C++ game programming

[lloydkirk1989]

I thought I might share this with you guys.The ultimate tutorial...

[JoeImp]

ehhh It's ok .. If you want to make console games using a weird external graphics library (even though many people use allegro.) I don't think theres much use in learning how to use that library for console games when you could learn the win32 api instead, and make actual games.

[Arcane Wizard]

http://nehe.gamedev.net/ > all

[DJ Omnimaga]

sound nice, but I think I'll stay with calcs for the moment and hope I get back motivation to code, there are way too many people who left TI programming (BASIC and ASM) in 2005 :sick:

[lloydkirk1989]

[JoeImp]

Why learn some crappy, less known library, when you can learn an actual, well used library? One that is cross-platform such as OpenGL, if you want cross-platform capability. It's like ... why would you ride a bike across the country, when you could ride a motorcycle? No use wasting time learning something that you'll eventually have to give up anyways, if you actually want to go somewhere.

[EDIT] - How many professional games do you know that use Allegro? None. If you want to go somewhere, don't bother learning it. If you dont plan on going far, and just want to mess around, go for it.

[koolmansam375]

[JoeImp]

[CoBB]

[DJ Omnimaga]

as long as the game is good I dont really care (god this reminds me the BASIC vs. ASM debates or TIGCC vs. ETP Studio debates), as long as the game is compatible with as many platform as possible though

[One_Fast_Kid]

I recommend '3D Game Programming All In One' (3DGPAI1). It starts the user off with a scripting language and works in basic modeling/texturing/etc and it advances its way to c++-like language and advanced modeling/artwork. Good book, however some of the material on the cd was corrupted for me.

[Rezek]

[JoeImp]

I don't get it, why does everyone want to do everything half-assed now-a-days. I can't understand it. Do it right in the first place, jeez.

[Rezek]

I need to put the petal to the metal and just learn the win32api. The actuall c++ isn't very hard.

[lloydkirk1989]

Ok, lets straighten this thing out. OpenGL is just a graphics library, probably the best one out there but the fact still remains. You need to use a ton of other libraries to make a decent game. Not to mention, it is realy complicated. I've taken calculus and I still find it confusing. To be honest, I would rather spend time doing my homework. I don't need a second math class. Lastly, its intended for 3D, which doesn't mean you can't use it for 2D, but its better to use a library intended for what you're doing. Im not a huge fan of 3D games anyways. I like 2D better, don't ask me why, I just do. A library like SDL is perfect for a 2D game. You can use OpenGL alongside it too. Win32 api is good to learn, and it has to be used for basic functions like opening a window in any library on a win32 platform, but don't get too dependent on it. If you ever intend to be a *unix man, gtk is the way to go.

[JoeImp]

I disagree with everything you said. But to keep this from being just flames, I will not post in this thread again. If people have usefull information they want to share, go ahead. If it keeps on going like this, and there's no point for this thread, I shall lock it.

Now, continue on without me, if there's still information to discuss.

[Arcane Wizard]

lloydkirk seems to have confused could with need.

You don't need a ton of libraries to make a "decent" game. Just look at all the succesfull internet games, do you think any of them use any third party libraries at all? What about flash or java games, there are some very good games out there written in flash actionscript that don't use any libraries at all either. Java games might use Java3D to get OpenGL functionality, Java3D isn't a ton of libraries. These games wheren't written in php, flash, or java because they couldn't be written without a ton of libraries, nor because they couldn't be written in php/flash/java either.

The same applies to C game programming, use libraries if you need them. You most likely do not.

On a side-note, I don't see how OpenGL is intended for 3D graphics. It is intended to provide a fast interface to the graphics hardware, making 3D graphics usable, but intense 2D graphics as well. And 2D graphics can get very intense. So intense even, that they need the raw power of these libraries.

Hey, there's that word again, need.

[DJ Omnimaga]

the title of the topic should be changed to "C++ lib/tutorial debate thread"

[lloydkirk1989]

JoeImp: Since you have nothing to say please don't post. You're the one has shown a lack of maturity, swearing, talking "half-assed". Just because you don't agree doesn't mean you have to get so pissed off. It also doesn't mean Im wrong. Seriously, if the subject has such emotional significance to you, maybe you should ignore the thread. I didn't intend for this topic to be a debate and thats what occured when you entered it. Im sorry, you can't just knock what people say without decent reason.

ArcaneWizzard: OpenGL does not have support for multimedia, such as audio or video. You have to use other libs along side it. You need to learn how to not take words out of context. I specificaly meant C++ with OpenGL, not flashy javy other games. And if you don't know that OpenGL was designed for 3d gfx, then you never will.
And ... I'm done. Unless someone quotes me, and argues more. Then I shall be back. But until then, I'm done.

[DigiTan]

I'm not a C++ programmer, but I think the debate element of this topic was completely pointless.