I've been around those circles before. When it comes down to it, "they" [the elitist's] feel as though TGC products and the like make it too easy for anyone to get results. For beginners especially, who can get a cube up on the screen in nearly 1 line of code.
Elitist Menatality
Usually they feel as though much of the true mathematics and programming knowledge is done by the language or product (in instances like FPSC). What they don't seem to validate is all the coding from members that goes beyond the basic result, and pushes their apps/games and other's to true breakthroughs in game-dev.
My Personal Take On It
I think these arguments are really dumb. I've worked directly in C++ and DirectX (as well as openGL in a linux environment) and I spent over a year piecing together a decent 2D blit/sprite engine and simple 3D-Graphics engine... In the end it wasn't half as functional or easy to use as DBpro. I enjoyed the knowledge gained, but it's not the path for everyone. While I spent time doing that, other people were turning their game ideas into reality.
My Experience & Boxing Myself In. "Let me Out!!!"
By the time my enigine started coming together everything had changed. I started with DirectX 7 and went through setting up my DirectX wrapper class based on DX7 interfaces; DirectDraw Direct3D. By the time I was really getting somewhere DirectX8 is out the door. As I began to redo my routines, I was hit with DX9. There's just not enough time for one person to work from scratch and keep current.
Use It. Or Lose It
It just comes down to using the right tools for the right job. If you are a solo indi developer, and you're not using the most efficient tools to demo your game, your not doing yourself any real favors. Of course C++ knowledge and learning 3D realtime rendering coding/algorithms knowledge is a great addition to your skill-set, and it will help if your goal is to be employed in the gaming Industry as a coder; it's not the best way to have your game realized.
There's A Lot More Than Just Coding Going On Here!
What if your not so much a coder as a level designer, 3D-modeler, texture artist, GUI designer; Isn't it benneficial to use tools like DBpro, GameEngines, Mods, etc... to get your talents and ideas across to the masses???
There are so many components to game creation today. A lot of us are multi-talented, or at least have forced ourselves to work in many areas and get by. (Modeling [Rigging, animating, level design/loading], GFX [Particle Systems, texures, texture mapping, shaders] SoundFX [Music scoring, loops, track editing, sampling, recording], Coding [AI, game-logic, Collision Systems, Physics Modeling, Camera & Scene Handling]. That's one big HAT!!!!
Not Always A Transparent Transfer.
I have a fairy strong, NON-DIGITAL art background, as well as an aptitude and love of the sciences. Still I have found it challenging to transfer much of my artistic skills to the digital age. I can still draw a lot better on paper & work with physical clay or wire mesh than my current modeling/texturing skills currently show. So it's not always transparent! I'm getting better, but it's just a different skill-set. Nevermind the # of apps, languages, tools I have gone through. I'm sure alot of you have gone through some of the same challenges.
It's Evolution Baby!!!
Not to many people seems to complain anymore about people using Photoshop for textures (rather than placing every pixel), or using 3DSMAX to create models (rather than hand coding verts). Some pixel aritists (Which I personally have respect for) still despise Photoshop's, Paint Shop pro's, The Gimp's, advanced tools.
I'll dev in DBpro, taking adavantage of most of the latest and greatest. If I actually complete something of true greatness, I can always get the support I need to re-code in C++ if I have to.
It's really all about being able to evolve. I myself stayed away from 3D the last few years because I wanted to understand all the background first before just moving into DBpro and creating a 3d game; with someone elses collision dll, with another persons physics package etc... That was really dumb. Then it dawned on me.I know a lot a physics and mathematics. I've been programming since age 9 back in 1984. So why am I punishing myself by not exploring 3D??? Just because I don't unsdersatnd every aspect. That's sort of like not making a movie because I haven't built my own Video Camera, and Film. Or not tightening a bolt on the Old Lawn-Mower because I haven't tooled my own wrench.
There will be more grumbling from the "purists" with the additions of PPU's handling a lot of the physics coding in hardware. Should that stop us all from using it?
Where's The Logic???
I have had conversations with some of these "gurus". And when I bring up their use of directX and had they ever hard-coded their own blitters & software 3d-Acceleration-routines via assembly? Their own drivers? Have they worked directly with every video card manufacture's memory gates and latches? Without the use of an API? It's funny the responses you will get. All of a sudden that's not a fair question.
You Lift Me Up!
For things to move foward, we all stand on the shoulders of giants. Of course some things may get easier for us (and some things are more difficult). And yes we should respect and try to understand the steps that brought us here. Bu,t just as scientists like Einstein built off of numerous historical figures and schievements, as current scientist build off of him and them... so shall we build off our "Founding Fathers". Yes we should learn the pronciples, but we don't need to reinvent the wheel "every time" we build the cart. Sure, we should all understand how to code PONG, but we also need to push the envelope.
Relativity
We shouldn't recreate every step of the way, before venturing to what hasn't been realized yet. No industry works that way. Let's face it, what used to be a great game for an solo developer, would not stand up as well today? No one is going to drool over your "Combat" clone. While in the past, that game took a lot of work to code in assembly, today most of us could code it in a day or a weekend in DBpro. Our games today, require other labors such as realistic models, physics, AI, lighting, textures, particles etc... So everything is relative.
THEY NAY SAYers
Phewww!!! That was a lot off my mind. But seriously, there will always be the Nay sayers. People who think that using powerful tools is akin to reading the Cliff's notes. Don't spend all your time worrying about what "THEY" think. Most of the time "THEY", will never respect you... "THEY" have no interest in your succcess... "They" aren't the one's who matter...
Your dreams, aspirations, and happiness is what "matters". Don't let anyone take that away from you. Use the tools that get YOU where
YOU want to go.
~ZenAssem
