Idiot's Guide to Program/Engine Design

[Cavouku]

Before you ask, I'm the idiot.

Alright, so I was talking to a few of my father's computer... wizard... friends, and I was pitching some ideas (no doubt some of you have the same fantasy) about designing video games. I pitched a few ideas for graphic engine ideas, and physic engine ideas. But... I can't for the life of me remember what they said. Something about scripting, and something called VG, but I suck at remembering stuff.

So I ask if any of you have any experience in the field of computery flashy light texts that don't make a story stuff. Or are my childhood dreams crushed here and now? If so, I've got a few other things to fill the time in my life, but I was interested in this stuff.

Alright, if I'm going to make a graphic design program, or engine, or what have you, what is square one? Or do you guys need specifics of my little ideas for the get-go? If so just ask.

Let the book of Programming Engines... -I really don't even know the difference between the two, I'm that awful- begin! ...Please?

 

[w-Jinksy]

it would probably be wise to take a class in this and go get a few books on coding and graphics, that would be youre best bet also you need to build up a graphics engine before you make a physics engine.

 

[Cavouku]

it would probably be wise to take a class in this and go get a few books on coding and graphics, that would be youre best bet also you need to build up a graphics engine before you make a physics engine.

Alright, so start with graphics. Oh, and as a 14-year-old only inspired by the kind words of 40-year-old balding, large men, I have no options for classes, as far as I know, the Junior High isn't offering, but I can check in a few weeks.

Any other ideas? I might be able to get books, but if there's anywhere I can start here from home now.

 

[w-Jinksy]

it would probably be wise to take a class in this and go get a few books on coding and graphics, that would be youre best bet also you need to build up a graphics engine before you make a physics engine.

Alright, so start with graphics. Oh, and as a 14-year-old only inspired by the kind words of 40-year-old balding, large men, I have no options for classes, as far as I know, the Junior High isn't offering, but I can check in a few weeks.

Any other ideas? I might be able to get books, but if there's anywhere I can start here from home now.

i had assumed you were older, well the classes are really done in university or in your case college, the main thing you moght want to do is head to your library and pick up some coding boocks and just sit down and have a crack at it and if that gets too hard try and start off making mods and build up into it.

pick up fallout 3 for the pc if you havent as the geck is easy to use for a beginner.

 

[Cavouku]

it would probably be wise to take a class in this and go get a few books on coding and graphics, that would be youre best bet also you need to build up a graphics engine before you make a physics engine.

Alright, so start with graphics. Oh, and as a 14-year-old only inspired by the kind words of 40-year-old balding, large men, I have no options for classes, as far as I know, the Junior High isn't offering, but I can check in a few weeks.

Any other ideas? I might be able to get books, but if there's anywhere I can start here from home now.

i had assumed you were older, well the classes are really done in university or in your case college, the main thing you moght want to do is head to your library and pick up some coding boocks and just sit down and have a crack at it and if that gets too hard try and start off making mods and build up into it.

pick up fallout 3 for the pc if you havent as the geck is easy to use for a beginner.

Alright, so start with library books on coding, huh? I suppose so. Any other tips or anything for the meantime? I can make notes.

 

[w-Jinksy]

it would probably be wise to take a class in this and go get a few books on coding and graphics, that would be youre best bet also you need to build up a graphics engine before you make a physics engine.

Alright, so start with graphics. Oh, and as a 14-year-old only inspired by the kind words of 40-year-old balding, large men, I have no options for classes, as far as I know, the Junior High isn't offering, but I can check in a few weeks.

Any other ideas? I might be able to get books, but if there's anywhere I can start here from home now.

i had assumed you were older, well the classes are really done in university or in your case college, the main thing you moght want to do is head to your library and pick up some coding boocks and just sit down and have a crack at it and if that gets too hard try and start off making mods and build up into it.

pick up fallout 3 for the pc if you havent as the geck is easy to use for a beginner.

Alright, so start with library books on coding, huh? I suppose so. Any other tips or anything for the meantime? I can make notes.

try to learn some modelling and texturing techniques play around with modding for a while, make sure you have a nice camera and photoshopyou need these for texturing, take hints from bethesda who go out and take pictures of things for textures which they then touch up in photoshop.

also these people you say about the programmers see if theyll teach you some coding.

 

[Cavouku]

Well, I'll see how this turns out tomorrow. In the meantime, anyone else feel free to use this as an open question/answer place, I suppose.

 

[Acidwell]

Learn to love hours of frustration and disappointment

 

[Nutcase]

Alright, so start with library books on coding, huh? I suppose so. Any other tips or anything for the meantime? I can make notes.

No need to hit the library.

Install a decent editor:
http://notepad-plus.sourceforge.net/

Install the Python language interpreter. I recommend the latest 2.x version (2.6.2), not 3.x, simply because most of the available learning material and game-specific libraries concern versions 2.x.
http://www.python.org/

Read this book and do the exercises. This might take weeks or months.
http://www.greenteapress.com/thinkpython/thinkCSpy/

Once you get the hang of it - you don't need to understand everything, just most of it - you can start doing game-specific stuff. And by that, I mean games. See here:
http://www.pygame.org/

 

[j0z]

I can't offer anything on the engine side, but for texturing:
GIMP
www.gimp.org

For Modeling:
Blender www.blender.org

Both are free, and very powerful. Have fun!

 

[Cavouku]

Alright, so start with library books on coding, huh? I suppose so. Any other tips or anything for the meantime? I can make notes.

No need to hit the library.

Install a decent editor:
http://notepad-plus.sourceforge.net/

Install the Python language interpreter. I recommend the latest 2.x version (2.6.2), not 3.x, simply because most of the available learning material and game-specific libraries concern versions 2.x.
http://www.python.org/

Read this book and do the exercises. This might take weeks or months.
http://www.greenteapress.com/thinkpython/thinkCSpy/

Once you get the hang of it - you don't need to understand everything, just most of it - you can start doing game-specific stuff. And by that, I mean games. See here:
http://www.pygame.org/

Ah, interesting stuff, thank you. Where do I go to install the Notepad++? Somewhere on the website? (I checked Downloads, but a bunch of stuff came up, I'm not sure which to choose)

Alright, I'll get started on some of this stuff. Downloading Python. And I'll keep that book on tab. So it'll tell me what to do with this language stuff, and all that?

I don't necessarily know much about computers, or programming, I just have ideas.

 

[Cavouku]

I can't offer anything on the engine side, but for texturing:
GIMP
www.gimp.org

For Modeling:
Blender www.blender.org

Both are free, and very powerful. Have fun!

Hm, I'm not sure, not even sure what I'm looking to make. Basically, I was thinking of making a program, or engine, again, I don't even know the difference, where you can easily make 3D graphics.

Though I'm not sure exactly how to go about it is the thing.

 

[j0z]

I can't offer anything on the engine side, but for texturing:
GIMP
www.gimp.org

For Modeling:
Blender www.blender.org

Both are free, and very powerful. Have fun!

Hm, I'm not sure, not even sure what I'm looking to make. Basically, I was thinking of making a program, or engine, again, I don't even know the difference, where you can easily make 3D graphics.

Though I'm not sure exactly how to go about it is the thing.

Ah, I'm sorry, I can't help you with actual programing/engine design. But I do know that you need to learn how to program normal programs before you do anything as major as writing a whole game engine. Learn some Python, or C++, but you will probably want to write the engine in C++, but I know from experience, that C++ is not an easy language.

 

[Cavouku]

I can't offer anything on the engine side, but for texturing:
GIMP
www.gimp.org

For Modeling:
Blender www.blender.org

Both are free, and very powerful. Have fun!

Hm, I'm not sure, not even sure what I'm looking to make. Basically, I was thinking of making a program, or engine, again, I don't even know the difference, where you can easily make 3D graphics.

Though I'm not sure exactly how to go about it is the thing.

Ah, I'm sorry, I can't help you with actual programing/engine design. But I do know that you need to learn how to program normal programs before you do anything as major as writing a whole game engine. Learn some Python, or C++, but you will probably want to write the engine in C++, but I know from experience, that C++ is not an easy language.

The guy above gave me a link to Python, and a book about it. That should help. Also this thing called Notepad++, but I'm not sure what that is or how to use it.

 

[Arcturian]

An engine is basically a labrynth of shortcuts the programmer can use to save the effort of using c++ or java throughout development.

 

[Cavouku]

An engine is basically a labrynth of shortcuts the programmer can use to save the effort of using c++ or java throughout development.

Okay, so it's almost the same thing... sort of?

 

[j0z]

I can't offer anything on the engine side, but for texturing:
GIMP
www.gimp.org

For Modeling:
Blender www.blender.org

Both are free, and very powerful. Have fun!

Hm, I'm not sure, not even sure what I'm looking to make. Basically, I was thinking of making a program, or engine, again, I don't even know the difference, where you can easily make 3D graphics.

Though I'm not sure exactly how to go about it is the thing.

Ah, I'm sorry, I can't help you with actual programing/engine design. But I do know that you need to learn how to program normal programs before you do anything as major as writing a whole game engine. Learn some Python, or C++, but you will probably want to write the engine in C++, but I know from experience, that C++ is not an easy language.

The guy above gave me a link to Python, and a book about it. That should help. Also this thing called Notepad++, but I'm not sure what that is or how to use it.

NotePad++ has syntax highlighting for a variety of different programming langauges, which means that it makes the code you type different colors depending on what it does. Python has its on IDE, called IDLE. It has syntax highlighting, and it will compile your code and run it. If you want to do C++, try DevC++ http://www.bloodshed.net/devcpp.html or Microsoft Visual C++ Express Edition. Both are free, but the DevC++ is a much smaller download, and is okay if you want a lightweight IDE.

 

[Cavouku]

I can't offer anything on the engine side, but for texturing:
GIMP
www.gimp.org

For Modeling:
Blender www.blender.org

Both are free, and very powerful. Have fun!

Hm, I'm not sure, not even sure what I'm looking to make. Basically, I was thinking of making a program, or engine, again, I don't even know the difference, where you can easily make 3D graphics.

Though I'm not sure exactly how to go about it is the thing.

Ah, I'm sorry, I can't help you with actual programing/engine design. But I do know that you need to learn how to program normal programs before you do anything as major as writing a whole game engine. Learn some Python, or C++, but you will probably want to write the engine in C++, but I know from experience, that C++ is not an easy language.

The guy above gave me a link to Python, and a book about it. That should help. Also this thing called Notepad++, but I'm not sure what that is or how to use it.

NotePad++ has syntax highlighting for a variety of different programming langauges, which means that it makes the code you type different colors depending on what it does. Python has its on IDE, called IDLE. It has syntax highlighting, and it will compile your code and run it. If you want to do C++, try DevC++ http://www.bloodshed.net/devcpp.html or Microsoft Visual C++ Express Edition. Both are free, but the DevC++ is a much smaller download, and is okay if you want a lightweight IDE.

...I have no idea what I want.

Alright let me try and explain; I want to make something that lets you do this... hold on I have it written down here somewhere. Ah, here it is-

Programmer sets up bumping and terrain structure, location, area level, climate, terrain and soils, and ranges for differentiation. Programmer designs or selects structures, randomizations and ranges of similarity for structures, structures age ranges and range of number for structures, structure material differentiation ranges. Programmer locates any unnecessary clusters or deprevations and re-randomizes. Programmer selects foliage, levels of foliage growth, foliage locations, range for clusters, range for foliage differentiation (i.e., color, length, age), and possible over/undergrowth locations. Programmer locates any unnecessary clusters or deprevations and re-randomizes. Programmer selects wildlife or civilization and enters random range. Programmer enters age and differentiation ranges for randomization. Programmer locates any unnecessary clusters or deprevations and re-randomizes. Programmer selects any other options and repeats the process. (Other notes can be added)

Though I don't know if this is how it works, or how it even can work. Also I wrote this a little while ago. It's the basic idea, but I could've worded it better.

 

[Cavouku]

(I'm going to bed now, but I'll check the answers and ideas tomorrow. In advance; thanks for the help everyone)

 

[Arcturian]

An engine is basically a labrynth of shortcuts the programmer can use to save the effort of using c++ or java throughout development.

Okay, so it's almost the same thing... sort of?

If you made it, then pretty much. You'll have to be pretty proficient in a programming language before you can design an engine.

Is there any programming class in your school at all? My high school had a couple semesters of Pascal available, which I took and I'm glad of it, despite the language itself being long obsolete. Anything you can learn will make your next venture a lot easier.