Making A Computer Game!!!
I LOVE computer games. I know I do. But I also recognise that my love for computer games is slightly different to many people who also love computer games. What I mean is that while other people love to simply play and play games, as I do, I also wonder how the game works, how do they get the graphics that way, how does the code that someone writes translate into you getting actually scared when play the game...
See that I mean? How is 001010101011010101010100101100110 10101010101 1010101010110101100100101 101010110101010101 10101010101010 1011010101011 scary? But it is! When you think about it, people that make good games are amazing! They are artists! They excel in a field that most people do not even recognise.
And so here is where I come in. See they way that I said above "make good games", well I am not interested in becoming the next John Carmac or Sid Miers, I just wanna have some fun, make a computer game, learn how 'lots' as apposed to how all of the computer games work. Here is what I know so far about computer games. Starting from the very basic...
First off you need a computer. This may sound basic, but its true. I say this because you can't really hope to spend the time your going to need on the computer by going over to a mates house and or borrowing someones PC for a while.
Second you need to make the computer game with a program. Now, I am choosing my words carefully here. There are packages out there like FPS Creator that have all the building blocks of a computer game, and when you put them all together you end up with a game. However you are working inside the confines of the program that you are working with. So then there are other "programming lanugages". So for example, FPS Creator was written with a programming language. There are a few, well loads, of programming languages but I will mention a few. On the PC (Personal Computer - as in an IBM Compatable) the main programming languages that have any relevance to computer games are Visual Basic, Java, C and C++. Now of all of these languages, and of all the PC programming languages in the world, the Daddy is C++. Why? Because it is very very flexible, very powerfull and can do pretty much anything that needs to be done on the PC.
Third, and this is the cruncher, you need the determination. I know, I know, this is soooooo clechaed (my God, forgive my spelling!). Everyone says that you need to put in the time of learing and the only way to be able to do this is by changing your life to a certain degree, you have to learn whole books about your chosen language usually to be able to get the slightest symbolance of a game onto your screen. Whats more you pretty much have to do the whole thing yourself. You will quickly find that a friend is only someone that shares the same interests as you to a certain degree. When it comes to doing something like learning a new language like C++ it is going to involve alot of nights and as much free time as you can muster studing, on your own. Your friends will not have a clue what you are doing, and it is not becasue you will not tell them, they just will not be really interested. That is why, when you are all alone, in a room, reading, or trying to put something into practice, and it is not working out, and it has not for the last few hours, that you will need that one thing more than anything else, determination, there is an end in sight, you have to visualise some aspect of your computer game... you will then get through your darkest moments...
Fourth. Time... Ah, as Dr. Tolian Soran said in Star Trek: Generations "Time is the fire in which we all burn". If one did not have to sleep, imagen what could be achieved. But we do need to sleep, and eat, and play, and work so we can afford to do all that. When will you find the time to cram in all you need to know about your new language that you are going to need to learn about your game? Thats the problem. Unless of course you go to college to learn games programming where (in theory) all of your time will be specifically about learning about games programming (and not about going out, getting drunk, sleeping in a missing lectures and using prayer instead of learning to pass your exams).
Yep, the joys of it all, learning yourself I mean. You see I did a little Tic-Tac-Toe game using Visual Basic. I loved it, I thought it was brilliant! I made the game myself, all me. I picked up the book, learnt how to program that much of Visual Basic myself, and I did it all. And thats why people do this, because of the feel good factor that you can get from making a game yourself. Currently I am working on a cool Sim City (1) style game, it is very hard, and if I had more determination I would have it finished by now. But I love it too.
But now I am going to try to learn how to make a game a simple 2D race car game, using C++. No 3D graphic, no huge development teams, just me, a book or 2, internet fourms and lots of fun. I will be keeping you all posted on this page. You will see how my development is coming along. Will any of you show any interest, probably not. It is the nature of modern man to sit and vegitate, don't worry, I expect no less of any of you. IF though, you are interested, I would love to help anyone out as much as I can if you want to make a game yourself. That is what I have posted all this for. I finally know where to look, what to read, and I know that it will take me months and months. If you want to delve into the rich and rewarding experience that is games programming, I can assure you, you will be sooooo happy that you at least tried.
I see myself playing a simply 2D race car game that I made myself. Do you see yourself doing anything? If so, please contact me, you will be so glad you tried.
There are some links below that are relevant to what I have written. I will take more about these later on... However, I do have this much to say right now, see those links for Dan Marshall below, if for nothing read his blog on Phase 1 of game making. He is a reviewer in my personal favorite computer games magazine PC Zone.
Dan Marshalls Blog - Phase 1 of making a game.
Dan Marshalls Blog - Phase 2 of making a game, but also his Blog
This is the game that the aforementioned Dan Marshall made.
Free C++ Compiler
Allegro - This is a game programming lbrary...
Gamedev.net is a nice community to help you out if (and when) you get stuck.
What do you think? E-mail your answers to [email protected]