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Geek Culture / Is It Possible To Create A Game With VB6?

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Z Castration
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Posted: 26th Mar 2008 18:26
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Probably a stupid question. But I am currently taking Visual Basic in one of my classes so I have the software at home and was wondering if it is possible to create a graphical game (top down birds eye view camera would be fine) with music and all that jazz. Just figured I'd ask people that would know. Thanks

-Zack
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Keo C
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Posted: 26th Mar 2008 18:40
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Yes, it's possible. There are even sites dedicated to it.


Image made by the overworked Biggadd.
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BatVink
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Posted: 26th Mar 2008 18:41 Edited at: 26th Mar 2008 18:43
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Why would you be taking classes in VB 6? Any VB classes should now be using .Net, especially as the Express version is free.

Using .Net, you can use DarkGDK.net as your DirectX interface, amongst others. Shortly, you will be able to download DarkGDK.net for free as well.
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Aertic
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Posted: 26th Mar 2008 18:56
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I have no idea why you posted that!
Of course you can C# is objectbased, meaning that it often requires meshes, meaning its good for games, or is VB6 c++?
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Duplex
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Posted: 26th Mar 2008 19:07
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Quote: "I have no idea why you posted that!
Of course you can C# is objectbased, meaning that it often requires meshes, meaning its good for games, or is VB6 c++? "




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Aertic
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Posted: 26th Mar 2008 19:09
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What, Is there a contradiction in there ashley?
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Duplex
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Posted: 26th Mar 2008 19:14
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VB is Visual Basic. Oh, and Nathan, if you are gonna say my real name, spell it with a capital letter.

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Seppuku Arts
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Posted: 26th Mar 2008 19:24
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If you're using VB 6, I think version 6.2 of the Truevision 3D engine supports it. If not, wait for the Free Version of DarkGDK.NET and test it against the free VB.NET 2008. But if you're adamant on using VB6 (as that's the interface you'll be familiar with) there are plenty of VB6 games programming resources out there.


Quote: "What, Is there a contradiction in there ashley?"


I think what he is getting at is the fact when C# is object based it has nothing to do with meshes - most modern programming languages can be used to load meshes...mostly through DirectX or Open GL (though some people have tried to create their own renderers and APIs)

'Object based' refers more to how the programming language is layed out - object orientation programming (or OOP) is meant to be more convenient or easier to program with, hence C# is OOP based. C++ can use OOP, but it's more flexible in the fact you have plenty of other things to do with it. VB...can't really comment, similar to C# in many ways (well C# is similar to it, VB is older) and I think it's quite easy to use.

"Experience never provides its judgments with true or strict universality; but only (through induction) with assumed and comparative universality." - Immanuel Kant
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Aertic
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Posted: 26th Mar 2008 19:28
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*hehe* my bad Ahsley.
Also is that true sep?
Wonder if my dad realy did take a course in C#? he told me that it was object based and it was a better language for gaming.

Quote: "I think what he is getting at is the fact when C# is object based it has nothing to do with meshes - most modern programming languages can be used to load meshes...mostly through DirectX or Open GL (though some people have tried to create their own renderers and APIs)

'Object based' refers more to how the programming language is layed out - object orientation programming (or OOP) is meant to be more convenient or easier to program with, hence C# is OOP based. C++ can use OOP, but it's more flexible in the fact you have plenty of other things to do with it. VB...can't really comment, similar to C# in many ways (well C# is similar to it, VB is older) and I think it's quite easy to use."


Oh adn you confused me again. but reading it twice I see what you mean.
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Duplex
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Posted: 26th Mar 2008 19:43
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Visual Basic is an Object Oriented Programming language. I don't know anything about C# but I think it is OOP. By 'Object Oriented Programming' it does not mean object as in 3D models.

As I am not a programmer, I can not tell you alot, but you can look here for a more in-depth explaination. Although, I do not understand most of it myself.

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hessiess
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Posted: 26th Mar 2008 21:42 Edited at: 26th Mar 2008 21:51
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An object, or class is a data type which can contain data and functions. Classes can also inherit data from each other.

eg



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BatVink
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Posted: 26th Mar 2008 22:03
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VB6 is not Object Oriented, it's event driven. It's a subtle but important difference.
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Aertic
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Posted: 26th Mar 2008 22:15
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Yeah we were talking about C#, buts its nice to hear that its event based, very good for word games *hehe*, so what do you want to make Zack?
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Jeff Miller
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Posted: 26th Mar 2008 22:39
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I found the difference between VB6 and VB.net much more than subtle. It drove me to drink, and I started looking for something else. I found the transition from VB6 to DBPro manageable. I've been able to migrate some of my old code over to DBPro without massive rewrites.
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Keo C
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Posted: 27th Mar 2008 00:54
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Quote: "Yeah we were talking about C#, buts its nice to hear that its event based, very good for word games *hehe*, so what do you want to make Zack?"

Why don't you just talk about the topic?


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Seppuku Arts
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Posted: 27th Mar 2008 00:55
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Quote: "Wonder if my dad realy did take a course in C#? he told me that it was object based and it was a better language for gaming."


Though you said you see what I meant, but yes what he says is pretty much true, I just think you misinterpreted what he meant by 'object'. An OOP language is probably better (at least a lot people say it is) because it makes life easier programming the damn things and C Sharp can still come up with pretty fast results. Though personally I prefer how C++ works, but am much more satisfied in using DBP, does all I need it to do with the kind of time, knowledge and budget I have.

"Experience never provides its judgments with true or strict universality; but only (through induction) with assumed and comparative universality." - Immanuel Kant
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gamebird
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Posted: 27th Mar 2008 03:18 Edited at: 27th Mar 2008 03:21
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VB6 actually was object oriented but it was such a subtle implementation that most of the time it was ignored. That is part of the reason that VB6 is considered the easier language. VB.net is much much more object oriented and is also harder to learn (but its still pretty easy). Where did you get a copy of VB6? Microsoft doesn't even make it any more.

VB.net would be a much better choice for game development because of .net support. However, C# is an even better choice. Microsoft has provided much more support for C# than VB.net. But if you learn one language then you almost completely know the other. It is almost scary how many things are alike in them. Almost as scary has how much alike both of them are to Java. There are minor differences, like usage of { and }. Some people even use that as the deciding factor. So yes, C# is a much better language for gaming than VB. But I would use VB or a neat language called DM (part of http://www.byond.com) for learning object oriented concepts in the first place. You probably won't even realize you are using object oriented programming when you use them.

If you want proof VB6 can be used for a powerful game engine, go to http://www.vbgore.com or http://www.playerworlds.com.
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Jeku
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Posted: 27th Mar 2008 04:36
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Quote: "VB6 actually was object oriented but it was such a subtle implementation that most of the time it was ignored."


Really? I'd like to know how it's object oriented?


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Uncle Sam
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Posted: 27th Mar 2008 05:15 Edited at: 27th Mar 2008 05:17
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I once started reading a book on making games with VB(6 I think), but....yuck, it's no good.

All I can say is: [href="http://www.xna.com]XNA[/href].

Since you're a student you should be able to get it free, if they have your school on the list.

Unfortunately XNA is so good that I'm leaving DBP behind.

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Jeku
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Posted: 27th Mar 2008 05:45
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XNA already is free, and so is Visual C# .Net Express.


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BatVink
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Posted: 27th Mar 2008 11:52
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VB6 cannot be classed as an OOP language. It doesn't have inheritance, which is one of the fundamental concepts of OOP.

For example, if you want 10 different types of car, you have to have 10 specific classes in VB6. In OOP, you would have 10 cars that inherit features from other classes, which can be shared amoongst cars.
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PAGAN_old
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Posted: 27th Mar 2008 15:25
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there is a few 3d engines that are compatible with vb6/vb.net and VC++ One of the is called "truevision, It looks pretty cool. I never got into it though, I never liked VB because it was kindof confusing and hard. I played around with the demos, but i didnt want to learn the system all over again (DB was more appealing at the time)

dont hate people who rip you off,cheat and get away with it, learn from them
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Jeku
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Posted: 27th Mar 2008 21:20
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I agree with BatVink.

Just because it uses the dot syntax (i.e. Control1.Name = "Blah") does not make it OO. Languages like C++, ActionScript, and C# are true OO languages with inheritance, polymorphism, etc.


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gamebird
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Posted: 27th Mar 2008 21:29
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I stand corrected then. I have read about it on several websites (I started with VB.NET) and they all said that VB6 was considered a object oriented language. Really it depends on how you define a OO language. Personally I am of the opinion that any language can be object oriented if you use it that way, however some languages are called object oriented languages because they include features that support object oriented programming. And whether it would be better to use object oriented programming in those languages that don't support it I don't really know.
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Silvester
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Posted: 27th Mar 2008 21:36
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VB6, its fine for 2D games, however all 3D SDK's run terribly slow in it. Your better of learning .NET, trust me. I wasted my time on VB6, and I feel sorry for it.
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BatVink
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Posted: 27th Mar 2008 23:01
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VB6 to .net isn't a massive hurdle. You can virtually program in the same style. However, you can also inherit bad habits that way, so it's important to keep reading as you go, ensure you convert your style and thought processes to OO. I find CodeProject a useful website with more information than you can shake a stick at.
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Benjamin
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Posted: 27th Mar 2008 23:04 Edited at: 27th Mar 2008 23:08
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[edit] Not relevant.

Multisync - TCP Server/Client Multiplayer Plugin (DBP/DBCe)
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Jeff Miller
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Posted: 27th Mar 2008 23:29
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I found the prospect of transition from VB6 to .net to be really irritating, and the transitional material Microsoft was putting out was infuriating. I actually started DBPro as the alternative. I could transition my older VB6 code into DBPro fairly easily, and in fact I still do that. I'm starting to suffer from some short-term memory problems, and that makes OOP programming harder. The event programming structure of VB6 is less strain on short-term memory, in my experience. DBPro seems to let you program any way you wish.
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