hoping you, the reader, understands me. I have a few questions for you, and everyone else here. First, is it likely for me to do better by starting to program with 3D Libraries such as my Java Monkey Engine, or go for 2D Libraries such GTGE, or Slick? Also, I would like to start out as a simple game, and developer when it’s time to advance into the MMOG stage in about years time (a good game does take years as I read), and so I would like to know how should I set up the networking? If I buy a dedicated server, and (if needed) and shared server as being the web server (with JSP support), what software do I need to do and the configuration of them? I know I should have an OS, but what do I add to the dedicated server as being a game server? Is Project Drakstar be the software of chose as the game server? Finally, as for the web server, what software do I need to have a success full game?

I probably have more questions, but I need to make me some dinner, and cook.

Regards,
Kevin K. (a.k.a Kevinul)

#2

Ask the networking questions later. First learn how to make a game. Start with tic tac toe, then Tetris then some side scroller like Mario. Later try a simple 3D game, then something a little more complicated. At this point then look at networking and go back to a 2D game to try stuff out. At that point you might be able to doa simple MMORPG. You should try to do a MUD before a MMORPG(This advice comes from blahblahblahh and he has the experience). A mud is a simpler type of MMORPG.

#3

I don’t know about the above, but to give you a piece of advice, try backing up a bit. Study not just writing the code and libraries but also the game developing process in itself.

#4

Okay, I already knew I couldn’t conduct an MMORPG. I knew I had to start out small, and that’s why I’m going to read, and conduct small projects of Java on NetBeans IDE 6.0, and hopefully during the summer. I’ll do what you advised do a Tic Tac Toe game, and possibly tetras. ALSO, in order to do a Massive Multi-player Game (MMOG), you’ll need a lot of experience, a team, and money preferably over a thousand or in the thousands. Also, you need marketing strategy too in order to be successful. So, the MMORPG concept won’t go for a bit, but after simple MUD’s, and IT/Game Programming experience. It would more of a Mini Milti-Player Game.

Okay, do you recommend any links, articles, or books I should look at?

#5

Buy Developing Games in Java and Killer Game Programming in Java. You could buy one or the other, but you’d be better off with both. Both are cheap on Amazon.com

I plan to buy Pro Java 6 3D Game Development: Java 3D, JOGL, JInput and JOAL APIs (available from Amazon.com and much more cheaply as an ebook from Apress.com). It seems a bit more advanced, but I don’t know for sure because I haven’t bought it yet. I have both the other two books.

There are alot of other books that don’t measure up, but those two are great. And, like I said, I don’t know for sure about the 3rd one, but it seems to cover some topics that aren’t covered elsewhere (like gamepad support).

#6

Good of you to think of all this so soon. My first project out of the start was making a Pokemon clone. Still working on it- by myself. I use Slick, by the way. Slick is great for simple 2D games. It’s advanced my current progress by hundreds of times.

#7

Wow, thanks. Andrew Davison (the author of these books), and so the book, Pro Java 6 3D Game Development: Java 3D, JOGL, JInput and JOAL APIs, seems to be the lastest one. I don’t want to learn Java 5 and less, because would like to show those C++ users what Java can do. The thing is that Java Monkey Engine seems to be very nice, since my inspiration is this…

http://www.jmonkeyengine.com/images/jme/userscreens/Spirits.png

I would like to do better, or as good as that screen shot. Also, I would like to have similar GUI, and so can I use the books knowledge with Java Monkey Engine, and JME Physics Two? Oh, specking of physics, what driver does well that you know of?

Ah, thanks. I was introduced to Slick by Mojang Specifications developers blog. :slight_smile: That’s how I was referred here.

#8

[quote=“Kevinul,post:7,topic:31441”]
Java 5 has all the same language features as Java 6. There are some additions to the Java 6 API, like some kind of script compiling stuff. And there are some improvements to how fast images are rendered on different platforms and to many other things as well.

But, as a game programmer, I think you would be writing basically the same code for Java 5 and Java 6. In fact, even Killer Game Programming in Java, which came out after Java 5 (but before Java 6), doesn’t use any of the Java 5 features except the nanosecond timer. Personally, I avoid the nanosecond timer because it has issues on computers with power management (e.g. laptops) and on some AMD dual core processors.

The Java 6 book sounds a bit more advanced, so I would suggest buying at least one of the others first. I don’t know for sure though because I haven’t bought the Java 6 book yet myself. I will buy it some time this year, but I’ve got my eye on some general algorithms books. And I’m still reading a book about concurrency.

[quote=“Kevinul,post:7,topic:31441”]
I think you mean physics engine, not driver. Drivers are generally programs that act as an interface between a hardware device and the operating system, and they aren’t something you usually think about when you’re programming in Java.

I know nothing about physics drivers OR physics engines though.

#9

Ah, I see, but I haven’t gotten past fully understanding (allowing my to write just as well as me writing an essay) of how to conduct a 100% Perfect Beer Song Java application stated by Head First Java. I looked at the code before trying to do it myself, and also I went on other things so I may have to reread the whole book. Ugh… :frowning:

Thank You, and sorry about my confusion of physics drivers and engines.

Wouldn’t I still need to learn Java before knowing how to code games? The guy advised to learn game design, and so I don’t really now a good resource to learn how to conduct a good game design well. I mean, I play a lot of games of many genres, but I don’t think I know to conduct a good, balanced game design. Anyone?

#10

Im not really sure whats going on but just start learning java dude, then start picking up little games and what not…dont worry too much about game design and all that just get started :)…

thats my opinion.

#11

[quote=“Kevinul,post:9,topic:31441”]
Yes, you need to learn Java before you can learn how to use Java to program games. I don’t have a particular recommendation for a general Java book, but you should be able to find lots of them cheap on Amazon.com. Just don’t shell out $600 for some sort of interactive 6-CD tutorial. It’s not worth it.

If you already know C++ or something similar, you might be able to figure out most of Java with the Java Tutorial at http://java.sun.com/docs/books/tutorial/ . However, you would be better off with a book. And if you want to get really good at it, you will have to buy other books about advance topics. That’s something for later on, probably after you’ve already start programming games with Java.

There’s no point in learning about game design until after you’ve learned how to draw an image on the screen and start the music playing.

If you would prefer, you could use a tool like Game Maker or Torque Game Builder to make games. Then you wouldn’t need to learn how to program at all and could concentrate on game design. Personally, I would rather use Java. It gives me far more control of the game than I could have with game making program.

#12

Ah, thanks. I don’t want to use Game Maker nor any other C, or C++ engines due to how popular the language is. I’ll try to learn Java as if I was writing an awesome novel, I guess I can say. I don’t have any knowledge of C++, and I would be better of with a book. Thank You people of java-gaming.org.

#13

Game Maker and Torque Game Builder don’t require any knowledge of programming. You just use their scripting languages, which is alot like programming.

I pointed them out for completeness, but the fact is that you only can do so much with those kinds of programs. Learning how to program games in Java or C++ would be much better.

Personally, I prefer Java, but that’s pretty obvious given which forum I’m posting to. In any case, I think you’re making a good choice.

#14

Thanking, and I want to to have knowledge of programming and so I may take Computer Science and other courses during my college years. Just where, I need to decide.

#15

Sorry to tell this but you’re a little bit pretentious! Game programming requires a lot of time! It is not easy! Start by writing small games before planning to compete with near-commercial quality games!!!