2021 Best Beginner Game Programming Guide

2021 latest beginner game programming guide, I am often asked how people with little or no programming experience start game development. So far, I have been trying my best to help them one-on-one. However, since the number of problems has grown to an almost intractable level recently, I decided to write all my suggestions in an article as a general resource.

Latest Beginner Game Programming Guide

This article is for people who want to make their own games but have little or no programming experience. In fact, I will assume that the reader has no programming knowledge at all. I will mainly focus on the programming and design aspects of game development, not the artistic aspects. I will not be involved in actually entering the industry (because there are already sufficient resources), but I will guide you through what you need to do to make your own game. In the end, the path I propose here should not be seen as the only (or even the best) way to learn how to make a game, but it works for me and others.

Choose a language

The first thing you need to do is to choose a programming language. You have many choices, including C#, C, C++, Java, etc., and which language is best for beginners. Discussions about many popular languages. Beginner Game Programming Guide.

I would recommend starting with C# or Java. Some people will say that those languages ​​are too advanced for beginners, but since I started with C#, I tend to disagree. In addition, C#/java/C++ is the most extensive language in the field of game programming, so you will be able to find a lot of resources and help. It is not important to learn C# or Java first, because once you learn C# or Java, learning other knowledge becomes trivial.

If you start with C#/Java, it turns out that this is a very easy and wise choice, then there is nothing wrong with going back and learning a simple language (such as Basic or Pascal). But I really think that if you insist on using it and find the right resources, then C#/Java should be no problem.

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Your next question should be: “How do I learn C#/Java?” I am glad you asked. The best way is to take classes. For example, there are many free beginner tutorials on YouTube. Beginner Game Programming Guide.

If class is not for you, then the next best thing is to buy some good books. Don’t be too concerned about choosing the “perfect book”, because you may end up buying a few. I recommend going to a local bookstore and spending some time browsing books on introductory C# and Java until you find a book that you understand and think you can learn. As time goes by, you may want to buy some more advanced books, maybe even reference books, but once you have a certain understanding of the language, you will have a better understanding of your needs. Please refer to our book section for some suggestions.

At this point, I want to take some time to solve some problems that I think are the concerns of many novice programmers, especially young programmers: there is no money to buy books and other things. First of all, there are a lot of free resources on YouTube. But second, if you really want to be a good programmer, you must plan to invest in it. Using any (legal; <) means you have to take out some cash.

There are also many tutorials for learning C# and Java on the Internet, but I find that these tutorials complement the knowledge you have learned in the book better than as independent resources.

Choose the right compiler

The programs or source codes you write are stored as text files, and you can even use Notepad to write C#/Java programs. But some source code needs to be taken and converted into an executable file. In the case of C# and Java, something is a compiler. In fact, we are already in 2021, so there are many development integration tools available, such as VS Code, Visual Studio. You can choose the free version to use. Beginner Game Programming Guide

There are a large number of compilers available, including many free compilers. It is important to choose the compiler that suits you, and free compilers have the advantage that you can fully try them and see your favorite compiler. However, free compilers are generally not as powerful or powerful as commercial ones. Fortunately, most commercial compilers are entry or academic versions, which are much cheaper and usually have the same functions as the full version. The only limitation is that you cannot distribute programs created with it (you won’t do this) ) For a while). Beginner Game Programming Guide

Ultimately, the compiler you choose will depend on how much money you can spend and which operating system and platform you will develop. If you want to develop for Windows, it is strongly recommended to use Microsoft Visual Studio. It has a powerful development environment that allows you to easily accomplish many things, and there is no doubt that no other compiler is more suitable for developing Windows applications. If you are a student, you can get a copy at a greatly reduced price. If you plan to program under DOS, then the best option is DJGPP, which is free.

Choose target platform

Although you may end up developing for multiple platforms, you will need to choose a platform to learn. When learning the language, and before doing any programming involving graphics, you may want to use a non-platform language. GUI operating system, such as DOS or UNIX. These will avoid the overhead associated with Windows programming and allow you to focus only on learning the language. Beginner Game Programming Guide

However, once you are ready to start making games, you should consider changing the target platform. Let’s look at the more prominent options. Beginner Game Programming Guide

Windows: If you ultimately want to engage in professional work in the gaming industry, or just want a lot of people to play your games, then this is the platform you want to choose. Most of your target audience uses Windows, but I don’t think this will change anytime soon. Today, most games are made for Windows using DirectX technology you may have heard of. DirectX is a library that allows you to directly access the hardware, which means you can write high-performance games.

Linux: Linux is a variant of UNIX that has recently become popular for a variety of reasons, including stability, price, and anti-Microsoft sentiment. Although the number of Linux users is still small, the enthusiasm surrounding it and potential market growth make it a viable choice for the target platform.

Macintosh: The number of Mac loyalists is not insignificant. Almost every Mac enthusiast I have spoken to expresses their desire to develop more and better games for the Macintosh. I haven’t seen too many resources for making games for the Mac, but I’m sure they already exist, so this may also be a valid option. Beginner Game Programming Guide

Console: The market for console games (such as Playstation, N64, Dreamcast, etc.) is huge, and there is definitely a future for console game development. However, for many reasons, it seems unreasonable to develop console games in a non-commercial environment. If you are developing a game console, you may need to use it in a commercial game studio.

On to the Good Stuff

Now is the time to really discuss making games. For the sake of simplicity, I will assume that you have chosen C#/C++ programming for Windows, but if you choose another method, most of what I have said will apply.

First of all, you should have a good grasp of C# and C++ before you even plan to start making games. You should understand pointers, arrays, structures, functions, and possible classes, and you should be proficient in using them. If so, you can start making games. Beginner Game Programming Guide

Get one or more books. For novice game programmers in Windows, the skills of Windows Game Programming Gurus are an ideal starting point. In addition, there are many other good books in our “Books” section. Read through the book, try all the examples, and re-read the parts you don’t understand.

Supplement what you have read with online tutorials. In addition to clarifying what you read, they also cover topics not covered in the book. Beginner Game Programming Guide

Seek help from an expert. If you cannot find the answer to your question in a book or tutorial, please use our message board and chat room. There are many people willing to help. This should not be regarded as a continuous process, but as a continuously repeated synchronous process.

Learning is not enough, but you must apply what you have learned. Start with a simple game, and then start from there.

Don’t just accumulate knowledge, but apply knowledge. Unless you use it, you will never really know or understand. Make some demo programs that can use what you are learning. In fact, there are exercises at the end of each chapter in the book.

Play a lot of games. Doing so will provide you with ideas and help you make better games. Beginner Game Programming Guide. This will also bring comforting relief to programming.

helping others. You will reach the point where you can help others, and you will learn more in the teaching process. Beginner Game Programming Guide

Finish your start. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking: “I know I can finish this game, but I have a better idea, so I will continue.” If you finish the game you started, you will learn more, And you will have something to prove that you are not speaking. In order to make the operation easier, please don’t try to make large or complex games before you are experienced. you go!

Now, Beginner Game Programming Guide. you should be doing well on the road to making Quake 4. Well, although not complete, at least you can start on this road and know where to look for more information, and after years of hard work, this situation will still happen.

First, plan to do it yourself. Don’t rush to join the team, because this will only slow down the learning process. Once there are several games, no matter what, you can make a greater contribution to the team. Beginner Game Programming Guide

Regarding books, I want to mention one thing: not only do you need to read game programming books, but you also need to read more books. In order to be able to create various games that you see on store shelves, you will have to delve into more advanced topics than those covered in most game programming books. You can find some of the content you need in the tutorial, but you also need to pick some books on graphics, artificial intelligence, networks, physics, etc. Here, getting a degree in computer science is very convenient, because you will be required to take courses that you might think are not suitable for game programming, but actually do.

Wrapping Up

Beginner Game Programming Guide. Here are some other tips that can make a big difference:

Don’t just accumulate knowledge and apply it. Unless you use it, you will never really know or understand. Make some demo programs that can use what you are learning. In fact, there are exercises at the end of each chapter in the book.

Play a lot of games. Doing so will provide you with ideas and help you make better games. This will also bring comforting relief to programming.

helping others. You will reach the point where you can help others, and you will learn more in the teaching process. Beginner Game Programming Guide

Finish your start. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking: “I know I can finish this game, but I have a better idea, so I will continue.” If you finish the game you started, you will learn more, And you will have something to prove that you are not speaking. In order to make the operation easier, please don’t try to make large or complex games before you are experienced.

you go! Now, you should be doing well on the road to making Quake 4. Well, although it is not complete, at least you can start on that road and know where to look for more information, and after years of hard work, this situation is still possible. Beginner Game Programming Guide