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DarkBASIC Discussion / New To Game Programming

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OneHitWonder
12
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Joined: 18th Jul 2011
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Posted: 19th Jul 2011 01:53
Hi everyone,

I have recently been looking at getting into game programming and decided to go with DarkBasic Classic Lite. I have chose this due to the fact I have never programmed a game before and didn't wanted to spend too much as I am just starting out.

Can anyone give me any advice for someone new to DarkBasic?

Thanks.
BN2 Productions
20
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Joined: 22nd Jan 2004
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Posted: 19th Jul 2011 06:45
Welcome to the forums!

I'd suggest reading through TDK's tutorials, they are stickied at the top and do an awesome job covering the basics.

Start small and don't get discouraged. I've been doing this for years and haven't completed anything major (some arcade game clones, which were fun to make).

Start with 2D. 3D will SEEM easier, and has a nicer initial learning curve (you can easily make something that works) but it has a MUCH steeper learning curve to do anything useful. 2D is a little tricky to pick up at first, but it forces you to learn how to program and you become much better much faster than if you stick with 3D (Trust me, I did 3D first, but it wasn't till 2D that I actually started to spread my wings as a programmer, now I'm going back to 3D and there's so much more I can do).

Start small. You can't make an mmo yet, don't try, you will just get discouraged.

Always challenge yourself. If you are thinking about something and the question pops in your head "Can I do that?" Try it! Even if it's obscure and there are other ways to do it, the challenge can make you better faster. For instance, I made a text based RPG battle system back in the day (very simple). My 'gimmick' was that I wouldn't let myself use any commands to clear the screen or draw boxes over the area to be erased. I had to come up with a system to write black text over the white text so as to "erase" it. It was tricky, but kinda fun.

Finally: don't forget about us!! We get bored here without people to help. But seriously, though, these forums were what allowed me to get out of my rut of stupid programs that don't work anyway and actually start making fun things.

Have fun!

Great Quote:
"Time...LINE??? Time isn't made out of lines...it is made out of circles. That is why clocks are round!" -Caboose
Libervurto
17
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Joined: 30th Jun 2006
Location: On Toast
Posted: 21st Jul 2011 19:36 Edited at: 21st Jul 2011 19:44
Let me be the... second to welcome you to this ramshackle board we call home

BN2 makes good points. I'd add, learn as many commands as quickly as you can, I remember when I was learning I'd try to make a little game and get really stuck or write some horribly complicated code to do something simple, then later I'd find out there was a command that did exactly what I was trying to do. This is also a reason why you shouldn't start any overly ambitious projects just yet; as you learn new commands and gain experience you'll find better ways of doing things, if you start a big project you'd end up having to rewrite it several times before getting anywhere, if you stick to small projects you can just forget about your old programs that become redundant as you learn better methods.
When you learn a new command, play around with it and try to find interesting ways to use it - sin() and cos() are very interesting to play around with and you don't have to be a maths whizz to use them effectively.

[edit]
I forgot possibly the most important thing that will help you learn quickly! Read other people's code, go through it in detail, make changes to it if you like or try and add to it. It can be fun and you can learn a lot this way. The Dark Basic Challenge Thread has loads of code from many users. Don't just pick random code though, choose something that impresses you.

Darkzombies
13
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Joined: 25th Dec 2010
Location: In multiple tabs, most likely youtube.
Posted: 24th Jul 2011 05:43



Skynet Games
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Joined: 20th Sep 2008
Location: At home, building stuff.
Posted: 5th Aug 2011 13:26
GET OUT NOW WHILE YOU CAN!! RUN AWAY!! DONT LOOK BACK!! ITS TO LATE FOR US!!

Anyway, if this is seriously what you want to do then you are in for a WORLD of a headache. I'm new to game design my self but have been spending a few years on and off, and trust me. Making a game is a LOT more work then what you think it is, depending on what you want to make though. Creating a game is extremely tough specially if your learning variables and have to apply math... Its really hard, but if this is what you want! well, WELCOME TO THE FORUM! Don't say i didn't warn you XD

Speed of the wolf, power of the pack!!
http://www.wolfgames.110mb.com/home.html
Libervurto
17
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Joined: 30th Jun 2006
Location: On Toast
Posted: 6th Aug 2011 16:21
Yes making a full game is hard and takes a lot of time, there's a reason why computer games are so expensive these days! But there's a lot of fun and achievement to be had along the way, you don't have to make the best game ever to get a sense of achievement from programming.

zenassem
21
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Joined: 10th Mar 2003
Location: Long Island, NY
Posted: 14th Aug 2011 22:11 Edited at: 14th Aug 2011 23:13
My best pieces of advice (that I wish I listened to) are...


If you still have your sanity... remember to have fun.


CocaCola
14
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Joined: 23rd Mar 2010
Location: CocaCola.x CocaCola.y CocaCola.z
Posted: 16th Aug 2011 00:46
Quote: "GET OUT NOW WHILE YOU CAN!! RUN AWAY!! DONT LOOK BACK!! ITS TO LATE FOR US!!
"


I believe you scared him off :p

Always program as if the person maintaining your program is a psychopath that knows where you live
the dark archer
12
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Joined: 16th Aug 2011
Location: Area-51
Posted: 1st Sep 2011 03:35
hay new to dark basic pro little to none programming ex
i do mainly 2d and 3d rpg
and i do scripting for higher cost varies

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melanieS
12
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Joined: 7th Sep 2011
Location: los angeles, california
Posted: 7th Sep 2011 11:30
whew! you people are such a genius! creating a video game is really tough yet it seems to you guys like a piece of cake, cool.. But I'm sure doing such project will cost you a lot so If you run out of cash while doing your work, you might wanna try to apply for a short term loans.

MS
Libervurto
17
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Joined: 30th Jun 2006
Location: On Toast
Posted: 26th Sep 2011 21:51
Quote: "whew! you people are such a genius! creating a video game is really tough yet it seems to you guys like a piece of cake, cool.. But I'm sure doing such project will cost you a lot so If you run out of cash while doing your work, you might wanna try to apply for a short term loans."

What a pleasant robot, I shall call you Clinkers.

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