[gameprogrammer] Re: programming

I can give you four tips:

1st Learn "normal" programming. Learn general purpose languages and
scripting languages, like C, Java, C#, Python, etc.
My reccomendations: start learning Python and/or C#, they are nice
introductions to the language.
It's not to insult "game programming" languages like Dark Basic or Blitz
Basic, those are great languages, but they build on existing libraries, and
you'll, in the long run, find this limiting when you want to do something
another way. Plus the industry uses general purpose languages as the
standard, C++ is the defacto standard but in reality you don't need to know
it to make great games. C++ is a bit hard and you might want to take it slow
to truly understand how it works (and therefore how your computer works at
the lowest levels).
Learn what real programming is about, not how to use a language and some
libs. Learn Data Structures, a bit of algorithms and recursion, just because
it isn't a tutorial on how to make a game doesn't mean you don't use it to
make a game.

2nd Always program games. When ever I learned something new, say Data
Structures, I would use them on a game. So I learned how to do a Queue? Well
I make a game that allows you to make a series of actions and have each one
being done in the order they are made, I also allow the ability to cancel
actions. They don't have to be full games, just simple fun games that make
you use what you learned in a way that isn't obviously for that. Some other
things (such a reference) might be used more in a game that made into a
whole game in itself. You will make horrible programs, but you wil learn
from it. Plus it always reminds you why you are learning all of this: not
because it's boring, but because what you do with it is fun.

3rd Play games. Like a madman. I don't mean the new games and put them on
your Xbox 360 / PS3 / WII I mean get all kinds of games. Go retro, get some
emulators, get MAME (really good idea in my opinion) get old games (my
favorite games, from best to worse: Starcraft, Populous: The Beggining,
Half-Life, Portal, D&D Shadow over Mystara). Play everything, you'll find
that games that where called "gems" are not as good, but you'll also realize
you may find them really fun. Play indie games, play flash games, go to
Newgrounds, I reccomend you look into the rythm games, Portal: flash
edition, and Shift 2 for starters. The idea is to always get you new cool
ideas for games. But don't just play it like a gamer, play it like a
programer, ask yourself: how did they do that!? Play it like a designer,
notice what is what makes a great game great and a bad game bad.

4th Get into the lit. Read the books that are reccomended, look into great
blogs and sites. Not game review sites, but developer sites, like Gamasutra.
Read also developer sites for "normal" programming, you'll notice that they
have another philosophy, but understand that their main objective is for
another, short term, kind of development (unless you are doing something
like an MMO). But they have good points and will help you grow as a general
programmer. Get into the industry, the lingo, understand who is who and what
is what. This is especially important if you are thinking about breaking
seriously into the industry when you grow up.

Special bonus: it will be hard, it will be really tough. Don't expect to
ever make a game like the ones you see on store, but strive for that. Don't
be afraid of doing something too hard, most of what you'll do here is "too
hard" and most of the times you'll be asked to do things you've never done
before. Because think about it: if it where easy and/or already done, why do
it again? Don't give up, the only people who "fail" to become what they want
are those that give up. I don't know how to explain this, but make sure this
is your dream, making games is very diferent than playing them, it's a whole
'nother kind of "fun", it will be hard and tiring so be prepared.

On Wed, Apr 16, 2008 at 5:19 PM, max joncas <the_cook073@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

>
> Hey, I know im sorry i have no answers to your problem, but u might have
> one for me, I'm 15 and I'd like to become a video game programer.Any hints,
> studies, anything that could help me. Needed qualities and stuff.
>
> Please answer back, thank you
>
> Marc
>
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